Managing a loved one’s affairs when they die is never easy. During what is an already difficult and emotional time, probate – the process of administering a deceased person’s estate – is one of the many things bereaved families must...
Blog
I am Insha Khan, a Trainee Solicitor at Wilkinson Woodward. The aim of this blog is to give you an insight into the life of a Trainee Solicitor here at Wilkinson Woodward. I started my first seat in the Conveyancing team which is the same department that I...
When it comes to estate planning and making a Will, you must carefully consider the potential implications of excluding certain family members. The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the Act) grants the court the power to make...
In 2019 the government said it would ban no-fault evictions. Since then, more than 60,000 households in England have contacted councils for help to avoid homelessness after receiving a Section 21 notice. This is set to change with the introduction of the...
With volatile energy prices experienced in the last year and the energy markets looking uncertain for the foreseeable future, we welcome the government’s announcement that they will continue to provide support for businesses with their energy bills...
In an unprecedented and ground-breaking development, Mr Justice Poole made what is the first ‘Transparency Order’ under the Transparency Pilot scheme which was launched on a trial basis in Courts in Leeds, Carlisle and Cardiff on 30 th January...
After having bounced back strongly following Covid-19, Wilkinson Woodward is well placed for continued growth in 2023, having already strengthened the Family Law team with the appointment of two new solicitors. Our Family Law team, which deals with all...
Employment relationships can come to an end for many reasons, including redundancy, dismissal and personality clashes. Increasingly, employers are using settlements to end an employment relationship. Settlement agreements offer an alternative to wading...
What can you do if you suspect your partner - or the partner of a friend or loved one - has a history of violence? Your right to ask the police about a partner's history Under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (commonly known as Clare’s...
On Friday 3rd June 2022 there will be an additional bank holiday to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This will result in a 4-day bank holiday weekend, as the date of the usual Spring bank holiday has moved to Thursday 2nd June. The additional...
After a lengthy consultation period, the so-called ‘no-fault’ divorce is due to come into effect in England and Wales on 6 April 2022. From this date, separating couples will be able to get a divorce, civil partnership dissolution or legal...
Having social workers involved in family matters can be confusing and distressing so it’s important to get expert legal advice from the get-go. Our experienced solicitors will be able to guide you through the process and ensure you have the best...
Special Guardianship Orders were introduced to bridge the legal gap between long-term fostering and adoption. Wherever possible, the courts have always sought permanence for “looked after children”. However, fostering and adoption did not...
Are you returning from Portugal and facing the prospect of quarantining? Perhaps you're mulling over the implications of jetting off on a foreign holiday? Make sure you understand the implications of post-holiday quarantining on your employment and...
In a landmark ruling that has implication for millions working in the gig economy, Uber has lost its Supreme Court fight over drivers' rights. After a 4-year legal battle, the Supreme Court ruled against the taxi app company, concluding their...
If you're an employer and need to use a settlement agreement to end a long standing dispute, here is my guide to avoiding the most common pitfalls. Understand the fundamental purpose of settlement agreements Under the terms of...
Give yourself a head start in 2021 by planning ahead for these forthcoming changes to employment law. Coronavirus The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open until the end of April 2021. As an employer, you only need to contribute National Insurance and...
According to building society Nationwide, house prices climbed 7.5% last year, the highest growth in UK house prices for six years. Why was demand for property so high in 2020? Buoyed by a range of Government policy measures, demand for housing...
The findings of a recent Quality Care Commission (CQC) report have highlighted that during the early weeks of the Coronavirus pandemic, Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitate (DNAR) orders were wrongly used. Widely condemned by the CQC and medical bodies,...
Earlier this week the Government announced plans for managing the coronavirus pandemic through winter. The 64-page document contains important information on how businesses and individuals will emerge from the current national lock down on 2 December 2020....
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) ends on 31 October 2020, when it will be replaced by the Job Support Scheme which aims to protect “viable” jobs. What are the main implications for employers and employees? In the...
Today the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an update to the new Job Support Scheme (to be known as the 'Open' Scheme in order to distinguish it from the Scheme provided for businesses legally required to close). The new support includes a...
The Government has recently published guidance for employers about the Job Retention Bonus. This is a one-off £1,000 (taxable) payment for each eligible employee furloughed and kept in continuous employment until 31 January 2021. The bonus can be...
If you’re planning to jet off for some last minute summer sun, you might be considering the implications of self-isolating when you return to the UK. Before you book that last minute getaway, it’s essential to understand the implications of...
Today -10 June 2020 - is the last day employers can furlough staff who have not already been furloughed through the coronavirus job retention scheme. From 1 July 2020 employers may only claim for employees they have already claimed for;...
A abused woman who won an appeal over her conviction for murdering her controlling husband can now inherit his estate, a judge has ruled. Sally Challen was given a life sentence in 2011 after being convicted of murdering her husband in 2010....
To support businesses and employees in re-opening workspaces and returning to work, the Government has now published a series of guides to making workplaces ‘COVID secure’. Eight sector-specific guides have been produced. These are for: ...
The Government has now published its plan to bring England out of the current Coronavirus lockdown. The proposals state: “For the foreseeable future, workers should continue to work from home rather than their normal physical...
Following the launch of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), small and medium-sized businesses can now apply for finance to help deal with operating costs and help to maintain cash flow. Is my...
Commercial tenants who are unable to pay their rent due to Coronavirus will be protected from eviction. Most leases contain provisions which permit a landlord to terminate the tenancy if the tenant fails to pay rent for a period after it is due (usually 14...
On 27 March 2020, the Government announced their intention to provide further support for the self-employed in the form of a taxable cash grant. The scheme allows individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of...
The Government has now published additional information about Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the Furlough Scheme). At present the details represent guidance for HMRC; whether legislation follows remains to be seen. We recommend you read the full guidance...
The Government has recently passed all stages of its emergency bill through the House of Commons. The bill has cleared the House of Lords, and is expected to become law later today. The bill provides the Government with wide-ranging powers...
One of the questions I have started to ask clients when they first come to me for advice about domestic abuse is “Do you watch Coronation Street?” This is because one of the current story lines concerns the character Yasmeen Metcalfe being the...
SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme HMRC will set up a new online portal so that all UK employers will be eligible for assistance where an employee has been designated as a ‘furloughed worker.’ HMRC will reimburse...
All employers have a statutory duty of care for their employee’s health and safety and to provide a safe place to work. If you’re an employer, here’s what you need to know. How can I prevent the spread of infection in my business? The...
On 20 th January 2020, Stalking Protection Orders came into effect. These were introduced by the Stalking Protection Act 2019 to protect victims from harassment or intimidation from strangers or non-family members. Under this new legislation, the...
In the most recent ruling in a high profile ethical veganism case, the judge has decided that ethical veganism is a protected belief. Eariler this month the judge in the case of Jordi Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports ruled that ethical veganism...
If someone asks you to be the executor of their will, following their death there are several things you’ll need to do. Here’s an overview to help you fulfil your responsibilities as an executor. What is an executor? An executor is legally...
Managing someone’s affairs when they die is something many of us face at some point in our lives. The process of administering a deceased person’s estate involves organising their money, possessions and other assets and distributing them as...
Managing someone’s affairs when they die is something many of us face at some point in our lives. The process of administering a deceased person’s estate - known as probate - involves organising their money, possessions and other assets and...
Chances are that many of us will face conditions which limit our ability to make decisions in the future. When someone loses their capacity to take decisions, families and professionals can struggle to determine what they might have wanted to happen in terms...
An 89-year-old former medical secretary has won £200,000 in compensation, making her the oldest person in the UK to win an age discrimination case. Eileen Jolly was unfairly dismissed from her post at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in 2017 (then aged...
If you've been experiencing long-standing problems at work, a settlement agreement could provide a clean break for you and your employer. A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract that waives an employees' rights to make a...
According to The Alzheimer's Society, there are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia and 225,000 will develop dementia this year. That's one every...
We are often asked how to protect property from being fraudulently sold or mortgaged. This can be of particular concern if: your identity has been stolen you rent your property you live abroad the property is empty the property is not mortgaged the...
The Secretary of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced that all new build housing will need to be sold as a freehold property. Following a speech at the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference on 27 June 2019, James...
These days grandparents often play a huge role in their grandchildren’s lives, frequently providing child care. Sadly, when parents break up, many grandparents worry that contact with their grandchildren could be affected. If you have found...
If you're thinking of appointing godparents ( or have been asked to become a godparent), it's important to understand your legal position, should anything happen to prevent parents from caring for the child themselves. What rights does a...
If you believe someone’s will is wrong or that the will has not been correctly implemented, you may have cause to contest their will or make a claim against their estate. Here’s a step-by-step guide to contesting a will and submitting a...