The Legal Aid Agency are responsible for dealing with the incident we understand they should be taking steps to inform those who may be affected.

The Legal aid agency have however provided a statement which can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/legal-aid-agency-data-breach. In particular the Legal Aid Agency provides the following guidance for those who may have been affected:

“We would urge all members of the public who have applied for legal aid in this time period [since 2010] to take steps to safeguard themselves. We would recommend you are alert for any suspicious activity such as unknown messages or phone calls and to be extra vigilant to update any potentially exposed passwords. If you are in doubt about anyone you are communicating with online or over the phone you should verify their identity independently before providing any information to them.”

Please note that this cyber attack was upon the Legal Aid Agency and not Hartley & Worstenholme.

Our established key worker wills team are still here to help.

Whilst there are many reasons people will often delay putting their affairs in order the importance of making it a priority cannot be overstated.

Wills

Our will writing team are still able to take new instructions and taking all possible steps to ensure that we continue to offer a comprehensive service.

If you are ‘self isolating’ your instructions can be dealt with by telephone and the remainder of the formalities dealt with by post.

We will be able to advise you about the most appropriate wills for you which may include:

• protecting assets as much as possible (including inheritance tax and the potential for care fees);

• preventing any claim against your estate; and

• making arrangements for any dependent children by both appointing guardians and safeguarding monies for their future benefit.

Lasting powers of attorney

When considering estate planning it is also wise to consider what steps could be taken in the event you suddenly find yourself in a position where you are unable to manage your own affairs. Whether that be as a result of physical or mental illness (including dementia).

Normally this would be by appointing a person you trust to act as your attorney. Meaning they will be able to manage your affairs should you become unable to.

We are here and ready to help if you wish to discuss Lasting Powers of Attorney to make sure that if the time comes where you need such help, then everything is already in place. The alternatives to Lasting Powers of Attorney can be costly and very slow therefore, granting a Lasting Power of Attorney would avoid the potential for those problems.

As with will instructions, your Lasting Power of Attorney instructions can be dealt with by telephone and the remainder of the formalities dealt with by post.

Finally

If you or someone you know needs needs our services please contact reception on 01977 732222 or contact info@hartley-worstenholme.co.uk to make an appointment.

It may take one meeting or it may take several.  It requires a commitment to negotiate an agreement without going to court.  The couple still benefit from having their own legal advisor, but set their own pace and agenda, with the assistance of their lawyers.  The agreement in ancillary relief can be embodied in a Consent Order, subject to the approval of the court.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the lawyers involved cannot then act for either party in the subsequent court proceedings.  This ? a real incentive for everyone involved to settle.

There is a growing interest in collaborative law throughout the country and more and more lawyers are undertaking training.

Contact Barbara Stevens, Collaborative Family Lawyer for more information

In this article, we explain what is an LPA and the benefits of having them in place.

There are two types of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), 1) a property and financial affairs LPA and 2) a health and welfare LPA.

A property and financial affairs LPA allows you to appoint someone to manage your financial affairs on your behalf both when you have mental capacity and consent to them acting and also if you lose capacity in the future. A health and welfare LPA allows you to appoint someone to make decisions about your health and welfare, if you lack the capacity to make those decisions yourself.  The person or persons you appoint will be known as your attorney orattorneys.

A person can only make an LPA when they have the capacity to understand the document, the powers they are giving to their attorney(s) and when those powers will come into effect. Although people often think of LPA’s as something to put in place as you get older in case you suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, there is always the risk of losing capacity unexpectedly, for example, being involved in an accident or of contracting an illness where loss of capacity could happen rapidly.

Benefits

Having one or both LPA’s in place can be beneficial as it allows your family or the people you trust most to take over making decisions on your behalf. It also provides peace of mind.  Where someone does not have LPAs in place and loses capacity, the only option is to apply to the Court which is a lengthy and costly process. The Court will then be involved on an ongoing basis for as long as the person lacks capacity or until they pass away. The Court is reluctant to give someone the power to make decisions about a person’s health and welfare if there is no LPA in place and no specific issue to deal with.

We advise putting LPAs in place as early as possible as it takes at least 8 to 10 weeks to register the document with the Office of the Public Guardian and the document cannot be used until it is registered.

Cost

Cost can vary depending on the level of complexity and number of LPA’s – typically you might expect to pay between £450 to £950 plus VAT. Separate charges have to be applied in setting up an LPA called Court Registration fees which can range from £82 to £328 (variations may apply depending on personal circumstances).  Our friendly and knowledgeable team can talk you through what might be the best options for you and give you an estimate of cost.  Our team are more than happy to chat with you – we offer free 15 minute consultations for LPA’s.   Ask for Claire, Kirsty, Sarah or Josephine in Wills and Probate department.

If a property is registered land at HM Land Registry you can:-

• Monitor it.
• Monitor a relative’s property (you do not have to own to set up an alert).
• Monitor up to 10 properties.

You will need to set up a Property Alert Account on line with HM Land Registry.

HM Land Registry will send you an email when there is significant activity on the property (such as the taking out of a mortgage on it).

The alert will tell you what has been applied for, who the applicant is and the date and time that the application was received.

You will then need to decide if the activity is potentially fraudulent and act quickly if you think it is. The alert email will tell you who to contact.

More information can be obtained through the following link:- www.gov.uk/guidance/property-alert

If the property you wish to monitor is not registered, or if you are unsure, please contact us and will can help.

Hartley & Worstenholme founded in 1874 with roots based in Castleford is delighted to be sponsoring Castleford Tigers during 2019.  Pictured is Jonathan Sharp, Keith Wivell and Mandy Arkell.

Hartley & Worstenholme solicitors of Pontefract and Castleford have been shortlistedfor an award for ‘Small Conveyancing Firm’ of the year.  Victoria Davis, who heads up the online conveyancing department said,

“Online conveyancing is very fast moving, high pressure and demanding – you can’t afford to take your eye off the ball.  We have grown the team to be able to deal with the demand for our services both locally and nationally.  And we have an ever increasing returning client base of investors and homeowners.”

“The awards are given in recognition of our level of client care, attention to detail and quality of service. As a team, we are delighted to be selected and we are very much looking forward to attending the awards ceremony on 9^thSeptember.”

The Role
The successful candidate will be proficient in the use of the Land Registry portal. Experience in case management systems would be highly advantageous. Working well under minimum supervision, your duties will include: file management; typing; drafting legal documents; submitting search applications.
The Candidate:
• excellent communication skills
• IT literate to include experience in the use of digital dictation
• excellent spelling and grammar
• accuracy and attention to detail
• the ability to work in a team
• experience producing legal documents
• working from solicitors’ written notes and audio files (dictation)
• filing and general administrative work
• handling confidential information
Please send CVs for the attention of Victoria Towell to vtowell@hartley-worstenholme.co.uk or at 10 Gillygate, Pontefract, WF8 1PQ”