Editor of Today’s Conveyancer, Today’s Wills and Probate, and Today’s Family Lawyer
Contact
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has demanded an improvement in the leadership of legal regulators after its latest assessment of their performance proved damning. The regulators are assessed against the same five standards: Regulatory Approach,
New research has revealed that, despite the pandemic being firmly in the rear-view mirror, the majority of consumers remain happy to accept video witnessing of a will. The government’s Covid-era legislation permitting the video witnessing
New data released by HM Courts and Tribunals Service has revealed the average wait between submission and grant issue for all probate applications reached over 10 weeks in December 2022. While the average timeliness of
New research from LawCare has revealed a “dramatic increase” in the number of legal professionals reporting feeling concerned about their career. The mental health charity for legal professionals in the UK’s 2022 impact report shows
The Charity Commission has intensified its campaign to raise awareness of core trustee duties and boost take-up of the guidance available to charities. The Commission has developed a collection of short and engaging five-minute guides
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has published a new set of standards to help court appointed deputies in delivering their duties. This comes as previous standards were described as “difficult to use”, contributing
Workers across the country are set to be given greater rights and protections regarding several aspects of their employment as part of a new Bill supported by the government. Blackpool South MP Scott Benton’s Workers
A recent Law Society report has led to court buildings across England and Wales being described as “shambolic” in a damning indictment of the chronically underfunded justice system. The Law Society of England and Wales
A new study has revealed traditional law firms and solicitors remain the most popular option for consumers in the wills and probate market. Specifically, 54% turned to a lawyer for their will in 2023, though
A conveyancing solicitor has been fined £15,000 and been ordered to pay £23,650 in costs following her arrangement of the sale of a property for an elderly woman who lacked capacity in 2017. Rana &
New research has revealed that will ownership in the UK has stagnated over the past three years with consumer apathy remaining a key reason for the lack of take-up. According to consumer research from IRN
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has published new guidance relating to non-registration or failure to maintain a trust on the Trust Registration Service (TRS). The guidance confirms that penalties will not be issued in all
A shake-up of private pensions has been announced by the Department for Work and Pensions aiming to create “fairer, more predictable, and better-run pensions”. The measures, announced by Minister for Pensions Laura Trott, include a
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has suggested its transparency rules in the funerals market have resulted in lower costs for bereaved families. The CMA said its rules were having a “constraining effect” on funeral
The PM Law Group has announced its acquisition of John M Lewis & Co, specialists in residential conveyancing, wills, trusts, and probate. The business will continue to trade under the John M Lewis & Co
The government is set to add a “failure to prevent fraud” offence to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill which is currently going through Parliament. The new offence could put white collar professionals –
New data has revealed 2022 saw a record number of charitable gifts left within wills. Of 231,582 wills processed by Smee & Ford, some 36,992 – or nearly 16% – included a gift to charity.
New data released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are some £700 million higher than this time last year. Total receipts from April 2022 to December 2022 now sit
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a warning to consumers on the risks attached to pre-paid probate plans. The plans, which remain unregulated, have evoked disquiet from nearly all corners of the probate industry.
New reforms are set to make bereaved cohabitees with dependent children eligible for additional financial support. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is in its “final stages” of extending the Bereavement Support Payment and
New research has revealed more than six in 10 first-time buyers (FTBs) are registering two or more names on the mortgage when purchasing a property. Specifically, FTBs – the numbers of whom remain higher than
The Treasury has conceded that it was warned of concerns surrounding Safe Hands Plans five years prior to the catastrophic collapse. The warning came in a July 2017 meeting with Fairer Finance, a campaigner for
New research has revealed a worrying two thirds of lawyers reported experiencing burnout as a direct result of their work. According to recruitment firm Realm Recruit, a further 21% have experienced some degree of stress
The Register of Overseas Entities (ROE) came into force on 1st August 2022 and requires all entities in scope to register with Companies House before the deadline of 31st January 2023. Overseas entities must declare
Delays are continuing to worsen across the board for stopped probate applications, new data from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has revealed. The average wait across all probate applications increased to 9.4 weeks in
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has done away with the requirement to send in a death certificate following notification that somebody has died, it announced this week. Moving forwards, deaths will be verified
The Law Commission of England and Wales is set to review the “ancient laws” that govern the process of dealing with the remains of the deceased, aiming to “[bring] them into line with modern needs”.
New research has revealed the overall cost of dying is nearing an all-time high following a significant rise during 2022. The average cost now sits at £9,200, 3.8% higher than the cost of £8,864 seen
Mr Justice Hayden, Vice President of the Court of Protection, has published a letter reinstating the position of Section 49 MCA 2005 reports following concern over the “scope and ambit” of their use. Hayden J
Excess deaths climbed to one of the highest levels outside of the pandemic in the last 50 years, new data has shown. In total, more than 650,000 deaths were registered in the UK in 2022
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has completed its acquisition of the Institute of Paralegals (IoP) and its voluntary regulator the Professional Paralegals Register (PPR), the former announced on Monday morning. CILEX said the
Knights Plc has announced the acquisition of historic Bristol firm Meade King marking its first foray into the Bristol market. Tracing its origins to 1790, Meade King is an independent law firm serving Bristol and