Before Probate is granted

In general, a Will is a private document until a Grant of Probate is issued. While the testator is still alive, nobody other than the testator is entitled to receive a copy of the Will.

Following the testator’s death, unless and until Probate is granted, the Will remains a private document although the Executors named in the Will are entitled to see it. 

A common concern about the charity sector is that too little of the funds raised get spent on performing charitable activities. This issue was recently considered by CCEW when carrying out an inquiry into Hospice Aid UK which had a costly direct mailing agreement with a third-party agency, and discovered that substantial funds being generated were being almost entirely consumed ...

How the Autumn Statement update tax changes may affect your business Following the Autumn Statement 2023 announcing tax changes for business owners, employees and employers, updates are being released in stages informing businesses how they will be affected at the beginning of the new tax year in April 2024.  Discover below the recent updates on Capital Allowances, Corporate ...

Having an effective system of internal control is a key way in which charities can protect themselves against risks that may arise and safeguard their resources. With the passage of time new risks will emerge and those systems will need to respond and adapt. To help charities with this process CCEW has updated its guidance in CC8 internal controls for charities. The updated gu ...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver the 2024 Spring Budget on 6 March, the government has confirmed. The Budget will include the government's tax and spending plans as well as new growth and borrowing forecasts. It could be the last chance for the government to announce significant changes to tax policy before the general election.The Chancellor used his last big fiscal speec ...

How to find someone's assets after death? When someone dies, it is up to their family to locate all the assets that they left behind. Although this task usually falls to the person who will ultimately be the executor of the Will, having a few family members tackle this project together can make it mentally and emotionally easier. Assets include things like bank accounts, savi ...

In our last edition we reported on the reforms set out in the Charities Act 2022 that were due to take effect in the Spring. At the time there was a delay in introducing the changes and we were unable to confirm the date that they took effect from, but we can now confirm that it was 14 June 2023. CCEW has now ensured that its guidance material has been updated for these legisla ...

CCEW has issued revised guidance on Investments following a recent consultation, bringing it up to date for the modern era and ensuring that it reflects recent legal developments such as the recent High Court judgement in the Butler-Sloss case. This guidance is set out in CC14 Investing charity money: guidance for trustees. The key theme of the guidance is the need for trustee ...

Company Directors need to be prepared for a huge change in corporate responsibility due to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, this is a landmark piece of legislation with many implications for UK businesses. One significant change that Companies House will be introducing will be ‘Identity Verification’ for individuals setting up and managing companies with new ...

Over the course of the summer a number of reports have been issued providing an indication of the state of the charity sector in 2023 after the difficulties of the last few years caused by the pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis. In July CCEW published two reports based on research carried out earlier this year. The first addressed public trust in charities, and conc ...