Campaigners lose appeal over right to use WhatsApp and private emails for government communication

The government has won an appeal over the right to use WhatsApp and private emails for official government communication. The main finding by the Court of Appeal was that there was no implied duty of the government to retain records under the Public Records Act.   This follows a decision made by the High Court […]

Chancellor reverses mini budget fiscal policies in attempt to shore up flagging UK economy

The arrival of a new government usually precipitates a “honeymoon period”, a time when the government enjoys steady waters, a bounce in the polls, and is given greater leeway over legislation. Needless to say for anyone who has been following the news, this has not been the case for Liz Truss’ government.   As the […]

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announces ‘mini budget’ as UK battles the cost-of-living crisis

With the new Conservative government still in its infancy, New Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was expected to put forward a ‘mini budget’ today. However, the set of measures announced turned out to be anything but mini. This budget saw the announcement of the biggest set of tax-cutting measures since 1972 in an attempt to deal with […]

British Bill of Rights – a clampdown on human rights or restoring ‘common sense’?

The Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, has introduced a new ‘British Bill of Rights’ to Parliament. The government claim that the legislation will “end the abuse of the human rights framework and restore some common sense” to the UK’s justice system by rebalancing the relationship between the legislature and the courts.   This […]

Nationality and Borders Act 2022: Fixing a Broken Asylum System by Breaking It Further?

The Nationality and Borders Act, described as being the “cornerstone for the government’s new plan for Immigration” and fixing the “broken asylum system”, has received Royal Assent and become law.   For some time, the UK has faced increasing numbers of migrants travelling to the UK across the English Channel from France. Those on the […]

The end of fake reviews? New rules claim to protect consumers and boost competition

The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has announced new rules which it claims will protect consumers and boost competition. This follows the “reforming competition and consumer policy” consultation which was launched by the government last year. The Government-sponsored Consumer Protection Study 2022 found that between April 2020 and April 2021, the equivalent to […]

As the 2022/2023 tax year edges closer, how will the upcoming changes to employment law affect you?

As the 2021/2022 tax year comes to an end, there are a number of upcoming changes to employment law in April which will be of interest to people and businesses alike.   With so many announcements made last year which are now coming into effect, it’s not always easy to keep up with all of […]

New Safety Measures Brought in for Victims of Domestic Abuse during Remote Hearings

Domestic abuse has unfortunately been on the rise since national lockdowns became part of life. People are forced to remain indoors most of the day when in some cases their home is the most dangerous place for them. This terrible crime destroys families and ruins lives. Measures must be taken to put an end to […]

Lockdown 2.0 – We remain open and ready to take your instructions!

As we are sure you all know, the UK’s second lockdown will start on Thursday the 5th of November and will last for 4 weeks.   We are writing this to let everyone know that we will remain open throughout the entirety of this lockdown and will be able to provide the same high quality […]

Litigators Beware! Double hurdles ahead! The latest implication on setting aside default judgement

Written by Yitong Guo.   Case concerned:   Penta Ultimate Holdings Ltd and another v Storrier [2020] EWHC 2400 (Ch)   The Case   This is a claim brought in the Chancery Division in the High Court, concerning a dispute on alleged professional negligence by the former chief financial officer of the claimant.   A […]

Long-term renters! You may have to pay SDLT on your tenancy!

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is usually something people associate with purchasing a property or land rather than with renting tenants, but it may surprise you to know that certain long term renters have had to pay 1% SDLT since 2003.   Who is effected?   People who have been renting for a substantial amount […]

Court Finds No Evidence of Discrimination as Women’s State Pension Age Rises!

Women across the nation are likely to be united in their disappointment in the Court of Appeal’s decision to disregard campaigner’s accusations of discrimination after their state pension age was risen to be the same as a man’s.   The case in question which we will be focussing on in this article is *R (on […]

Rishi Sunak – What is the economic plan for the UK going forwards?

Currently, you could be forgiven for not being completely up to date with government policies, laws and legislations, as the Coronavirus has meant constant alterations and updates from the government.   Today’s announcement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak is certainly one to pay attention to, however, as it dictates the UK’s plan for dealing with the […]

Court of Appeal: ‘undue harshness’ is indeed capable of occurring quite commonly!

Written by Caryn Toh.     Court of Appeal: ‘undue harshness’ is indeed capable of occurring quite commonly!   On 04th September 2020, the Court of Appeal tackled the application of the definition of “unduly harsh” in the case HA (Iraq) and RA (Iraq) v SSHD [2020] EWCA Civ 1176.   Deportation   The UK […]

Why the need to consider making an application for pre-action disclosure?

Receipt of documents before legal action can be vital to understand the strength of a prospective claimant’s position, how to ultimately plead its case and to explore the likelihood of whether a settlement can be reached to ultimately reduce the litigation costs. It is also intended to assist prospective claimants who need the disclosure to […]

COVID Secure Search Order Issued For Disgruntled Gas Company

Covid 19 has disrupted people’s life to a great extent. The government has issued strict social distancing guidance and threatens that any one in breach of it will face serious penalties. Court rooms and legal proceedings are no exception to this.   In such context, many hearings have become virtual. The Ministry of Justice issued […]

Huge changes to immigration rules set to pave way for EEA students coming to the UK!

There have been some major changes to the UK’s immigration rules today, including an introduction of the Student and Child Student rules for the Points Based Immigration System which will replace the Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child) routes. There is also altered rules for English Language provision and some new guidance on the […]

Digital Identity in the UK – What does the future hold?

Six new principles have been developed to boost secure use of digital identity and strengthen digital identity policy in the UK.   Mark Warman, Digital Infrastructure Minister has said:   “We want to make it easier for people to prove their identity securely online, so transactions can become even quicker – it has the potential […]

Wedding bells are ringing! New reforms to offer new options for couples tying the knot

After the difficulties that 2020 has served up to us it is always nice to remember the good times in life, the events that bring families and friends together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company.   Weddings are up there with the biggest events in life and it appears that they are going to […]

September Brings Wave of HUGE Property Law Changes

Some really interesting and important changes to property law are being introduced from September 2020, with a focus on both environmentalism and industrialism being demonstrated. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is bringing in extra funding to promote greener UK homes, while applications for property extensions and rebuilds are also becoming more streamlined in a bid to revitalise […]

Possessions Proceedings, Evictions and More – Landlords vs Tenants in the Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive effect on the livelihoods of most of the world’s population. One of the most important things in life is the place you choose to live, and what to do with property that you own. It must be appreciated that renting property during this strange year can bring new […]

BNO visa is open to Hong Kong Citizens from January 2021  – who is eligible and how will it work?

Following the announcement by PM Boris Johnson on 4th June 2020 that the UK would offer a new route to British citizenship to millions of Hong Kong residents who hold British Nationality Overseas passports (for more information on BNO passports, please click here), the Home Office has officially confirmed that these BNO citizens will be […]

Naturalisation Applications – Double Standards Continue

The Home Office has updated its guidance policy regarding naturalising as a British citizen. Naturalising this way requires the applicant to have been in the UK lawfully for at least 5 years before the application.   The Home Office’s policy is used to guide their caseworkers in their decision as to what residence should be […]

Are public funds available to migrants due to COVID-19, and how can they apply for them?

COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, and has now solidified itself as one of the largest global catastrophes to occur in recent history.   For the vast majority of people in the UK, the worries that come with the virus are universal: worrying about the health of family members and themselves, having to self-isolate, […]

Employment issues created by the Coronavirus – Where do you stand?

Issues bred from COVID-19 surrounding employment are some of the most vital, as peoples livelihoods may be affected.   This article aims to answer some of the frequently asked questions we have seen to do with coronavirus and employment.   Can an employer lay off employees?   The virus has caused countless businesses to lose […]

Uncertain times call for extraordinary measures for Landlords and Tenants

The following article was written by Salina Lim of our Conveyancing team.    Commercial tenants and landlords have an ongoing relationship in relation to lease terms despite the impact of COVID-19 on the economy on a global scale. This article touches on the various battles that tenants may endure against landlords, and vice versa during […]

Containment Phase to Continue – Cobra Coronavirus Meeting Confirms

Boris Johnson held another Cobra meeting today to discuss the coronavirus and how the UK plans to handle it.   Those at the meeting, which included leading health experts, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and senior politicians, concluded that the UK should remain in the ‘containment’ phase of its plan.   This means that measures […]

Money worries and travel chaos – Coronavirus saga continues

The number of people in the UK who have tested positive for the coronavirus now stands at 115, and that number is only going to get higher as the days go by.   The outbreak has caused much uncertainty and disruption, especially regarding travel, work and school life.   It has been predicted that, in […]

Coronavirus Crisis – Your Rights as a Worker

Coronavirus is at the front of everyone’s mind, and has been for some time.   Schools have been closing across the UK over fears that pupils and staff have been exposed to the virus, either from being on holiday in affected countries or contracting it from those around them.   The virus has now fully […]

Coronavirus battle plan in the UK

Current data on the coronavirus (COVID-19) shows that everyone in the UK is susceptible to catching the disease and more likely than not it will have a massive effect on how the country operates.   The vast majority of those who catch coronavirus will experience mild to moderate symptoms, but it is highly infectious and […]

Coronavirus ‘very likely’ to be a significant challenge for UK says Boris Johnson

Widespread transmission of coronavirus in the UK is now “highly likely”, Public Health England (PHE) has said.   Director for Health Protection Paul Cosford said the country must be prepared.   What’s the global situation?   The number of people killed worldwide by the coronavirus has exceeded 3,000, with China reporting 42 more deaths. More […]

What’s the score with Brexit’s Transitional Period?

Whether you are for it or against it, Brexit will be officially happening at 11pm tonight (31.01.20). This means the UK will be separate from the EU from this point forward, but the effects on everyday life will not become obvious due to a ‘transitional period’ which will last until the end of the year. […]

New Bill Puts End to Divorce ‘Blame Games’

Divorce is always going to be a hard thing to go through, whether you’re one half of the unhappy couple, a child of divorce or a close friend caught in the crossfire. It can be a hugely emotional time and often it’s made worse by the ensuing legal battles concerning property and custody of kids. […]

Immigration law at music festivals – what’s the score?

Music festivals can be great fun, and are becoming more popular than ever. Attendances have been increasing steadily, with around 4 million people in the UK now attending at least one per year.   When music-lovers are pitching their tents and discussing which of the performers they want to watch during their time at the festival, immigration law and […]