ACTPAS member Robert Weston comments on the dramatic rise in High Court actions and stresses the importance of mediation. Click here to read the article.
Mr Weston identifies various reasons for the increase in disputed wills including the poorly performing economy and an increase in step families and co-habiting couples.
I would also add that the increase in the number of people suffering from dementia is one of the principal reasons why the Courts are seeing more challenges to Wills. The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that there are 800,000 people in the UK with dementia.
Lack of testamentary capacity is the most common ground for challenging a will. For further information on the grounds on which Wills can be challenged, please see https://bhwsolicitors.com/challenging-wills/
Paul Davis is a Solicitor at BHW Solicitors in Leicester and regularly writes on probate matters. Paul can be contacted on 0116 281 6231 or at paul@bhwsolicitors.com