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The Help to Buy schemes, launched by the government last year, have enabled nearly 40,000 people to buy their first home, according to official statistics. Help to Buy consists of two schemes which enable people to buy a property even if they only have 5% of the purchase cost. More than 48,000 people in total
The level of compensation a victim receives for hurt feelings in employment disputes is to be raised by 10%. Earlier in the year, the Court of Appeal decided that there should be a 10% rise in the monetary value placed on a victim’s hurt feelings in civil cases. The Employment Appeal Tribunal has now confirmed
Changes have been made to the family court system with the aim of improving standards and speeding up the process. The new measures mean that only the most qualified, experienced and recognised professionals will be allowed to give evidence in family cases where children are involved. These expert witnesses can only give evidence if the
The government has simplified inheritance laws in order to modernise the process of dividing the assets of a person who dies without making will. It follows a review of intestacy law and a consultation carried out by the Law Commission. Under the new laws, if a person dies intestate, that is without leaving a will,
The government is to introduce new measures that will make it easier for people to build their own home. Under the Right to Build scheme, people who want to build their own home will be able to get help from their local council to find a suitable plot of land. The scheme will be trialled
Business secretary Vince Cable has launched a wide ranging employment review which could potentially benefit up to a million British workers. Many people on zero-hours contracts are on ‘worker’ employment contracts, as opposed to ‘employee’ contracts. That means they have fewer basic rights, such as maternity pay, the right to request flexible working hours or
Expectant fathers now have the right to take unpaid time off work to attend two ante-natal classes with their partners. The entitlement, which came into effect on 1 October, applies to all expectant partners including husbands, spouses, civil partners and anyone in a long-term relationship with the mother. Expectant fathers who are not in a
A college has successfully obtained an injunction to prevent its employees carrying out a planned strike. The employees and the college were in dispute over pay rates throughout 2013. The trade union had balloted its members in December 2013 to gauge the level of support for a strike. The members voted in favour, and a
An estate agent was awarded too much compensation after being constructively dismissed, an appeal judge has ruled. The agent had worked for a firm as an area manager. He had a remuneration package that was linked to the profitability of his office. The company moved him from a successful office to one that was making
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Were you aware that employees with Breast Cancer and other Cancers have protection from disability discrimination from day 1 of their diagnosis even when their condition is in remission? You may be an employee working through your Cancer. You may be the employer trying to support your employee in