Private client law

The Office of the Public Guardian has announced the launch of a new digital tool called ‘Use a Lasting Power of Attorney’ which is designed to make life easier for anyone who is acting as an attorney on behalf of someone else. The portal replaces the current...

In a historic move, the Government has announced that it is legalising wills which have been witnessed remotely using video conferencing. ‘This will make it easier for people in England and Wales to record their final wishes during the coronavirus pandemic,’ says Dee...

With the current coronavirus crisis sadly affecting many people in the emergency services, particularly frontline NHS staff, support for key health and care workers and their families is needed now more than ever. When someone dies and their estate is valued for...

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) has issued an urgent call encouraging families to make a lasting power of attorney (LPA) as a precautionary measure during the coronavirus crisis. Concerned that take up figures for LPA’s have not increased in...

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has published updated guidance on making a lasting power of attorney and acting as an attorney or deputy while following social distancing rules.   It will continue to deliver its services and support those who are planning for...

With the BBC and almost every journalist in the world reporting on the number of deaths arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) on a daily basis, it is not surprising that our mortality is on our minds.   The wills and probate team at Hughes Solicitors in Heathfield...

If you have not made a will and you have children, you may be surprised to hear that your spouse or civil partner may not automatically inherit all of your fortune. Instead, they will receive a statutory legacy and half of the rest as dictated by the intestacy laws....

Inheritance disputes were once considered the preserve of the super-wealthy or famous but High Court disputes between family members have soared by 62 per cent in the last two years according to an article this week in The Times. Dee Benians, wills and probate partner...

A recent story in the Daily Mail, about the problems experienced by one of their journalists after the death of her father, provides a salutary lesson to anyone who keeps putting off making a will or a power of attorney. Despite several conversations on the subject,...