Probate applications reveal no major improvements, data shows
Although the recent data from the previous month revealed a generous improvement, the waiting time for probate applications has slightly gone up in the number of weeks from submission to grant issue for all probate applications – increasing from 13.6 to 13.8, according to HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS). For the 27,392 grants of […]
IHT receipts £0.4bn higher than same period last year – HMRC
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data showed that Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts for April 2023 to February 2024 were £6.8 billion, which is £0.4 billion higher than the same period last year. The increase of 6.25% means the Treasury is on course to take record receipts of about £7.54billion from IHT in the 2023/24 tax […]
Charities missing out on millions in historic legacy bequests
Inheritance recovery specialists have warned that charities are missing out on millions of pounds in legacy bequests which were overlooked by the original executors. In the past 18 months, two UK charities have received £125,000 each through the repatriation of legacy gifts – due to the work of Perane. Dozens of other charitable organisations have […]
Dedication to innovation as 7th annual awards launched with early bird rate
The British Wills and Probate Awards, dubbed ‘the Oscars of the probate world,’ returns today as plans for the 2024 ceremony ramp up. 10th October 2024 will see the return of the prestigious ceremony at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester alongside returning Headline Sponsor CTT Group. Early bird entry is available across a refreshed list […]
Overwhelming public support for assisted dying law reform, poll Reveals
A recent survey conducted by Opinium Research, commissioned by Dignity in Dying, indicates strong backing for a change in the law regarding assisted dying in the UK. Out of more than 10,000 respondents across England and Wales, three-quarters expressed support for legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults, with just one in eight opposing the […]
Less than a quarter of UK adults have considered what will happen to their digital assets after they die
Kirsty Limacher, Chief Legal Officer at The Association of Lifetime Lawyers is urging people to think about their digital legacy following new research revealing just 20% of UK adults over 30 have referenced digital assets in their will. The research from The Association of Lifetime Lawyers shows that whilst 86% of UK adults over 30 […]
Dame Barbara Windsor’s widow named People’s Champion for dementia initiative
A ‘mission’ set up in the name of the late actress Barbara Windsor has named her widow, Scott Mitchell, as it’s People’s Champion and committed to £6m of funding into neurodegenerative research. It is hoped the funds will speed up the development of research and treatment for dementia. The ‘Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission’ was […]
Thackray Williams bolsters Board to support ‘rapid expansion’
Thackray Williams, the London and Kent law firm, has bolstered its management and commercial teams with a number of new hires after witnessing a combined 82% increase in revenue for its employment and commercial departments in just three years. Business strategy heavyweight, Simon Slater, has been appointed as non-executive Chair to help spearhead the expansion […]
Wealthy families landed with individual tax bills of up to £1.4m on gifts, figures reveal
Some of the UK’s wealthiest families were landed with retrospective tax bills in the region of £1.4 million on lifetime gifts, according to latest annual figures. The families tried to make use of a rule allowing individuals to make gifts of unlimited value which become exempt from inheritance tax if the giver survives a further […]
New appointment bolsters Mincoffs Solicitors’ private client team
A new appointment has strengthened the private client team at a North East law firm, Mincoffs Solicitors, who say they now have more than 100 staff across their Jesmond offices. They have welcomed solicitor Alicia Speed to their wills, probate and trusts team. Speed, who gained experience practising across both family and private client matters at […]
Charities raise concern at probate inquiry
The charity community has provided evidence in Parliament of the impact of delays on charities and legacy gifting. Representatives from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Cancer Research UK and Devon Air Ambulance Trust shared insight into the impact of delays on charity services, forecasting ability and wider finances; as well as highlighting the huge personal […]
Consultant model growing ‘significantly faster’ than traditional firms
Consultant style, or ‘Platform’ law firms are growing at a ‘significantly faster’ rate than traditional competitors with Setfords and Taylor Rose MW leading the way amongst Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs). Property law continues to be the leading area of law practiced by consultant lawyers, with a small but growing proportion of family and private […]
‘Great wealth transfer’ will need digital services to keep up
Professional estate planners have ‘lots of opportunity, but also a lot of responsibility’ ahead of them as research shows that 65% of beneficiaries are set to inherit over £200,000 in the largest transfer of wealth from one generation to another, known as ‘The Great Wealth Transfer.’ At the same time, just 23% of estate planners […]
Solicitor struck off for falsifying LPA documents
Krystel Marzan, a solicitor admitted in 2014, has been struck off after the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found her guilty of passing off previously signed copies of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) as newly executed. Marzan, 41, admitted her failure to arrange fresh signatures but insisted on the absence of dishonesty in her actions. The tribunal […]
New data suggests nearly half of charities experience issues when banking
The Charity Commission has recently shared early findings from its annual sector survey, revealing that 42% of trustees surveyed said their charity experienced poor service from their banks in the last 12 months. 6% of respondents confirmed that they had experienced account freezes or being blocked out over the past year and 7% of respondents […]
Legal Growth Awards Celebrate Excellence in Legal Marketing for the Second Year
The second annual Legal Growth Conference and Awards recognised organisations and firms for their innovation, commitment, and excellence across various categories at a ceremony hosted in Lincoln. The event was headline sponsored by Wilkinson and Fox. The conference and awards were launched in 2023 to help law firms better understand how to promote themselves and […]
Law Society wins Disability Initiative of the Year Award, but department head says ‘there is still work to do’
The Women in Diversity in Law Awards has awarded the Law Society of England and Wales the Disability and/ Neurodiversity Initiative of the Year Award. Polly Williams, head of diversity and inclusion at the Law Society, said: “We are extremely proud and excited to have won this award. This is the culmination of many years’ […]
International Women’s Day: Profession urges continued efforts to retain women solicitors
The Law Society of England and Wales is encouraging the profession to continue to improve the progression and retention of women to senior levels, as it marks International Women’s Day. Data from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) shows that the proportion of women in law firms has risen from 48% in 2015 to 53% in […]
Spring Budget: Chancellor delivers surprises with tax cuts, yet IHT remains unmentioned
In a widely anticipated Spring Budget presentation on Wednesday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt left industry experts and the public intrigued as he steered clear of any mention of inheritance tax (IHT). Despite prior speculations suggesting that the elimination of IHT might be a “strategic move” for the Chancellor, it was notably absent from the budget discourse. […]
Spring Budget £5K UK ISA could bring new wave of clients with an interest in saving as government hopes to entice investors and higher tax-free allowance for savers
The government hopes to entice new investors with a ‘culture of investment in the country’s vibrant markets’ after the Chancellor’s Budget rollout announced the new £5,000 UK ISA. This could potentially mean a new wave of clients interested in individual saving accounts after the enticing increase in allowance was introduced. Where the new ISA differentiates […]
