A new survey has found that women are more likely than men to create a will as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Nearly three in 10 (28%) women said they were more likely, compared with just under a fifth (19%) of men.
The YouGov survey of more than 2,300 people in January was carried out for ‘heir hunting’ or probate research firm Finders International, which reunites those who are next-of-kin with inheritances they did not know they were due, when someone dies without a will or known heirs.
The research also discovered that more than half (59%) of adults do not have a valid will, rising to nearly nine in 10 (87%) of under-35s. Nearly three in 10 (29%) over-55s also said they do not have a will.
Three-quarters (76%) of adults surveyed said they do not know a lot about what happens to their assets if they die without a will.
A significant number would likely consider disinheriting family members from their will, including parents, siblings, children or their partner, while two-fifths (42%) said they had fallen out with a family member at family gatherings.
Danny Curran, founder of Finders International, said: "It's time our knowledge and understanding about our legacies when we die are better understood for the protection of our loved ones.
"We know the pandemic has forced many more individuals to consider their position around death - as awkward and as uncomfortable as that may sound.
"Not many people realise if they die 'intestate' or without a will, their assets could easily go to the Government. What we've learnt from this research is the importance of family relationships, or at least knowing who-is-who across a family, even if close relationships don't exist."
Geoffrey Odds, chairman of the International Association of Professional Probate Researchers (IAPPR), said: "From an international perspective, this research went on to uncover that more than a quarter of younger adults had at least one foreign-born grandparent, compared to just 10 per cent of over-50s."
He added: "What's interesting about this phenomenon is how families and relations will continue to become more international."
