In April 2017, the Government introduced the Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) which provides an additional allowance for married couples where the surviving spouse leaves their property to direct descendants (i.e. children, grandchildren, step-children). The intention was to reduce the burden of inheritance tax for families and make it easier to pass property down to… Read more »

If you have been appointed as an executor of someone’s Will, or have taken up a role of personal representative if there wasn’t a  Will, you may have amassed a number of estate administration documents during the course of the process. These papers were important to ensure everything is accounted for, and in particular, to… Read more »

A new organisation AWWOC (Ageing Well Without Children) has been launched to provide advice and guidance to those who are concerned about growing older without children. Their aim is to provide information and support which people can turn to for help with the tasks that become increasingly difficult as we age. Whilst having children is… Read more »

10th October 2019 marked World Mental Health Day, an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health illness. According to the most recent statistics provided by Mental Health First Aid England, there were 526,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety in Great Britain which accounts for approximately 72 million working days lost, costing… Read more »

My employee has not turned into work for the last couple of days with no phone call. Can I presume that he has resigned and process him as a leaver?  Unfortunately, no you can’t. When considering whether termination of employment has occurred, either by resignation or dismissal, both parties should understand what has taken place… Read more »

On 23 September 2019, Thomas Cook entered into compulsory liquidation after last-minute rescue talks failed. This resulted in Thomas Cook ceasing to trade with immediate effect and its board of directors being replaced by a court-appointed liquidator known as the Official Receiver (OR). The OR’s task over the coming months will be to liquidate Thomas… Read more »

If you are looking at the options available for exiting your business, an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) may be worth considering. Previously, an individual looking to sell their shares in their company to a trust for the benefit of the employees faced a potentially significant tax charge. However, since the introduction of the EOT under… Read more »

If you are concerned about the inheritance tax your family will have to pay and how much may go to the taxman, this article summarises various ways to reduce your inheritance tax bill when you are living. If you are a single person and your estate is worth over £325,000 or if you are married… Read more »

Agricultural Workers’ rights and pay in the agricultural sector can often leave many employers confused and unaware of the complex provisions. Keeping up to date with employment legislation can be vital to ensure you are not caught out. Particularly when the government typically introduces new legislation each spring. What are Agricultural workers’ rights? Firstly, the… Read more »

Divorce- the misunderstandings Divorce is always a daunting prospect.  There is often the fear of the unknown and worry for the future.  Generally, it is a common misconception that financial provision on divorce favours the wife. There is no starting presumption that the wife should be provided with greater financial provision than the husband, however… Read more »