Professional will writing news: Brits get inheritance early

People are not waiting for their parents to make a will, but are instead receiving their inheritances early, it has been revealed.

Research form Skipton Financial Services found that one in five people have already been given either part or all of their inheritance so they can pay off increasing debts, make a deposit on a property or survive periods of unemployment.

The study which looked at 1,000 people under the age of 35 and the same number of people over the age of 50 found that 16 per cent of the first age group have received around £50,000.

In addition, one in ten have been given £100,000 or over, while one in 20 parents have given their children all their liquid assets and will only have property to give to their offspring after they pass away.

The survey also found that over 60 per cent of people under 35 expect their parents to leave them assets when they make a will, but only 28 per cent have discussed this with them.

Those with children should make sure that they make a will, according to legal expert Sue Medder, who told the Guardian that this is so that their estate is distributed as they would wish.