Court orders husband to increase payments to wife who lost the bulk of her divorce settlement with 'poor financial decisions' Maria Mills received a £230,000 lump sum from ex-husband Graham alongside maintenance payments of £1,100 a...
Government Law News
"Chancellor George Osbourne has announced that from 2018, termination payments over £30,000 will be subject to employer's National Insurance contributions (under £30,000.00 is currently free of tax and National Insurance contributions...
The Finance Bill 2016 ("FB 2016") introduces three new criminal offences tackling tax evasion and avoidance Part 10 of the FB 2016 contains provisions for tackling tax avoidance and evasion, including three new criminal offences seeking to tackle...
Plans to slash the number of law firms allowed to do criminal legal aid work at police stations and magistrates' courts has been scrapped, following repeated protest from Lawyers claiming the reforms could damage quality and access to justice. Labour...
The Commons' Health Select Committee has said there is "compelling evidence" a tax would reduce sugar consumption and help in the battle against child obesity in England. The Committee's report , which acknowledges that no single...
The end of October saw the publication of the Davies report of 'Women on Boards.' Though the number of women on boards has almost doubled since the beginning of 2010, the report recommends that now a third of all boardroom positions should be given...
On 1 October 2015, the threshold debt needed for creditors' bankruptcy petitions was raised. On the above date the Insolvency Act 1986 (Amendment) Order 2015 amends section 267(4) of the Insolvency Act 1986. The effect of this is that the threshold debt...
Junior doctors in England have voted to ballot for strike action over new contracts which they say could see their pay cut by 30 per cent. The British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee said the ballot is being held because the Government...
This article seeks to explore the remedies available to consumers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which came into force in October this year. The CRA sets out the remedies to consumers in a tiered approach. It is expected that this simplified procedure...
Prior to April 2011, Agricultural Building Allowances were available on the cost of an agricultural building, allowing a tax deduction for the cost of the building over a number of years. Following the abolition of the scheme, however, there is no...
The Chancellor announced that the UK economy grew 2.6% in 2014, faster than any other advanced economy but lower than the 3% that he predicted in December. He also reported record levels of employment and trade deficit figures that are "the best for 15...
The case, the first to test the position in court, is a warning to anyone who fails to come up with the facts when asked questions by those handling the estate of someone who has died. When Clayton Hutching’s father died, he left an estate of farm...
Highlighting that the UK is currently the fastest growing economy in the G7, the Chancellor announced an improved economic growth forecast for 2014, increased to 3% from the 2.7% predicted in March, and against a backdrop of 500,000 new jobs created this...
Sixth form students from, Anglo European School, Brentwood School, Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, Felsted School, Great Baddow High School, King Edward VI Grammar School, New Hall School and William De Ferrers School debated on the emotive...
The increased NMW rates were recommended by the Low Pay Commission (LPC) and accepted in full by the government earlier this year. The LPC said the rises, the first real terms cash increase since 2008, had been set at a manageable level for employers. The...
Tax free childcare The government has confirmed that the new tax-free childcare scheme will be launched in autumn 2015. Under the scheme, working families (all parents in the household must be "in work" earning on average £50 a week,...
The European Court of Justice has ruled against claims for maternity benefits by mothers whose babies were born through surrogacy in two cases just announced, with the decisions coming weeks after the UK has agreed legislation that will put both intending...
The regulations, which came into force on 1st September 2013, have come under sharp opposition from parents. A campaign started by Craig Langman (a parent himself) urges the Government to overturn the new regulations. The campaign has so far gained more than...
The Basic Award The Basic Award is calculated in the same way as a statutory redundancy payment and takes into account an individual’s length of service, gross weekly pay (subject to a statutory cap of £450 per week) and age. The...
The proposed scheme follows the system that has long been in place in theUnited Stateswhere polygraph tests are mandatory for serious sex offenders. It is understood the proposal will mean that tests for sex offenders who are categorised as 'serious'...
Under new guidelines being considered by the Sentencing Council, consideration is being given to a new system to take more account oF the impact on the victims of the offences and whether they were vulnerable. The proposals would apply to offences ranging...
Lord Justice Thorpe, Head of International Family Justice forEnglandandWales, has released his annual report, calling for better co-operation between countries on all aspects of family law. Last year alone the courts inEnglandandWalesdealt with more than 250...
It is understood that the police have not arrested anyone for displacing residents from their homes under the new laws, and only 3 people have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment since the new laws were introduced in September 2012. A total of...
Under these plans every prisoner released in England and Wales would have their own mentor to help them rebuild their lives.　 The plan would be coordinated by private and voluntary groups who would be paid if reoffending was reduced. The...
Monday 19th November 2012 saw HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) launch a taskforce to tackle tax cheats in the rental property sector in the South East of England. The taskforces are essentially specialist teams who target certain high risk trade sectors...
On the 23rd October 2012, traffic chaos was caused in the area of Lower Nazeing near Harlow, due to Laundry Lane being closed in both directions on Monday evening and Tuesday morning after motorists reported 7 tonnes of rubbish dumped in the middle of the...
The government are introducing these new measures following the response of the courts in the aftermath of the August 2011 riots. Courts across England and Wales were open for longer hours, some courts even sitting at night in an attempt to deal with...
Business Secretary, Vince Cable has put forward proposals for consultation to limit the amount of compensation that a worker can be awarded at an Employment Tribunal to a maximum of 12 months salary. Mr Cable wants to introduce this new proposed cap on...
A Berkshire property developer has been ordered to pay costs, after he failed to pay tax on money hidden in a foreign bank account. The man in question has already voluntarily paid just under £390,000 to HMRC before this, following a successful result...
Barclays has been fined £290m ($450m) after trying to manipulate a key lending rate between banks called the Libor rate. The case has once again raised the issue of bringing criminal prosecutions against the individual bankers...
The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has ruled that if workers fall sick during the time they are taking their statutory annual leave they may take extra leave at a later date for the period they were sick whilst on leave. The period of...
Making a Will is one of the most important things you will do in your lifetime, to provide certainty for those left behind to know what you wanted them to do. In order for it to be of maximum assistance to your loved ones, it must be written in a way that is...
The Court of Appeal's judgment suggests that in certain circumstances the courts may be willing to order the disclosure of documents that are not physically within a litigant’s control. The obligation to disclose During a dispute a party...
At present lenders require deposits of approximately 20% of the value of the purchase price before a mortgage will be granted. For many, providing this type of cash upfront is not possible. The Government therefore introduced the NewBuy scheme to encourage...
The result of the joined cases of Edwards v Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Botham v Ministry of Defence1, will come as a relief to employers as it confirms that such errors will not give rise to a claim outside of unfair dismissal...
To prevent customers being confused as to the origin of goods or services traditionally no more than one identical or similar trade mark can be registered for the same goods or services. However in the European Court of Justice case C-482/09 the Court...
It is expected that from 9th April 2012 Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Additional Paternity, Adoption Pay and Maternity Allowance will increase from £128.73 to £135.45 per week; and Statutory sick pay will increase from £81.60 to...
EU Commission launches consultation on ways to tackle cross border inheritance tax obstacles within the EU. European property owners are amongst those now waiting to hear the outcome of a consultation by the European Commission that aims to tackle unfair...
A pending decision from the Supreme Court could change the law regarding the permissibility of without prejudice negotiations being produced as evidence to the courts. Oceanbulk Shipping & Trading SA v TMT Asia Limited and others - Case Background The...
Please note that this article is prepared with the aim of providing general information only, and does not constitute legal advice in relation to any particular situation. Government to introduce new leave rights that will provide greater flexibility for...
Important changes to the National Minimum Wage Important changes to the National Minimum Wage are set to come into force on 1 October, and a local solicitor is advising all businesses that employ low-paid people, or have staff who receive tips from...
January is never the best of times for self-assessment taxpayers such as the self-employed. This is the month when they not only have to pay the first instalment of their twice-yearly Income Tax and National Insurance contributions, but also face the final...