A growing number of UK adults are relying on future inheritances to remain financially stable, even as probate disputes rise sharply and delays in estate planning put legacies at risk.
New research from probate lenders Level Group reveals that one in three UK adults – equivalent to 18.4 million people – are now financially dependent on an expected inheritance. Alarmingly, five million say they will fall into debt if the money does not materialise, while many others rely on it to clear mortgages or settle other significant expenses.
Despite this heavy reliance, the study suggests that millions are gambling with their financial future by failing to plan for how their assets will be distributed. Over half of UK adults (54%) expect to receive an inheritance within the next 20 years, yet confusion and conflict could mean many estates are divided contrary to the deceased’s wishes.
Level Group warns that delaying estate planning can carry a high cost, particularly for families navigating the UK’s complex intestacy rules when someone dies without a Will. These laws impose a strict hierarchy of inheritance, ignoring unmarried partners, stepchildren, and close friends, no matter how close the relationship.
Delaying estate planning can lead to probate, family disputes, confusion, and assets being divided by law
“It is a topic many put off,” Level CEO, George Williamson said. “But delaying estate planning can lead to probate, family disputes, confusion, and assets being divided by law, not by the wishes of those who pass.”
This concern is backed by a disturbing rise in contentious probate cases. Exclusive Ministry of Justice data shows that probate disputes which reach court have surged by 37% over the past decade. Meanwhile, probate cases taking more than a year to settle have grown by an astonishing 518% between 2019 and 2024, adding emotional and financial strain to bereaved families.
The financial implications are becoming more pressing as changes to inheritance tax (IHT) loom. With IHT receipts for April to September this year reaching £4.4 billion and future reforms – such as the potential taxation of pensions from 2027 – set to capture more estates, early planning is now more important than ever.
The real takeaway is that you need to take control of the situation by making sure you have a valid Will in place, as well as taking other steps to protect your assets to reduce your Inheritance Tax liability, to ensure your estate is passed on in the way you intended.
