The Ministry of Justice’s refusal to raise the small claims court limit has been hailed as a victory for accident victims and for common sense. At the moment, victims who have a claim worth less than £1,000 cannot claim their solicitor’s fees from the person responsible for the accident. Insurance companies have long been lobbying… Read more »
Every year, the treasury claims tens of millions of pounds from people who die without making a will. Yet despite the fact that most of us would prefer to choose who gets what on the event of our death, still only one in three of us has made a will. So what is it about… Read more »
Motoring offences and road traffic law can be a minefield. The range of offences is vast, from stopping on a pelican crossing to dangerous driving. Even minor road traffic offences can cause a motorist serious difficulties – particularly if the points start to stack up. For many people facing an endorsement on their licence the… Read more »
According to the Alzheimer’s Society there are currently 800,000 people in the UK with dementia, including over 17,000 younger people. It is predicted that the number will exceed one million people by 2021. Headway tell us that there are over one million people in the UK living with the long-term effects of a brain injury,… Read more »
A BUS company that failed to grit its car park has paid out £130,000 in compensation after a bus driver slipped on ice. The Unite Member was a bus driver employed by Go North East, working from their Gateshead Depot. In the harsh winter of 2010, he slipped on ice in the work’s carpark. Go… Read more »
Blacklisting is the practice of employers refusing to employ, dismissing or discriminating against those who are or who have been members of a Trade Union. Some employers, particularly in the construction industry, have been known to buy lists of names of Union members, and then make decisions about whether to employ a person based on… Read more »
Last week the heath secretary, Jeremy Hunt, called on each of us to look at how we treat our elderly relatives. He said that the loneliness endured by many elderly people, many of whom live in care homes or sheltered accommodation, was “shameful.” Some may find this a little galling coming from a government whose… Read more »
Staff at Felling drinks wholesaler Waverley TBS were left “completely shocked” in October when bosses informed them, without any form of consultation, that they no longer had a job. The firm had gone into administration and, when a buyer could not be found, workers were told at a meeting just six days later that they… Read more »
A DELIVERY driver who was left disabled after breaking his ankle at work has won a payout from his employer. Walter Kitch loved his job delivering eggs across the North East, but he was left devastated after breaking his ankle on ice when his boss failed to put grit down. He was forced to take… Read more »
As anyone who has ever bought or sold a house will know, the conveyancing process can sometimes seem frustratingly slow. Even if there is no chain, the sheer volume of documents that need to be shared and agreed between solicitors, estate agents and lenders often mean that things can take a long time. Of course,… Read more »
About 45% of marriages end in divorce these days with one in three children experiencing parental separation before they are 16. Not surprisingly the breakdown of a relationship can have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of all those involved. This is not necessarily limited to the couple and their children but… Read more »
Help to buy blog for week commencing 14.10.13 Following the launch this week of the second stage of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme, expert opinion is divided about the impact it will have on the housing market. Whilst critics of the scheme cite the easy availability of debt, which they say will inflate house… Read more »
