If you don't make a Will, then your property, money and belongings at the date of your death will be dealt with by a set of rules, known as the intestacy rules.

If you are married and have children, then your partner will only inherit your property, the first £322,000 of your estate and then the rest will be split equally between your partner and your children. If you jointly own your property your partner will automatically inherit the property, and this will not be included in the £322,000

If you have no children or an estate worth less than £322,000 then your partner will inherit everything.

If you have no surviving spouse or civil partner at the date of your death, then your estate will be left to your children (if any) in equal shares.

If you have no spouse or children/grandchildren, it will pass to your parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.

This may not be in line with your wishes and if it isn't then you need to make a Will to ensure your wishes are followed.

Witnesses do not need to read the Will or know its contents, although they should be told what it is. They are simply witnessing your signature and acknowledging that you have signed the Will freely, and on the basis that the contents of the Will have been understood and approved by you. 

Witnesses must be over 18 years old.

Witnesses need to be independent and should not be related to you or anyone mentioned in your Will, either by blood, marriage or civil partnership, however your witnesses may be related to each other.

DO NOT ask a beneficiary, nor the spouse/registered civil partner of a beneficiary to witness the Will, as any benefit or interest to which they are entitled within the Will, will be lost.

No, you don't need a solicitor to set up your Lasting Power of Attorney.

Lasting Powers of Attorney documents are standard 20 page documents. So whether you use an independent Estate Planner like myself or a Solicitor, the outcome will be exactly the same.

A Lasting Power of Attorney is useful in a whole range of situations, for example if you had an accident, lost mental capacity, or became seriously unwell and unable to make day-to-day decisions about your health, welfare or financial situation.

Lots of these situations can come out of nowhere, without much warning. Which is why every adult should consider having a Lasting Power of Attorney, so you’re prepared for whatever life throws your way.

Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert) advocates that everyone needs a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) because it allows someone you trust to manage your finances and health if you lose the ability to do so yourself. He emphasizes that an LPA is more important than a will, as it deals with your affairs while you are alive but unable to manage them, potentially preventing financial complications and court intervention. 

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a document that allows you to appoint someone you trust, as your attorney, which gives them the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you lose the mental capacity to do so in the future.

Lasting Power of Attorney and a Last Will and Testament are two different legal documents with different purposes and effects.

Whereas a Will only comes into effect after you have died, a Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that is used before you die, usually when you aren’t able to make your own decisions and lose mental capacity.

The moment that you die a Lasting Power of Attorney ends.

I recommend for you to get it sorted way ahead of time, because it makes a world of difference when it matters.

It can be more important the older you are as illnesses such as dementia become a higher risk.