Content that regularly ‘trends’ in its thousands on the Citizens Advice website is ‘who can inherit if there is no Will’ and searches via Google to their site ‘intestacy rules’.
In 2016-17, Citizens Advice helped 2.7 million people: face to face, over the phone, by email and via webchat. They had a massive 43 million visits to their website and are based in 2,700 community locations (including GP surgeries, libraries and courts) in England and Wales – 2 in every 3 people who sought their help last year had their problem solved.
Citizens Advice regularly deal with people who are unsure if a Will exists or not and are facing intestacy, or believe the wrong Will is being used to distribute an estate. Part of the guidance Citizens Advice provide in these situations is to suggest that they conduct a Certainty Will Search. This guidance has been in place since 2012.
In a recent Will Search case, a member of the public was completely unaware if a Will existed and was referred by the Citizens Advice to undertake a Certainty Will Search. A Will was rapidly identified and located using a Certainty Will Search Combined.
The family of the deceased were in the process of arranging a burial but the Will revealed that the deceased had elected to be cremated. The nephew of the deceased commented: “Thank you to Certainty the National Will Register for finding my uncle’s Will. We realised he wanted to be cremated, we were thankfully able to carry out these wishes.” The family also stated that the Will named beneficiaries that would not have inherited under the rules of intestacy.
Certainty Will Search proves each and every day to be the safest way to start distributing an estate; whether a Will is known or unknown and, as in this case, uphold the testator’s wishes and protect the executors.
If you require client guidance for your firm covering why, when and how to Will Search, please contact us on 0330 100 3660 or email enquiries@certainty.co.uk to request your free information pack.
