Kirk Stevens and Laura Hoyle won the Set For Life jackpot in 2021, securing £10,000 every month for thirty years. However, just a year after their win, Laura left Kirk and moved into the £500,000 mansion they had planned to share, taking all the winnings with her.
Since the winning ticket was bought with her card, Laura was able to claim the jackpot after their split, leaving Kirk with nothing due to a stipulation in the small print. This drastic reversal of fortune left Kirk without any share of the winnings.
Kirk told The Sun that Laura had promised him a luxurious lifestyle if they won the jackpot. Although Kirk worked as an engineer, they planned to buy properties together and build an empire with their future Set For Life winnings.
However, Kirk was hesitant to quit his job because he felt insecure in their relationship and sensed Laura pulling away. To increase their chances of winning, Laura contributed £25 a week to the lottery, and they used the winnings to buy a Porsche Cayenne and fund Kirk’s post-grad engineering degree.
They were living in Kirk’s three-bedroom home, with Laura residing there rent-free. Unfortunately, their relationship ended just 16 months after their win, derailing their future plans.
If you win the lottery while married, there is no legal requirement to inform your spouse. However, during divorce proceedings, all assets, including lottery winnings, must be disclosed.
In a significant court ruling, it was determined that only the person who legally purchased the ticket is entitled to the winnings, unless the other individual was part of a syndicate or the proceeds were invested in joint assets, such as a shared home. If the prize was obtained independently and without the other party’s knowledge, it would be considered an external donation without implications for matrimonial assets.
In a specific instance, a married couple residing in a council flat won £500,000 in the National Lottery from the wife’s personal investment and subsequently purchased a £275,000 house. When their marriage ended, the husband, seeking a fair share in the settlement, tried to claim a portion of the lottery winnings. However, the courts rejected his claim. The judge ruled that he was not entitled to a share of the lottery money because, under the law, it was not considered ‘matrimonial property’. Nevertheless, he was entitled to a portion of the assets of the household because the wife used the winnings to buy the house, making it part of the marital property.
Although the husband had a right to a portion of the proceeds from the family home purchased with the wife’s lottery winnings, he did not receive an equal share. Due to his brief residence in the house, he was awarded a lump sum of only £85,000 during the divorce proceedings. It should be noted that the value of the house has since increased and is now estimated at £500,000.
Kirk Stevens mentioned that he tried to reconcile after their separation, but Laura refused. According to Kirk, Laura became more assertive and attributed their relationship issues to the lottery money they had won. Previously, the couple shared their paranormal adventures on their YouTube channel, K & L Hunters Ghost.
Following their split, Kirk continued documenting his paranormal activities on Ghost Hunter Kirk, where he has around 6,000 subscribers. Laura asserted ownership of the winnings and clarified that the £1,000 monthly payment she gave Kirk was rent, not a share of the winnings. Kirk seeks a ten percent share of the winnings but is willing to settle for just the £1,000 monthly payment, which he believes Laura wouldn’t miss.