Estate Planning in Bridlington and East Yorkshire: Why It Matters More Than You Think

Estate Planning in Bridlington and East Yorkshire: Why It Matters More Than You Think

A Town Where Planning Matters

Bridlington is the largest town in the East Riding of Yorkshire: a coastal community of long-established families, retired people who chose the coast for their later years, and younger residents building their lives here. For many, what they have built up over a lifetime is tied to their home and their town.

Yet many adults in the UK have no valid will. In the East Riding, where the population is older than average and property, savings and pensions often add up to real wealth, the cost of having no plan can be serious.

Why East Yorkshire Is Different

The 2021 census put the median age in the East Riding at 49, nine years above the England figure of 40. More than a quarter of residents (26.4%) are aged 65 or over, and the number of people aged 65 to 74 rose by a quarter between the two censuses. The council has said this is driven partly by retired people moving to the coast: to Bridlington, Hornsea and the villages around them.

So estate planning here is not a distant concern. Many residents are at the stage of life where they should already have a will, lasting powers of attorney and a clear plan for passing on what they own.

Local Property and Inheritance Tax

Property values in Bridlington are lower than in much of England, although larger homes on streets such as South Marine Drive, Kingsgate and the Queensgate Extensions sell for much more than the local average.

That may look comfortably below the inheritance tax nil-rate band of £325,000 (or £500,000 with the residence nil-rate band). But inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the value of your whole estate above the available bands, not just your home. Add savings, investments, life insurance, personal possessions and, from 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds, and many local families are closer to the threshold than they assumed.

A married couple or civil partners can pass on up to £1 million between them, because unused bands transfer to the survivor. A single homeowner, a widow or widower, or someone who is divorced does not have that.

Even where inheritance tax is not an issue, you need a will. Without one, the intestacy rules decide who inherits. Where couples live together unmarried, or have step-children, the result can be deeply unfair.

Holiday Homes and Second Properties

Bridlington has long been a holiday town, and many residents own holiday lets, seaside chalets or second properties here or elsewhere on the Yorkshire coast. These count as part of your estate for inheritance tax and can complicate probate.

A holiday property with a planning condition limiting it to seasonal use may be worth less than an ordinary home, which matters for inheritance tax. If you own one, make sure your estate plan covers it.

Councils can now charge up to double the standard council tax on second homes. That adds to the cost of keeping one, and makes it more important to decide its long-term future.

Later-Life Planning: More Than a Will

With a large retired population, estate planning here goes beyond a will. It should also cover three things.

Lasting powers of attorney. If you lose mental capacity through dementia, a stroke or illness, no one, not even your spouse, has automatic authority to manage your money or make decisions about your care. A lasting power of attorney, made while you still have capacity, is essential. Social care across a large, partly rural area is stretched, so having your affairs in order matters even more.

Care fee planning. How to protect the home and savings from care home costs is one of the most common questions Aaron hears from clients in Bridlington. It needs honest, careful advice. There are no magic solutions, and some products sold in the past as "asset protection trusts" have been widely criticised. There are legitimate steps, and the earlier you take advice the stronger your position.

Funeral wishes. Funeral wishes are not legally binding, but many clients set them out in their will so their family does not have to guess.

Every fee for this work, what happens in order and how a home visit is arranged are on Aaron’s page as a wills solicitor in Bridlington.

Based in Bridlington

Aaron Johnson is based in Bridlington and knows the circumstances of local families: the mix of property ownership, the importance of family ties, an ageing population and the wish to leave things in good order for the next generation.

He offers appointments in person locally, and by video call for the surrounding villages and rural areas or anywhere else in England and Wales.

If you have been putting off making a will, setting up a lasting power of attorney or reviewing your plan, now is the time. Knowing your affairs are in order is worth far more than the cost of proper advice.

This guide is intended as general legal information and does not constitute legal advice. Safe Harbour Legal is a trading name of Legal Studio, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.