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Our Trusts & Estate Practitioner Elaine Roberts explains the new changes to the way trusts are handled in the UK: Under new legislation introduced retrospectively by HMRC, all UK express trusts (and some non-UK trusts) now need to be registered w...
The average house price in the UK is £299,249. according to the latest available data from the official UK House Price Index – a year-on-year increase of 11.9%. However, if you’re looking to maximise the value of your property, there are...
During the long summer holidays of the early 1980s one of my favourite morning television shows was Huckleberry Finn and Friends. I don’t recall the storylines but the scenes of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer jumping into the Mississippi was the so...
We started our Moving to… blog series before the pandemic. We took a break but now we’re back! We take a look at some of the most popular areas to live in. We’ll cover the local property market, food and drink, education, transport, culture and attra...
In April this year, the way people can divorce changed in the UK. You don’t need to ‘blame’ a partner for anything and the only ground is that your marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down. The old divorce law Before the change, yo...
The seconds, minutes and hours after a road collision are shocking and traumatic but the hardest times can be in the days, weeks, months and years after a life-changing road traffic collision. The emergency response services have done their jobs and...
Writing a Will seems like an upsetting task to tick off from your to-do list. However, it can save your loved ones a lot of pain and hassle if you have a Will in place. Not only can it bring you peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out afte...
This year the Highway Code introduced a Hierarchy of Road Users. Pedestrians are at the top of the hierarchy, so they will have right of way. But cyclists are second on the hierarchy, meaning they have right of way over other vehicles such as cars an...
Equestrian injuries can happen in many ways. Anecdotal experience of the horse riding community is that individuals are often very quick to shrug their shoulders either blaming themselves for whatever went wrong or repeating the worn out phrase “It’s...
Saving up money for your own home can seem daunting. The good news is there are a few options that may help you get onto the property ladder sooner than you expected. Recently, the government added other measures to their collection of affordable hom...
People regularly go through the process of buying a new house, but they are often unaware of how important the conveyancing process can be. In this blog, we answer some of your most frequently asked quickfire conveyancing questions: When do I need to...
According to the latest stats, 59% of UK adults haven’t yet made a Will. Of the entire population, a whopping 53% have never thought about making a Will. It just seems to be one of those things that we never think to tick off our to-do list…even thou...
New rules will be added to the UK’s Highway Code on Saturday 29th January 2022. The changes, including 49 amendments to existing rules, will depend on a final green light from parliament. The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will update t...
Inheritance Tax is simply a tax on the estate of someone who has died. An estate includes someone’s money, personal possessions, property and any other assets such as shares, cryptocurrency and vehicles. The standard Inheritance Tax rate is currently...
If you’re ready to take your first step on the property ladder and become a homeowner, there are a few factors you need to take into account. From assessing your finances to making a successful offer, here are some of our best tips and advice for fir...
The number of e-scooters on our roads and pavements is increasing rapidly and it is not a surprise that the rise in the popularity of e-scooters is also fuelling a rise in related injuries. As the legal and medical professions try to catch up with th...
Birchall Blackburn Law took home not one but two trophies at the LEAP Modern Law Conveyancing Awards last week. Our conveyancing team won Conveyancing Firm of the Year – North of England and National Conveyancing Firm of the Year. We’re incredibly pr...
Property prices coming to the market have dropped by an average of £2,044 or 0.6%, according to the latest data from Rightmove’s House Price Index. Buyer demand is still high – the average time it took to secure a buyer for a property was 36 d...
Choosing the right conveyancing solicitors in Manchester doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal. However, it can be difficult to know where to start when finding the right solicitor for your needs. We bring you some of our most effective tips on findi...
When it comes to the rules of the road, it can be tricky to figure out what’s true and what’s just a myth. Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision, so it’s crucial that we keep ourselves updated with what...
Photo credit: Ben Wicks, Unsplash. No matter how old your children are, it’s always a good idea to keep their knowledge fresh. Whether they’ve just started nursery or they’re in their last year of school, there’s always something about road safety y...
Two weeks after the clocks go back, there are around 278 more road traffic collisions than in the two weeks before. That amounts to around 20 more incidents per day¹ – a figure that can be reduced if we take the right safety measures. ...
Our Serious Injury Solicitor, Rob Jones, explains how smart motorways came about, how to stay safe on smart motorways and what happens if someone has a collision… Smart motorways were first trialled in the UK in 2006. There are now approximatel...
In the last decade hospital admissions for dog attacks rose by 76%, according to figures released by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. RSPCA figures show that 37 people have been killed by dogs between 1991 and 2016, 28 of which were...
What is a Lasting Powers of Attorney? The government website defines an LPA as: “a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf....
The current fuel crisis due to panic buying and HGV driver shortages may affect law practitioners’ ability to attend court and visit clients in person, according to the Law Society. Some law firms, including Birchall Blackburn Law, will use carpools...
True or False: “100% of your estate automatically goes to your spouse if you die” The average married couple seems to share everything – but if one of you were to die without a will, do you think your estate would automatically pass to the other?...
An estimated 64% of weddings were cancelled or postponed last year due to coronavirus. But we’re very likely to see a big increase in the number of weddings taking place this year. As you’ll already know, getting married comes with a fair amoun...
Put simply, conveyancing is the act of transferring property from one person to another. It’s essentially the legal ‘legwork’ involved in homeownership; starting when an offer on the property is accepted and ending when the new owner receives the key...
Inevitably, some drivers will be careless and collisions are therefore an unfortunate fact of life. Pedestrians are amongst the most vulnerable of all road users and the injuries they suffer are usually life changing and often fatal. Unlike the drive...
Although prenuptial agreements may sound like an unromantic topic to talk about, they are arguably the best way to ensure there is as little conflict as possible over property and financial assets should your marriage come to an end. What is a prenup...
Every year, around 4-5% of people move house in the UK. Moving homes comes with extra costs such as conveyancing, insurance, mortgage fees and estate agency fees. We’re here today to let you know what to expect when it comes to conveyancing costs, wh...
From time to time we all hear news headlines about a claimant being awarded hundreds of thousands and, occasionally, millions of pounds in compensation. Sometimes those stories involve fantastically large sums paid to celebrities after media intrusio...
Social media usage is growing by the day, and so is it’s impact on our relationships. Since social media’s launch in the early 2000s, it has gone from strength to strength and changed the way in which we interact with the world....
Losing an arm or losing a leg is life-changing. The same is true for losing a hand, foot, fingers, or toes. Not only does the victim suffer horrendous pain and loss of function, financial losses are also incurred. The purpose of this article...
Birchall Blackburn Law has been recognised for delivering outstanding customer service to its clients, making the shortlist of The ESTAS – the biggest award scheme in the UK residential property industry. Our Leyland, Manchester, Morecambe, Pre...
At present, there are 500 miles of smart motorways in the UK, with a further 300 miles planned by 2025. Smart motorways are sections of the motorway that use technology to reduce congestion, though they have received a lot of negative press....
We are supporting a national campaign aiming to change the public’s perception and attitudes towards compensation claims after an injury. A serious injury can happen to anyone at any time, but until it has happened to you or a loved-one there is litt...
The temptation to write your own will at home to save some money can be tempting. However, as wills are complex legal documents, they have to be written and executed in a certain way and trained professional solicitors will ensure they meet the stric...
Headway UK analysed that every 90 seconds someone in the UK is admitted to hospital for an acquired brain injury (ABI) and every three minutes someone is admitted to hospital with a head injury. Whilst not every one of these was life changing, many a...
Violent crimes accounted for 1.2 million incidents, according to the latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (2020). In many cases, the victim may not know their attacker or, for whatever reason, no one was ever convicted of a crime....
Before the global pandemic, almost 600,000 people were living with work-related stress, depression and anxiety. However, the way we work could change forever, with many white collar workers employees saying that they prefer a mixture of workin...
E-scooters are fast becoming a popular way to travel, as they’re cost-effective and eco-friendly. Over 100 rental e-scooter schemes are in operation in cities around the world. Rental e-scooter schemes are currently available in UK cities such as Lon...
The simple answer to whether you can make a compensation claim for an e-scooter collision is ‘yes’ if your injuries are caused solely or in part by the negligence of the rider. However, the law surrounding the use of e-scooters is unclear and many e-...
The widow of a man killed by an asbestos-related lung cancer needs the memories of former Springfield Paper Mill workers in Maidstone during the 1950s and 1960s. Mary Salt’s husband, Keith died in Maidstone Hospital on September 15, 2018. An inquest...
The extension of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday and the rising buyer demands has resulted in a property boom for the North West, North East and Yorkshire. Over two-thirds of properties for sale in these areas are listed for less than £250,000...
An estimated 650,208 people were injured in the workplace, according to the last available data from Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) and the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Slips, trips and falls accounted fo...
Did you know? The average distance moved by homeowners is 10 miles, according to research from Really Moving. No matter how far you’re moving house, it will inevitably mean lots of packing – and lots of packing means lots of planning....
With so many more people working from home, the jump in interest in countryside properties is said to be caused partly by home-movers looking for more space during the pandemic while they simultaneously work and take care of their families....
London businesses are set to take over an additional 13 million square feet of office space in the capital over the next five years, according to research from commercial property experts CB Richard Ellis (CBRE). The forecast for commercial space in...
Our offices have reopened We are delighted to reopen our offices to visitors. The health and wellbeing of you and our staff is important to everyone and we will be doing what we can to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission....
A client with a life-changing equestrian injury is awarded an offer that will make an enormous difference to her future quality of life. Circumstances of the Injury Date: 16th May 2016 Location: South Wales Solicitor involved in case: Robert Jones, S...
With the vast majority of us spending a lot more time in our homes and gardens it is inevitable that our minds will turn to some of the many outstanding jobs on our household ‘to-do’ lists, which we normally never find time to start and f...
After ITV’s broadcast of the heart-breaking yet inspiring documentary Finding Derek, Kate Garraway has been highly praised by law firms and professional bodies across the country for bringing Lasting Powers of Attorney into the limelight. Last year,...
Our Associate Solicitor, Robert Jones, from the Serious Injury team tells us about a client who sought a second opinion for their injury… What happened? I have recently reached a settlement on behalf of a Client (referred to in this article as “D”)....
Presently, there are over 1,600 different cryptocurrencies in the world. Bitcoin is by far the most popular cryptocurrency at the moment, with 32 million Bitcoin wallets set and 7.1 million active Bitcoin users. What happens to a person’s cryptocurr...
The Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday has been extended until 30th June 2021, announced Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak while delivering the spring Budget. Properties with a value of up to £500,000 won’t be subject to SDLT costs until after...
The deadline for homebuyers to take advantage of the current Help to Buy scheme has been extended to the 31st May 2021. The Help to Buy equity loan scheme enables people to buy a new-build home with a 5% deposit....
The average sale price of a house in the UK is now £227,826, the country’s highest ever figure, reported Nationwide. House prices grew by 5.8% year-on-year in October 2020, the biggest increase since January 2015. The stamp duty relief...
After a life changing injury, people often require a new home because their existing property can’t be adapted to meet their needs. In personal injury and clinical negligence claims the injured person (the claimant) may be compensated for the purchas...
Members of Parliament met over a video conference call yesterday to discuss the potential extension of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Holiday. The Stamp Duty Land Tax Holiday or Stamp Duty Land Tax Relief scheme was launched on the 8th July last yea...
If you believe your marriage has broken down and you’re looking into divorce, it is important to know what the grounds for divorce actually are. In the United Kingdom, there is only one legal ground for divorce, which is the ‘irretrievable breakdown...
From high dose chemotherapy and intensive care to running 50 miles in one month, asbestos-disease specialist solicitor Helen Bradley sprints past her fundraising target for cancer care charity Maggie’s. Helen Bradley, a specialist solicitor from Birc...
During 2019/2020 there were around 13.4 million NHS eye tests conducted in England. Even though we’re facing a global pandemic, eye tests are still being carried out. The public are strongly encouraged to attend their regular eye tests. Opticians all...
With the current pandemic placing strains on the NHS, how will existing and future clinical negligence cases be affected? Susan Liver, Medical Negligence Partner at Birchall Blackburn Law, explains: “The claim for pain and suffering is unlikely to be...
The number of amputations performed in England and Wales each year due to an error or omission by a medical professional is very small, but they do happen and the consequences are physically and mentally devastating. If a person suspects that a medic...
Trigger warning: domestic violence, domestic abuse, sexual assault Domestic violence and abuse has increased globally during the pandemic, according to a number of reports. One of the reasons for leaving your home during lockdown is, rightly so, to...
Parents of children or young people who lack the mental capacity to make their own financial decisions will not need to pay the court fees to access a Child Trust Fund. Families may need to access their child’s funds in order to support the child’s...
In 2017, only 39% of adults in the UK said they had a will in place. This increased to 45% in 2018 and has likely jumped even further this year, according to the latest survey figures from The Law Society....
Family and friends can visit their loved ones living in care homes from Wednesday 2nd December if the visitors test negative for Covid-19. Keeping COVID-19 out of care homes is a priority but families and charities like The Alzheimer’s Society say t...
The Stamp Duty holiday may not be extended beyond 31 March after Rishi Sunak failed to mention any updates in the latest spending review. The review failed to mention any changes on a potential extension for the current stamp duty tax break....
A new Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme will be available to eligible, first-time buyers from the 1st April 2021 year until 31 March 2023. First time buyers can apply for the scheme to a Help to Buy registered homebuilder from 16 December 2020....
A virtual service to remember those who have died or been injured on our roads will be held in Liverpool this weekend on Sunday November 15, at 2pm. RoadPeace NorthWest has organised the remembrance as part of the charity’s World Day of Remembrance f...
TV presenter Kate Garraway recently highlighted the importance of having everything in place with an LPA ‘just in case’. A Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone to make decisions based on financial issues and health and wellbeing, s...
Around 54% of adults in the UK haven’t yet got round to making a will, but Wills Week is here again to help people complete their wills whilst also helping a popular local cause. St Catherine’s Hospice is hosting its annual Wills Week from the 9th to...
One beneficial consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic is that more people are walking. This is a huge positive, endorsed by government, local authorities and health advisors who are keen to encouraging us to continue to keep on our feet. The AA motorin...
Under normal circumstances, it is generally accepted that the conveyancing process can take between 6 to 12 weeks to complete but the process can be complicated by many factors, including a pandemic. When it comes to buying and selling a home, the ho...
As drivers return to the roads in larger numbers and road traffic crashes inevitably increase as some drivers continue to ignore their own and others’ safety, we are reminded of the short comings of the UK’s bereavement damages system – writes...
The Ministry of Justice has announced that it will allow Wills to be witnessed remotely by video for the next two years in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. For a Will to be valid it must be signed in the presence of two witnesses....
The fast moving development of digital technology means that it is getting easier and cheaper to gather secret surveillance evidence in personal injury cases, writes Chris Bolton, serious and catastrophic injury specialist solicitor with Birchall Bla...
A family needs the help of former ICI employees in Runcorn and Northwich after their grandfather died from an asbestos-related lung cancer. Christopher Lees, from Sandiway in Northwich, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February of this year. Mesoth...
Financial institutions are releasing up to £125,000 from estates to bereaved relatives without requiring a grant of probate, according to Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE). The SFE has raised concerns that the practice risks abuse, fraud and inheritan...
It is compulsory in England for anyone aged 11 or over to wear a face covering on public transport and whilst visiting an NHS facility – and from July 24 this was extended to inside shops too. Wearing a face mask helps stop the spread of corona...
It has been a difficult time for families who have not only had to cope with the death of a loved one but to do so under coronavirus restrictions. Probate is the entire process of administering a deceased person’s estate, e.g....
With immediate effect the Chancellor has announced a temporary cut to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on the first £500,000 for all property sales in England and Northern Ireland. The SDLT holiday will last until March 31 next year to help boost the prope...
We believe that our legal services are essential services, especially during periods of uncertainty and major change, which is why we have never stopped working since the Covid-19 lockdown began. We had to work a little differently, close our physica...
An ex-NHS auxiliary nurse is asking for help from former hospital staff in Cheshire and Staffordshire who can remember the presence of asbestos in two of the regions’ hospitals during the 1970s and 1980s. The mother of two and grandmother was recentl...
During any period of uncertainty it is human nature to seek to put plans in place that will provide some peace of mind if life does take a different turn. It is no surprise then that during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and lockdown we have see...
Since the start of the Government lockdown, we have seen an increase in the demand for our Wills service, which is only natural during this uncertain period. Not only are people looking to secure their family’s financial future during a worrying time...
It started with thorough handwashing, progressed to closing schools and pubs and then finally as of Monday 23rd March 2020 the UK seemed to grind to a halt after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the Nation. Amongst other things, that histori...
The short answer to this question is no. Many of us are stepping outside once a day to make the most of our exercise regime during this difficult time. It is a good time to remind ourselves how to observe the law and keep safe when it comes to pedest...
Rob Jones, Associate Solicitor for our Serious & Catastrophic Injury team, discusses the nationwide campaign to encourage drivers not to use their mobile phones on the road. Last year the National Police Chiefs Council ran a national campaign to...
UK weather can be unpredictable. Severe weather conditions can arise when least expected and be extremely dangerous if you’re on the road. Driving is a risky business at the best of times – 5 people die on UK roads every day – so hazards such as dark...
Snow can cause chaos on the roads. Black ice, dark nights and fog can all hinder your visibility and driving. But it is also one of the ‘most wonderful times, of the year’… so with more people hitting the roads than usual over the winter...
It is not unheard of for a marriage to have broken down and for both parties to agree that divorce is the best choice. You may wonder if you need an expert divorce lawyer to assist you through the divorce process....
If your marriage has broken down and you’re thinking of divorce, it is important to understand what happens during the divorce process. ‘Divorce’ refers to the official ending of your marriage contract. There are several other matters that will need...
If you’re house-hunting then you’ve more than likely come across the words “chain.” This will include, but isn’t limited to, no chain, upward chain, onward chain, short chain and long chain. The average property chain length is hard to determin...
You may have heard a lot about Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA), but have you considered making a Financial one? There are two different types of Lasting Power of Attorneys, Health and Welfare and Property and Financial affairs. ...
Around 67% of the UK population are regular users of social media – that’s over 45 million people! The majority of us are active on our accounts every single day. Sometimes we can’t even go hours without checking it, posting on our timelines, s...
New Year’s Eve is a fantastic chance to throw a party at home and catch up with your loved ones. Some of you may choose to hit the town for the ultimate night out of the year. Whatever you end up doing to celebrate the beginning of the new dec...
Writing a Will seems like an upsetting task to tick off from your to-do list. However, it can save y...
This year the Highway Code introduced a Hierarchy of Road Users. Pedestrians are at the top of the h...
Equestrian injuries can happen in many ways. Anecdotal experience of the horse riding community is t...
Saving up money for your own home can seem daunting. The good news is there are a few options that m...
People regularly go through the process of buying a new house, but they are often unaware of how imp...
According to the latest stats, 59% of UK adults haven’t yet made a Will. Of the entire population, a...
Writing a Will seems like an upsetting task to tick off from your to-do list. However, it can save y...
Read More
This year the Highway Code introduced a Hierarchy of Road Users. Pedestrians are at the top of the h...
Read More
Equestrian injuries can happen in many ways. Anecdotal experience of the horse riding community is t...
Read More
Saving up money for your own home can seem daunting. The good news is there are a few options that m...
Read More
People regularly go through the process of buying a new house, but they are often unaware of how imp...
Read More