Co-op Legal Services has been recognised for ‘fostering a culture in which employees are able to succeed, as well as deliver high standards of service for clients’ with recognition from the Society for Estate and
Anthony Philips joined Arken two months ago following the departure of longstanding CEO Dave Newick. Today’s Wills and Probate checked in with Anthony to learn more about the person steering the ship at Arken. From
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has set out the actions it took in 2024/25 to enable legal services for the public, and says it will continue to address ‘the persistent and deeply concerning level of
His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) say they have reduced the total open probate caseload by 49% over the past 12 months to just under 35,500 as part of efforts to improve their service.
The average Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability is expected to increase by around £34,000 when pension assets are included in the value of the estate according to drafts proposals published by the government ahead of the
Remember A Charity is gearing up for its legacy giving awareness campaign, Remember A Charity Week which this year will be hosted between 8th and 14th September 2025, celebrating the impact of charitable gifts in
A firm has uncovered £270,000 held in a previously unknown account during the administration of a probate estate, reuniting the money with their delighted clients. Elite Law Solicitors said the discovery was part of their
A fall in the revenues achieve through Capital Gains Tax, from nearly £17 billion in 2022-23 to £14.5 billion in 2023-24, and £13.1 billion in 2024-25, is evidence the wealthy will simply change their behaviour
A paralegal has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment after she fraudulently used cheques and cash withdrawals to take money from clients for whom the firm was appointed attorney. Emma Amey, who worked at law
The newly published UK National Risk Assessment (NRA) of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing has been greeted with disappointment by the Law Society of England and Wales, with president Richard Atkinson pointing out the lack
Tickets for the British Wills and Probate Awards 2025, sponsored by Arken.legal, are now available ahead of the eight edition of the prestigious event hosted in Manchester on 9th October 2025. Established in 2018, The
Enquiries about life insurance policies for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes have more than doubled since the Autumn budget when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a raft of tax reforms. The Times says brokers and financial advisers
In a ruling from the England and Wales High Court (Rogers v Wills, 2025 EWHC 1367 Ch), a long-running family dispute over unpaid caregiving culminated in a decision affirming the claimant’s entitlement to compensation from
Official tax figures are yet to show to full extent of the Labour government’s abolition of the non-dom regime and the subsequent incorporation of global assets into inheritance tax liabilities. The number of non-dom taxpayers
Home improvements are driving activity in the equity release market with half of home owners using it to fund home improvements; and a falling number using it to pay off debts. The use of equity
A disinherited son is taking his claim to London’s High Court for a share of his £43m estate after claiming his father was unable to properly execute his final two wills due to dementia. Richard
A southern-based law firm has played its part in identifying and highlighting the disturbing pattern of estate fraud using forged wills, working with the BBC on the recently released “The Grave Robbers” podcast series which
A court battle between between two siblings who found out in adulthood one was the product of an affair are to share a £14.5m trust fund after a High Court judge ruled the intention of
An estate planner has explained how he went from windows to will writing in a new book to be published soon, inspired by the tragic death of his friend in a motorcycle accident. Steve Bish,
A new digital platform which says it will give will writers and estate planners a way to support clients and reduce future administration challenges has been launched. SmartOnion is a UK-based subscription platform which stores
Redkite Solicitors say they are now the only firm in Wales whose contentious probate team hold multiple Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) full memberships, saying the feat ‘places the firm at the
A survey of preparedness for retirement by Legal and General suggests almost half of millennials don’t have a retirement plan in place; while at the other end of the spectrum only one in five baby
A new toolkit to help professionals tackle the growing desire of wealth and business-owning families to balance the creation and protection of assets, with the need to be responsible stewards of the planet and communities,
A survey has revealed the top things people who leave an inheritance say they would like the beneficiaries to do with it, with savings and housing prominent in the results. More than one in five
The Government Legal Department have said there is no timeline on when the Bona Vacantia list will be available again online on GOV.UK after it was taken down earlier this week. On Monday, the unclaimed
Entry to the British Wills and Probate Awards 2025, sponsored by Arken.legal, closes tonight (Friday 11th July) with a further one week to finalise submissions before they are submitted to the judging panel. Following the
Delays in compensation payments to victims of the infected blood scandal means some families are facing unexpected inheritance tax bills in a technicality known as ‘secondary transfer’ after payments to families of victims who have
Efforts to help the legal sector better understand the role of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) and provide insight into their decisions are to be redoubled under a ‘renewed commitment to using statutory powers to publish
A disputed will has been found to be a forgery in a high court decision after the death of Mr Monir Jaman Shaikh in April 2020 sparked a series of events which ultimately saw his
The appointment of a will writer’s parent company as the executor of a will has been heavily criticised in a widely publicised case involving a family from Bolton, Lancashire. Nigel Smith died of a brain
In this episode of the Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast, host David Opie explores the evolving world of probate property sales through the lens of auctions. He’s joined by Russell Taylor, Managing Director and Auctioneer
More people than ever are ‘unbundling’ legal services, with one in five consumers dividing the tasks that need to be carried with their solicitors. The highest incidences of the practice were found in probate, trademarks,