A straightforward Will where your beneficiaries inherit absolutely — the money or assets become theirs outright, with no conditions attached. This is simple to set up and easy for executors to administer. However, because the inheritance becomes part of the beneficiary's own estate, it offers no protection. If they were going through a divorce, facing debt, or being assessed for care costs at the time, that inheritance could be taken into account.

Rather than passing assets directly to a beneficiary, they're held in trust — meaning no one has an automatic right to them. This makes a real difference: because the assets don't legally belong to any individual, they're far harder to include in a financial assessment, whether that's for care costs, divorce, or creditors. Your trustees then have the flexibility to decide how and when beneficiaries benefit — whether that's an outright payment, a loan, or income paid periodically. It's often used as a safety net, giving your trustees the tools to do what's genuinely best for your family depending on circumstances at the time. There are tax implications to consider, which we'll talk through with you.

This protects your share of the family home. On the first death, the surviving partner keeps the right to live in the property for as long as they need to — but your share is preserved and will ultimately pass to the people you've named, rather than being put at risk. This matters most if the survivor later remarries or needs care, as it ensures your share can't be lost to a new partner or a care fee assessment. Everything outside the property — savings, investments, and other assets — is dealt with separately, often passing to the survivor outright.

This works in a similar way to a Protective Property Trust, but extends beyond just the home to cover your wider estate. The survivor has an absolute right to any income the trust generates, and the trustees have discretion to give them access to capital if needed — so they're properly looked after. At the same time, your share of the estate is preserved within the trust, ensuring it ultimately passes to the people you intend — usually your children — rather than being redirected elsewhere.

Designed for a beneficiary who may not be able to manage an inheritance themselves — whether due to age, disability, or vulnerability. Assets are held and managed by trustees on their behalf, ensuring they're looked after properly without the beneficiary needing to handle money or assets directly. This can also protect means-tested benefits the beneficiary may rely on, which could otherwise be affected by receiving an inheritance outright.

For those with business or investment assets that qualify for Business Relief, this type of trust allows those assets to be held in a way that preserves their tax-efficient status while still benefiting your family. It's a more specialist option, typically used where significant business assets form part of an estate and the goal is to pass on that value as efficiently as possible.