The NHS offers a free next of kin card online, where you can fill in your details and keep them with you. The next of kin you name here is the person you wish to contact through NHS medical staff in case you are hospitalised or die in hospital. A legally binding and properly drafted will for heritable assets usually takes precedence over the inheritance tax of the next of kin. However, if the deceased did not leave a will, their estate passes to a surviving spouse in almost all states. If the couple is divorced, marriage contracts can terminate or modify these rights. If a surviving spouse remarries, this usually has no effect on their inheritance rights. As far as UK law is concerned, there is no clear rule as to who your next of kin is, except in the case of children under the age of 18. For children under the age of 18, the next of kin is someone who has the legal authority to make decisions on their behalf, such as a parent or guardian. If you would like advice on any aspect of appointing a close relative or if you have been named as someone else`s next of kin, please do not hesitate to contact us. If there is a will and professional executors are appointed, such as a bank or lawyers, they may be happy if the next of kin makes all the arrangements for the funeral. In the UK, a close relative is used to refer to a parent (or parents) with whom you have the closest relationship.

Note that if your close relatives are minors, the probate court will usually appoint a registrar to oversee the management of the assets until the children reach the age of majority. In this guide, we explain the importance of next of kin when a person is in hospital, when they die and when no will has been made, as well as the rights and responsibilities of next of kin. However, being identified as your next of kin does not give anyone the right to make decisions about your care or to give or refuse consent to treatment on your behalf. At most, your loved ones will be informed of your progress and invited to give their opinion on your care. Typically, the deceased`s closest relatives — the closest family members who are related by blood — are the first to inherit as heirs, but state laws determine who is considered the next of kin and in what order they inherit. However, next of kin can mean more than just a point of contact after death; The term can also be used to describe who can legally inherit an estate if someone dies without making a will, and who can file an application for an estate. Therefore, it is possible that the person you list as the next of kin in your hospital records, for example, and the person authorized to manage your estate if you do not have a will (your next of kin legal) are completely different people. The reason the NHS has to ask you about the next of kin is that in the event something happens to you in hospital, if you need treatment or if you have to die, that`s the person they will turn to to explain the situation and discuss funeral arrangements or medical decisions such as organ donation. It also says that they “have no control over who will inherit from you when you die,” but it all depends on who your next of kin are and whether or not you have made a legally valid will. However, if there is no will, it is usually the next of kin to file an application for an estate, which can be a very costly process if no plan has been made in advance.

The next of kin may have a legal right to an estate in which there is no will. However, to have the legal right, they would have to apply to be appointed executors. This includes requesting letters of administration. Once appointed as an administrator, you will have the legal right to access the person`s bank account and other assets. When a person is admitted to a hospital in the UK, they are asked to name someone as their next of kin. Most hospitals are very flexible in defining next of kin, so you can choose anyone from your partner to a relative to your best friend. Spouses and life partners are defined as the next of kin when a person dies without inheritance. This included the case where a couple lived apart but was not legally separated. The spouses and partners inherit all of the person`s personal belongings, the first £250,000 of their estate – and half a share of all subsequent estate assets.

If you are hospitalized in an emergency and cannot specify who staff can contact, they will try to identify your next of kin. If you are unconscious at the time of your admission to the hospital, doctors and nurses will try to identify your next of kin. In this scenario, they usually choose the closest relative they can come into contact with – likely a spouse, parent, or adult child. These are usually the next of kin who are in the hospital with someone when they die and make their funeral preparations. But what does “next of kin” really mean and who has the final say or responsibility when someone dies? If you don`t have a will, it`s especially important to understand what will happen to your estate after your death. In the rare cases where no close relative is found, your hard-earned assets may even end up in state hands. Lawyers acting under LPAs have several duties and responsibilities as well as legal rights. You should always act in your best interest and help yourself make as many decisions as possible.

The Office of the Public Guardian supervises lawyers and can take action if there are concerns. An AHR is a legal document that allows you to specify exactly who you want to manage your financial affairs and any health needs in case you lose the mental capacity to do it yourself. This way, you can rest assured that your business will be handled wisely and in the way you want it should something happen to you. Surviving partners who are not married or have a registered civil partnership are not recognized as close relatives – and cannot inherit under the rules of succession. Not even in-laws. To avoid this, you may want to talk to your loved ones about your chosen next of kin while you`re still alive so everyone knows where they stand and there won`t be arguments when you die. To prove who the next of kin are, proof of identity such as a birth certificate or government-issued photo ID is required. An affidavit from a person who may swear by blood relationship to the deceased may also be required. If there are several close relatives, all of whom are eligible, it can lead to difficulties and disputes if there is no agreement. If this sounds like your situation, take a minute to read our guide to contentious wills and estates. A “next of kin” is a traditional term that usually refers to a person`s next of kin.

There are a number of things you can do if you want to be sure that the person or people you consider your closest relatives will be there for you when you die. While you are free to choose who you have the closest relationship with your next of kin, many people usually follow the above guidelines. In cases where a parent or family does not wish to arrange the funeral, it will be arranged by the local council and the family will be informed of the details.