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The proposed changes to probate fees have been scrapped following criticism from the Law Society, the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners and Solicitors For the Elderly. Currently there is a flat fee of £215, or £155 if a solicitor is involved. The government had planned to introduce a banded system that caps the fee
The value of the government’s Help to Buy scheme has been called into question by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee. They say much of the money invested could have been better spent elsewhere. The Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme was introduced in April 2013 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
A warehouse worker who gave false evidence about a workplace accident has been awarded £7,800 for unfair dismissal. George Hope worked as a warehouse operative for United Biscuits in Scotland. He suffered a double fracture of his ankle in an incident that became the centre of the case. Immediately after the accident, he made a
A wife was entitled to a financial settlement from her husband that reflected British law even though their divorce was granted abroad. That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving an Omani man and Lebanese woman. The couple had been married for 12 years and had lived a luxurious lifestyle in
The granddaughters of a farmer have lost their shares in his farm because of complications that arose when their father died without making a will. The grandfather had died in 1992, leaving behind a wife and four children. His will stated that the farm was to be left to his wife and two of his
The government has announced it will invest £600 million to build 50,000 new homes in England. Chancellor Sajid Javid says the homes will be built in high demand areas using money from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF). Many potential sites across the country lack the infrastructure needed to make building homes on them viable. This
Tenants are being warned to be wary of being ‘ripped off’ by rogue letting agents who are flouting new consumer protection regulations. Two new laws, the Tenant Fees Act and the Client Money Protection Schemes for Property Agents, have recently come into force to provide significant new protections for tenants. Under the Tenant Fees Act,
A husband has failed to overturn what he considered an unreasonably generous divorce settlement imposed after a judge held that he had misled the court. The case involved a couple who married in 1995 and separated in 2016. They had three dependent children. The wife had looked after the home and worked part time. She
Local law firm, Machins Solicitors LLP has achieved eight practice area recommendations in the latest edition of Legal 500 UK including one top-tier firm recommendation in the area of family law; a first for the firm. Among the areas of expertise in which the firm is regarded includes corporate and commercial, employment and family as
The government has warned employers that disabled people should not be considered a burden or prevented from enjoying fulfilling careers. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that a record number of people have been supported by the Access to Work scheme, with 36,240 having received the grant in the last