Debt when someone dies

[bladesfan]

Anyone know how debts are prioritised when someone dies? My husband I and separated over two years ago, when he left to live with someone else. We are still legally married and the house where we (me and the kids) live is still in joint names with a joint mortgage. The woman he lives with now owns her own home outright so he has not entered into any financial arrangements with her. He's now got a bad form of cancer, and the future doesn't look bright. Because he had an existing health condition (not linked in any way to this cancer), he couldn't get life insurance, so, should he die, I would stand to get around �50k 'death in service' benefit. While he's been away, he's run up �20k in credit card bills. Does anyone know whether I would have to clear these before paying anything off his share of the mortgage, or, if his girfriend would have any claim on this money? I will seek legal advice eventually, but it's all a bit of a shock at the moment and I just want an idea of whether I'll have to sell the house or not. Thanks.