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Why It’s Important To Talk About Your Will

Although we tend to shy away from conversations about death and our legacy, it’s important that you speak to family and friends when you’re making wills in Cheltenham or wherever you live.

This Is Money recently shared a survey conducted by Co-op Legal Services, which found that many people who wrote their wills during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic have failed to tell their executor that they have chosen them for this task.

An executor is typically a trusted friend or family member and they will have responsibility for carrying out administrative tasks related to the deceased’s will. However, this isn’t a job to be taken lightly, so it’s important to consult the person or people who you would like to be executors of your will.

The news provider explained that executors are allowed to seek professional help with their duties and the cost for this comes out of the estate. In addition, an executor can renounce their duties, but they have to do this before taking on any work in this capacity.

According to the survey, 74 per cent of Brits don’t discuss their final wishes with their loved ones, which includes notifying whoever they have made executor of their estate.

However, the survey also found that among those who have acted as an executor 26 per cent found it stressful and 21 per cent had to take time off work to complete some of the tasks.

Yahoo! recently reported that there has been a sharp uptick in the number of millennials who are preparing wills in recent months. The news provider shared figures from Farewill, which revealed that demand among those aged under 35 in April of this year increased to 12 times the number who wrote a will in December 2019.

Lynne

16 September 2020

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Teachers Are Writing Wills Ahead Of Schools Reopening

In these challenging coronavirus times, with endless reports on mounting infection rates and death tolls, it’s not surprising that lots of us are left thinking about our own health and mortality, and this has resulted in a rise in people wanting wills writing in Gloucestershire.

But what is surprising and saddening is that the number of people who are now seeking will writing services is often related to the particular job or industry that they work in. And one recent report by Metro told of how teachers are feeling so “terrified” of catching coronavirus after returning to schools that they’re seeking wills in advance of going back to work.

One teacher, Ava Butzu, from across the pond in Michigan told Metro that she and her teacher friends are so afraid of catching coronavirus that they are fearing for their lives, but the president has insisted that classes must resume. Ava said:

“I am scared for my life for when I return to school. Some of my friends who are teachers have even prepared their wills before going back to school, there’s a genuine sense of fear.”

Ava said that the main problem is the students, that even if teachers are aware of the risks and the safety measures, the students do not adhere to social distancing, they go around hugging each other when they aren’t wearing masks, and that it’s difficult for teachers to enforce the rules, when this should be a matter for the authorities.

While we hope that all teachers and students alike are able to work and learn in a safe environment at school, but if you want to discuss will writing with a trusted and experience professional, get in touch with us today.

Lynne

24 August 2020

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Witnessing Wills Via Video Calls ‘To Be Made Legal’

During the lockdown due to the Covid-19 virus, there was a surge in demand for people wanting to write wills, but one of the challenges during this period was having them witnessed by appropriate people.

Some people sought help with will writing in Cheltenham and elsewhere in the UK, and as we pointed out last month, there were a number of challenges for all of us to overcome.

While some people decided to write their own DIY wills, there are a number of common mistakes often made in these instances. These include failing to have a will properly signed and witnessed, as well as failing to consider and account for all property, assets and money.

For over 200 years, wills in the UK have been legally required to have at least two witnesses, neither of whom can be a beneficiary of the will.

But the Sun recently reported that the government will be introducing new legislation in September that means it’s legal to witness wills virtually via a video call. That means wills signed in the presence of witnesses who are there via the likes of Zoom or FaceTime will be made legal later this year in England and Wales.

What’s more, the newspaper noted that the reforms will be backdated to 31 January 2020 to take into account the many people who struggled to have their wills witnessed in person during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government has also revealed that these measures will remain in place until 2022, although it has the right to shorten or extend them if it feels it is necessary.

Lynne

5 August 2020

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Co-op Funeralcare Warns of ‘grief pandemic’

An online YouGov survey commissioned by Co-op Funeralcare has shown that only a third of funerals in the UK proceeded with restricted attendance from 23 March until 5 July.

The Guardian has reported that nearly 10 million mourners had been denied the opportunity to say their last goodbyes to loved ones at their funerals, which Co-op Funeralcare suggests will lead to a ‘grief pandemic’, as the mourning period may extend to months and even years for the nation.

59 per cent of bereaved UK adults stated that the lockdown had negatively their grief process, and a further 61 per cent said that there had been nothing to help them grieve.

David Collingwood, Director of Funerals at Co-op Funeralcare explained that a funeral provides a sense of closure for the bereaved and their families. The company had supported the funeral restrictions imposed at the beginning of the lockdown, and while they were tough decisions to make, they wanted to be socially responsible, and help restrict the spread of the coronavirus.

“Tragically, we don’t yet know what the long-term psychological effects will be for families denied the last opportunity to say goodbye, so it is vital that we do everything possible to allow families and individuals to attend funerals, whilst always prioritising the health and safety of our communities,” he said.

Grief itself is not a mental health issue, but it can cause mental health problems for some people. The Co-op has been working with mental health charities Mind and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and Inspire to encourage those affected to access support before it has a detrimental effect on their mental health.

Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind said: “If you feel that your mental health is suffering following a bereavement beyond the stages of grief or if you have an existing mental health problem that is being worsened following a bereavement and you’re struggling to cope, it’s important to seek help, speak to a loved one, GP or contact a bereavement charity.”

Making preparations for your passing can help your family through the grief it causes, so get in touch if you need will writing services in Cheltenham.

Lynne

23 July 2020

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Second Virus Wave ‘Could Lead To More Cancer Deaths’

As lockdown continues to ease, many people are fearful there could be a second wave of coronavirus.

Not only would this have huge health implications for sufferers and cause thousands more deaths across the UK, it would also impact the entire healthcare system, leading to fatalities as a result of other conditions.

Cancer charity Marie Curie has warned the government it needs to improve its preparedness for a second wave, as this will affect the healthcare cancer patients and those with life-limiting diseases or seasonal influenza receive.

Chief nurse and executive director of quality and caring services Julie Pearce said: “We believe it’s important to evaluate on what everyone has learnt from this experience and agree that a rapid review is an important course of action.”

She added the country needs to be better prepared to deal with the “real risk” of a second wave.

Ms Pearce went on to say those with other conditions could become the unseen victims of the pandemic, as their diagnoses and treatments suffer from further delays as the NHS focuses on keeping those with severe complications of Covid-19 alive.

“Therefore, ensuring the health and social care sector is prepared for this is of great importance,” she stated.

Her comments could encourage more people to seek will writing services, whether they believe themselves to be at a higher risk of contracting Covid-19 or not.

Not only will the public be worried about being caught up in the second peak, they may now be concerned their health could be compromised by other life-threatening illnesses that are left undiagnosed or untreated due to the pressure on the healthcare system.

Lynne

14 July 2020

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Demands For Wills Skyrockets Due To Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted for many people the need to be prepared for if the worst should happen. Few people have been left unaffected by COVID-19, directly or indirectly, and it has led to many questioning their mortality, and what would happen to their estate after they’ve gone.

It’s, therefore, a surprise to no one that demands for will writing services have boomed as people realise there’s no time like the present to get their affairs and estate in order.

Writing a Will During Lockdown

The main issue at the moment is that solicitors, much like most people, are also in lockdown, but they are finding ways in which they can help draw up wills for people at home.

There is no actual or legal need for a will to be drawn up by a solicitor, but it is most strongly urged to do so to make sure that the will is legally sound, free of errors and spelling mistakes, and will not mean your family hands over large amounts of money to solve disputes over your estate.

The vast majority of people have little experience if any at all in how to draw up a will, and it is easy to make simple mistakes that can lead to issues after you have gone, and it is too late to correct them. If the wording isn’t explicit and left open to interpretation, it will likely lead to misunderstandings and disputes.

Some of the most common mistakes made on DIY wills include:
- Failing to have the will properly signed and witnessed.
- Failing to correctly deal with any last-minute amendments or errors on the will before signing.
- Failing to take into account the possibility of a beneficiary or executor may die before the person making the will.
- Failing to take into account all money, property or assets.
- Failing to understand the effect of marriage, divorce or dissolution on a will.
Make sure your estate is in order, and get in touch for will writing in Cheltenham.
Lynne

19 June 2020

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Larger Funerals Permitted From June

One of the toughest aspects of life in lockdown amid the global pandemic has, without doubt, been not being able to say goodbye to loved ones, with the numbers of mourners at funerals restricted for the last few months to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Cheltenham Borough Council had to introduce changes to crematorium services back in March, with just five people allowed to attend outside services for no longer than 15 minutes.

But, according to Gloucestershire Live, June will see more people allowed to come and pay their respects at crematoriums in Cheltenham for longer periods of time, with the local authority permitting up to 20 mourners for 25-minute services.

The new measures, introduced on June 8th, include no hymn books or printed orders of service, with words to hymns displayed on screens if required. All seating will be removed, apart from 20 chairs for those in attendance (spaced out in accordance with social distancing guidelines).

Director of environment Mike Redman explained that it is still appropriate at this time to limit numbers in public spaces, while ensuring the requisite social distancing measures.

“Our risk assessments are under regular review and we take a number of factors into account, including the availability of staff, the ability to safely maintain and enforce the two-metre social distancing requirements, compassion for the bereaved and the impact increased attendance is likely to have on the continued health, safety and welfare of all those attending, managing and officiating at funerals,” he went on to say.

Funerals will also be permitted in churches once again from June 15th, with draft guidance on how churches can receive people safely published last week.

For advice relating to will writing in Gloucestershire, get in touch with us today.

Lynne

12 June 2020

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Gina Miller Launches Wills Reform Campaign

A new campaign to reform wills legislation has been launched by Gina Miller, the businesswoman who first came to the fore by leading challenges to the government’s approach to Brexit.

Ms Miller has described the government’s failure to make it easier to have wills drawn up during lockdown and social distancing as “shameful”, Legal Futures reports.

She explained that laws need to reflect societal changes and also be updated in line with the digital age.

“The government has brought in temporary emergency legislation in other areas such as mental health during the pandemic and we believe the peace of mind, emotional and financial security that can be gained by updating will legislation far outweighs any other concerns,” Ms Miller went on to say.

Thus far, the government hasn’t pushed forward with the easing of signing and witnessing requirements, in spite of the rise in demand during the coronavirus crisis and the issues with executing wills.

A recent survey commissioned by Ms Miller found that 58 per cent of adults in the UK currently do not have a will in place. And almost half of those asked supported temporarily allowing audio-visual witnessing or digital signatures when completing these documents during the crisis if temporary emergency witnessing laws were rolled out.

Human rights advocate Baroness Helena Kennedy has lent her support to the campaign, saying that it should be an option for people to express wishes verbally and have these recorded in the presence of witnesses, or verification to be achieved through the use of voice recognition technology.

Wills are important because they give you peace of mind that your estate will be divided up as you see fit after you die. Without one, your chosen beneficiaries may end up with nothing. For help with wills and probate in Gloucestershire, get in touch with us today.

Lynne

2 June 2020

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Call Issued To Allow Small-Scale Funerals In Churches

A group of Conservative MPs have written a letter to the Church of England, suggesting that clergy members be allowed inside their churches to hold small-scale funerals while observing social distancing and safety measures.

Currently, funerals are only allowed to take place either at the crematorium or the graveside after they were closed in March, the BBC reports.

The MPs say they are now worried that the wishes of the bereaved and the people who have passed are not being fulfilled “with a proper committal in the church of their wish”. The letter goes on to say that government guidance relating to funerals is clear and services can be held if the appropriate measures are put in place.

The House of Bishops has now agreed to a three-stage plan that will see church buildings gradually reopened in line with the government’s approach. This would mean services could be streamed from church, followed by increased access for some rites and ceremonies, before finally being opened up for services with limited congregations.

In response to the letter, Church of England adviser on healthcare policy the Reverend Dr Brendan McCarthy said: “The advice not to conduct funeral services in church buildings – and it is advice, not instruction – was given because of concerns about parishes having capacity to conduct funerals safely, including being able to deep-clean church buildings between services.”

Not being able to say goodbye to loved ones properly in the absence of the normal funeral rituals that would take place is likely to have a big impact on those left behind.

According to the Guardian, bereavement charity Cruse has said it has been contacted by people in distress because they are unable to attend funerals – and this is expected to increase in the future.

If you need help with will writing in Gloucestershire, get in touch with us today.

Lynne

12 May 2020

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Writing a Will During Lockdown