I received a legacy in my late uncle’s will. However I never saw a copy of the will itself, and my solicitor says I wasn’t entitled to do so because the money “wasn’t paid out of the residue”. What does this mean?
Only “residuary beneficiaries” are legally entitled to see the will – a residuary beneficiary being someone who inherits what remains of the estate after gifts of money and gifts of individual items. Of course it’s up to the executors who they show the will to, and if the estate was reasonably significant it will have required a grant of probate. In that case you can see a copy of the will by obtaining one from the local probate office, since wills which have gone to probate are public documents.