Pop star Liam Payne left an estate worth £24 million according to official records, but he hadn’t made a will, which could cause problems for his family.

The singer, who rose to global fame with One Direction, died in Argentina in October 2024 at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony. Legal documents now confirm that his estate, including money, property and possessions, was valued at £28.6m gross, with £24.3m remaining after debts and expenses were settled.

Payne died intestate – without a will – which means his estate must be distributed according to strict legal rules rather than personal wishes. This has placed his former partner Cheryl, with whom he had a son, and music lawyer Richard Bray in the role of administrators of his estate.

Cheryl and Payne were in a relationship from 2016 to 2018 and share custody of their son, Bear, who is now nine. Under intestacy laws in England and Wales, children inherit when there is no surviving spouse or civil partner. Bear is therefore likely to inherit Payne’s estate in full, though access to those funds may be restricted until he reaches adulthood.

Payne’s girlfriend at the time of his death, model Kate Cassidy, is not legally entitled to any portion of his estate. Despite reports that Payne financially supported her and had expressed a desire to marry her within two years, English law offers no automatic inheritance rights to unmarried partners – regardless of the seriousness or duration of the relationship.

Cassidy may be able to bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 if she can prove financial dependence on Payne at the time of his death. However, this would involve a potentially long and costly legal process. According to reports, she is not currently planning to pursue such a claim.

What happens if someone dies without a will?

When someone dies intestate in England and Wales, their estate is divided according to a fixed set of legal rules. These do not take into account personal relationships unless they fall within specific legal definitions.

If the deceased was unmarried and had children, the entire estate goes to the children in equal shares. If there are no children, the estate passes to parents, siblings, or other relatives in a set order. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, friends, or carers have no automatic rights to inherit anything.

A surviving spouse or civil partner would be entitled to the first £322,000 of the estate, all personal possessions, and half of the remainder, with the other half going to any children.

Wills can also be made “in contemplation of marriage,” meaning they remain valid after the wedding takes place — an option not available in Payne’s case.

His situation mirrors those of other high-profile celebrities who died without wills, including Prince, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, and Chadwick Boseman. Their estates became tangled in legal disputes, delays and unintended outcomes.

Payne’s untimely death serves as a stark reminder of the importance of having a valid will — particularly for those in long-term relationships outside of marriage or civil partnership.

Please contact us if you would like more information about the issues raised in this article or any aspect of wills and probate.