Hundreds of thousands of people register Lasting Powers of Attorney each year and it isn’t hard to see why. Life expectancy has increased dramatically over the last 50 years meaning most of us can expect to live into our eighties and beyond. While that is undoubtedly good news, it does raise issues about how we
The government has launched a scheme to tackle dementia and doubled research funding in memory of the late Barbara Windsor. It comes after Dame Barbara’s husband, Scott Mitchell, met Boris Johnson at Downing Street and outlined the significant suffering caused by dementia and the slow process of finding treatments and cures. This led to the
The government is being urged to introduce reforms to provide better legal protection for cohabiting couples if their relationship breaks down. The number of cohabiting couples has more than doubled in the past generation with 1.5m in 1996, compared to 3.6m in 2021. The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee says there is a
The High Court has ruled that a man’s will that existed only in draft form on a computer, but which was signed by two reliable witnesses, should be accepted as valid. This is a highly unusual decision because generally, the original will, signed in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time, must
The heart-breaking experience of TV presenter Kate Garraway and her husband highlights the value of drawing up Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) to protect your future. Garraway’s husband Derek Draper suffered a terrible reaction to Covid and still has a long way to go in his recovery. The Good Morning Britain star said that
The government is to launch a 10-Year Plan to tackle dementia following estimates that one million people will be living with the disease in the UK by 2025 and 1.6 million by 2040. Speaking at the Alzheimer’s Society Conference 2022, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed the plan will focus on how new medicines and emerging
The aristocratic singer and TV star Bo Bruce has won a court battle against her brother Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, Viscount Savernake, over their inheritance after their mother died. Bruce, whose full title is Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce, was a runner up on the TV series, The Voice and has had chart success with the top 10
The government is to allow vulnerable people to continue to be able to have their wills witnessed via video-link until 2024. The move extends measures brought in because of the pandemic. It’s designed to help people who are forced to isolate either with Covid or from another vulnerability. Ministers hope it will reassure all those
The government has confirmed that probate fees will increase to a rate of £273 for all applicants, regardless of the size of the estate, from 26th January 2022. At present, where an estate is more than £5,000, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) charges on a two tier scale. If you are a probate practitioner
January is the time for making resolutions to give ourselves a fresh start for the New Year. It’s good to take stock and decide to eat less or exercise more but there’s so much more we could be doing to improve our lives and protect ourselves for the future. Here are three New Year Resolutions