The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 makes provision for certain classes of people to seek ‘reasonable financial provision’ from estates. The classes of potential claimant include spouses and civil partners, former spouses and civil partners, cohabitees, children and those treated as children of the deceased. A person who was being maintained (financially) by the deceased prior to death may also be able to bring a claim.
Generally, claims are brought by those who have been excluded from inheriting under the terms of a Will or where, because there is no Will, they are not beneficiaries under the intestacy rules. Even if a Will or intestacy does make some provision for someone, this does not prevent them from bringing a claim seeking greater provision.