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My dad has died and has left everything 50/50 to me and my sibling. However, I know that he gave my sibling a large sum of money before he died. Can this be deducted from my sibling’s share of the estate?

You will need to check the provisions of the Will. The Will might say whether your dad intended to set the amount of gift off against your sibling’s share of their estate.

If your dad intended the sum of money he gave to your sibling as a completely separate gift, then you cannot deduct the sum of money from their share of the estate. However, your sibling will have to prove that this was your dad’s intention when he made the lifetime gifts, as it is presumed that a person would not make the same gift twice (known as the rule against receiving “double portions”).

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Employers have a statutory right to require employees to take annual leave at their direction, subject to providing staff with notice equal to at least double the length of the leave that you are directing them to take (e.g. 10 days’ notice for five days leave). However, this measure is not likely to achieve any urgent cost savings or alleviate immediate cash-flow pressure as holidays would need to be paid.

Clearly, annual leave can be taken on furlough so you could have staff on furlough and annual leave.

How do I access the scheme?

Those who are eligible will be contacted directly by HMRC based on tax returns they have received. If you are eligible you will be asked to fill out an online application. HMRC will pay applicants directly.

How long does a claim take?

There is no hard and fast rule as to how long a dispute regarding the validity of a Will can take.  If a dispute is settled early into the process then resolution can be reached in a matter of weeks or months.  If, on the other hand, matters have to proceed all the way to trial then it is not unheard of for disputes to last anywhere between 18-24 months.

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A licence to occupy premises is not an interest land and operates as a commercial contract between the parties that enter into it. Licences tend to be put in place to cover short periods and consequently they are generally a lot more flexible than commercial leasing arrangements. To that extent occupants under licences should review the contract to establish whether or not there are any provision allowing them to terminate on notice to the Licensor.

Occupants under licences that are granted for longer periods without the option to terminate may try to argue that the contract has frustrated because they are effectively unable to occupy.

How do you manage employees who aren't furloughed and are unhappy that they still have to work?

Although there is no formal selection process that must be followed in order to furlough staff, the basis for selecting who will be furloughed should be explained to all relevant staff. Basing this on work levels, required skills or whether work can in fact be carried out efficiently from home will help this process. Staff can be invited to volunteer to be furloughed or re-furloughed. Any requests can be considered on a case by case basis. It may be that a particular skill set is required which may result in an employee’s request being refused.