Ventilator Manufacturers to be Protected from IP & PI Claims
UK manufacturers of ventilators being used to treat coronavirus patients are to be given specific legal protection in the event of any breaches of IP rules or personal injury claims, the Government has confirmed. Where new kit malfunctions, or is found to be defective or to infringe intellectual property rights, the Government has pledged to […]
CPS Told to Downgrade “Less Serious” Cases
Prosecutors in England and Wales have been advised to take the current issues resulting from the COVID-19 crisis into account when deciding whether to press charges, under new guidance issued by the Crown Prosecution Service. The new guidelines state that serious cases should be prioritised and all options should be explored for less serious offences, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Bereavement Leave (How Much Time Off Work?)
As an employer it is important that you provide both a compassionate and legally compliant approach to employee absence from work following the death of a loved one so as to minimise the impact on the bereaved individual and your business. Yet the law relating to bereavement leave is by no means clearly defined. What […]
MOTs Extended Due to Coronavirus
MOT expiry dates are being pushed back for some cars, motorcycles, light vans, lorries, buses and trailers in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. MOTs for cars, vans and motorcycles MOTs due on or after 30 March 2020 For cars, vans and motorcycles with MOTs due on or after 30 March 2020, the MOT expiry date […]
Coronavirus: Making Workforce Changes
Employers are having to make difficult workforce decisions in response to the coronavirus outbreak. [toc] While the Government introduces emergency schemes to avert widescale layoffs and redundancies, employers need to be aware of the employment law implications of making changes to a worker’s contract terms. We look at some frequently asked questions from employers relating […]
Family Court Issues Coronavirus Child Arrangements Advice
The Family Court has provided guidance for parents concerned about complying with child arrangement orders (CAOs) during the coronavirus crisis. Alongside the Stay at Home Rules issued on 23 March 2020, the Government provided specific guidance relating to child arrangement orders, stating that “where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 […]
Coronavirus: Caring For Dependants (Employer Guide)
Update to article following Government guidance on 4th April: Furloughing workers to care for dependants On 4 April, the Government issued specific guidance expanding the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to allow employees to be furloughed to carry out caring responsibilities. The guidance states that workers unable to do their jobs because of caring responsibilities resulting from […]
Coronavirus: Working from Home (Employer Advice)
The UK Government has placed the country on official lockdown from 23 March 2020. Under the new rules, members of the public must not leave their house except to: Travel to and from work if impossible to work from home Shop for essentials, as infrequently as possible Exercise outdoors once per day, alone or with […]
Coronavirus: Government Help For Employers
The UK Government has set out a range of schemes to help employers deal with the coronavirus crisis. This includes a package of measures to support businesses including: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme The coronavirus job retention scheme aims to help employers who would otherwise have to lay off workers due to the Covid-19 outbreak. HMRC […]
Contracted Hours Not Being Met? (Help!)
The problem of contracted hours not being met is affecting employees across the economy as employers are forced to respond to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The following guide provides an overview of the law relating to contracted hours, and what you can do if your employer has failed to pay you for all […]
Compassionate Leave (Your Entitlement!)
Time off work following the death of a loved one is known as compassionate leave or bereavement leave. How much are you entitled to and what are the conditions of that leave? Am I entitled to time off work for compassionate leave? Under section 57(A) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, employees have the right […]
What are the Different Types of Lawyers?
Legal services in England and Wales are offered by various types of lawyers. There are important differences between these roles, from the type of services they can and cannot offer, to the costs you can expect to pay and the level of protection you would get if something goes wrong. Before choosing a lawyer, it […]
Barristers
Barristers have three main roles in the legal system. They represent others in court on contentious matters, and they give specialist legal advice and draft court documents. There are over 16,000 barristers in England and Wales. They are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), which sets the standards of behaviour expected from barristers. Barristers […]
Wide-Ranging Employment Law Changes From 6th April 2020
The following changes in UK employment law will be taking effect on 6th April 2020. These are in addition to annual increases to minimum wage, statutory sick pay and statutory family pay. Employment contracts Employers will be required to provide all employees and workers with a statement of employment particulars, including their main terms and […]
IR35 Off-Payroll Tax Rules: Changes Affecting Private Sector
This article was published before the Government announced it would postpone the reforms from 6 April 2020 in light of the Coronavirus crisis. A new implementation date is yet to be confirmed. New IR35 rules are coming into force that apply to private sector companies in the UK. Under the new regime, private sector organisations, […]
New Consumer Guidelines For UK Fertility Clinics
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to issue consumer law guidelines for the IVF sector to ensure that fertility clinics practice in accordance with consumer law. The CMA is working closely with the sector regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to review current practices in the […]
Legal podcasts
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