The England and Wales High Court has ruled that informal digital communications are insufficient to prove the transfer of a beneficial interest in property. In a bankruptcy-related dispute, the court rejected claims that ownership had passed via WhatsApp and email messages prior to insolvency. As a result, the financier’s former spouse was ordered to vacate...
The England and Wales High Court has ruled on how an estate administrator should proceed where a beneficiary refuses to engage. The case involved a residual estate valued at £185,000, with the court deciding that the beneficiary’s lack of response did not amount to a disclaimer of entitlement. Instead, the court issued a Re Benjamin...
Growing frustration over delayed repayments Many UK taxpayers are experiencing long waits for HMRC tax rebates, with some refunds taking more than a year to be paid. These delays are affecting employees, pensioners, and self-employed individuals who are owed money after overpaying tax or National Insurance. For households relying on timely repayments, the situation has...
A daughter who was left just £250 in her father’s Will has successfully challenged it in court, securing a share of his £600,000 estate. Laxmikant Patel, 85, died in October 2021, leaving his home entirely to his eldest daughter, Anju, while giving his younger daughter, Bhavenetta, and his son, Piyush, only £250 each. Anju claimed...
The application fee for lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) in England and Wales will increase from GBP82 to GBP92 from 17 November 2025, subject to parliamentary approval. The new fee is to ensure that income from LPA applications better meets the delivery cost, in line with HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidance. Disclaimer The information on...
Several probate research firms have urged the government to tighten up security on unclaimed estates before considering republication of the Bona Vacantia list. The list was withdrawn from public view on 7 July 2025, after a BBC investigation suggested it was being exploited by organised criminals to obtain grants of representation over estates containing unoccupied property...
A major development in English probate law has emerged as the England and Wales Court of Appeal (EWCA) ruled that a secret trust claim over an estate may proceed to trial. This case is expected to have wide-reaching effects on how verbal agreements and informal understandings around inheritance are treated under UK law. If you’re...
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Copyright by CareAccountancy. All rights reserved.
