GHP Insights

News, Q&As and Press Releases From Our Team

Q&A - If my name is on our sons birth certificate would I have equal rights to him?

Q My ex and I had a very stormy relationship right from the beginning and she ended our relationship after finding out she was pregnant, even though that was not what I wanted. Despite us no longer being together I vowed I would stand by her and the baby. Now he has been born I want more than ever to be part of his life when he is growing up, but my ex is refusing to put me on his birth certificate because she has been told we will have to share our time with him equally. Is this correct?

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Q&A - My husband took another woman to his works party can I divorce him?

Q: Over Christmas I found out my husband had taken another woman to his work’s party after telling me that wives and partners were not invited. He stayed out all night, at a mate’s house, he says, but I don’t believe him. I am completely distraught and I have told him I want a divorce but he says I can’t divorce him because he didn’t sleep with this woman. Is this true?

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Leading Child Law expert blames lack of funding for upsurge in newborns being taken into care

A leading Wrexham expert on Child Law and Mental Health issues has expressed ‘extreme concern’ following a report which highlighted a huge rise in the number of newborn babies being taken into care in England and suggestions that it is the fault of failing Childrens’ Services departments. 

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Q&A - How can I prevent my ex and his partner arguing in front of my children?

Q: I got divorced three years ago and our children live with me. My ex has regular access to them, taking them out and such, but now he and his new partner want the children to stay over with them at Christmas. The problem is that being Christmas they are bound to have more than a few alcoholic drinks and when they do drink they invariably argue and I am worried in case the children hear them and get upset. What can I do?

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Q&A - Can we separate and still mortgage the family home to buy a 2nd home for my husband to live in?

Q:  My husband has had alcohol and depression problems for years. Our children are now approaching their teens and starting to question his behaviour. He has agreed to separate but won’t discuss divorce at this stage. The family home is worth £500k.

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Q&A - Will the new IHT allowance impact on homes left in a discretionary trust?

Q: When my father made his Will the house was written into a discretionary trust so that if he died Mum would be able to live there until she died but it would pass on to me and my two brothers on her death. The thinking was that if Mum remarried her new spouse would not be able to benefit from the house, which is worth around £800k. My father was delighted when he heard about the £1 million IHT allowance announced in the summer. I, however, am concerned about what implications the changes may have on the discretionary trust. Please could you clarify the situation?

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Q&A - Insurance company cannot tell me if injury pay-out will affect my benefits

Q: I suffered quite severe personal injuries in an accident. My insurance company has helped me through the process of making a compensation claim and I have now had an offer of £20,000 which I am about to accept. The insurance company doesn’t however seem to know whether or not this will affect my state benefits. Please can you confirm the situation?

 

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Q&A - What are all the new landlord responsibilities that have come in?

Q: I bought two rental properties to supplement my retirement income. I am not a ‘professional’ landlord though and am currently struggling to get my head around all the new landlord responsibility regulations. Could you please give me a break-down of the new requirements?

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Q&A - Am I entitled to extra pay for time spent travelling to site jobs under the new Working Time regulations?

Q: Please can you clarify the new working time rules that have come into force? I work for a landscaping firm that does pub garden installations. The jobs can be anywhere in the country and we only know a week in advance where we have got to go. Could be Scotland, could be Land’s End. I know they brought in some new regulations about time for travelling to jobs being counted as part of the working day but my boss doesn’t seem to have made any adjustments to the length of our working day on the job, or to our pay. Can he get away with this?

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Oswestry solicitor accredited for outstanding family law work

The head of one of the area’s largest solicitor family law teams has been granted membership of the Law Society Advanced Family Law panel.

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