News and Blogs

To help survive the challenging trading environment, two sources of funds which businesses may wish to consider are the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and business interruption insurance.

Business Interruption Loans

Businesses in need of short term cash flow support as a result of the Coronavirus, may be able to apply for a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan,...

In early 2015, an elderly man who thought he was having a heart attack whilst in a McDonald’s restaurant in Canada scribbled down on a thin, brown napkin that his estate should be split evenly between his seven living children, who he then listed.

It turned out the elderly man was not having a heart attack, but he died seven months later in December 2015, having made no further Will....

Like most companies, Companies House has taken relevant actions to protect the welfare of their employees and is complying with the guidelines advised by Public Health England. As a result, Companies House is reporting that it may not be able to process paper filing of documents as quickly as usual.

To ensure your company’s annual accounts are filed on time, Companies House is...

The Coronavirus has caused many businesses to suffer significant declines in cashflow owing to mandatory closures, a cautious market and marooned workforce. Many management teams may feel that they should ‘fight through’, incurring debts and paying outgoings to enable their company to weather the crisis, but may be wary of potential wrongful trading liability. However, the...

Coinciding with Veganuary at the beginning of 2020, the Employment Tribunal ruled that ethical veganism is a “philosophical belief” and protected under the Equality Act 2010.

Background to the case

Jordi Casamitjana was dismissed by the League Against Cruel Sports after raising concerns that its pension fund invested in pharmaceutical companies involved in animal testing. Mr...

Getting your business ready for sale is a daunting prospect. Unless you have sold one before, you may not know what to expect. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure that you set off on the right foot for a streamlined sale process, with minimal stress and delay.

Paperwork

Getting documents in order is an inevitable task for business owners. At no time is this more important than in...

If you sell or give away assets like shares or property which is worth more than it was when you acquired it, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) may be due. At present, CGT must be paid anywhere between 22 months and 10 months after the disposal. From 6 April 2020, the payment time will be shortened quite considerably.

Where CGT is due on residential property disposals, a return will need to be filed and...

On 9 January 2020, the Law Commission, further to their 2016 consultation, published their report on options to reduce premiums payable by flat owners (“tenants”) to their landlords to extend the term of their lease or buy their freehold interest.

The report discusses three potential reform options which centre upon how premiums are calculated with the overarching focus being to...

In Barnaby v Johnson [2019] EWHC 3344 (Ch), the defendant challenged her mother’s Will on four different grounds. This is a risky strategy for success, especially if you are lacking in evidence…

Mrs Bascoe died in 2015. She had four children. Her surviving son is the Claimant, Mr Barnaby. Her surviving daughter is Mrs Johnson, the Defendant.

Mrs Bascoe left a Will dated 27 April...

Unfortunately, given house prices and stricter mortgage requirements, many couples find that when they separate, they have to leave their family home in their joint names, with the person that has moved out of the property having to rent a separate property.

They may then look at selling their home when the children finish education or at a point in the future when the person remaining in the...