The introduction of No Fault Divorce has been long awaited by clients and practitioners alike. Many have speculated whether it is wise to wait until April 2022 to initiate divorce proceedings in the hope of achieving a more amicable separation. In our latest insight article we discuss why, in certain situations, it may be more beneficial to begin divorce proceedings before the reforms take effect.

Many businesses – especially those in hospitality – are suffering from dire staff shortages. Whilst a measure of relief is in sight with news that the criteria for being pinged by the NHS app have been relaxed and the easing of rules on self-isolation from 16 August for those who have been double-jabbed or who are under 18, it seems clear staffing is likely to be a problem for many employers for some time.

As we move into the school holidays, we are seeing an increase in instructions for removing unauthorised encampments from land. Given the lack of affordable housing, traveller sites and, now, holiday accommodation in hot spot areas, we expect to see a big rise in unauthorised encampments across popular visitor sites.

The England and Wales Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has announced that it is currently experiencing delays when registering Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs).

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has produced a timely report entitled 'Unlocking Solutions in Imaging: working together to learn from failings in the NHS' which includes what the PHSO has learned from complaints that raise significant concerns about patient safety. 

Two years ago this month, the Office of Tax Simplification published their second report into the reform of Inheritance Tax. Having gathered information from practitioners, government departments and the public, they sought to publish their findings about how the complex Inheritance Tax system could be reformed.

Following ‘Brexit’ on 1 January 2021 citizens from the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland already living in the UK were given 6 months to apply through the EU Settlement Scheme if they wanted to continue living and working in the UK.

Manufacturers will now have to make spare parts available for white goods and appliances including washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators and TVs for the first time, with a view to making them easier to repair and cheaper to run.

An investigation over the past decade at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust by The Independent and Channel 4 News uncovered repeated patterns of poor care, examples of botched inquiries and a failure to learn lessons that could keep mothers and their newborns safe.

A recent case has given clarity regarding the extent of compensation that should be awarded where  injuries did not relate to the advice sought from a doctor. The supreme Court considered the extent of a doctor’s duty of care in view of what compensation should be paid.

If you write your own Will, without help from a solicitor, you need to make sure you know what's required in the eyes of the law. Homemade Wills are often poorly written, contain mistakes or are incorrectly executed. As a result, they are commonly found to be invalid or ineffective after death.

It was reported that in 2018 a hospital drug mix up meant a 77 year old lady from Plymouth, Devon, was wide awake during her heart surgery at Derriford Hospital.