Posted on July 12, 2026 by
AdminNationwide cut its mortgage rates for the third time in a month last week. Yorkshire Building Society went one better, cutting twice in a single week. Across the market, fixed rates fell by as much as 0.26% in just seven days as lenders scrambled to undercut one another. If you've been sitting on the fence about moving house or remortgaging, this is the kind of week that should get your attention.
Read more...Posted on July 10, 2026 by
AdminNew HMRC guidance published this week has laid bare just how complicated the government's plan to bring pensions into inheritance tax actually is — prompting solicitors to warn of "chaos" for the executors who will have to make it work. From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will count towards the value of your estate for inheritance tax purposes for the first time. If you're likely to be named as an executor for a family member, or you're planning your own estate, this is a change worth understanding well before it takes effect.
Read more...Posted on July 10, 2026 by
AdminA new Housing Mobility Report published this week found that 28% of owner-occupiers who've delayed a house move named stamp duty as the main reason. According to the report's authors, scrapping the tax altogether could bring more than 300,000 homes onto the market within a year — and over 750,000 within three. A cross-party Parliamentary committee is now pushing the government to launch a formal consultation on alternatives to stamp duty before the end of 2026.
Read more...Posted on July 9, 2026 by
AdminFrom 13 July 2026, the fee to apply for a grant of probate in England and Wales rises from £300 to £526 — a jump of more than 75% in a single change. If you're currently gathering paperwork to apply for probate, or expect to be handling a loved one's estate in the coming weeks, the date on your application could make a real difference to what you pay.
Read more...Posted on July 8, 2026 by
AdminFrom 13 July 2026, the fee for filing a court document rises by 27%, from £11 to £14. It sounds like a small change, but for anyone going through divorce proceedings, it's one more cost on top of a family court system where the average wait from application to final financial order has stretched to 74 weeks — well over a year. If you're separating, or already mid-proceedings, the combination of rising fees and lengthening waits is worth understanding now.
Read more...Posted on June 11, 2026 by
AdminIf you’re living with your partner but haven't tied the knot, you’ve probably heard the term common law marriage.’ It’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, usually with the assumption that after a few years of sharing a kettle and a mortgage, you have the same legal rights as a married couple.
Read more...Posted on June 8, 2026 by
AdminLosing a parent is hard enough. The last thing you need is a family argument on top of it. But sadly, it happens. Grief can bring out sides of people you have never seen before, and when a will does not divide things the way a sibling expected, things can turn difficult very quickly.
Read more...Posted on May 21, 2026 by
AdminWith the introduction of no-fault divorces in April 2022, divorce proceedings were made quicker and easier. However, financial disputes between separating spouses have been rising sharply, with 49,067
financial remedy applications being made nationwide in 2025, an increase of 8% on 2024 and a 15-year high. The number of financial remedy disposals (46,651) was similar to 2024 levels.
Posted on April 15, 2026 by
AdminWhen it comes to purchasing property in the UK, spring is traditionally the busiest season. After a quiet winter, potential buyers take advantage of the longer daylight hours to search for their new homes, and the favourable weather, combined with improved property aesthetics and the desire to align with the school calendar, make for a busy April to June.
Read more...Posted on March 18, 2026 by
AdminInheritance disputes can cause a great deal of distress for families at an already emotionally vulnerable time, potentially leading to unresolved grief and long-standing resentments. Unfortunately, these types of disagreement are becoming more common, due to longer life expectancy, complex modern family structures (blended families), and increased property wealth.
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