The government has announced a significant hike in probate application fees, set to come into force on 13 July 2026. While most court and tribunal fee increases are broadly in line with inflation, the probate fee stands out as a striking outlier – rising by 75% from £300 to £526. For families already navigating the stress
This week is Action for Brain Injury Week, designed to raise awareness and understanding of acquired brain injury, and to highlight the challenges faced by survivors and their families. This year the focus is on isolation, which is a critical yet often overlooked effect of brain injury.
A brain injury represents a sudden and profound
Dementia Action Week, led by Alzheimer’s Society, is running a “Forget Me Not” campaign to raise awareness of dementia. As we reflect on the impact of dementia, we also consider how professionals like those who act as professional deputies can support people living with dementia and their families. We work to help them to maintain
The 2026 Spring Statement, delivered on 3 March 2026, was intentionally modest in ambition and delivery. Reflecting the government’s stated preference for a single major fiscal event each year, the Spring Statement was used primarily to set out the economic context and respond to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecasts, rather than to announce
It may feel like an administrative burden to keep personal affairs in order, be that your Will, financial or estate planning. That burden can be even greater when the rules of two (or more) countries are relevant. We regularly help French nationals living in the UK to take steps to plan their personal affairs, given
In an increasingly mobile world, many individuals now hold assets across multiple jurisdictions while living somewhere entirely different from where they were born or began their careers. Despite growing awareness of international estate planning, it is still surprisingly common for expatriates and former UAE residents to assume that their English Will will automatically govern succession
A move to the UK from the US often begins with practicalities such as visas and travel arrangements, but those steps are only the start. From a tax perspective, the more important issue is not the date of arrival, but when UK tax residence is triggered. That question is governed by strict rules and, for
UK property has long been a magnet for international wealth. From prime London townhouses to rural estates, buyers from across the globe have regarded British real estate as a safe, prestige asset class. But the tax landscape has shifted dramatically, and for those owning or acquiring UK property from overseas, the rules are now considerably
According to the PDSA’s 2024 report on pet populations, over 51% of UK adults currently own a pet. To many their pets are not “just pets”, but beloved family members and a core part of their family unit. If something unforeseen should happen in the future, most would want the best for their pets. Often,
While the Autumn Budget brought tax rises and gloom for some, it delivered relief and comfort to the victims and families of the Infected Blood Scandal, as the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that she would “exempt all payments from the Infected Blood scheme from inheritance tax (‘IHT’) regardless of the circumstances in which those payments