A landmark court ruling has seriously undermined the right of people to leave money and assets to whom they wish, lawyers have warned.  A woman has been awarded £164,000 from her estranged mother’s estate after a  judge ruled that her mother did not leave “reasonable provision” for her in the will. Heather Ilott was granted a third of her mother’s £500,000 estate despite the mother expressly stating in her will that she did not want her child to receive a penny. She left the entire sum to animal charities when she died in 2004.

A member of the Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee, said: “This ruling is saying that while you can still disinherit your children, you are going to have to explain why and show connections with those you are leaving the money to.”

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