What Is a Deed of Variation?

Changing who inherits, after the death

A deed of variation lets a beneficiary redirect some or all of what they've inherited to someone else. It happens after the person has died, and it's done by the people who would otherwise receive the estate. It can be used whether or not there was a will, and even where the intestacy rules decided things.

Why people use one

A beneficiary who doesn't need the money might pass it straight down to their own children. A family might rebalance an inheritance that feels unfair. Or a variation might reduce inheritance tax: done within the rules, the redirected gift is treated as if it came from the person who died, rather than as a fresh gift from the beneficiary.

The main conditions

To work for tax, a deed of variation generally has to be made within two years of the death, be in writing, be signed by everyone giving something up, and include the right statutory wording. Everyone affected has to agree. You can't vary away a share that isn't yours.

What it can't do

A variation can only move what a beneficiary is actually entitled to. It can't be used to cut out a beneficiary who won't agree. Anyone under 18 can't consent on their own, which often means involving the court. And because the tax treatment is specific, it's easy to lose the benefit by getting the detail wrong.

Get it drafted properly

A deed of variation is a useful tool, but it's one for a solicitor to draft, because the wording and the two-year deadline both matter. It isn't something PureWill produces; we prepare wills, not post-death variations. If you've inherited and want to redirect it, speak to a probate solicitor.