Backhouse Solicitors News
The government has announced a 6.2% increase in the National Living Wage (NLW) in April 2020 with what they say is the “largest cash increase ever”. 2.8 million full time workers will receive an extra £920 annually that will help with the rising cost of living. [...]
I am a qualified Chartered Legal Executive, having qualified as a Member of the Institute of Legal Executives in 2001 and as a Fellow of CILEX in 2003, specialised in family law. I was brought up near Southend and attended Eastwood High School. I initially sought [...]
We have previously written regarding plans for a substantial Probate fees increase in 2020. The plans were roundly condemned by the Law Society and charities and described as a “Grief Tax” by the Daily Mail. We are delighted to announce that the planned increase has this [...]
Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”) are slowly becoming more popular in the UK, but there is still a long way to go. Figures for the year to April 2018 show a record-breaking figure of 759,976 applications [...]
The UK National Minimum Wage rates for 2019 have now been introduced together with increases in other statutory rates of pay. Employers are advised to ensure their payroll systems are updated from 1st April. National Minimum Wage Rates from 1 April 2019: Workers aged 25 and [...]
In some recent high profile cases involving harassment and discrimination it appears that confidentiality clauses may have been used to silence potential victims. The Government has now issued a consultation document seeking views on how this might be prevented in future. What is a Confidentiality Clause? [...]
The fees paid to Government to obtain a Grant of Probate are set to rise, hitting bereaved families from April 2019. What are the new Probate fees? Probate fees for estates valued at over £5,000 are currently fixed at £215 (or £155 for families who use [...]
The Court of Appeal has issued its decision in the long running case of Asda Stores vs Brierley, where female Asda checkout staff have brought an equal pay claim arguing that their customer facing role is being undervalued compared to warehouse worker colleagues. In 2017 the [...]
The General Register Office (GRO) have introduced large increases in the cost of copies of birth, marriage and death records from 16th February 2019. Families registering a death will now be charged nearly triple the amount following the price increase. Death certificates have risen from £4 [...]
The Government has announced a proposal to extend redundancy protection for women and new parents. A consultation paper has been published following recommendations made by the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices in 2017. Currently, under regulation 10 of the Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations [...]
