The wife has no right to receive new furniture, either now or after the death of her husband.
However she has the right, after her husband's death, to apply to a court to vary the terms of the will "on the ground that the disposition of the deceased’s estate effected by his will . . . is not such as to make reasonable financial provision for the applicant"
[Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975]
“Reasonable financial provision” means "such financial provision as it would be reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for a husband or wife to receive, whether or not that provision is required for his or her maintenance".
The court can consider any of the following matters:
"(a)the financial resources and financial needs which the applicant has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future;
(b)the financial resources and financial needs which any other applicant for an order under section 2 of this Act has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future;
(c)the financial resources and financial needs which any beneficiary of the estate of the deceased has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future;
(d)any obligations and responsibilities which the deceased had towards any applicant for an order under the said section 2 or towards any beneficiary of the estate of the deceased;
(e)the size and nature of the net estate of the deceased;
(f)any physical or mental disability of any applicant for an order under the said section 2 or any beneficiary of the estate of the deceased;
(g)any other matter, including the conduct of the applicant or any other person, which in the circumstances of the case the court may consider relevant."
Barmaid is our expert here but, based upon the fact that the couple were living together [with the husband providing the means for them to do so] it seems highly likely to me that such an application would probably be successful.
Chris