Petrol crisis fuels concern about lawyers getting to court
With the current fuel crisis causing shortages UK-wide, lawyer representatives are hoping judges will be understanding if court users struggle to physically attend this week. As panic buying continues, it is feared that many due to appear in court will have to apply to observe a court hearing remotely. A spokesperson for the Law Society […]
Read moreProbate lawyers call for change in law in relation to “digital assets”
A recent study by professional body for inheritance planning advisers, STEP and Queen Mary University of London has proved there is a lack of clarity around property rights for “digital assets” (objects have monetary or sentimental value that exist in electronic form e.g. digital photographs, social media accounts, internet domain names) of relatives who have died, […]
Read moreWorkers willing to take nearly £2000 pay cut for better worklife balance
New research undertaken by the job site, Indeed, shows that employees seeking better flexibility are willing to take a pay cut of up to £2,000 for a better work life balance. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the working patterns of millions of people, with many only now returning to the workplace after […]
Read moreEnd of stamp duty holiday is good news for first-time buyers
According to recent research, 40% of first-time buyers plan to purchase their home in the next 3-6 months, proving the end of the stamp duty holiday is not bad news for first-time buyers. We’ve seen an overwhelming surge in demand throughout the stamp duty holiday, leading to steep increases in the price of houses, pricing […]
Read moreDigital divorce portal to become mandatory
From today (Monday 13 September, 2021), the HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s digital portal, MyHMCTS, becomes mandatory for new divorce applications. Legal representatives will no longer process applications via the paper Form D8, although the change does not apply to applications for civil partnership dissolution, judicial separation and nullity. The digital service has processed over 150,000 […]
Read moreMarketing director made redundant while on maternity leave after refusing £20k pay cut was discriminated against, tribunal rules
A marketing director dismissed from City Sprint UK while on maternity leave has successfully won her discrimination claim. Mrs S Shipp refused to accept both a demotion and a £20,000 pay cut while on maternity leave, resulting in her being made redundant from the role she had enjoyed since 2018. The employment tribunal ruled that […]
Read more90% of people reliant on inheritance, says Tower Street Finance
The latest research into inheritance, carried out by Tower Street Finance, has shown that 9 in 10 adults need their inheritance to fund retirement and pay off debts. 1 in 5 people surveyed said their inheritance would pay off their mortgage, 16% said it would be required to be used as a retirement income and […]
Read moreBusiness groups and unions call for furlough extension
The UK’s furlough scheme ends at the end of September, but business groups and unions have called for the job retention programme to be extended to protect workers in industries still being hit by COVID-19. Up to 1.7m workers were on furlough at the beginning of August, and many of their jobs are expected to […]
Read moreRemote working could bring more older people into the labour market and boost economy
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published a survey stating that 11% of older workers permitted to work entirely from home were planning to retire later, compared with 5% of those not working from home. The survey showed that if businesses made remote working permanent, it could potentially result in more older people in […]
Read moreFewer people taking power of attorney
Fewer families have been registering lasting a power of attorney amid the pandemic. About 695,000 people registered for legal responsibility to make financial decisions on behalf of a relative or friend in the year to April 2021. This was a 23% drop on the year before, when 909,000 powers of attorney were registered, according to […]
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