Council house tenants can now receive higher Right to Buy discounts following a government move to improve the scheme. Tenants in London can qualify for discounts of up to £102,700 off the value of their home. In other parts of the country the discount can be as high as £77,000. The discount caps will now
Two paramedics have won their claim that time spent on call away from the workplace should be classed as working time. The Working Time Regulations stipulate that employees are generally entitled to daily rest of 11 uninterrupted hours. The paramedics in this case were told they would have to provide cover on call at an
Leading family lawyers have expressed disappointment and concern at the government’s approach to funding mediation sessions for divorcing couples. The Family Justice Minister, Simon Hughes, recently announced that separating couples will be entitled to one free mediation session as long as at least one of them qualifies for legal aid. This is an improvement on
One of the problems that can arise out of DIY wills was highlighted by data released by the High Court recently. The figures show that the number claims concerning the mishandling a deceased person’s estate has tripled in recent years. There were 368 claims in 2013, while the figure was just 107 in 2012. It’s
A father has been denied direct contact with his estranged son after the court heard that the boy didn’t want to see him. The boy’s parents had been married but separated shortly after he was born. The father maintained regular contact with his son until the mother became suspicious that the boy had been injured
House prices rose by 10.2% in the year to June 2014, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Prices in England rose by 10.7%. The figure was 6% in Scotland, 4.9% in Northern Ireland and 3.5% in Wales. The survey showed that house prices rose strongly in most parts of the UK, but
The government has shelved its controversial plans for an online system for creating lasting powers of attorney (LPA). The decision follows concerns raised by the Law Society and others that a fully digital system could be open to fraud and abuse. LPAs enable you to nominate someone in advance to look after your affairs should
Leading family lawyers have expressed disappointment and concern at the government’s approach to funding mediation sessions for divorcing couples. The Family Justice Minister, Simon Hughes, recently announced that separating couples will be entitled to one free mediation session as long as at least one of them qualifies for legal aid. This is an improvement on
House prices in Britain have fallen for the first time this year, according to figures from the online estate agency, Rightmove. The average asking price for a home in June was £272,275. This dropped to £270,159 in July – a 0.8% reduction. Houses in Greater London were the most durable in holding their value, suffering
A couple have been granted permission to tear up a badly drafted trust, after an error left the wife unable to benefit from it. The husband had set up the trust several years ago, with the intention of it providing for his wife and children in the event of his death. The man’s bank was