Intestate deaths (FOI)

​Request

Of the number of Jersey residents who have died in the last 5-10 years, what percentage had prepared a will / wills (moveable / immoveable estate) ie. died intestate?

Response

For moveable assets:

We do not hold data as to probate/letters of administration on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis. However, in the five years to 1 September 2017, there were 2,845 applications to the Probate Registry in respect of Jersey domiciled deceased. In the five years to 1 September 2017, 23.4% of the full applications made (wherever domiciled) were for letters of administration, i.e. no valid will was presented.

Please note that there are limitations on the figures we are able to provide above:-

Not all estates in Jersey require probate/administration, particularly if all the assets of the deceased person were held in joint names. The number of such estates is not recorded and so not included in the above figures.

In some of the cases included in the figures above a will had been prepared but it was void as all the beneficiaries had pre-deceased the person who had died. Furthermore, some of those applications originated from jurisdictions such as those in the Middle East where wills may not legally be made.

For immoveable assets:

Wills of immoveable estate are recorded in the Public Registry, however where there is no will no record is made: it is therefore not possible to calculate the percentage requested.