Article 78 Power to dispense with probate

Where a person to whom any payment could have been made under this Scheme before his death dies before the payment is made, and the amount unpaid does not exceed £1,500, the amount so unpaid may be paid to the personal representative of the deceased person without probate or other proof of title, or may be paid or distributed to or among the persons appearing to the Secretary of State to be the persons beneficially entitled to the personal estate of the deceased person or to or among any one or more of those persons, and, in determining the persons to whom and the proportions in which the amount so unpaid shall be paid or distributed, the Secretary of State may have regard to any payments made or expenses incurred by any such person for or on account of the funeral of the deceased person.

Where a deceased person has died intestate and he was, or any child of his was or is, illegitimate, the deceased person and any such child shall, for the purposes of this Article, be treated as legitimate.