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If your company is insolvent – i.e. it doesn’t have enough money to pay off its debts – there are several different possible outcomes. Some of these could involve allowing... more
Who may claim asylum? To be recognised as a refugee and thus claim asylum in the UK, you must have left your country and be unable to go back because there is a real danger that... more
Pre-nuptial agreements are not the easiest of subjects to bring up with your significant other. They seem to fly in the face of the commitment you’re about to make.... more
Steps to follow If you’re from Switzerland or the European Economic Area, you and your family will usually have the right to freely enter the UK and work there. However, the rules are... more
Once the police have arrested a suspect and gathered evidence on a crime, the case is then handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS - www.cps.gov.uk) so that a prosecution can be... more
Steps to follow Are you an employee? Your employment status determines what rights you have. If you are paid a salary, do the work personally rather than sub-contract it out, if your... more
The family home should be a place of security, a major investment in emotional as well as financial terms. Where a married couple split up, however, the family home can become the subject... more
Definition of fraud In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the fraud laws were overhauled by the Fraud Act 2006 which came into force in 2007. It introduced a statutory... more
If your solicitor has not returned your calls and letters, presented you with an unexpectedly large bill, or not done what you asked them to do, then you may have a legitimate... more
There are six forms of British citizenship, some of which are defined in the British Nationality Act 1981. They are: British citizenship; British overseas... more
Various different rules and criteria apply depending on whether you want to visit, work/ study in or permanently settle in the UK. Visiting the UK Most foreign visitors to the... more
Buying or selling a property is, for many, a major life event. It can be a complicated process, but there will be plenty of professional help on hand to guide you through the various... more
Steps to follow If a relative has died and you’re in charge of sorting out their affairs there are a number of people and organisations you need to inform starting with the family... more
Steps to follow If you have a contract of employment you’ll usually be classed as an employee and are therefore entitled to a number of employment rights. These include statutory... more
Many employers have, in the past, opted for youth over experience. This may be partly because they know they can pay young people less, and partly because of misconceptions and myths about... more
On 1 October 2006, age discrimination in the workplace was banned. This means employees are legally protected from discrimination on the basis of their age, just as they are from sex or... more
Steps to follow Do you genuinely believe on reasonable grounds that the employee committed the offence? This is the test that a tribunal will apply if you dismiss the employee and the... more
If the demands from credit companies are piling up on your doorstep, then you may be considering filing for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy no longer carries the stigma that it once had,... more
Business restructuring can mean a host of different things, including downsizing the workforce, mergers, acquisitions, debt for equity swaps, and corporate simplification. Businesses... more
An individual is entitled to represent themselves or their business at a court or tribunal. This is the case whether the individual is a claimant or a defendant. It may seem a daunting... more
Your will is probably not the highest item on your list of concerns. After all, we tend not to think too much about what will happen after we die. As your life progresses and your... more
Lawyers don’t come cheap, and sometimes the people who need them most can’t afford to pay. If you are unable to pay a lawyer, then there are several options available to... more
Every company has a duty to prepare a set of accounts which report on the company’s performance and activities during the financial year. A copy of these accounts must be sent to... more
They’re the bane of motorists’ life, and among the most unpopular of all professions. While traffic wardens play Tom and Jerry with hapless drivers up and down the country,... more
Nobody should have to live with domestic abuse. The abuse can be physical, sexual, financial, psychological, or emotional. It is mainly carried out by men towards women, but also happens in... more
No matter how prudent you are with your own financial dealings, you cannot fully protect yourself against the financial misfortunes of others. In times of economic uncertainty, the... more
Copyright and trademarks fall into the field of intellectual property. Copyright protects written, theatrical, musical and artistic works. It exists automatically, but in order to... more
All employers, bar the armed forces, have a legal duty not to discriminate against employees or job applicants on the grounds of disability. This has been the case since October 2004 (prior... more
If you are an employee or a job applicant and you have a disability, then you have certain rights under UK law. These include the right not to be discriminated against at work or during the... more
For a couple to divorce, there must first have been a marriage. While this statement may seem obvious, there have been cases where an apparently married couple were found on a... more
Drink driving ruins lives. There is no safe limit of alcohol, because each person’s tolerance depends on a range of factors such as metabolism, stress levels and weight. If you have... more
Estate planning is the process of disposing of an estate in a way which is designed to eradicate uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximize the value of the estate. If... more
What is fostering? Fostering places a child into the care of a family when it cannot live with its own parents. This may be because its parents have problems, cannot cope and need a... more
We all expect a high standard of advice and conduct when we consult legal professionals. Usually, this is the case. Sometimes, however, things can go wrong. When they do, the prospect of... more
Steps to follow Report the matter to the police as soon as possible. Dial 999 if it’s an emergency, otherwise, report it to your local police station either in person, via phone or... more
Steps to follow It is illegal for your employer to treat you less favourably (ie discriminate against you) because of your: gender; marital status; gender reassignment; pregnancy and... more
Steps to follow Do you have debts which you are totally unable to repay? You can declare yourself bankrupt which is a means of clearing debts you can’t pay. If you owe... more
Steps to follow If you’re being bullied, your first move – if you feel able to - should be to talk to the bully and tell them, in a calm and controlled a manner, that you find... more
Steps to follow Bullying in the workplace is where someone tries to intimidate another worker. It is defined by Acas as “Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour,... more
Steps to follow Have you failed to report a change in your personal circumstances to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or council or deliberately provided incorrect information... more
Steps to follow If you are pregnant, you are allowed time off work for antenatal care. This can include relaxation classes and parent-craft classes. You may have to show your employer... more
Steps to follow Call the council and tell them you want to make a complaint. They will be able to tell you which department you need to complain to and who in that department you should... more
Steps to follow Are you owed money and beginning to get fed up of excuse after excuse? Or, do you have debts that you can’t pay? Either way, take action and sort the problem... more
Steps to follow Do you want to run a business, but feel uncomfortable about the risks involved? Franchising may be the answer. It allows you to learn the ropes but minimise the risk and... more
Steps to follow Do you think the Benefits Office or another body (eg, CSA, HMRC, local council) has made a mistake in calculating your benefits which has resulted in you not receiving the... more
Steps to follow Do you feel you are owed money by someone and all attempts to resolve the dispute without resorting to court action have failed? If you decide to take the matter to... more
Steps to follow Are you in dispute with a customer over goods or services that you supplied, or are you a customer who is dissatisfied with your supplier? The best solution is to try to... more
Steps to follow If you feel your building work has been botched or isn’t finished, first work out who your contract is with. This could be the builder, architect/ structural... more
Steps to follow If you’re worried that conditions at your workplace are a potential threat to your health and/ or safety, first of all explain your concerns to your employer, or... more
Steps to follow Employers have a duty of care to their workers and to visitors to their premises. Their duty extends to providing a safe place to work, preventing risks to health,... more
Steps to follow Landlords and tenants have various rights and obligations: as a tenant, for example, you have the right to have your accommodation kept in a reasonable state of repair,... more
Steps to follow If you have a medical injury caused by the negligence of someone in the NHS and feel you’re entitled to compensation, take legal advice as soon as possible. A... more
Steps to follow As soon as the accident has taken place, obtain and exchange information with all other drivers involved including full names, registration numbers, insurance company... more
Steps to follow What kind of pension do you have? Is it an occupational pension, a personal pension, a state pension or a stakeholder pension? The type of help you can receive depends on... more
Steps to follow Some building work to your home is allowed under permitted development and therefore won’t require planning permission, but before you start to make alterations to... more
Steps to follow If you think your bank is treating you unfairly – eg overcharging you for a service or selling you a product without explaining the risks – your first move... more
Steps to follow If you have a problem with your state pension, first contact your pension centre and explain what you think is wrong. They will aim to investigate your complaint within... more
Steps to follow If you’re unhappy with HMRC’s service – eg unreasonable delay, an avoidable mistake, or how you’ve been treated – first talk to the person or... more
Steps to follow If you are a limited company, you will have to pay corporation tax on any profits at the end of the financial year. Partnerships have to pay income tax. Then there are... more
Steps to follow Are you an individual? You may be worried about air or noise pollution, or concerned about the impact of a major road or property development in your area. You may be able... more
Steps to follow If you’ve been accused of a crime the police will no doubt want to talk to you about it. If the offence you’ve been accused of carries a power of arrest (eg... more
Steps to follow Have you received poor service from a plumber, builder or other provider of services? If so, is your complaint about the quality of work, the time it took to... more
Steps to follow Police have the legal right to stop any motorist at any time. They don’t have to give you a reason and it’s a criminal offence if you fail to stop. When... more
Steps to follow Is your bank account continually in the red? Are you falling further and further behind with you bill or mortgage payments? Are you being turned down for credit with high... more
Steps to follow If you’ve been injured at work, you should (if you are capable of doing so) record the details of the incident in your employer's accident book. (All employers,... more
Steps to follow There are a number of good reasons for making a will: not least that you can arrange your affairs so your loved ones pay less tax after you’ve gone; and you can... more
Steps to follow If you feel you have a mental health problem, your first stop should be your GP. They can provide advice or refer you for specialist services. Professionals who... more
Steps to follow A contract is an agreement between two or more persons, which gives rise to obligations that are enforceable by law. Has an offer been made? In legal parlance, an... more
Steps to follow If you have an elderly relative who increasingly needs looking after and you’re responsible for sorting out their care, you must first decide where they are going to... more
Steps to follow If you feel there may be a time in the future when you don’t want to make decisions about your property and financial affairs or your health welfare, or you feel you... more
Steps to follow How much do you need to borrow? How soon can you pay it back? How quickly do you need it? What assets do you have? These questions need to be answered before you can... more
Steps to follow There are many reasons for restructuring a company—realising value from assets, downsizing the workforce, streamlining and simplifying, taking it in another... more
Steps to follow Do you wish to petition for divorce/civil partnership dissolution on the basis of adultery, unreasonable behaviour, separation or desertion? If separation, have you... more
Steps to follow Make sure your credit rating is in good shape – some companies do free credit checks. You can improve your credit rating by: registering on the electoral roll at... more
Steps to follow The state pension is worth less than £5,000 per annum for a single person, and about £7,500 for couples. You can draw it, if you have paid enough national... more
Steps to follow Are you planning to get married or to enter into a civil partnership but want to protect some of your assets if everything should go wrong? Or is there a significant... more
Steps to follow If you are over 21 (over 18 if part of a couple and one of you is the birth parent) and healthy enough to provide a long-term stable environment for a child you may be... more
Steps to follow Seller issues the contract package which consists of a draft contract, Official Copies of the legal title, copies of any deed/documents which affect the title, a Sellers... more
Steps to follow Do you want to change business premises? Whether buying, selling or renting premises, it is a good idea to use a specialist commercial property solicitor who will be able... more
Steps to follow Make sure you tell all the relevant people. The bigger a business you have, the more people you will have to inform before you close. If you are a company or limited... more
Steps to follow Have you been fired following a certain number of warnings? Or fired on the spot? You can only be fired for a first offence if there has been gross misconduct. This... more
Steps to follow Have you suffered some sort of loss which is covered by an insurance policy? If so, first check your policy to ensure it’s worth making a claim – most... more
Steps to follow Renting The easiest way of finding a private residence to rent is through a letting agency. The agency may also manage the property on the landlord’s... more
Steps to follow Whether you are buying or selling a business, the first step is to put a value on it. This is a negotiable matter. Valuing a business is a complex process, so consider... more
Steps to follow Start small, think big. Keep your expenses as low as possible, but leave yourself scope to expand. On the other hand, don’t choke off possible growth by scrimping on... more
Steps to follow Where do you want to trade? Is it within the EU or outside? You will need to do thorough research to ensure you are complying with all relevant laws and... more
Sales and distribution overseas If you want to sell your wares overseas, you need to decide how you’re going to distribute them. You might opt to sell them directly, e.g.,... more
If you are separating from your partner or getting a divorce, then the question of where your children will live, and how often each partner will see them, are tough decisions to... more
Personal information is freely given in everyday transactions, from paying for goods at a supermarket to filling in health insurance forms. Consequently, there is a vast amount of... more
Bankruptcy is an option – sometimes an unavoidable one – available to individuals who are unable to pay their debts and are thus insolvent. You can declare yourself bankrupt or,... more
Despite popular belief, there is no such thing in the UK as “common law marriage”. If you and your partner are living together you have considerably less rights than couples who... more
In times of recession, a great number of homeowners fall into arrears with their mortgage. If you are in this situation, you are best to seek help as fast as possible. If you... more
Steps to follow If your child has learning difficulties or disabilities which affects their behaviour and makes it harder for them to learn or communicate than most children of the same... more
Adoption is a legal device designed to provide permanent new homes and families to some of the thousands of children in the UK who are orphaned or who have birth parents either unwilling or... more
Having children is, as they say, a lifelong commitment. Regardless of whether or not the parents stay together (or ever were in a relationship at all) they have a responsibility to support... more
Joining commercial ventures with other businesses may be an attractive proposition, especially, for example, if you or the other party want to sell your products in unfamiliar... more
Scientific inventions, commercial designs, songs, sculptures, novels and dramatic performances all share one thing in common—they are protected by Intellectual Property... more
As an employer in a UK company you have a number of duties and obligations to the people working for you under employment legislation. The duties you have depend largely on what category... more
Employees and workers in the UK enjoy a number of employment rights by law. You are classed as an employee if you are a working under a contract of employment. Employment... more
A complex and large body of environmental laws and obligations affect businesses. These vary according to the type of business, and it is best to seek specialist advice when considering... more
Employers must ensure they comply with a wide variety of requirements on health and safety and the environment. Many of these are specifically set out in law, while others are part of a... more
Who can get married? Any two people can get married in the UK provided they are: Aged 16 or over Of different sex Not too closely related Unmarried and not in... more
There are thousands of motor accidents on the UK’s roads each year. If you are unlucky enough to be involved in a motoring accident, you are likely to be involved in a subsequent... more
Your employer should tell you when you start work how much you will be paid, how it will be paid to you and when. This must be put in writing within two months of you starting... more
The government collects taxes from individuals through HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) under a variety of different headings including: Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Inheritance Tax... more
If you supply products to consumers you need to make sure they are safe. The main responsibility for ensuring this safety lies with the product’s manufacturers but if your... more
The Race Relations Act 1976 outlaws race discrimination in the workplace (as well as in education, transport and the provision of goods and services). This means all employees and job... more
Retirement Age You can retire at any age you want – as long as you can afford it – but the default retirement age in the UK is 65. When you reach this age your employer can... more
Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA 1975), it is illegal for your employer, or a prospective employer, to discriminate against you because of your gender, your marital status or... more
Duty to provide stakeholder pensions Under the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, most businesses which have five or more employees, are required to provide access to a stakeholder... more
Pre-employment checks You’ve made it through the interview and you’ve been offered a new job – all good news, but it’s a wise idea to get the job offer in... more
National Minimum Wage rates Since April 1999 most workers in the UK have been legally entitled to a minimum wage. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates are set based on recommendations... more
Millions of parking tickets are issued in the UK each year, presenting a valuable revenue-gathering opportunity for local authorities. The reason for the huge amount of these... more
It’s infuriating, sometimes embarrassing, and can be costly. There are, however, various avenues open to you when a debtor refuses to pay up. First steps When attempting to... more
There are two main types of pension in the UK: money-purchase and final salary schemes. Money-purchase schemes include occupational money purchase, personal pensions, stakeholder... more
Employees have a right not to be sexually harassed in the workplace, and employers have a duty not to let this happen. It causes stress and humiliation, and benefits no-one. Ultimately,... more
Steps to follow If your child has learning difficulties or disabilities which affects their behaviour and makes it harder for them to learn or communicate than most children of the same... more
A franchise is a mutually beneficial business agreement, where the franchisor (for example, a large business such as McDonald’s) allows a franchisee to use its business idea. This... more
If you or your employer wants to terminate your employment, your employment contract will usually set out how much notice one must give the other before you leave. This may be more generous... more
Different types of business have different legal structures and the kind you choose will depend on the sort of business you have and what you want out of it. The tax/national insurance and... more
There are laws specifically designed to protect prospective or new parents and there are a range of benefits and allowances that you are entitled to as well. Pregnant employees If... more
Dismissing staff is a fraught area for employers. Rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to, and efforts must be made to be as sensitive as possible to employees during this... more
There are a range of businesses in the UK which require a licence. These are generally issued, administered, and policed by local authorities. Licensing authorities must carry out their... more
Acas defines workplace bullying as: “Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate... more
Why write a will? Failing to make a will means your belongings will be distributed according to the laws of the country you live in – which may not be in the manner you would... more
Whether we purchase goods from a shop, another person, or across the internet, we have legal rights as consumers. We also have rights when we hire goods or enter into a hire-purchase... more
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