Number of intestate estates falls as more people make Wills

The number of people in the UK dying intestate (without having made a Will) is falling. Between 1997 and 2006 the rate remained steady, with between 60% to 65% of people dying without Wills. However, since 2007 the level of intestacies has fallen. Roughly 54% of people dying in 2009 had not made a Will. This reflects the fact that more people are now making Wills.

Interestingly, there is a significant variation between the sexes, with women being much more likely to make a Will than men.