When a person pass away without a Will, after all the debts are paid the administrator must distribute the remainder of his estate according to the section 6 of the Distribution Act 1958 (As amended in 1997) to lawful beneficiaries.
Section 6 of the Distribution Act 1958 (As amended in 1997) provides the following: 1. Spouse only alive (without parents or issue) – whole estate to surviving spouse 2. Issue only alive (without spouse or parents) – whole estate to issue equally 3. Parents only alive (without spouse or issue) – whole estate to parents 4. Spouse and issue alive (without parents) – spouse – 1/3 & issue – 2/3 5. Spouse, issue and parents alive – spouse – 1/4, issue – 1/2 & parents – 1/4 6. Spouse and parents alive (without issue) – spouse – 1/2 & parents – 1/2 7. Issue and parents alive (without spouse) – issue – 2/3 & parents – 1/3
The following person(s) are entitled in accordance to priority when an intestate dies without leaving a surviving spouse, child or parent:
brothers & sisters
grandparents
uncles & aunts
great grandparents
great uncles & aunts
government
Note: Issue: includes children and descendants of children. Parent: Natural mother or farther of a child or the lawful mother and father of a child under the Adoption Act 1952.
