The Office for National Statistics have issued their latest analysis of the pandemic which states that the number of deaths involving COVID-19 registered in England and Wales in the week ending 24 July 2020 was 217. This is 2.4% of all deaths in that week, with a total of 8,891 deaths having been registered.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has launched a digital ‘Use a Lasting Power of Attorney’ tool to help make attorneyship administration simpler and safer for those involved.

With the stay in possession proceedings ending on 24 August 2020 there is renewed uncertainty for the future.

Even though the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme runs until to 31 October, many employers are having to make difficult decisions about the future of their businesses which can include making redundancies. Now is the time to make these difficult decisions, whilst furlough funding is still available from the government which can be used towards notice periods.

Many of us believe that our next of kin will automatically be able to make medical decisions for us if something unfortunate were to happen, but this isn’t entirely true.

LPAs came into place in 2007, but before then Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) were available instead. There is no need to worry if you have an EPA, rather than an LPA, as correctly made EPAs are still perfectly valid.

During lockdown there has been talk that the age-old rules of how a Will must be signed might be expanded to include witnesses playing their role remotely. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has now confirmed that the Wills Act 1837 will be amended to allow witnesses to be present “virtually” by way of a video link.  

During lockdown we have all had to adapt our ‘normal’ way of doing things to deal with the changes. The same has been true of the process of witnessing Wills, with many of our colleagues having to help act as witnesses through windows, in gardens and even in drive-by meetings.

An investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), a national safety watchdog, has revealed that babies are at risk of dying from common treatable infections because NHS staff on maternity wards are not following national guidance, and are too short-staffed and overworked.

According to a recent report, another result of the Coronavirus pandemic will be falling markets and a decrease in house prices. Which will have an affect not just on those looking to buy and sell their own homes, but also Executors and Administrators of estates for family or friends that have sadly passed.

Rural communities have felt the impact of Coronavirus and lockdown often more dramatically than more urbanised areas. With local businesses being the main focus point for employment and community, the loss of income and closing of them has hit local people the hardest.

Nearly two decades after the technology was approved in legislation, HM Land Registry has revealed plans to accept digital signatures to execute deeds.