Client seeking financial support after her mother left 50% of her £6 million estate (including farmland) to charity

Our client was an adult child whose mother, the deceased, left 50% of her £6 million estate to charity. A claim was brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The claim was on the basis that the client had not been adequately provided for under her mother’s will and had limited financial resources.

There was also a strong moral claim, as promises had been made to the client, by her parents, over a 14 year period in relation to gifting the client their farm. At the same time we therefore brought a further claim for proprietary estoppel.

The case was made harder following the Supreme Court decision in Illot vs Mitson but the matter was resolved in mediation and the client was extremely happy with the resolution.