IHT £0.6bn higher than same period last year – HMRC
HMRC Tax Receipts and National insurance Contributions has been published for December 2024. Takings for inheritance tax April 2024 to December 2024 are £6.3 billion, which is £0.6 billion higher than the same period last year. Paul Barham, Partner at Forvis Mazars said that the latest figures from HMRC show that IHT receipts finished the […]
Government decision to retain original wills welcomed by industry and public alike
The Ministry of Justice has announced it will retain all original wills, following extensive public consultation that revealed widespread opposition to their destruction. The decision, welcomed by experts and practitioners, underscores the enduring importance of these documents as historical, legal, and sentimental artifacts. The consultation, launched in December 2023, explored transitioning to a digital-only system […]
Firm fined £25k for breaches of AML regulations
Harrison Thames Valley Solicitors LLP, a recognised law firm based at 7 Castle Street, Reading, RG1 7SB, has been fined £25,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following serious breaches of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs 2017). The SRA decision, published on 14th January […]
Safe Hands collapse leaves thousands out of pocket
Thousands of people who lost significant sums after the collapse of pre-paid funeral firm Safe Hands Plans Ltd have expressed outrage at the minimal repayments they are set to receive after years of waiting. Safe Hands, which went into administration in 2022, left 46,000 plan holders owed an estimated £70.6m. Initial repayments of just 8.5p […]
High Court finds another DWP benefits deduction scheme is unlawful
The High Court has found in Roberts, (R, on the application of) v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] EWHC 51 (Admin), that the way in which the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) makes deductions from individuals’ Universal Credit payments to landlords for ongoing rent payments and towards rent arrears is […]
Pauline Quirke retires from public life following dementia diagnosis
Celebrated actress Pauline Quirke is stepping away from public life after being diagnosed with dementia, her husband Steve Sheen has revealed. ITV News reported that the 65-year-old star of the beloved sitcom Birds of a Feather will retire from “all professional and commercial duties” following her diagnosis in 2021. In a heartfelt statement, Sheen shared […]