Lawyers urged to take practical action to support mental health and wellbeing ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week
LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, is encouraging legal professionals to take simple practical actions to support their own and others’ wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from the 11th to the 17th of May. Last year, LawCare’s research found that many people in the legal sector were struggling with […]
Mansion tax law to cost estimated £400m before it comes in
The government’s mansion tax is set to cost The Treasury an estimated £400 million before money can start being collected, according to a report. A freedom of information (FoI) request made by The Times reveals the Treasury expects to lose £215 million in stamp duty by the time the tax is introduced, and a further […]
FCA to probe claims management companies over ‘poor practices’
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is launching a review of the claims management market amid concerns that consumers are being failed by some claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms. The review is intended to “look at the root causes of poor practices”, such as aggressive marketing, misleading advertising and unfair exit fees. Other concerns […]
Legal recruiter launches hiring platform for £250 a month
A specialist legal recruiter has launched a self-serve hiring platform for UK law firms. Surrey-based recruitment firm VacantC has launched what it describes as “a complete recruitment operating system built exclusively for UK law firms”. The platform, VacantC Go, costs £250 a month and includes a branded careers page, an AI-powered applicant tracking system, a […]
Wales to be part of home moving test bed bringing the industry together in spirit of collaboration
A new cross-sector initiative in Wales is aiming to leverage technology and upfront information to improve the home buying experience. Backed by FinTech Wales, Legal News Wales, PEXA, the Open Property Data Association and openmoove, it is hoped Move Wales will become a test bed for a “more collaborative, transparent and consumer-focused approach to home […]
Equity release lending declines 9% as customers take ‘cautious approach’
The latest figures from the Equity Release Council show a decline in both lending and customer numbers. Total lending fell to £574 million in Q1 2026, down 9% on the previous quarter (£632 million) and 14% year-on-year (£655 million). Customer numbers also declined, with 12,958 new and returning customers accessing housing wealth, down 7% on […]
Mortgage repayments hit least affordable level since 2008
UK homebuyers spend a fifth (21%) of their gross income on mortgage repayments according to new research. The latest UK Finance Lending Where We Live report revealed affordability is at the tightest level since 2008, with significant regional differences. It reveals there were 723,000 house purchase mortgages advanced in 2025, an increase of 17% year-on-year. […]
AIIC posts record revenues and profits
The parent company of legal brands Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood has reported record profits of nearly £10 million; a 118% increase on the previous financial year. AIIC Group’s latest results report an annual revenue increase of 27%, up to £124 million from £97.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of £12.2 million, up from […]
Judicial Appointments Commission seeks candidates for Recorder roles
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is encouraging solicitors, barristers and Fellows of CILEX in England and Wales to apply for 128 Recorder roles, with vacancies across all jurisdictions. Recorders deal with cases within a mid-range of complexity and legal difficulty across the criminal, family, and civil jurisdictions. Applicants should have at least seven years of […]
Mortgage approvals up and interest rates down in first quarter of 2026
Mortgage approvals in March 2026 sat slightly higher than the six month average and average mortgage rates decreased slightly, according to the latest Bank of England (BoE) Money and Credit statistics. Net mortgage approvals, a measure of future borrowing, increased to 63,500 in March from 62,700 in February, above an average of around 63,200 over […]
Economic forecast could be ‘somewhat weaker’ as a result of Middle East tensions, says Nationwide
Economic growth is likely to be “somewhat weaker” with higher inflation than previously projected because of geo-political tensions in the Middle East, according to Nationwide Building Society in its latest appraisal of the UK housing market. The house price index reveals current market conditions have surprised the lender, given a weakening of consumer confidence. “Despite […]
Market views wanted for latest CLC sentiment tracker
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is once again running its Quarterly Confidence Tracker to gather the views of the profession on the current state of home buying and selling. The regulator says the results will help it monitor the mood of the property market and how it changes over time. The most recent tracker, published […]
HMLR offering free post completion training to ‘avoid easy errors’
HM Land Registry (HMLR) is offering a series of interactive workshops designed for post-completion specialists to support efforts to reduce errors and save time and money. The webinars explore some of the most common issues that conveyancers face, HMLR says, and provide a clear understanding of what common requisitions the agency receives and how to […]
‘Context is everything’ in latest HMRC transaction figures
HMRC figures for seasonally adjusted residential transactions in March 2026 are 1% higher than February 2026, up to 104,070 from 102,750 – the highest monthly transaction figure since March 2025. Seasonally adjusted transaction figures are 41% lower than in March 2025. The large year-on-year decrease is driven by elevated transaction levels in March 2025 ahead […]
Law Society publishes tax adviser registration Q&A
The Law Society has published a question and answer section on its website relating to the upcoming requirement for conveyancers to register as tax advisers with HMRC. Despite efforts to convince the government that conveyancers should not be identified as tax advisers under the Finance Act 2026 for the role they play in processing stamp […]
BoE interest rate hold ‘is cause for optimism’
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted by a majority of 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 3.75%. The hold has been welcomed as a sign of stability by some, with Jason Tebb, president of online property portal OnTheMarket, calling it a cause for optimism among borrowers. “As well as this, many […]
CLC seeks views on proposed rule changes
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is seeking views on proposed changes to the rules governing how disciplinary proceedings involving regulated practices and individuals are dealt with by its independent adjudication panel. Member feedback is encouraged on changes to the procedural rules that govern matters under the panel’s consideration, which the CLC says will enhance […]
Conveyancing teams welcome new members and celebrate strong profits
Conveyancing teams in firms across the country are welcoming new members and celebrating strong growth. A combination of acquisitions and strong organic growth across Staffordshire and Shropshire have helped Midlands-based law firm Talbots Law increase revenues by £11 million. The firm, which operates nationally from its 19 offices across the Black Country, Birmingham, Cheshire, Coventry, […]
Leasehold ‘blighting lives’ says housing minister, as plans to introduce commonhold reaffirmed
The government has reaffirmed plans to introduce commonhold as the default tenure to “stop the renewal of the leasehold system” and give homeowners back control of their homes. Speaking at the Institute for Government, Matthew Pennycook , the minister of state for housing, communities and local government, described leasehold as a “blight” and a barrier […]
Renting cheaper than a mortgage for first time since June 2025
Higher average mortgage rates have pushed monthly repayments above the cost of renting a typical home in Great Britain for the first time since June 2025, according to a new analysis from Rightmove. The average advertised monthly rent across Great Britain is currently £1,547, compared to an average new monthly mortgage payment of £1,670. Rightmove […]