Main home relief: Periods of absence halved to 9 months If you have lived in your property for the whole time you have owned it there is no capital gains tax due when you sell or transfer the home.  This relief is called principal private residence relief (PPR).   The relief is only available for the periods of time you lived in the property (bar a few exemptions).  The final 9 months of ownership is always treated as though you lived in the property, also if you left the property for work then in some circumstances this period is also covered.   […]

Image copyright Getty Images People living with domestic abuse will be able to access safe spaces at Boots pharmacies from Friday. Those needing help can ask staff at the counter to use the consultation room, where they will be able to contact services for help and advice. Charity Hestia said it launched the scheme in response to the “desperate situation” many people are facing in lockdown. MPs said there had been a “surge” in violence since the lockdown began. Calls to the National Domestic Abuse helpline rose by 49% and killings doubled since restrictions on public life were introduced, a […]

Seven jurors rather than the normal 12 could decide guilt or innocence in court trials as part of “radical” proposals to clear a mounting backlog of cases. The lord chief justice and the justice secretary have publicly supported the change, which was also made during the Second World War. Remote jury trials, where evidence is heard over video link, are also being piloted and officials are considering moving to larger venues or spreading through several courtrooms to enable social distancing. Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines Download now Jury trials were stopped on […]

Thousands of high street and sole practitioner firms may shut within six months as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, alarming new research by the Law Society suggests. Cash flow pressures and lower fee income have put more than half of all the legal practices in England and Wales at risk. The finding is extrapolated from a survey of nearly 8,000 small firms conducted in March and April, to which 10% of practices responded. One in five said they were already feeling the squeeze on cashflow and fee income. Some 63% of sole practitioners and 71% of firms with four […]