Regarding payment towards the purchase price of the house, there is no statute which applies to assist you and you will need to rely upon ‘equitable’ (trust) principles. Have a look on Google for a case called Stack v Downden (in the House of Lords in around 2009) to get a sense of what this is all about. Ultimately, if you can show you paid the money and that the property was merely registered in your late partner’s name as a (simplistic, as completely ineffective…) way to try to protect the asset, the court may very well find you are the owner. As I said, the backup you need is an alternative claim under the 1975 Act on the basis you were being maintained by your girlfriend. Your child’s interest in the estate is what is likely to make this case a bit more complex than the norm. I deal with this sort of thing everyday, I am a barrister specialising in wills and trusts, and I cannot stress enough that you need a good solicitor asap. Please don’t waste your time going to a high street practice as, in my experience over the last decade, these firms do not generally have the expertise required to make a decent job of this sort of matter. You may well find that a ‘smart’ regional firm is best. I would recommend that the solicitor with conduct of your matter is a member of STEP (society for trust and estate practitioners) as this is a very good sign of quality in this area. STEP has a website and I know there is an active branch in Cardiff and also in Bristol (where I practice). I know that the fees will seem high for this, but you really do get what you pay for and not all lawyers are the same! D