Overlooking is Not a Private Nuisance, Court of Appeal Rules
Loss of privacy as a result of overlooking by neighbours does not qualify as a form of nuisance, the Court of Appeal has ruled in a landmark judgment. The ruling confirms that, while noise, dust, noxious smells and vibrations inflicted by neighbours are among the types of nuisance offering legal protections to aggrieved parties, overlooking […]
Expat Tax When Moving to the UK
By moving to the UK you may become liable to pay UK income and capital gains tax, in addition to any tax liability in your home country. Understanding how expatriate tax works can be crucial in determining whether relocating to the UK is a financially viable move for you and your family. The following guide […]
Indefinite Leave to Remain After 5 Years?
Applying for indefinite leave to remain is rarely a straightforward process, given the stringent ILR requirements and since a refused application can cause huge disappointment and will result in a lost application fee. If you are looking to apply for UK Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years, you will need to check you qualify […]
ACAS shared parental leave: employer guide
Eligible employees are entitled to take time off work as shared parental leave (SPL). As an employer you will need to understand the statutory rights and responsibilities of your employees in relation to SPL and what this means for your business in practice when handling a request for SPL. Further, in accordance with best practice, […]
Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence: Hire Foreign Workers
The Tier 2 sponsorship licence permits employers in the UK to sponsor skilled foreign workers. Below we set out a brief guide to making a Tier 2 sponsorship licence application to enable your business to hire migrant workers in skilled roles. Does your business need a Tier 2 sponsorship licence? All non-EEA nationals must […]
Asylum Help (Application Advice)
The asylum processes in developed, industrialised western countries aren’t easy to understand. They are generally complicated, involve significant amounts of administrative hurdles and are often adversarial. Legal remedies against negative decisions, such as appeals, are extremely difficult to use in practice. The likelihood of getting protection from forcible return depends on the early and qualified […]
What Does Asylum Mean?
The meaning of the term ‘asylum’, in the context of immigration, is the protection offered by a country or state to a refugee who has left their home country, or feels that they cannot safely return to their home country, because of persecution they have suffered or may suffer on the grounds of race, religion […]
Difference Between Refugees & Asylum Seekers?
Refugee or asylum seeker? Both terms are often taken to mean the same thing, but in reality, there is a crucial difference between refugees and asylum seekers, as these terms actually refer to people at different stages in the process of seeking protection from persecution. What is the difference between refugees and asylum seekers? […]
Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Guide
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal handles immigration-related appeals, including appeals from refused asylum seekers wanting to overturn a negative immigration decision. The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal is independent of the British government, and any appeals it considers are examined by a judge who will take into account both sides of the appeal and evidence provided […]
How to Apply for Asylum in the UK
To remain in the UK with refugee status, you will need to follow the asylum process to claim asylum in the UK. Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right, but to you must be able to show that you are eligible and are fleeing persecution in your own country and seeking refuge abroad. The following […]
Asylum Seeker (Essential Information)
Every person has the right to live free from persecution, or the fear of persecution, based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Though every government is obligated to provide this right, many fail. Every year millions of people face persecution for traits they cannot control or exercising […]
Asylum Statement Sample (Preparing your Claim)
To improve your chances of getting asylum, you should draft a written statement that explains your story and why you need protection. Using a sample written asylum statement as a basis, you can make sure you are including the right information to help with your claim. The following questionnaire will prompt you and help you […]
What is a Refugee?
It is enshrined in law that everybody has the right to seek asylum in other countries for protection from persecution in your home country. Chances for recognition as refugee vary from country to country, depending on factors such as what happened to the individual in their country of origin and what will happen to them […]
Refugee Children (How to Claim UK Asylum)
Asylum in the UK is available to refugee children who are unable to live safely in any part of their own country because of fear of persecution. A person of any age may qualify for refugee status under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees where they fear persecution because of their […]
Mobility clause: advice for employers
Mobility clauses can be a blessing and a curse. If drafted carefully and with thought, they can assist an employer to maintain its workforce if the workplace has to change location and so provide certainty in this regard. However, if the wording is drafted too widely, is unreasonable or the employer fails to adequately consider […]
Working from home policy: HR guidelines
Permitting employees to work from home is by no means a new concept for many companies and organisations, but the number of employees working from home in consequence of the coronavirus outbreak is unprecedented. For employers where homeworking has not previously been used, or at least not on such a large scale, it has become […]
Consumer Rights: Faulty Goods under Warranty
If an item you have purchased develops a fault, should you rely on your legal rights or make a claim under the warranty? What is a warranty? A warranty is, in essence, an insurance policy for your purchase. It is in addition to your statutory legal rights. It may be provided by the retailer or […]
ID1 Form Land Registry (How to Complete it!)
The ID1 form is used to provide evidence of identity to the Land Registry for a private individual in respect of certain property-related applications. The ID1 form is required when making one of the following applications: a) a transfer of land or a transfer of a mortgage b) an amendment to a deed or […]
Employment case law update April 2020
A number of key employment law cases of significance for employers have recently been decided. Vicarious liability WM Morrisons Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 12 and Barclays v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 On 1 April 2020 the Supreme Court handed down two judgments in Barclays Bank Plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC […]
Home Working Risk Assessment (Employer Guide)
Given the current work from home requirements due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the phased return to work post-lockdown, home working is expected to become more widely adopted. For employers, this means giving full consideration as to how home working will work on a longer term basis, and what this means in terms of assessing […]