What's new

Healthcare professionals are there to help you get better. The care they give is usually very good. But sometimes things can go wrong.

Clinical negligence is when someone suffers harm because of the treatment they have been given – or not given – by a healthcare professional. It can also be called medical negligence.

Clinical negligence can result in physical harm or mental harm.

It can happen in the NHS or in a private healthcare setting. Healthcare professionals include

Has someone said or written something false about you? Is what they said harming your reputation?

If so, you could be a victim of defamation.

There are two types of defamation: Libel and slander.

Libel is when the false statement is written – like in a newspaper or in a social media post.

Slander is when the false statement is spoken.

You do not need to be specifically named in the false statement to be a victim of defamation. But the statement must allow you to be identified.

Defamation cases are on the increase.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made things tough for lots of people who have rent or mortgages to pay.

Many are struggling, having lost their job or taken a pay cut.

The Government put additional rules in place at the beginning of the lockdown to make sure people were not made homeless as a result of the pandemic.

Between 23 March and 20 September 2020, no one could be evicted from their home – even if they couldn't pay their rent or mortgage.

Coronavirus disrupted the property market for a while, but now people can buy and sell houses again in England and Wales. And the market is busy. Estate agents are open, viewings are taking place and house sales are being completed.

Demand is greater than supply, possibly as a result of the lockdown, with some people looking for more living space and a garden as they expect to spend more time at home. Added to this, until April 2021, there is no stamp duty payable on homes up to a value of £500,000. For many, now is a good time to move.

The virus has changed every aspect of our lives.

The restrictions on who we can and can't see means our closest relationships have come into sharp focus.

For some, problems that simmered under the surface are bubbling over.

Even some happy couples have cracked under the strain.

Divorce and separation cases have risen since March.

But help is there for those who need it.

Mediation

Mediation is a way to agree the terms of your separation or divorce without going to court.

Coronavirus is hurting businesses. Many jobs are at risk.

If you are being made redundant, know your rights.

What is redundancy?

Redundancy is a type of dismissal from work.

It happens when employers decide to shed staff or cut costs. It can also happen when jobs no longer exist.

It seems certain that many businesses will decide to make people redundant in the weeks and months ahead.

There are two types of redundancy.

Don’t think your small business would gain from legal advice? Think again.

Legal advice can help your company to flourish. From the first day your business opens to when it's ready to take on new markets, any business can use legal advice.

Here’s how a legal advisor can help your business to flourish.

Get on top of business tax

Grasping which types of business tax apply to your company can be tricky.

Some types of tax will apply to your business and some types won’t.

The reality is that you can put off making a will until it is too late. Having no will in place can cause all sorts of problems for the people you leave behind. It could also mean you don’t have a say in what your loved ones are left.

But if you don’t know how it works, making a will can seem hard. You may not have time. Or you may be frightened to ask uncomfortable questions.

Don’t worry - we’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know to start writing your will.

When you buy or sell a property, the estate agents, property lawyers or mortgage brokers all seem to want the same info from you before they’ll take you on as a client. Why is that?

What they’re doing is checking that you are who you say you are. If you're selling, they're also checking that the property is legally yours to sell. And, if you're buying, they're checking that the money is coming from a legitimate source.

There are many terms to learn when you're buying a home for the first time. Freehold and leasehold, which describe how a property is owned, are two you'll see a lot. But there's a third and lesser known type of ownership: commonhold.

Commonhold is new. It's an alternative to leasehold, which is the most popular way to own a flat.