Private members’ bill to allow access to deceased’s digital data
A private members’ Bill has been introduced to parliament by MP Ian Paisley, aiming to give the families of deceased or incapacitated people immediate access to their digital data, without the need for legal action. Paisley introduced the Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill on 18th January, and has so far received cross-party […]
IHT payments reach a record £5.9bn
Figures published by HMRC today reveal that that the amount paid in inheritance tax (IHT) last year totalled £5.9bn – a record high for any calendar year, with receipts for April 2021 to December 2021 totalling £4.6 billion, which is £0.6 billion higher than in the same period a year earlier. Receipts in April 2017 […]
SQE exam results reveal concerning diversity gap
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published its first ever results for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) – the SQE1. The results show that 53% of candidates passed but concerns have been raised over the disparity of pass rates between white and Black, Asian and minority ethnic students. Introduced to provide assurance that all qualifying […]
Equity release activity climbs 24% as market returns to growth
Record amounts of property wealth were accessed via equity release products in Q4 and across 2021 by more than 76,000 new and returning customers, according to the Equity Release Council. Figures show that the sector has not only maintained its resilience throughout the uncertainty of the pandemic but has now returned to growth for the […]
Private hearing of sealing Prince Philip’s will to be challenged
Following a challenge by the Guardian newspaper over the decision to hear the application to seal Prince Philip’s will privately, the Court of Appeal is set to consider the privacy of royal wills going forward. In November last year the Guardian launched an appeal against the decision of the president of the Family Division Sir […]
LawCare hits milestone number of people helped
Legal mental health charity LawCare has published its 2021 impact report, detailing the support it gave to the legal sector last year. The charity, which was initially set up to help solicitors with alcohol problems, has now grown to support everyone working in the legal profession on a range of issues from stress to bullying […]
