Proposed changes to the Child Maintenance Service The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is frequently criticised for allowing non-resident parents to pay a fraction of what they should for the benefit of their children. According to research from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) more than half the funds received via Collect & Pay were…
DIVORCE REFORM COULD FOLLOW IN WAKE OF RECENT CASE In a landmark case, the UK’s highest court recently ruled that a 68 year old woman must remain married to her husband. Mr & Mrs Owens married in 1978. He was 40 and she was 28. Their relationship was, according to Mr Owens, never emotionally intense…
What to do if you have a slip in a supermarket -Can you claim compensation? If you are shopping in a supermarket and simply trip over your own feet then that is not the fault of the supermarket owners but is simply an accident and no compensation would be available. If, however, you have an…
What is Parental Responsibility and how can you get it? As a grandparent you do not have Parental Responsibility (PR) for your grandchild. PR means ‘all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and the authority which, by law, a parent has in relation to the child and his property.’ The child’s mother and most fathers would…
A rise in the small claims limit for personal injury claims.. what does it mean? The Government proposes to increase the small claims limit for all personal injury claims from £1000 to £5000. Whilst it is acknowledged that the limit has not been increased for 25 years and that the argument that an increase…
CAN I CHANGE MY CHILD’S SURNAME? A parent is able to change a child’s surname by a change of name deed providing all those with Parental Responsibility consent to the name change. A change of name deed is a legal document which commits a person to the action set out in the document. By…
Taking your child out of the country on holiday – can you do it? With the school summer holidays fast approaching, many families are considering booking a trip abroad. However, there is much to think about over and above the actual booking of the holiday. Determining who has parental responsibility is key. Parental responsibility is…
What being an Executor of a Will involves Do you know what it means to be the Executor of a Will? Many of us are named as an Executor by a family member or a close friend, but what are your responsibilities? What does an Executor do? The person named in a Will as an…
No Fault Divorce To get divorced, couples are legally required to assign blame for the relationship breakdown, unless they have lived apart for two years. This makes an amicable agreement between the couple more difficult and can have a negative impact on any children involved. Resolution, a community of family justice professionals who work with…
Is it time for an overhaul of the inheritance tax system? Inheritance tax should be scrapped and replaced by a fairer tax said the think tank Resolution Foundation. In its latest report into how to tackle unfairness between the generations, the think tank, chaired by former Conservative minister David Willetts, says inheritance tax is by…