Member News

The UK’s  has introduced significant changes to inheritance tax (IHT) that could impact estate planning strategies for many families. Understanding these changes is crucial for those looking to protect family wealth and reduce potential tax liabilities.

What Is Inheritance Tax?

Inheritance tax is levied on the estate of a deceased person, including assets like property, money, and possessions. Generally, estates worth over £325,000 are taxed at 40% on the excess, with certain reliefs and exemptions available for qualifying heirs and assets.

Key Budget Updates Affecting Inheritance Tax

1. Threshold Freeze Extended Until 2030 The nil-rate band remains at £325,000, and the residence nil-rate band is capped at £175,000. This freeze means more estates are likely to cross the threshold over time due to rising property values. Families with estates valued close to the threshold may find themselves subject to IHT as a result.
2. Inherited Pensions Now Subject to IHT (From 2027) One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of inherited pensions within the IHT regime, effective April 2027. Previously, pensions passed to heirs tax-free, providing a valuable tax-planning tool. However, this change will require heirs to consider potential tax liabilities on pension assets.
3. Business and Agricultural Relief Adjustments Relief on business and agricultural property has been modified. The first £1 million of assets can still be transferred tax-free. For assets valued over this threshold, relief is now capped at 50%, leading to an effective tax rate of 20% for higher-value estates. This adjustment aims to prevent large estates from bypassing substantial tax while continuing to protect smaller family farms and businesses.

Inheritance Tax Planning Strategies

To mitigate potential tax burdens, there are several effective strategies for reducing the value of taxable estates:

• Professional Advice: Seeking guidance from a solicitor or estate planner can help tailor tax-saving strategies to individual needs, especially given the complexities of the latest budget.
• Gifting: Individuals can gift up to £3,000 annually without affecting their IHT allowance. Additionally, regular gifts from surplus income can also reduce estate values.
• Using Trusts: Trusts allow assets to be managed for the benefit of heirs without adding to the taxable estate, especially useful for larger estates or properties.

Conclusion

With these recent updates, understanding inheritance tax and implementing proactive strategies is more important than ever. For tailored advice on IHT and estate planning, contact Hatch Brenner Solicitors, who can help ensure that your is in line with the latest regulatory changes.

In a recent l the UK High Court allowed Philip Morris to inherit from his wife’s estate, despite his involvement in her assisted death. This judgment has sparked important discussions around the legalities of compassionate end-of-life decisions and the future of inheritance law in the UK. At Hatch Brenner, we are following these developments closely to guide clients in navigating estate planning amid evolving legal standards.

Case Overview and High Court Decision

Myra Morris, who was terminally ill with a degenerative neurological condition, chose assisted dying in Switzerland in late 2023. Her husband Philip accompanied her, honoring her wishes but ultimately facing the risk of forfeiting his inheritance under UK law. Traditionally, UK laws prevent individuals involved in a person’s death from inheriting their estate. However, the court ruled in Philip’s favor, acknowledging the compassionate nature of his actions and the family’s unanimous support for his inheritance rights. This judgment opens up new considerations for cases where individuals accompany loved ones abroad for  and may signal a more nuanced application of the law​.

Implications for the Forfeiture Rule and UK Law

The ruling marks an exception to the forfeiture rule, a legal doctrine designed to prevent individuals implicated in another’s death from benefitting financially. In this case, the court weighed Philip Morris’s compassionate motives, his wife’s explicit wishes, and the support from other beneficiaries, thus granting him his inheritance. The ruling arrives as Parliament is set to debate the Assisted Dying Bill, a proposal that would grant terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to pursue assisted dying under strict regulations​.

Impact on  and Assisted Dying Legislation

For families and legal practitioners, this case underscores the importance of thorough documentation in estate planning, especially when addressing end-of-life choices. The ruling invites greater sensitivity in drafting wills and administering estates in cases involving assisted death, highlighting the need for professional guidance in understanding how a client’s specific circumstances might intersect with inheritance law.

Hatch Brenner is Here to Help

At Hatch Brenner, we understand that navigating inheritance law—especially in sensitive cases involving assisted death—can be challenging.  provides expert support for complex estate planning, ensuring that your final wishes are honored. If you have questions or would like to discuss your estate, please contact us to schedule a confidential consultation.

With your support we can make wishes come true so that children, young people and families can access life-changing creative experiences.

Norwich Theatre receives no regular revenue funding from any public sources. As a registered charity, we rely on the support of our audiences, community of supporters and charitable foundations, along with our commercial activities such as our café, bars and restaurant, to help us deliver our charitable mission.

Our Christmas Appeal provides a great opportunity to use the season of goodwill to raise money to support and grow our charitable activities in the coming year. For five years now our loyal supporters have shared in this tradition, raising nearly £100,000 to help make a difference for those who need it most.

Norwich Theatre’s Christmas Appeal is raising money to make wishes come true so that children, young people and families can access life-changing creative experiences.

This Christmas we are asking for your help to make sure no children, young people or families miss out.

Every donation will help us provide accessible creative activities and remove barriers for families to get creative together, who otherwise might not have the chance.

Why have we chosen this?

Families in Norfolk are facing more challenges than ever before, with thousands struggling to get by. One-third of Norfolk’s children are living in poverty. That’s nine in every classroom. They are feeling more lonely and isolated, with one quarter saying they are “unable to cope with life.”

Creative experiences shape our lives in so many ways. From the stories we read to the shows we see to the music we hear, creativity influences how we make sense of the world, connect with others, and navigate our path through life.

We know creative experiences are fundamental to a great childhood, helping to improve confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and providing children and young people with new skills and abilities. But it’s more than that. They provide a home for families to build community, find support and connect with each other.

What will the money be used for?

The money raised will ensure all children, young people, and their families can access workshops, sessions, and world-class theatre shows.

We will do this by:

• Delivering creative workshops and holiday programmes where children, young people, their parents and carers can explore their creativity through music, drama and dance.

• Offering ‘pay what you can’ activities and reduced price or free tickets for families to make sure cost is not an obstacle to taking part and families are able to experience the magic of theatre together.

• Working with charity partners to reach the children, young people and families who face the most barriers to accessing creative experiences.

How can people support the Appeal?

• Bucket collections / contactless donations:
• All performances at the Playhouse from Tue 3 Dec (A Christmas Carol) to Sun 19 Jan (Karl Minns)
• All performances of Aladdin at Theatre Royal o Contactless donation points will be available for collections at Theatre Royal and Playhouse where people can tap a card to donate £3.
• Collection boxes will be located across Theatre Royal, Playhouse and Stage Two
• Online donations can be made at norwichtheatre.org/christmas-appeal
• Christmas Appeal Raffle for £5 at Box Office or online at norwichtheatre.org/Christmas-appeal-raffle or at the Box Office. Prizes include: £150 Norwich Theatre voucher, three course meal for two in Prelude, Gold Friend membership for one year, Aladdin merchandise bundle.
• Donations across our commercial activities:
• £1 donated for every mince pie purchased in Café Royal
• 50p donated for every mulled cider purchased in Playhouse
• £2 donated for every group dining in Prelude o £1 donation off selected merchandise item.
• Businesses can become Christmas Appeal Partners

Find out more here: https://norwichtheatre.org/christmas-appeal/

Rick Notley has been announced as the new Marketing Manager for Uptech, a leading managed service provider offering IT support, and Premier, a telecoms company specialising in VoIP solutions. With over fifteen years of experience in B2B sales and marketing, Rick brings a wealth of expertise and innovative ideas to the team.

“Bringing Rick onboard has been a breath of fresh air,” said James Fowler, Business Development Manager at Uptech and Premier. “For both businesses, there are some exciting things coming and big plans ahead. Rick’s knowledge will be instrumental in getting the communications out there, reaching our clients, and helping new clients understand our message. It’s a huge change for us, but already I can feel a positive shift in energy around what we’re doing and where we’re going.”

Jason Carlton, Managing Director, added, “It’s a new concept for us, having our own Marketing Manager, but two weeks in, my verdict is absolutely brilliant! Rick is bringing great creative ideas to the table, and it’s really exciting and refreshing. We’ve already started laying out a marketing strategy framework for 2025. With Rick’s wealth of experience and skillset, I can’t wait to see what we achieve together. The synergy between Rick and James is amazing—watch this space!”

Rick’s career spans owning his own marketing agency and working with hundreds of different businesses across various sectors nationwide. This role marks an exciting new chapter, allowing him to bring his expertise into the tech industry.

“I’ve always been passionate about technology, and this opportunity is a perfect fit for me,” said Rick. “Both Uptech and Premier are at an exciting stage of growth, and I’m thrilled to be part of their journey. I’m looking forward to driving forward innovative marketing strategies, revamping content, and exploring new ways to engage with existing and potential clients.”

Rick has already begun working on key projects, including a new CRM implementation, a refresh of the businesses’ marketing messages, and developing the events calendar and exhibition opportunities, setting the stage for an impactful 2025. While keeping specifics under wraps, the team hints at “exciting things in the pipeline.”

With a strong customer-first ethos and a commitment to helping businesses grow and thrive, Uptech and Premier are poised for a dynamic future with Rick onboard.

Jarrolds are proud to announce that they are the winner of the Best Independent Department Store at the Drapers Independents Awards 2024. The judges praised Jarrolds as “a true cornerstone of the city that is innovating and doing something different”.

The awards celebrate independent fashion retailers excelling in areas such as sustainability, innovation and exceptional customer service.

John Adams, our retail managing director at the Jarrold Group, said:

“This award is a testament to how we have continued to stand out in a competitive environment. We are proud of our ability to deliver an unrivalled experience while remaining a beloved destination for our community of shoppers in Norfolk and beyond.

As we look to the future, we are excited to unveil more developments – the upcoming expansion of our spa retreat is the beginning.“

He added: “Our achievements are made possible by the passion, creativity and hard work of colleagues across the store.“

The Drapers Independents Awards

The Drapers Independents Awards celebrate independent fashion retailers across the UK and Ireland which are doing business better – becoming more responsible, sustainable and digital savvy, while offering customers high quality, beautifully designed products, and stellar service.  Judges of the Best Independent Department Store category were looking for: a strong fashion edit and buying strategy appropriate for target customers; high standards of service; an in-store environment that complements the brands on offer; and evidence of a strong business plan and financial success that demonstrates the store is at the top of its game.

Drapers has been the leading authority on fashion retail in the UK and Ireland since 1887.  With an industry leading magazine and online resources, it provides news, analysis, commentary and data and is known as the most trusted, independent, influential voice in fashion retailing.

At last week’s Business Leaders Dinner, Gemma Crane, founder and director of Mindset HR, won the ‘Norfolk’s Future Award’.

Being nominated alone was incredible and so to actually WIN the award has left Gemma completely dumbfounded.

She is eternally grateful for the love, support and friendships that herself and have gained over this past year.

We of course could not have done this without our *amazing* clients and cheerleaders (you know who you are!) since we set up the business.

What a year 2024 has been… we’re now even more excited to further support the future business growth in the region in 2025.

Age Co is the trading arm of Age UK and offers a range of products and services designed to help people make the most of later life. This collaboration aims to improve the lives of older adults in the Norwich community by offering a wide range of products and services designed to promote independence and well-being.

Attleborough based multi-service contractor Anglian, has bolstered its Asbestos division with the return of contracts manager Richard Lambert. New team members have also been recruited, bringing Anglian’s Asbestos division to a total of 10 staff.

With a background in property repair and firefighting. Richard first got into the asbestos industry looking for a career change. Having found his niche, he began to thrive, achieving fast career progression by achieving an ARCA Level 4 Management Diploma qualification. Richard originally joined Anglian in 2013 where he worked until Spring 2024 before going to assist one of Anglian’s sub-contractors, working on-site across a range of Anglian projects. His 11-year career has seen him undertaking some of the most challenging high profile projects including hospitals, education facilities, airfields and military installations.

Richard’s return also coincides with the recruitment of three new asbestos team members including experienced local supervisor, Ashley Petley. Anglian’s Asbestos division now totals 10 staff, including three surveyors.

Richard Lambert, asbestos contracts manager at Anglian, said: “After six months away on-site, I am delighted to be fully back at Anglian. We have built a great and highly experienced team here within our Asbestos division and I am looking forward to getting to work on a vast range of projects to ensure safe, compliant removal for all manner of clients.

A member of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA), Anglian recently received a gold site award, recognising its high performance on site. To gain this award, asbestos removal companies need to achieve Grades A to C, with an average of at least a B Grade, on all unannounced site audits across two consecutive membership years. In the past four years, Anglian has consistently achieved Grade A on all audits.

SEO isn’t magic—it’s strategy, and we’ve got a formula that works! We recently worked with a well-known holiday lodge company that wanted to boost their visibility online. The goal? Get their website ranking on Page 1 of Google for the keywords their customers were searching for.

🔑 Our Strategy:

– Keyword Research: We identified the search terms their target audience was actually using to find holiday lodges.

– On-Page Optimisation: We fine-tuned their website content to match those keywords seamlessly (without keyword stuffing).

– Technical SEO: From improving site speed to fixing backend issues, we made their website Google-friendly.

– Off-Page SEO: We built high-quality backlinks to boost their authority and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines.

🚀 The Results?

They’re now on Page 1 of Google for 6 competitive keywords, bringing in targeted traffic and potential customers directly to their site.

💡 Want to see results like this for your business?

Our proven SEO strategies are designed to help businesses just like yours get found online. If you’re ready to stop being invisible and start driving real results, DM us or visit our website today.

Let’s make your business the go-to in your industry!

Affordable Monthly SEO

Age UK Norwich and the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) have released a powerful new video aimed at healthcare professionals to raise awareness about the growing issue of frailty and falls in Norfolk.

Imagine this: your competitors are pushing Christmas promotions, their social media is buzzing with festive cheer, their Google Ads are converting like mince pies on Christmas Eve – while you’re
scrambling to throw together last-minute marketing. Ouch. 😅

Don’t get left behind this Christmas season! Smash Marketing has got the perfect Christmas
marketing packages for small businesses! 🎅

From Google Ads that target festive shoppers to SEO that gets your site noticed, social media campaigns full of Christmas spirit, and email marketing that delivers those perfect holiday offers,
they’ll help you make the most of this busy season.

Get in touch with Smash Marketing today or click below to find out about their affordable marketing
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https://smashmarketing.co.uk/marketing-packages/

We’re thrilled to announce that our client, Rhino Security, has been featured in The Times’ annual Best of Homes & Gardens feature. This special edition pullout was included in every copy of The Times last weekend, nationwide, and we couldn’t be prouder of the incredible Rhino Security team. 

It’s a fantastic way to cap off an incredible year for Rhino, who have grown from strength to strength. We are so chuffed with our client and what we’ve accomplished together over the past year.

What is Best of Homes & Gardens?

Published in the November 23rd issue of The Times, Best of Homes & Gardens is a vibrant, full-colour pullout. It showcases top UK businesses offering standout products and services for homeowners, including Rhino Security.

This double-page spread features a curated selection of offerings for homes and gardens, from decor and accessories to tools, gadgets, and innovative interior and exterior design solutions. The feature provides businesses like Rhino with an incredible platform to connect with UK homeowners looking to enhance the value, aesthetics and security of their properties.

The Times boasts a daily readership of 1 million, with over 60% actively investing in their properties. Best of Homes & Gardens is an essential source of inspiration for those seeking premium solutions to renovate, improve, or secure their homes.

Protecting what matters most

Rhino Security specialises in creating robust, efficient and visually appealing security solutions tailored to homeowners and businesses alike. Whether you’re securing a driveway, protecting valuable dealership stock or deterring unauthorised parking, security posts and barriers from Rhino are designed to deliver peace of mind.

Driveway security that adds value

Rhino’s driveway bollards provide an effective deterrent against vehicle theft. Thieves often avoid properties with visible bollards due to the risk of vehicle damage when attempting to bypass these sturdy barriers. Across the UK, Rhino has installed countless bollards, helping homeowners sleep soundly, knowing their vehicles are protected.

Protecting businesses and showrooms

For dealerships and showrooms, perimeter bollards are essential. Vehicle stock represents a significant investment, and bollards provide a formidable defence. In one instance, CCTV footage captured thieves failing to steal a Range Rover from a London dealership, thanks to Rhino’s expertly installed bollards.

Transforming public spaces

In public spaces, unauthorised parking can be a persistent issue. Rhino assisted a theatre in Great Yarmouth, where locals frequently parked in their outdoor area to avoid nearby carpark fees. Their stainless steel bollards and outdoor benches not only eliminated the issue but also enhanced the space’s aesthetic appeal. You can view this remarkable transformation in their theatre case study.

A fantastic result for our client

Being featured by The Times is an incredible honour for Rhino Security. It reinforces their goal of delivering top-tier products and services to homeowners and businesses across the UK. This recognition motivates them to continue striving for excellence in everything they do.

Helping you achieve results

We’ve been working with Rhino Security on their online presence since December 2023, assisting with their SEO and content marketing strategy to help them reach more customers. It has been a joy to work with Rhino Security throughout 2024, and we look forward to celebrating many more achievements with them in future.

If you’d like to see more results like these for your own small business, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re a friendly and knowledgeable bunch here at Nu Image, and we’ll work with you to tailor the perfect online marketing strategy to get you seen by the right people. Give us a ring on 01603 859007 for a chat today.