The animal charities Blue Cross, RSPB and RSPCA in Ilott v Mitson, a case relating to an inheritance dispute, have been granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Inheritance Act case made headlines in July last year when the Court of Appeal ruled that the deceased’s daughter would be awarded £143,000 to buy a house (plus expenses) and an extra £20,000. Mrs Jackson (the deceased) and her daughter, Mrs Ilott, had been estranged for 26 years after Mrs Ilott left home aged 17 to live with, and later marry, a man whom her mother did not approve of
A Will in which a mother left the whole of her estate to charities and which didn’t leave anything to her estranged daughter looks set to be considered by the Supreme Court following years of litigation.Last year the Court of appeal made a sizeable award to the daughter, but the charity beneficiaries have been given permission to appeal the value of the award.This complex case highlights the difficulties that can be faced if you don’t want to leave assets to family members.
