United Kingdom Laws
280 articles · page 3 of 5
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How to Make a Will in the UK: Rules & Requirements
How to make a valid will in England and Wales under the Wills Act 1837: witnesses, capacity, marriage and divorce, plus how Scotland's rules differ.
How to Sue for Defamation in the UK: Process, Costs and SLAPPs
How UK defamation claims work: the one-year limitation deadline, the Pre-Action Protocol, the meaning trial, costs rules, and the narrow SLAPP protections.
How to Write a Subject Access Request (Free SAR Template)
How to write a UK subject access request: what to include, a model SAR letter, and a free generator that builds it under Article 15 of the UK GDPR.
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ICO Fines Call-Blocker Seller £190,000 Over 758,000 Nuisance Calls to TPS Numbers
The UK's ICO fined Elderly Aids Ltd £190,000 under PECR for 758,053 nuisance calls to TPS-registered numbers. What TPS actually protects, and how to complain.
ICO Governance Overhaul Complete: Information Commission Took Over on 30 September 2026
SI 2026/1015 has been made, appointing 30 September 2026 for the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 sections that abolish the Information Commissioner and transfer its functions to the new Information Commission.
ICO Reprimands Staffordshire Police Over DVPN Address Disclosure
The Information Commission reprimanded Staffordshire Police on 13 October 2026 after it disclosed a domestic abuse victim's address in a DVPN. No fine was issued.
Identity Fraud UK: What to Do, How to Report, Protect Credit
Identity stolen? Call your bank, report to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) or Police Scotland, check Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, fix wrong entries.
Inheritance Tax 7 Year Rule: How Taper Relief Works
How the Inheritance Tax 7-year rule works: potentially exempt transfers, the £325,000 nil-rate band, and the taper relief sliding scale from 40% to 0%.
Inheritance Tax in the UK: Rates, Thresholds and Exemptions
How UK inheritance tax works: the 40% rate, nil-rate and residence bands, key exemptions, the seven-year rule on gifts, and when IHT must be paid.
Inheritance Tax Threshold: NRB, RNRB & the £2m Taper
The UK inheritance tax threshold combines a £325,000 nil-rate band with a £175,000 residence band, tapered above £2 million estates, frozen until 2031.
Intestacy Rules in England & Wales: Who Inherits
Who inherits under England and Wales intestacy rules: £322,000 statutory legacy, spouse and children shares, and why unmarried partners get nothing.
Is It Illegal to Record Someone in the UK?
Is it illegal to record someone in the UK? No general law bans personal recording, but sharing it, workplace use or harassment can make it unlawful.
Is Pepper Spray or a Stun Gun Legal in the UK?
Pepper spray and stun guns are prohibited weapons across the UK. What the law bans, the real maximum sentence, and when the 5-year minimum claim is wrong.
Is the Disposable Vape Ban in Force? Dates for England, Wales, Scotland and NI
The UK disposable vape ban started on two different dates: Scotland on 1 April 2025, England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 1 June 2025. What counts as single use, and who the ban actually targets.
Is Wild Camping Legal in the UK? England, Wales, Scotland and Dartmoor Rules
Wild camping is excluded from the right to roam in England and Wales, except on the Dartmoor Commons after the 2025 Supreme Court ruling. Scotland allows it generally. The rules by nation.
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Jade's Law Takes Effect on 18 December 2026, and Only for Offences Committed From That Date
Section 18 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 comes into force on 18 December 2026, and only for offences committed on or after that date.
Japanese Knotweed Law UK: Nuisance, Disclosure and Court Rulings
Japanese knotweed law in the UK: when it counts as nuisance, the Davies v Bridgend Supreme Court ruling, TA6 disclosure duties, and the offence of letting it spread.
Jury Service in England and Wales: Eligibility, Pay and Verdicts
Who qualifies for jury service in England and Wales, what disqualifies you, how much you're paid, and how a 12-person jury reaches a majority verdict under the Juries Act 1974.
Jury Service in Scotland: 15 Jurors and the End of Not Proven
How Scottish criminal juries work: 15 jurors, the procurator fiscal, and the move from three verdicts to two for trials starting on or after 1 January 2026.
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Land Registry Search UK: Who Owns a Property, and How Much It Costs
How to search who owns a property in the UK: HM Land Registry (7 pounds), Scotland's ScotLIS title sheet (3 pounds plus VAT), and why Northern Ireland has no online search at all.
Landlord Not Returning Your Deposit: What to Do
Your deposit stays protected during a dispute. How to use the scheme's free dispute service first, and what happens if it was never protected.
Landlord Repairs, Damp and Mould: Your Rights
What your landlord must fix by law in England, how damp and mould are covered, and how to get repairs done via your council and, as a last resort, court.
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA): Types, Registration & OPG
How a lasting power of attorney works in England and Wales: the two types, OPG registration and fees, and what happens with no LPA in place.
Learner Driver Rules in the UK: Supervisors, L Plates and Motorways
UK learner driver rules: provisional licence age (17, or 16 with enhanced PIP mobility), who can supervise, displaying L plates, insurance and motorway lessons.
Leasehold Reform 2026: What's In Force and What's Still a Draft
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 explained: what's actually in force, what's delayed, and why the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill is only a draft.
Life Sentence UK: How Long It Lasts and How Release Works
A UK life sentence lasts for life. The judge sets a minimum term, a parole body decides on release and the licence lasts until death. Murder rules explained.
LPA Registration Cost: £92 to Register a Power of Attorney
LPA registration costs £92 per lasting power of attorney (£184 for both types), as of August 2026. Covers OPG fees, reductions, timeline and process.
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Magistrates' Court vs Crown Court: UK Sentencing Powers Explained
Magistrates' court vs Crown Court in the UK: which offences go where, the current 12 month magistrates' sentencing limit, and how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.
Malicious Communications UK: Is an Abusive Message a Crime?
Whether sending an abusive, threatening or false message is a crime in the UK under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Online Safety Act 2023, and how Scotland differs.
Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave (2026)
Statutory maternity, paternity, shared parental and unpaid parental leave in the UK: how much leave, day-one rights, and the April 2026 changes.
Minimum Wage 2026 UK: National Living Wage Rates by Age
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates from 1 April 2026 by age band, the apprentice rate, the accommodation offset, who is entitled, and how to complain.
Miranda Rights UK: What the PACE Caution Actually Says
The UK has no Miranda rights. This guide compares the PACE caution, the right to a free duty solicitor, and how staying silent can count against you at trial.
Mobile Phone Driving Law UK: Penalties and Exceptions
UK law on using a phone while driving: what is banned in Great Britain since 25 March 2022, Northern Ireland's rule, the £200/6-point penalty and the exceptions.
Money Claim Online (MCOL): How to Claim Money You're Owed
How Money Claim Online (MCOL) works in England and Wales: eligibility, the letter before action, court fees, the claim process, and default judgment.
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Neighbour Harassment: Criminal, Civil and Council Options in the UK
How the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the ASB, Crime and Policing Act 2014 apply to neighbour disputes, including the civil claim route and Community Protection Notices.
Neonatal Care Leave and Pay UK: the 12 Week Right, the 7 Day Threshold, and Pay Rates
Neonatal care leave: one week for each week your baby spends in neonatal care, up to 12 weeks, day one leave, 26 week pay eligibility, current rates, and the Northern Ireland gap.
No-Fault Divorce in the UK: How It Works
No-fault divorce explained: England and Wales rules since 2022, the 20 and 6-week timeline, and how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.
Noise Complaints and Statutory Nuisance: UK Law Explained
Noise nuisance law in the UK: statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, abatement notices, going to court yourself, and the Noise Act 1996.
Non-Molestation and Occupation Orders UK: How to Apply Using Form FL401
How to get a non-molestation order or occupation order under the Family Law Act 1996 using Form FL401, the court fee position, legal aid, and the Scotland and Northern Ireland equivalents.
Northern Ireland Defamation Laws: What's Different
How defamation law works in Northern Ireland: it never adopted the Defamation Act 2013, what the 2022 Act changed, defences, and the 1-year limit.
Northern Ireland E-Scooter Laws: Status and Penalties (2026)
Northern Ireland e-scooter law runs on its own statute book. Legal status, PSNI seizure powers, penalties and the pending Justice Bill amendment explained.
Notice Periods UK: Statutory Minimums (s.86)
UK statutory notice periods under s.86 Employment Rights Act 1996: employer and employee minimums, PILON vs garden leave, and notice pay.
Nuisance Calls, Spam Texts and the TPS: Your Rights Under PECR
PECR restricts marketing calls, texts and emails, and the free TPS register stops most of them after 28 days, but not scam calls. How to report nuisance calls and the regulator name change.
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Online Defamation in the UK: Website Operators, Posts and Removal
How UK law handles defamation online: the section 5 website-operator defence, suing a poster vs notifying a platform, and how Scotland and NI differ.
Online Safety Act 2023 Explained: Duties, Fines and Who You Complain To
The Online Safety Act 2023 makes platforms responsible for illegal content and child safety, with fines up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue. What is in force, and who you complain to.
Order Sets 16 November for Abortion Pardons in England and Wales
S.I. 2026/1090, made 15 October 2026, sets 16 November 2026 for section 242 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026: abortion pardons and criminal record deletion.
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Package Holiday Rights UK: Refunds, Changes and ATOL
Your rights if a UK package holiday is cancelled or changed: full refund within 14 days, options for changes, and how ATOL protects you.
Parental Responsibility: Who Has It and How to Get It
Who has parental responsibility in England and Wales: mothers, fathers, birth certificates, agreements and court orders, plus how Scotland differs.
Party Wall Agreements: Notices, Rules and Awards Explained
How party wall agreements work under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996: the three notice periods, the 3m and 6m excavation rules, and how disputes are resolved.
Pavement Parking Laws in the UK: What's Banned Where
Pavement parking law across the UK: London's ban since 1974, Scotland's national ban since December 2023, and why England and Wales still have no ban in force.
PCN Appeal UK: How to Challenge a Council Parking Ticket
How to appeal a council PCN: informal challenge, 28-day representations, Notice of Rejection, Traffic Penalty Tribunal or London Tribunals, plus the Scotland and NI routes.
Penalty Points: Totting-Up Rules and Endorsement Codes
How UK penalty points work: the 12-point totting-up ban, new-driver revocation at 6 points, how long endorsements last, and codes like SP30 and DR10.
PIP Eligibility and Rates: The Points System Explained
How PIP eligibility is decided by points, the current daily living and mobility rates, why the four point rule never took effect, and how Adult Disability Payment in Scotland differs.
Planning Permission UK: When You Need It and Permitted Development Rules by Nation
Do you need planning permission? England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each run their own permitted development rules and enforcement time limits, current as of 2026.
Police Cautions in the UK: Simple and Conditional Cautions Explained
How simple and conditional police cautions work, when you can refuse one, and how a caution affects a DBS check, including the filtering rules.
Power of Attorney in Northern Ireland: EPA Explained
Power of attorney in Northern Ireland explained: the enduring power of attorney (EPA), Office of Care and Protection registration, and controllership.
Power of Attorney Scotland: Continuing and Welfare POA
Power of attorney in Scotland explained: continuing and welfare power of attorney, Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) registration, and guardianship.
Prenuptial Agreements (Prenups) in the UK: Are They Binding?
Are prenuptial agreements (prenups) binding in the UK? How Radmacher v Granatino applies in England and Wales, and why Scotland treats them differently.
Private Parking Fine Appeal: POPLA, IAS Rules Explained
Appeal a private parking charge for free via POPLA or IAS, using the Single Code of Practice's £100 cap and valid grounds to challenge it.
Public Order Offences UK: Affray, Section 4, 4A and 5
Public order offences explained: affray, violent disorder and sections 4, 4A and 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, with maximum sentences, Scotland and NI law.