The legal landscape in the UK is witnessing significant growth as several prominent law firms announce key appointments to bolster their teams. AltraLaw Appoints Carys Strong as Head of Training AltraLaw, the UK’s first not-for-profit
More than 40 applicants for the Northern Ireland Troubles victims’ pension have passed away awaiting decisions, according to recent BBC News NI reports. The scheme, initiated in August 2021, was established to provide financial support
Eight out of 10 (79%) pensioner homeowners eligible to claim benefits are failing to claim anything at all with each household missing out on an average of £1,231 a year extra income, according to Just
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published more fixed penalties issued as part of its new financial penalty regime. £750 fines have been issued to five firms for not complying with the SRA’s transparency rules.
The Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, is set to denounce the efforts of the euthanasia lobby, describing their movement as “sinister” and “deadly.” He plans to express concern over the manipulation of Christian
In a recent legal decision, the court denied a request to amend clause 11 in James Murray McKay’s will, which pertained to the distribution of the residual estate, as reported by The Law Society Gazette.
The UK Wills, Probate & Trusts Market Report 2023 is the 10th edition of an annual research report from IRN Legal Reports. In 2023, the wills, trusts and probate market had an estimated value of
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is contemplating tax revisions, including a possible elimination of inheritance tax (IHT). The Treasury have confirmed that the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt will deliver the 2024 Spring Budget on 6th March. The
In a recent parliamentary session, Richard Fuller, a Conservative member for North East Bedfordshire, sought clarity on the current state of the HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s performance relating to probate issues. Specifically, he inquired
Court cases over wills have seen a significant rise, with instances increasing by over 34% in the last five years and more than 140% in the past decade, as reported by The Times. Recent statistics
A Lancaster businesswoman took a 10,000 feet plunge over an African desert for a charity which helped her through the loss of her husband. Nicola Combe, director of Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates, did a
A partner at law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM), has been awarded the prestigious Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement by STEP. Ian Macdonald, from Glasgow, has been given the accolade as a testament
Jack Leonard, a successful engineer who invented a foetal heart monitor, has left behind an estate valued at £5.4 million, sparking a legal dispute between his biological and stepchildren, as reported by The Times. Leonard,
Estatesearch has uncovered over £1.5 million of unknown assets on behalf of private client practitioners working on probate cases. This represents <1% of the total volume of orders that Estatesearch has processed in the last
The Office of the Public Guardian, Age UK, and Dementia UK have explored the crucial yet often challenging discussions about Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs). They have provided five top tips for starting a conversation
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced the appointment of Liz Coll and Adhir Ramdarshan to the Legal Services Consumer Panel (the Consumer Panel). Liz Coll will take up appointment from 1st January 2024 for
Genealogists, historians and amateur family archivists will be better able to access historic wills under proposals published by the Ministry of Justice. The digitisation programme could see millions of wills dating back more than 150
Veteran broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, at 83, has recently discussed her membership with the Swiss assisted dying clinic, Dignitas, amidst her battle with advanced lung cancer. The cabinet minister has also come forward saying he
Probate application delays reveal a continued increase from the start of the year despite a slight decrease from the previous month – decreasing from 15.4 weeks to 15.2, new data from HM Courts & Tribunals
Inheritance Tax receipts for April 2023 to November 2023 are £5.2 billion, which is £0.4 billion higher than the same period last year. Lower receipts in April and May 2020 were due to a temporary
The annual tax-free gifting allowance remaining static for the past four decades means its real value is lagging by 360%, research from law firms Shakespeare Martineau and Mayo Wynne Baxter has revealed. Current rules allow
Kelly Greig TEP, Partner and Head of Estate Planning and Tax at Steele Raymond, has been elected as worldwide Chair of STEP, effective 1st January 2024. Kelly succeeds Tony Pitcher TEP, whose term as Chair
A funding package worth over £64 billion to support councils in England to deliver frontline services has been announced by the Levelling Up Secretary. The provisional local government finance settlement includes support for social care
LawtechUK, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) backed initiative, has opened access to the first LawtechUK Ecosystem Tracker (LET) featuring over 350 lawtech companies which are active in the UK. The LawtechUK Ecosystem Tracker has been
Advice on the evidence that HM Land Registry needs when an attorney has executed documents lodged for registration (practice guide 9). Change made: Section 7 has been amended as a result of the Powers of
In response to the Justice Select Committee’s inquiry on the work of the County Court, the Law Society of England and Wales has expressed concern about rising delays and a poorly maintained court estate. The
In this interview, as part of their Legacy Limelight series, we get a glimpse into the work that the Smee & Ford Will reading and reporting team do, and the tales that they uncover every
An organisation that has helped over 1,900 charities to benefit from charitable gifting through wills is celebrating a major milestone after having helped charities to raise £100m to date. FreeWills is an online, solicitor-checked service,
Acre has integrated with HoneyPro to help brokers support their clients in protecting their property and assets for them and their families. Under the new partnership, brokers using Acre’s platform will be able to identify
The Law Commission launched their Supplementary Consultation Paper on 5th October 2023, and the consultation period ran until 8th December 2023. The Commission is now consulting on possible reforms to enable electronic wills and to
Families could be given a greater role in the registering of their loved one’s death following an inquest under a planned Government consultation. The proposals announced in the House of Commons follows the tireless campaigning
Estatesearch has seen a dramatic rise in UK share sales over the past year. The company has confirmed a 365% increase in holdings sold in 2023, amounting to over £14 million. Alex McDermottroe, Securities Administrator,