information about absent father's death

molly22

just wondered if you could shed any light on my query.

my partner lost his father a few months ago
he hadnt seen him or spoken to him for the past 40yrs, didnt know where he lived, but knew he was still alive as his mother received a maintenance payment every month. (seemingly there was a messy divorce when my partner was about 6.) about 1951.

he would now like some info regarding his fathers life, just normal intrigue, which he has expressed on occasions during the past few years. (i had tried to locate his father on a few occasions without success)

sadly contact made with the funeral director and court have come to nothing, they are unable to tell him anything due to the data protection act!
and the only communication he has had has been a curt letter from a couple who obviously knew his father quite well, but didnt know about my friends existence, nor his brother's.
they have written and assured him that all his fathers wishes will be carried out to the letter, but with no contact details.

my partner obviously feels extremely frustrated as you can imagine.
i feel he never made efforts to contact his father as in the early years he was hurt and subsequently that grew to disappointment and fear of rejection.

do u feel there is anything we can do to obtain further information?
also his mother is still alive, (although sadly in a home waiting to die and uncommunicative) so does any maintenance agreement die with his father?
sorry for my ramble but would really appreciate any advice.

thanks
molly

DUTR

Confused Is your partner in his 50s and still getting maintainance? Or do you feel he may have been left something in a last testament will?

Mojisola

Death certificates and wills are public documents once the legal stuff has all been done so you could start with those.

The death certificate will have the details of the person who registered the death. If there was a will, you can see who his father left his money to. If his father didn't leave a will, his sons should have inherited as blood relations.

If you want to know just general stuff about what his father and his family were like, you might do better looking for other relations. Close friends and relations of his father might not want to talk about him but cousins might not have emotional problems talking about the family.

Mojisola

DUTR wrote: »

Confused Is your partner in his 50s and still getting maintainance? Or do you feel he may have been left something in a last testament will?

Back in the 50s it was normal for a wife to be given life-long support as part of a divorce so it would be the mother who is receiving the money.

Hawkeye4aneye

Mojisola wrote: »

Back in the 50s it was normal for a wife to be given life-long support as part of a divorce so it would be the mother who is receiving the money.

Indeed the OP's mother should inherit from the estate as she was receiving monies via the divorce settlement. If the father made a will and did not leave mother anything then she can make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Copy of any Will can be obtained via the Probate Court.

As to the information your partner wants to know about his father, Mojisola mentions what can be done but as mentioned individuals may be reticent about giving out this. A heartfelt letter may be the way forward but it depends on how they would react to the Claim against the estate which I mention above is possible on behalf of your mother if she receives no benefit.

What was the monthly maintenance by the way and your mother's age as this would determine the level of claim she would be entitled to.

System

Hawkeye4aneye wrote: »

Indeed the OP's mother should inherit from the estate as she was receiving monies via the divorce settlement. If the father made a will and did not leave mother anything then she can make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Copy of any Will can be obtained via the Probate Court.

Only if she didn't remarry.

Mojisola

!!!!!! wrote: »

Only if she didn't remarry.

I think a maintenance payment would have stopped if she had remarried so it's likely than she didn't.