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Whether we like it or not, technology is playing a bigger part in our daily lives. But how far do we want it to go? That is the question facing will writers. We may be comfortable nowadays shopping on the internet but are we happy to see a doctor via our laptops or mobile phones?…
LOVEBIRDS planning their wedding day have a thousand and one things to think about. But how many put re-writing their wills at the top of the list? It is a little-known fact that a will becomes completely invalid when you get married or enter into a registered civil partnership – unless it contains a clause…
WHO brings up your kids following your death is, like many things in life, a subject no one wants to contemplate – let alone talk about. But what happens if you do nothing? If you and your spouse die unexpectedly, a court will decide who looks after your children. And that person may not be…
I KNOW an elderly mum in her 80’s who recently sat down with her eldest son and went through all her financial and legal paperwork. This included the location of her will. Sadly, though, death can arrive at unexpected and inconvenient times, and trying to find the will of a loved one can prove frustrating,…
PEOPLE who pay for their own nursing home care may be subsidising state-funded places, new figures show. Average weekly rates for self-payers have now reached an eye-watering £1,000, according to a report by analyst LaingBuisson. In fact, ten per cent of the existing capacity costs £1,200 or more a week. LaingBuisson called for the Competition…
INDUSTRY experts are celebrating after a layer of red tape was removed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). As we reported in November, 2015, family doctors had been advised not to supply medical records on the basis of a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) relating only to property and finance. GPs had been told by…
With effect from 1 April 2017, the fees for applying to register a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) have been reduced from £110 to £82. Why is the change happening? The fee reduction has been made possible by the high number of applications OPG is processing and efficiencies which…
The start of a new year automatically comes with a need to compare it with the last one. Whether you’re looking back on your family, career or the weather in 2016, amongst these things there is one more likely to be certain than the rest: change. Life is constantly subject to change, giving away little…
Dementia is a growing problem in the UK. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently 850,000 people with dementia, and that number is set to reach one million by 2025. At some point, many people with dementia will reach the stage where they are unable to make decisions for themselves. As a result, it…
It’s no secret that there is a care crisis in the UK. In order to deliver social care, the Government is being forced to consider increasing council tax to help cover the costs. However, the cost facing the individual, should they require care, could be very high too. If you have savings and assets worth…