World’s Biggest Four-Day Working Week Trial Starts in UK Today
More than 3,300 staff at 70 UK companies will begin trialling a four-day week from today with no pay cut. In what is understood to be the world’s largest experiment of the new working pattern, participating employers will continue to pay their employees 100% of their wages on the understanding that they maintain maximum productivity. The trial […]
Government Doubles Mediation Scheme for Separating Families
An additional £5.4 million in funding is being made available to separating families under the Government’s mediation voucher scheme. Under the scheme, divorcing couples receive £500 of vouchers to access mediation services to assist in resolving legal issues outside of court, such as child contact arrangements. The funding announced on 3 June 2022 more than […]
Flight Cancellation Refund: What Are Your Rights?
Passengers travelling from the UK have certain rights in the event their flight is cancelled or delayed. In this guide, we outline your entitlements and what airlines are legally obliged to offer you if your flight has been cancelled or delayed. What are you entitled to if your flight has been cancelled? If your flight […]
Councils Given New Powers to Issue Motoring Fines
Local authorities in England and Wales now have additional powers to fine motorists for “moving traffic offences” in a substantial change to the laws on fixed Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). From 1 June 2022, councils can issue on the spot fines of up to £70 for motoring offences such as illegal turns, driving in cycle […]
Shortage of Judges Delaying Criminal Trials
Hundreds of criminal trials have been deferred at the last minute due to a shortage of crown court judges, prosecutors and defence counsel. According to a review of official numbers by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), 280 severe crime cases were delayed at short notice in the last three months of last year because no […]
ICO Fines Facial Recognition Firm Clearview AI & Orders Deletion of Data on UK Residents
Controversial startup Clearview AI has been fined more than £7.5 million by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and ordered to destroy any data it holds on UK residents following several violations of UK data protection law. Breaches include using scraping technology to extract people’s photos from images and videos posted on news sites, social […]
Legal Smoking Age in England May be Raised to 18
The legal smoking age in England could be raised from 18 to 21, following a government assessment of plans to make England smoke-free by 2030. The independent assessment commissioned by Sajid Javid, the health minister, and chaired by Javed Khan, the former chief executive of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, is expected to propose increased taxes […]
UK Student Dependent Visa Requirements
If you’re considering the UK as a destination to study, one of the considerations may be whether student visa holders can bring their dependants with them. In the UK, it is possible for certain family members to join international students under the student dependent visa, provided certain requirements are met by both the student visa […]
Criminal Solicitors to Refuse Burglary Cases in Action Against Government Plans
Criminal defence solicitors are preparing to join the criminal bar in protest action against the government’s controversial plans to reform the criminal legal aid system. The London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association recently conducted a survey of its members on possible actions due to the continuing issue of low pay, including taking a full hour for […]
Google Sued for ‘Unlawful’ Use of 1.6 Million Britons’ NHS Data
Google is being sued in the United Kingdom for unlawful use of 1.6 million people’s private medical records. The data was obtained in 2015 from the Royal Free NHS Trust in London with the aim of testing a smartphone app known as ‘Streams’ by the company’s artificial intelligence arm, DeepMind. The app was aimed at addressing […]
Can I Dismiss An Employee Who Is Off Sick?
In very simple terms, you may dismiss an employee who is off sick, provided you follow the correct dismissal procedure. This means having fair grounds for dismissal, acting reasonably in all the circumstances and following a fair process. The following guide for employers on dismissal due to sickness absence looks at what amounts to potential […]
How to Buy a Business (Brief Guide!)
Buying a private, limited company can bring many challenges. This makes it important to understand the process of how to buy a business to help navigate each of the stages. In this guide, we outline the key points to consider when deciding if buying a business is right for you, and the stages of the […]
Prince Charles Delivers Queens Speech Outlining Government Priorities
Prince Charles has outlined the government’s priorities for the next year, delivering the Queen’s Speech for 2022. The Queen did not attend the ceremony to officially reopen Parliament due to ill health. The main points are summarised below. General changes A proposed Mental Health Bill to restructure the mental health system in England and Wales […]
New UK Work Visa Routes Announced For 2022
The UK Home Office has announced a number of changes to the UK Immigration Rules impacting work visa options and routes for employers to recruit and employ overseas workers. As a headline for businesses, the UK ICT visa and Sole Representative visa are closing and are being replaced by a number of new work visas. […]
UK Home Secretary Faces Legal Action Over Ukraine Scheme Visa Delays
Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary, is facing legal action over delays that have exposed thousands of Ukrainians to trauma and Russian bombing or left them stranded in eastern Europe. UK sponsors under the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme are threatening to take legal action against the Government on behalf of hundreds of Ukrainians who […]
Minimum Age to Get Married Rising to 18
The minimum age to marry in England and Wales is to be raised from 16 to 18. The Bill proposing the change was put forward by Conservative MP Pauline Latham last year and has now been passed by the House of Lords with support from both the government and opposition parties. It is expected to […]
How to Deal With Flexible Working Requests
Flexible working practices can be beneficial not only to your workforce but also to your business. For employees, making a flexible working request, flexible working can offer a better work-life balance. Employers may benefit from improved performance and productivity, as well as a reduction in absenteeism and staff turnover. Flexible working may also facilitate the […]
Consumer Watchdog Given Enhanced Powers to Tackle Rogue Trading
Enforcement of consumer law is being strengthened under new government plans announced today. A statement from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy issued today outlines new enhanced powers for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to be able to directly enforce consumer law, including the ability to fine firms up to 10% of […]
“Apocalyptic” Legal Bill Leads Judge to Call for Limits to Divorce Legal Costs
Divorce legal costs have come under the spotlight as a Hight Court Judge expressed concern at the “apocalyptic” legal bill facing a divorcing couple. Mr Justice Mostyn is ruling on divorce proceedings between Russian businesswoman Alla Rakshina and her Greek ex-husband, Lazaros Xanthopoulos. The case, being heard in London, began on 21 September 2020 and […]
Long Residence Guidance (Settle in the UK)
If you have lived in the UK with lawful status for more than 10 years, you may be eligible to apply to settle here, which is known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). In this long residence guidance, we explain the rules on ILR eligibility under the 10-year route, and the application process you will […]