Police are urging anyone with any suspicions about modern slavery to come forward – after officers’ investigations led to the jailing of two men who exploited foreign car wash workers. Detectives say the convictions at Carlisle Crown Court show how these crimes can take place anywhere, with victims sometimes working in public-facing roles. Sitar Ali,
The number of domestic Energy Performance Certificates for new builds has gone up 16% over the last 12 months. This now means 85% of new homes in England and Wales are in the highest energy efficient bands with an energy rating of A or B. EPCs are mandatory for all domestic buildings and provide new
House sales surged to record levels in June as buyers looked to beat the stamp duty deadline. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said an estimated 213,120 sales took place in June – the highest monthly UK total since the introduction of the statistics in April 2005 reports PA. The figure was 216.1% higher than June
Professional jobs are on the up, but the lack of diversity is stalling progression in professional services. Hybrid and flexible working could provide an opportunity to change the current status quo in the legal profession, according to the Law Society of England and Wales. The Social Mobility Commission’s state of the nation report 2021 found
Victims who are homeless due to domestic abuse will be prioritised for accommodation from their council it has been announced Under the government’s landmark Domestic Abuse Act councils will have to find accommodation for people made homeless through domestic abuse, helping to ensure victims do not remain with their abuser for fear of not having a roof
Those from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to face complaints from the regulator than their white colleagues, a study by the Bar Standards Board says. The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has published a new statistical analysis of the outcomes of complaints made about barristers in England and Wales, and the likelihood of barristers being subject to
Changes in the movement of people to and from the European Union, which will come into effect next year, require urgent preparation and clarification, the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has said. In a letter published today to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, the committee refers to two
More Nightingale courts will shut this week, the government has said, despite demands from the legal profession for more court capacity reports the Law Gazette. Courts in Birmingham, Hull, Lancaster, Middlesbrough and Stafford will close at the end of the month. HM Courts & Tribunals Service said it will consider replacement venues in locations where
Companies in England now owe local councils almost £2.5 billion in unpaid business rates, according to new analysis. Many firms have seen their debt piles climb higher over the past year after being forced to shut their doors for long periods or having faced disruption from pandemic restrictions. The Government has offered retail, leisure and
More than 300,000 applications for the EU settlement scheme are waiting to be processed just weeks before the deadline for entries. EU citizens and their families are asked to apply to the Home Office scheme by the end of June, in order to continue living and working in the UK now the Brexit transition period