The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) have confirmed that the OPG100 search form has been amended so that a combination of standard requests and additional information can be made on the same request form.

Budget cuts and funding restrictions could be responsible for unlawfully detaining vulnerable people deprived of their liberty as local council’s have been forced to create their own guidance ranking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) requests.

Latest research has found that the majority of over-55s are confused by basic equity release terms and conditions. This could be worrying for a section of the market that are increasingly using equity release products

80% of the five largest charitable organisations have claimed that the changes to probate fees will cause a collective loss of over £1.5 million in charitable donations. Whilst Brexit may have forced the government to

In an unprecedented case, the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) is taking a deceased woman’s carer to court after the museum was replaced by the defendant in the woman’s Will. Long-time art lover Elenor G

Following the launch of an online probate service in January, criticism has been cast upon the government for also digitising the vital job of determining the validity of a Will. All online probate applications are

The Co-op’s Annual Report 2018 has found that the increased probate services offered by Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has seen their profits improve considerably throughout the year. In September, CLS consolidated their status as the

The twenty-first century has seen the popularity of the family business diminish; losing its popularity to corporate conglomerates residing in modern buildings with shiny interactive desks. To a large extent, the Victorian values of the

Despite the slight increase in the uptake of Will creations in UK adults, the majority of UK families could still be faced with unnecessary Inheritance Tax (IHT) bills. According to a recent report, conducted by

A recent Court of Protection case has highlighted the difficulty in clearly defining a marriage when one partner loses capacity. Whilst the case may have been overshadowed by the presiding Judge’s comments concerning the ‘fundamental

Cyber attacks aimed at UK businesses and charity organisations appear to be decreasing. However, businesses that are targeted and attacked appear vulnerable to repeated threats. According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2019, released by

For every £1 that was accessed by the UK population over 55-years-old through a pension scheme, 50p of housing wealth was withdrawn via equity release products. Equity release has enjoyed huge annual increases over the

In 2018 Treethorpe were approached to be Headline Sponsors at the inaugural National Paralegal Awards; an event organised by the Professional Paralegal Register. The event itself took place on Friday 29th March 2019, at the

The government has remained steadfast and resilient in their ambitions to push through the ‘stealth tax’ and probate fees changes. However, since the announcement was made on Bonfire Night [November 5] and the smoke from

A brother, who accused his sister of manipulating and influencing their mother into changing her will, has had his claim rejected in court. Rosemary Foss had acted as her mother’s, Peggy Cordle’s, main carer and

The Ministry of Justice, the umbrella ministerial department that oversees the work completed by The Office of the Public Guardian, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, The Legal Ombudsman and The Law Commission has continually failed

Following his death in 2014, the estate of British politician, diarist and writer, Tony Benn, has been spared the full force of paying inheritance tax after a substantial amount of his personal effects were donated

The Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) conference closed today after two days of informative presentations and networking opportunities. More than 100 delegates heard from key figures in the wills and probate industry including talks from

The Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) and Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters (ISPW) conference got underway today with the first day of its annual conference and AGM. More than 100 delegates heard from key figures

The House of Lords are calling for increased rights for cohabiting adults, especially cohabiting siblings as the Cohabitation Rights Bill swept through the House of Lords for a second reading. The Cohabitation Rights Bill was

A lifelong criminal made infamous in 2012 after appearing on ITV’s Criminals Behind Bars has once again been imprisoned for impersonating a will writer and defrauding a 94-year-old man out of his precious savings. In

A recent case has emphasised the illegality of making a will under undue pressure as a Chinese speaking mother, lacking capacity, was forced to disinherit her married daughters by her traditionalist husband. Traditionalist, George Chin,

Only 8% of small to medium sized legal service providers have failed to implement any cyber security measures last year. In comparison, over a quarter of the UK’s small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have

The widow of Michael Cowen, owner of plastics company Hanmere Polythene Ltd, and the innovator who introduced the black plastic bin bag to UK homes, has lost a High Court battle to wrestle control of

The use of cash in the UK has shrank by a third within a year. As the UK becomes increasingly cashless, it is feared that vulnerable people could be marginalised further and even forgotten unless

Over half of the population could be naively handing their inheritance to the wrong person. 54% of the population are unaware that their pension policy will be passed down to the person named on the

A recent Freedom of Information (FoI) request has found that law firms were amongst the quickest organisations to react and report data breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). However, in the time prior to

The government carried out almost 50% more investigations concerning abuse complaints regarding lasting powers of attorney (LPA) in 2018. In total, the Office of the Public Guardian received 5,245 claims that attorneys were abusing their

Following feedback from the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) have delayed the completion date of plans to overhaul, modernise and improve the courts system. The £1 billion

The majority of law firms have failed to prepare for Brexit and do not prioritise it as an immediate concern despite the March 29 deadline just weeks away. According to the most recent Bellwether Report

One of the oldest law firms in England has fallen into liquidation and closed its doors after almost 250 years of providing legal advice. Founded in 1773, Brighton Firm Howlett Clarke Solicitors, would have been

Following the success of last year’s British Wills and Probate Awards in the Autumn, Today’s Wills and Probate, alongside headline sponsor, Arken.legal (UK) Ltd, a leader in software solutions for the legal services industry, are