A mere right of residency in a house will usually be an unsatisfactory method of providing for a surviving spouse's accommodation under family provision legislation, particularly where the estate consists of little more than the residence. A portable life interest (Crisp order) is an orthodox solution that provides the flexibility needed to cater for a surviving spouse's changing accommodation needs. In small estates with competing claims, the needs of a surviving spouse for accommodation may need to be given priority over the claims of other beneficiaries, even where those beneficiaries are in genuine financial need.
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