Abandoned Nursing Home Leaves Sensitive Patient Data Exposed
A recent BBC report, using documentary evidence from urban explorers, has found that an abandoned care home has been left with boxes of sensitive patient data strewn carelessly throughout the vacant Westbury House property in Hampshire. Usually, when a visitor enters the communal living space of a care home, they expect to find individual orthopedic […]
Two Thirds Use Equity Release To Make Later Life Home Modifications
Record numbers of UK home owners used equity release products to help younger relatives buy property in 2018. According to the 2018 Equity Release report, published by retirement finance specialists Key, 27% of equity release users unlocked the equity in their homes with the express purposes of gifting it to their children so they are […]
The Will Clarity Statement Is Taking Off!
Increasingly more clients are requesting that a Will Clarity Statement accompanies their Will, ensuring their wishes are clearly heard whilst reducing the risk of a successful claim. In the first week of release – 10 of our clients chose to purchase the Will Clarity Statement In the second week of release – 51 of our […]
The Changing Role Of Technology In Wills And Estate Planning
Technology has changed the way the world communicates with each other. Its impact has been colossal, fast paced and is only increasing. Legal technology is starting to become a major consideration for many people in Wills and Estate Planning, acting as a driving force for increased efficiency and profitability. Having provided legal services in Wills […]
Unscrupulous Probate Paralegal Executive Commits £70,000 Fraud
A paralegal executive has been jailed for over three years after stealing tens of thousands of pounds from the estates of deceased clients she was working with. Lucy Gunton used sophisticated social engineering methods to steal approximately £70,000 during a six-month spree of lies and dishonesty. Having been taken on as a secretary at Bate […]
Standard And Additional Information Combined On OPG100 Search Forms
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) have confirmed that the OPG100 search form has been amended so that a combination of standard requests and additional information can be made on the same request form. In February, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) issued a practice note providing information on a new online facility […]
Multiple Marriages Cause Inheritance Issues
With more and more people getting married later in life, sometimes for the second and possibly for the third time, it can have an inheritance impact on the dependants of previous marriages. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the number of brides and grooms aged 65 and over went up by 46% […]
Over 3,000 DoLS Requests Ignored By Local Authority
Budget cuts and funding restrictions could be responsible for unlawfully detaining vulnerable people deprived of their liberty as local council’s have been forced to create their own guidance ranking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) requests. Due to financial pressures, Staffordshire Council restricted DoLS requests so that only cases considered high risk were considered. According to […]
Webinar: P’s Assets And The Court of Protection: Gifting, Investing And Recovery
Certainty the National Will Register will be hosting our monthly expert webinar on Thursday 25th April 2019 at 12.00pm. This month Barrister, Mark Baxter from 5 Stone Buildings will be presenting “P’s Assets and the Court of Protection: Gifting, Investing and Recovery”. The webinar will be exploring potential conflicts of interest with P’s Deputy or […]
Welcoming Matthew Lagden To The Awards Judging Panel
We are delighted to welcome Chief Executive of the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM), Matthew Lagden, to the judging panel for the upcoming exclusive British Wills and Probate Awards, which is brought to you by Today’s Wills and Probate, alongside headline sponsor, Arken.legal (UK) Ltd, a leader in software solutions for the legal services industry. […]
Wills And Probate Specialists Debate Key Industry Issues
Contentious and non-contentious private client solicitors, will writers, estate planners and specialist suppliers to the industry met this week to debate the hot topics impacting the sector at the latest Today’s Wills and Probate (TWP) roundtable. Hosted by Karen Babington, Managing Director of TWP’s publisher Solve Legal Marketing, the event is a regular fixture in […]
Over-50s Confused About Basic Equity Release Terms And Conditions
Latest research has found that the majority of over-55s are confused by basic equity release terms and conditions. This could be worrying for a section of the market that are increasingly using equity release products to release the money tied up in their home. The research, carried out by Sunlife, asked 1,001 people aged over-55 […]
Proficiently Protecting and Advising The Elderly
The landscape for how to live during one’s later years has changed considerably. As we live longer, there is growing concern over how to sensibly finance our retirement. Similarly, society’s concept of family is constantly shifting and adapting with many family units blending as remarriage increases. The most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) report […]
UK’s Largest Charities To Lose £1.5 Million Annually To Probate Fees
80% of the five largest charitable organisations have claimed that the changes to probate fees will cause a collective loss of over £1.5 million in charitable donations. Whilst Brexit may have forced the government to put the changes to probate on the back burner, the new fee structure will come into force just 21 days […]
Museum Cut From Will Sues Deceased’s Carer
In an unprecedented case, the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) is taking a deceased woman’s carer to court after the museum was replaced by the defendant in the woman’s Will. Long-time art lover Elenor G Potter had left a substantial gift of around $2 million to the Portland Museum of Art. However, just months before […]
Today’s Spring Roundtable Contemplates Key Industry Topics
Following the continued success of our previous Today’s Wills and Probate roundtable events, our spring event kicked off today discussing sector issues, challenges, and potential opportunities. The event was held at one of the UK’s oldest and fourth largest chambers, 3PB Barristers, in Birmingham where an array of Wills and Probate experts come together to […]
These Are The Most Important Questions When It Comes To Your Client’s Will…
…and they are all answered in our Will Clarity Statement. As you are aware, a Will only contains WHAT your client wishes to do with their assets… Time and time again we are hearing about claims against Wills succeeding due to a lack of notes within the Will file. Often these notes are inadequate, go missing or their meaning […]
Is Technology Really Only For The Young?
Time and again, we hear Will Writers and Solicitors proclaim that taking client instructions on paper is what their clients expect and in particular, that their more elderly clients would certainly not be comfortable with them using a paperless system. But is this really the case? Let’s take an everyday example of what happens on […]
Digital Will Scanning Service Widely Criticised By Experts
Following the launch of an online probate service in January, criticism has been cast upon the government for also digitising the vital job of determining the validity of a Will. All online probate applications are now reviewed using the services of a digital scanning firm, Exela, which many believe is devaluing the difficult job of […]
Co-op Legal Services Profits Continue To Increase
The Co-op’s Annual Report 2018 has found that the increased probate services offered by Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has seen their profits improve considerably throughout the year. In September, CLS consolidated their status as the UK’s largest company providing Wills and probate services when they acquired Simply Probate and decided to take on their 170 […]
