Following Liam Payne’s unexpected death in October 2024, new probate filings in the UK confirm that the former One Direction star died without leaving a legally valid will. As a result, his estate—initially valued at nearly £28.6 million and reduced to £24.3 million after debts and liabilities—will be distributed under the laws of intestacy in England and Wales. These rules determine who inherits and in what proportion.
- Spouses and Civil Partners
Under these rules, a spouse or civil partner can inherit even if separated at the time of death, but not if they are divorced or if the civil partnership has legally ended.
- Children
If the estate is worth more than £322,000, the surviving spouse or partner receives:
- All personal belongings;
- The first £322,000 of the estate;
- Half of the remainder.
The other half is shared equally among the deceased’s children, including adopted children and those from previous relationships. If the estate is worth £322,000 or less, the partner inherits everything, and the children receive nothing.
Joint Assets
For jointly owned property, if the ownership was as beneficial joint tenants, the surviving partner automatically inherits the deceased’s share. However, if the property was held as tenants in common, the deceased’s share forms part of their estate and is distributed under intestacy rules. Similarly, any funds in joint bank accounts automatically go to the surviving co-owner and are not included in the estate for intestacy purposes.
Under these rules, where there is no surviving spouse or civil partner, the deceased’s estate typically passes to their children.
A child’s share of an estate under intestacy depends on two factors:
- The number of children the deceased has, and
- Whether a surviving spouse or civil partner is still alive.
All biological and adopted children inherit equally, regardless of whether their parents were married (including children from previous relationships and stepchildren legally adopted by the deceased.
Stepchildren, the deceased did not adopt, are not entitled to inherit under intestacy laws.
A child under 18 cannot access their inheritance immediately. Instead, the funds are held in trust and managed by a trustee until the child reaches adulthood.
Payne is survived by his 8-year-old son, Bear, from his relationship with British pop singer Cheryl Cole, his parents, two older sisters, and his girlfriend. Consequently, Bear inherits the substantial estate, including income from Payne’s time with One Direction, his solo career, lucrative brand endorsements, and music publishing rights.
Documents filed with the Probate Registry in London confirm that Payne died intestate, and his estate comprises a wide range of assets: residential and investment properties, residual music royalties, and personal holdings accumulated over a decade of international stardom.
Cheryl Cole, 41, and Richard Mark Bray, a solicitor with expertise in entertainment law, have been appointed co-administrators of Payne’s estate. At this stage, their authority is limited to preserving and managing the assets until the court issues a full grant of administration. Following this, they may begin distributing the estate by establishing a trust to safeguard Bear’s long-term financial interests.
Although further details remain confidential, Payne’s estate is expected to be one of recent UK memory’s most valuable celebrity intestacies. His career began with the formation of One Direction on The X Factor in 2010—a group that sold over 70 million records worldwide—before launching a solo career marked by collaborations with artists like Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora. His legacy now extends beyond music into estate administration and inheritance law.
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