Back in 2024, SJ Hilder delivered a landmark judgement relating to conflicts of interest in the Court of Protection. It focussed on whether a Deputy, or someone in a similar position of responsibility, face a conflict of interest when asking other areas of...
Nearly two years after the changes were first announced in the 2024 Budget, I have been reflecting on their implications for inheritance tax planning and business succession, particularly following a conversation with a client... Like many farmers, T has...
One of the first questions you are likely to be asked following the death of a loved one is: "Where is the original Will?" Not knowing the answer can raise important legal issues and significantly complicate the administration of the estate. ...
Research from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) suggests that families managing a loved one’s money may be committing financial abuse without realising it. The research suggested that a lack of understanding as to what the role of an...
Picture this scenario: A construction project is underway, you've appointed a main contractor, the project is progressing well, and labour is arriving on site through a network of subcontractors. A few months after the project is complete, the Home...
On 23 September 2026, in Elliott v Bateson [2026] EWHC 2440 (Ch), the High Court held that a testator did not know and approve his Will after the solicitor had advised on a different provision in the Will to what the testator had instructed. A recent...
Despite the rise of online grocery shopping and 10-minute delivery apps, the traditional “big shop” is far from over and many of us will still choose, and prefer, to do their shopping in-person. It can be highly frustrating to step up and grab a...
According to recent research from Key Equity Release, adult children living at home could be costing UK parents a combined £17 billion each year. More than 3.8 million families are estimated to have an adult child living at home, with parents spending...
Following the commencement of parts of the Renter's Rights Act 2025 on 1 st May 2026, the Government has now announced the timeline for the roll-out of the new National Landlord Registration Service commonly known as the PRS Database. For...
A franchise resale involves an existing franchisee selling their business to a new incoming franchisee, or another existing member of the network. In the same way as selling any other type of business, there are two different ways to structure a resale...
In England & Wales we have “testamentary freedom”, which means that people can leave everything to whoever they want in their Will. Can siblings challenge a Will? A Will can be challenged by anyone who has “ standing ”....
I was reading about the recent case of Thirsk v Thirsk & Ors [2026] EWHC 1501 (Ch), a case whereby a surviving spouse advanced a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, despite having been left a tax-free legacy of...
Section 50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 governs the court’s powers to remove executors from their position as administrators of a deceased person’s will. Applications to the court used to be few and far between, but have been...
In the majority of matters, clients approach us once they have already agreed the terms of a deal for the sale of their business. However, there are often tips and advice that we can share prior to that stage that can add value to their deal, either by...
Having recently and very publicly declared that the only reason he will ever marry his long-term partner of over 40 years (novelist Jane Fallon) is to avoid paying inheritance tax, Ricky Gervais has highlighted one of the financial advantages of being...
Many of you may have recently watched the BBC drama “I, Jack Wright” which in some quarters is being described as a “UK Succession”. The series follows self-made millionaire, Jack Wright, whose apparent suicide is later...
When dealing with the financial implications of divorce, it is understandable that the parties’ main priority is to ensure that both they and any children of the family are suitably housed and have sufficient income to support themselves. However,...
Trusts are commonly used to protect assets, provide for family members, and manage wealth for future generations. The trust deed is the key document that creates the trust and sets out how it should be administered. If the original trust deed has been lost...
Social media has become a window into our daily lives, capturing everything from holidays and nights out to major life events. But what many people don't realise is that the content they share online can also play a significant role in divorce...
For many years, the concept of a “common law marriage” has been one of the most enduring myths in family law. There is a widespread misconception that couples who have lived together for a significant period, or who have children together,...
An executor (also known as a personal representative) is someone who has been appointed in a Will to deal with the administration of a person’s estate after they have died. An executor’s role involves collecting in the estate assets (e.g. closing...
Gary Pammen, a television psychic who was well known as the “Cockney Bard” has lost a legal challenge to his late father's will and has been ordered to pay £216,000 in legal costs. The case is a stark reminder that suspicion alone...
In my recent blog " what happens if you’re promised a property but left out of a will " I looked at how proprietary estoppel can apply to the family home when promises are made and later broken. A recent claim brought by Harry Lambert...
Losing a loved one is always difficult. When you also have doubts about whether their Will truly reflects their wishes, the situation can feel even more distressing. If the person who died had dementia or was showing signs of cognitive decline in the months...
Losing a loved one is one of the hardest experiences a family can face. When there’s no Will in place, that pain can be compounded by uncertainty and, in many cases, disagreement among those left behind. Without a Will, strict legal rules determine...
The decision in McDaniel v Talbot (2026) offers a useful illustration of how adult child claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 ( “the 1975 Act” ) can succeed, even where the claimant has long been excluded...
One of the questions we are frequently asked by clients is “Can I split my Land Registry title?” The short answer is no, it is not that simple! HM Land Registry will not simply divide an existing title into two or more separate titles. A new...
Discovering that a loved one’s Will doesn’t reflect what you expected, or what you believe they truly wanted, can be deeply unsettling. Whether you suspect the Will was made under pressure, that the person lacked the mental capacity to make it,...
Dealing with a loved one’s estate is rarely straightforward, and it can be deeply distressing when the executor responsible for administering it fails to keep you informed. You might be receiving no updates at all, vague answers to straightforward...
The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the “Act”) allows certain people to bring claims against estates if reasonable financial provision has not been made for them. Who can claim under the Inheritance (Provision for...
