Intestacy
The state of dying without a valid Will. The estate is then distributed under fixed legal rules, regardless of what the deceased might have wanted.
The intestacy rules in England and Wales prioritise spouses or civil partners and blood relatives in a strict order. They do not recognise unmarried partners or stepchildren, and they can result in distant relatives inheriting where the deceased intended specific people to.
Where part of an estate is covered by a Will but part is not (a 'partial intestacy'), the rules apply to the uncovered part. A properly drafted Will avoids this.