Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent

‘Ruinously expensive’: record number of inheritance disputes in England and Wales

A person fills in their last will and testament form.
Thousands of families are becoming embroiled in inheritance disputes. Photograph: maybefalse/Getty Images

Thousands of families are becoming embroiled in a soaring number of inheritance disputes leading to a record volume of “ruinously expensive” and emotionally gruelling court cases.

As many as 10,000 people in England and Wales are disputing wills every year, according to estimates by specialist solicitors. In 2021-22, 195 disputes went in front of judges, up from 145 in 2017, but these are the tip of the iceberg, with most disputes settled out of court.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.