Personal Law

Taylor Chanter Solicitor in our Family team sets out some points to consider when moving in together. Covid-19 has presented a lot of those partners in a non-cohabiting relationship with a big decision to make in respect of whether or not they should move in together.  With the current lockdown measures that are in place and the corresponding rules around social distancing, a lot of couples faced the prospect of…

Jonathan Carroll, Director and Head of Property & Agriculture helpfully explains the potential effects of #COVID19 on property transactions. For those buying or selling property, or who are already committed to a move, the COVID19 pandemic has brought some challenges.  Fortunately, with good legal advice and a bit of common sense from the parties most of those challenges can be managed. “It’s important to stress that you need to follow…

The government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak moves rapidly with new measures to ease the financial burden on businesses and workers appearing almost daily. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment & HR gives a round-up of some of the main developments so far: Furlough Leave – Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Chancellor Rishi Sunak wants to use furlough leave as the basis of a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to enable…

The coronavirus outbreak has led to a 30% increase in the number of elderly people wishing to write new wills or grant power of attorney. Ian Bond, chair of the Law Society’s wills and equity committee, told The Daily Telegraph that law firms throughout the country had had seen a “huge spike” in the number of queries over the last two months. Most of the requests were from elderly or…

As Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors are members of the UK200Group we are able to share with you the following information on Coronavirus and Mortgage Payment Holidays which has been brought to our attention by Ann Bibby, Vice Chair of the UK200Group Tax Panel and Partner, Ellacotts.  She has received the below from Andrew Green, Caboodle Financial Services Ltd. We hope you will find this beneficial and we will continue to keep…

As Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors are members of the UK200Group we are able to share with you the latest advice on ‘Furlough’ from Helen Spencer FCIPD, Managing Partner Whittingham Riddell. We hope you will find this beneficial and we will continue to keep you informed of any useful advice during this difficult time. Q: What does the word ‘furlough’ mean? Furlough generally means a temporary leave of absence from work. This…

A group of MPs have called for root and branch reforms of the inheritance tax system, including a cut in the standard rate from 40% to 10%. They also want to scrap most of the current tax reliefs, including the seven-year rule that allows you to pass on wealth without any tax implications. Instead, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Inheritance and Intergenerational Fairness wants a new annual allowance of £30,000…

The Government is to step up its naming and shaming of employers who fail to pay their workers the National Minimum or Living Wage. Meanwhile, it will increase support for employers to help them comply with low pay legislation. It says the changes, which follow a review of the process, will see naming rounds occur more often to enhance the effectiveness of the deterrent. Ministers have also increased the threshold…

Amazon has been granted an injunction ordering a former employee to comply with the terms of his employment contract regarding the non-disclosure and non-use of confidential documents. The employee, Mr Tejan-Kella, had been an area manager for Amazon. He got into a dispute with the company and issued a claim in the Employment Tribunal. He was then dismissed on the basis that he had no right to work in the…

Cohabiting couples don’t have the same legal rights as married couples, which can cause major problems if their relationship breaks down. Many cohabitants think ahead and draw up a living together agreement that sets out in advance how their assets should be shared if they separate. This can help prevent confusion that often leads to bitter disputes. Couples without such agreements may have to start from scratch to assess who…