Blogs
Developing agricultural land: Addressing the challenges of acquisition
The UK’s agricultural land market has been an attractive proposition for investors for a long time as they attempt to bank land and take advantage of rural expansion. Whilst farm land was once the reserve of farming families, agricultural land is increasingly drawing the attention of this wide....
Tougher lifetime gifting rules could increase inheritance tax liabilities
Charitable donations. Listed buildings. Business shares. These are just some of the gifts that can be made without incurring inheritance tax (IHT), but only if you know how to make the most of different reliefs and exemptions. The rules around gifting and IHT can be very difficult to follow – ....
Recognise the asset protection trust red flags
Asset protection trusts are a legitimate way to manage your estate to make sure your money goes where you want after your death. However, in recent years, more people in vulnerable circumstances have been mis-sold schemes that fail to protect their basic interests. Worse, these schemes can lock the....
Why consider a solicitor as your Lasting Power of Attorney?
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document appointing someone to deal with your financial and legal affairs in the event that this ever becomes necessary. In some cases, people appoint a trusted relative or friend to fulfil the role. Before you make that choice, though, ask yourself if y....
The role of trusts in inheritance tax planning
Few taxes spark as much debate as inheritance tax (IHT). Many see it as an unfair ‘double tax’ on assets already taxed during a person’s lifetime. Others are often surprised to find themselves caught by it at all. A survey earlier this year suggested seven in ten UK adults don’t understand ....
Introducing Jess’s Rule: a new safeguard in GP diagnosis
Jess’s Rule is a new patient safety measure now being adopted in GP practices across England. It requires doctors to “reflect, review and rethink” when a patient returns three or more times with the same unresolved symptoms. The aim is simple: to catch serious conditions earlier and prevent d....
Living with the impact of brain injury
Sustaining a brain injury can be life-changing; not only is there a medical impact, but there are also emotional and financial repercussions that can feel overwhelming to deal with. If you believe that a brain injury was caused by medical negligence, it is vital to seek specialist legal support.....
Brain injury medical negligence claims explained
Suffering a brain injury can have a devastating impact on an individual’s life, potentially affecting their mobility, personality, memory and speech. While some brain injuries are unavoidable, others may have been caused by negligent medical care. If you believe this has happened to you or a love....
Navigating UK Trusts: A valuable tool in family planning
Trusts were first used in England almost 800 years ago, when knights leaving for the Crusades handed their land to trusted friends to manage in their absence. The idea has stood the test of time, because it remains one of the most effective ways to protect and pass on assets. However, the rules ar....
National maternity investigation launched into fourteen NHS Trusts
In an important development for maternity and neonatal care in England, the government has announced that 14 NHS hospital trusts are now the focus of a new national investigation into standards of care. The independent review, which will be chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos, comes after widespread c....
Don’t get tripped up by complex stamp duty rules
Stamp duty has been around since 1694, but it only comes to the fore when we or someone else needs to pay it. Fail to cough up the right amount, and it can grab headlines and ruin careers – as Angela Rayner discovered. Following her resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and housing secret....
The importance of succession planning for your business
When you’re running your own business, it’s easy to focus all your energy on the here and now. But what will happen when it’s time for you to step back? That’s where succession planning comes in. What is succession planning? Succession planning is the practice of identifying who w....
