Who Is Next Of Kin?

[10ClarionSt]

My uncle died in WW2. Not married; no children. He had 3 sisters and 2 brothers. His last surviving sibling died recently. Who is next of kin? The oldest nephew/neice? Or the oldest child of his recently deceased sibling? TIA.

[waterboatman]

I would think the eldest child of his recently deceased sibling.

[ummmm]

Anyone, you don't have to be related to be next of kin.

[Rockrose]

You are correct ummm it could be joe bloggs down the street

[ducksie]

I have 5 sisters, had 6 brothers, only 2 of the latter living, parents both deceased, love my remaining siblings and their offspring but my NoK is not one of them, I've nominated; and it's on all my medical and legal documents that my NoK is this person. So I agree with ummmm here, they don't have to be family

[waterboatman]

Indeed you can nominate an NOK I did. But the question referred to relatives. Not that it makes any difference.

[murraymints]

I think the line of hereditary succession is the question..not NOK..who can be whomsoever you wish to appoint...

[waterboatman]

Quite.

[fiction-factory]

Yes, probably an Intestacy question. This may help
https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will

[bednobs]

it seems unlikely to relate to intestacy if the person died 75+ years ago

[Rockrose]

//I think the line of hereditary succession is the question..not NOK..who can be whomsoever you wish to appoint//
Yet the question is who is next of kin!

[dannyk13]

When someone dies without a will, the person or people legally considered to be their closest relative(s) can apply for the right to settle the estate. This close relative is often unofficially referred to as the next of kin.

[Peter Pedant]

if it is who gets the moolah ?
then it is an intestacy question and should be in Law

sorry if you have been bereaved Clar'

In Law Barmaid commented that next of kin was pre 1837 WIlls Act and had virtually no meaning except in ... Hospitals.

and in Law Chris Buenchico has amazingly detailed and accurate about the current intestacy rules

Intestacy - I think the moolah is divided between all the nephews and nieces, and if deceased then his part is equal to the kids left. Any possible heir or part heir can apply for probate ( ie anyone with an interest in the estate)

and all this goes to show
you should ALL make a will - hear that y'all ?

[Peter Pedant]

No- Danny is wrong
anyone with an interest can apply for probate

this all goes to show that AB is free but may not be accurate or right

see banner at the top .....

[Peter Pedant]

ducksie - you should be making a will - ya hear
and NOT saying - 'I dont need a will because I have instead ....... and this is as good or better."

earliest fambly will is 1867 of someone who was born 1784
clearly my fambly learnt that lesson early

[Peter Pedant]

I was helping Mr X clear up Mr Y's effects according to Y's will and X as the named executor

and after we had prized various effects out of the Manchester coroner's tight grasp, I was amazed to hear the coroners officer - miss Z say - 'and of course, this will be passed on to Y's next of kin'
I said - "er well it will passed on to whomever the will specifies"

and Miss Z and PP started scrapping on the floor of the city hall biting screaming and scratching, along with hair pulling
My view was that miss Z was paid to know this sort of detail......

[fiction-factory]

>it seems unlikely to relate to intestacy if the person died 75+ years ago
I'm not sur ethat was suggested, bednobs- I'm sure we were thinking of the last surviving sibling who died recently- although as the uncle got sentence of his own- the first of the thread- maybe he is more central to this than we thought.
These questions are always tricky as we are in danger of not answering the question asked (as NOK is a moveable feast/has no significance often) as we are guessing the context and assuming the poster isn't asking the right question.
Hopefully 10CS can clarify the context of the qiuestion

[Bazile]

//and in Law Chris Buenchico has amazingly detailed and accurate about the current intestacy rules //

Where in the law section is that PP ?

[ummmm]

He's very good at Google

[dannyk13]

PP, How am I wrong?
https://beyond.life/help-centre/admin-legal/next-kin-mean/#intestacy

[New Judge]

As explained, NoK has no legal standing anyway but next-of-kin to whom? Your uncle? His last surviving sibling? What's the reason for wanting to know (it might make a difference)? With your uncle long since departed and anybody he might have thought of as his NoK probably gone the same way, it seems a bit of a strange question.