🇬🇧 UK Supreme Court – Disputed Will Case: Ilott v The Blue Cross & Others (2017)

Heather Ilott, estranged from her mother for decades, was left out of her mother’s Will. The mother left her £486,000 estate to animal charities. Ilott challenged the Will under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, arguing she deserved reasonable financial provision.

Even estranged family members may challenge a Will, but courts balance personal autonomy with fairness.

The Supreme Court ruled that adult children do not have automatic rights to inherit, especially if financially independent. However, Ilott was awarded £50,000—less than lower courts had granted—emphasizing the testator’s freedom to choose beneficiaries.