Liam Payne’s son Bear set to inherit £21.4m estate after singer dies without a will

Highlights

• Liam Payne’s nine-year-old son Bear has been named the sole beneficiary of his father's estate.
• Court documents show the estate is worth around £21.4 million.
• Cheryl and solicitor Richard Mark Bray are managing the estate after Payne died without leaving a will.
• Most of the inheritance will be held in trust until Bear reaches adulthood.

Liam Payne’s son Bear has been named the sole beneficiary of the late singer’s estate, with court documents revealing the nine-year-old is set to inherit assets worth approximately £21.4 million.

The former One Direction star, who died in October 2024 at the age of 31, did not leave a will. Under UK inheritance rules, his only child is expected to inherit the estate, with much of the money remaining in trust until Bear turns 18.

Cheryl and solicitor overseeing the estate

Payne’s former partner Cheryl and solicitor Richard Mark Bray were formally appointed as administrators of the estate in May 2025, several months after his death.

According to court records, they are responsible for managing the estate, although their authority to distribute funds remains limited.

Earlier filings showed the estate had a gross value of around £28 million and a net value of roughly £23.7 million. The latest documents indicate that Bear will inherit approximately £21.4 million.

Under UK law, when a person dies without a will and has no spouse or civil partner, their children are typically entitled to inherit the estate.

The son Liam Payne often spoke about

Payne and Cheryl welcomed Bear on 22 March 2017. The former couple announced his arrival days later, sharing a photograph of the singer holding his newborn son.

At the time, Payne described the birth as one of the most important moments of his life and praised Cheryl for her support throughout the pregnancy.

Although he largely kept Bear out of the public eye, Payne frequently spoke about fatherhood during interviews and reflected on the challenges of becoming a parent at a young age.

Fatherhood shaped his later years

The singer previously said he had always wanted to become a young father, but admitted that adjusting to parenthood took time.

In a 2020 interview, Payne spoke candidly about learning how to navigate family life and discovering his role as a parent. He said caring for others became a central part of his identity, even joking that cooking for the family became one of his ways of contributing.

While Payne enjoyed global success as a member of One Direction and later as a solo artist, those close to him often noted the importance he placed on being a father.

The latest court filings ensure that the fortune he accumulated during his career will ultimately pass to Bear, his only child.