1. Learn what happens if you have a common-law partner

The intestacy rules do not give anything to a common-law partner. But, your common-law partner might be able to go to court and make a dependant support claim against your estate. A dependant is a person you were supporting financially before you died or a person the law says you must support.

Your common-law partner might also be able to make other kinds of claims against your estate. For example, they may be able to make an unjust enrichment claim or a resulting trust claim. But these types of claims can be costly and very hard to prove. The question “We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?” has more information.