News and Knowledge

More than half of UK adults do not have a Will, figures reveal

More than half of adults in the UK do not have a will, and many do not plan on getting one any time soon, research has found.   The data, by Canada Life has revealed that approximately 30.4 million adults do not have a plan in place for when they die, and 12 percent said…

Probate application delays continue, figures reveal

Statistics show that probate application delays are still longer than average, despite a slight decrease from the previous month.   Data from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) shows that the delay decreased from 15.4 weeks to 15.2 in October, but this still remains above the 12-month average.     The figures come after 27,664…

Martin Lewis: Power of Attorneys explained amid ‘fundamental misunderstanding’

Martin Lewis has taken to Twitter to explain why having a Power Of Attorney and writing a Will is so important after figures show that 62% of people have neither in place.   The Money Saving Expert carried out a poll which revealed that only 12% of people have a power of attorney, which he…

Martin Lewis addresses LPAs (Lasting Powers of Attorney) and their importance

Yesterday, MoneySavingsExpert’s Martin Lewis once again spoke about the importance of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs).   We cannot stress the importance of Lasting Powers of Attorney enough, as we are often instructed to prepare LPAs by clients who are unaware of what these documents are and have been directed to their solicitor by medical…

Quickie divorces and Wills – UK competition Watchdog investigation

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to examine and investigate claims made by online legal services offering quickie divorces and Wills, the BBC has reported.   it is also claimed that some vulnerable clients had contacted such companies after being pressured into signing themselves up for Will-writing services. This is an increasing trend…

Aquamation coming to Britain later this year

Aquamation is back in the news again, as they are set to be offered as an option from a British high street funeral provider later on in the year.   What is Aquamation? Aquamation is otherwise known as a water cremation, in which instead of being cremated by incineration, the body is liquified in a…

Cowboy legal services in the Will writing market

A report has revealed concerns over the current prevalence of cowboy legal services offering poorer quality service, with lower standards and no regulation.   The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) commissioned a report to help better understand the unregulated legal services market, which currently encompasses roughly 3,800 operators – 900 of which deal with Will writing…

Grant of probate wait now exceeding 10 weeks

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service reveals that average waiting times between probate applications being received and granted exceeded ten weeks in December of 2022.   Though it neared the ten-week window several times in 2022, it never went higher than an average of 9.4 weeks right up until December, when it shot up to…

Wills and the LGBTQ+ Spectrum

The news that Australia now allows individuals to access multiple gender options for their passport, sparked a question in me. Wills and the LGBTQ Spectrum.

Trust Registration Service – Important information for all Trustees

From October 2020 HM Revenue & Customs extended the requirement for all eligible Trusts to be registered with their Trust Registration Service (TRS).   The TRS is a register which contains the details of the beneficial ownership of Trusts. The TRS will hold details of Trusts whether the Trust is liable to pay tax or…