Member News

The Inheritance and Trustee Powers Act 2014 (ITPA 2014) has changed the rules relating to intestacy as of today (1st October 2014) resulting in a more favourable distribution to spouses and civil partners.

INTESTACY

A person dies intestate if they die without leaving a valid will which distributes their entire estate. Intestacy can take many forms such as: •Lack of a will •Presence of a will which has not been executed properly and is therefore invalid •Presence of a will which has been executed properly, but has been revoked by an action of the deceased such as marriage or divorce •Presence of a will which does not deal with all of the deceased’s assets (partial intestacy)

In circumstances where an individual dies intestate, their estate will pass in accordance with the intestacy rules. Under the intestacy rules, certain members of the deceased’s family will take a share in his or her estate.

CHANGES TO THE RULES

The ITPA 2014 comes into force today and makes the following changes to the intestacy rules:

Deceased dies leaving a surviving spouse or civil partner but no children: Before the ITPA 2014 a surviving spouse or civil partner was entitled to a “statutory legacy” of £450,000 inheritance tax free. The rest of the estate would then be divided between other members of the deceased’s family such as parents or siblings.

Under the new rules a surviving spouse or civil partner will inherit the entirety of their deceased partner’s estate where there are no surviving children.

Deceased dies leaving a surviving spouse and children: Under the old rules a surviving spouse or civil partner was entitled to a statutory legacy of £250,000 and was entitled to receive the income from one half of the remainder of the deceased’s estate. The deceased’s children were entitled to the other half of the remainder of the deceased’s estate absolutely (on reaching the age of eighteen).

Under the new rules, a deceased’s surviving spouse or civil partner will receive a statutory legacy of £250,000 inheritance tax free in addition to one half of the remainder of the deceased’s estate absolutely (as opposed to just the income from half of the estate), and the children are entitled to the other half of the deceased’s remaining estate on trust until they are eighteen.

The statutory legacy of £250,000 will now also increase at least every 5 years in accordance with consumer price index. Previously there have been only been sporadic increases in the statutory legacy.

IS THIS A POSITIVE CHANGE?

The opinion on this change is varied.

By allowing surviving spouses or civil partners access to only the income of one half of the deceased’s estate under the old rules, a trust was created. There was therefore no access to the capital in the trust until the second spouse had died. The trust created by the old rules may also lead to spouses needing to sue their children in order to keep their marital home. It is clear then that the new rules are effective in simplifying the intestacy process.

The new rules obviously favour the surviving spouse or civil partner and many think this is a positive change. As professionals involved with drafting wills we very often see spouses and civil partners leave their entire estates to one another. It could therefore be argued that the new rules still do not make enough provision for surviving spouses or civil partners.

Alternatively, it has been argued that the new rules put too much emphasis on the rights of surviving spouses and civil partners and not enough focus on children, who stand to lose out as a result of the ITPA 2014. This feeling of injustice for children is often exacerbated when the spouse due to benefit under the new rules is the result of the deceased’s second or third marriage.

The ITPA 2014 also makes no provision at all for common law couples.

Whether you think the changes are positive or negative, they cannot suit everybody. The intestacy rules exist for when things go wrong, and should not be relied upon to make provision for your family. By executing a valid will you are able to distribute your estate in any way you wish and need not concern yourself with the adequacy of intestacy rules set out by the Government.

5 April 2015 will see a radical change to the way parents can elect to take time off work following the birth of their baby, or the placement of an adoptive child.

The new system of shared parental leave was introduced under the Children and Families Act 2014, with the intention of giving parents more flexibility in how to share the care of their child in the first year following birth or adoption.

In summary:

• The new scheme will apply to parents of children born or placed for adoption on or after 5 April 2015. From that date, the existing additional paternity leave scheme will be abolished; the existing system of maternity and adoption leave and ordinary paternity leave (two weeks’ leave around the time of birth) will remain in place.
• The period of shared parental leave available is 50 weeks, less the period of maternity or adoption leave already taken by the mother/adopter.
• Shared parental leave can be paid at the statutory rate for a maximum of 37 weeks, less the period of statutory maternity or adoption pay already received.
• In order to take shared parental leave, the mother/adopter must give a minimum of eight weeks’ notice to curtail her maternity/adoption leave. Either or both parents can then opt in to the shared parental leave scheme.
• Eligible employees may request a single or multiple periods of leave, and leave may be taken either consecutively or concurrently with the other parent. A minimum of eight weeks’ notice must be given in respect of each period of leave, with a maximum of three notifications per employee.
• Employees will be able to take up to 20 ‘keeping in touch’ days each during shared parental leave, in addition to any KIT days taken during maternity or adoption leave.

The new system of shared parental leave is likely to prove complicated to administer in practice, although it remains to be seen how popular it will be for employees.

Whilst it only takes effect from April 2015, employees who fell pregnant from summer 2014 onwards are likely to qualify for the new scheme, meaning that employers should start thinking about revisiting their existing maternity, adoption and paternity leave policies.

Employers who offer enhanced contractual maternity pay will need to consider whether to offer enhanced shared parental pay to an employee who opts to take shared parental leave. There is no requirement under the legislation for employers to do so, although they may risk a claim under the Equality Act 2010 if men taking shared parental leave are not paid an equivalent rate to women on maternity leave.

In a recent decision, an employment tribunal has considered whether an employer’s failure to pay enhanced paternity pay, when they had a policy of paying enhanced maternity pay, was discriminatory towards men.

The tribunal dismissed the employee’s claim of direct sex discrimination, but it was conceded that the payment of enhanced maternity pay was indirectly discriminatory towards male employees who took paternity leave. However, the tribunal was satisfied that the policy was justified since the employer (Ford Motor Company) could show that it formed part of a wider campaign to encourage the recruitment and retention of female staff in a traditionally male-dominated sector.

Whilst only a first level decision and not binding on other tribunals, this decision provides an interesting illustration of how tribunals might deal with the question of whether paying shared parental pay at the statutory rate amounts to indirect sex discrimination, if the employer pays enhanced maternity pay.

Employment law experts from Steeles Law will be providing a detailed overview of the new system of shared parental leave at the forthcoming HR Forum on 12 November 2014, from 2pm to 4.30pm at Dunston Hall.

Abellio Greater Anglia has recognised employees at its Customer Contact Centre for delivering excellent customer service which saw them score top marks in a recent ‘mystery shopping’ survey.

Amanda Green and Estelle Christie, both from Norwich, work in the train operator’s Customer Contact Centre in Norwich as Customer Relations Advisors and were praised for their friendly, helpful and professional manner when dealing with customers’ enquiries on the telephone.

Both received a score of 100% for excellent customer service when secretly assessed by mystery shoppers whilst carrying out their duties – Amanda’s eighth 100% score in the last two years!

Amanda has clocked up 23 years’ service with the railway since joining at the age of 19 and working first as an On Train Catering Assistant and then in Retail Communications as a Train Announcer before joining the Customer Relations team.

Customer Relations Supervisor, John Nelson, said:

“It’s great to have received such positive feedback for our team members. As a department we’ve been working really hard to ensure that we provide the best level of service to all of our customers and this is an excellent example of how it can be done. I’d like to extend my congratulations and thanks to Amanda and Estelle for their commitment and effort, and for leading the way in the provision of great customer service.”

Customer service and quality standards at Abellio Greater Anglia stations are assessed on a regular basis and Amanda and Estelle achieved their perfect scores when assessed as part of a recent mystery shopping exercise carried out between 17th August and 13th September 2014.

Andrew Goodrum, Abellio Greater Anglia’s Customer Services Director, said:

“Since the Abellio Greater Anglia franchise began, we have been concentrating our efforts on improving the customer experience; one important element of this is to give our staff additional training, enabling them to provide the best service possible for the over two million passengers a week using our services in London and the East Anglia region.”

Centrum, Norwich Research Park’s research, innovation and business hub is the ideal location for the new private investor network, giving the company direct access to the movers and shakers at the Park and beyond.

According to Struan McDougall, Chief Executive of Anglia Capital Group “The agri-tech, food, life sciences, engineering and energy sectors, all vital for future economic prosperity, are experiencing rapid growth in the region.” Capitalising on this rich seam of opportunity is a primary reason why the company has chosen to base themselves within Norwich Research Park’s new hub building, Centrum.

Anglia Capital Group is a private investor network developed to link angel investors to the right opportunities in Norfolk and Suffolk. The group is managed by Anglia Angels Ltd, a company established by founders and local Norfolk based members of the successful Cambridge Capital Group, which has grown to 60 member investors and supports high tech businesses around the Cambridge cluster. Through this relationship with Cambridge Capital Group, Anglia Capital Group is already well connected with most active investment funds in the region.

Struan is confident of the benefits of being based at Norwich Research Park and feels it is the ideal location for Anglia Capital Group to have a presence, placing them at the centre of the innovative science and research taking place on the Park, in addition to facilitating easy access to other high growth sectors such as engineering, energy and digital technology that are thriving in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Struan commented of the move: “We are delighted to take space in the new Centrum building at Norwich Research Park. It is a true ‘hub’ building with open access for all based at the Park as well as welcoming visitors from off site – an essential ingredient when looking to build and establish new connections and relationships. The state-of-the-art meeting rooms are extremely versatile, allowing us to hold investor and potential applicant meetings as well as larger events for our members and the look and feel of Centrum certainly gives the right impression from our perspective. In addition, and importantly for our business, being located at Centrum gives usdirect access to all the key decision makers within the management team and wider institutions on the Park.”

Centrum is the new hub building located at the heart of Norwich Research Park. Centrum’s two upper floors provide customisable laboratory and office suites on flexible lease terms ideal for growing companies who wish to enjoy the benefits of being located alongside the innovative businesses and cutting edge research institutes already located at the Park. The ground floor is home to impressive meeting and networking facilities, as well as a 140 seat contemporary restaurant and café, all of which is open to both Park residents and visitors alike.

Dr Sally Ann Forsyth CEO of Norwich Research Park says that Anglia Capital Group are a well timed addition to the Park. She adds:

“Recognition of Norwich Research Park as a nationally and internationally important centre of excellence for bioscience, both academically and commercially is tremendously exciting. The commercialisation and application of the impressive science and research being developed at the Park is a key driver in our success and having a direct source of early stage funding available on site via Anglia Capital Group, with a proven track record in delivery is very encouraging for our institutions and businesses.

“Anglia Capital Group epitomises what our new hub building, Centrum, is all about. Face to face interactions are an intrinsic part of how they do business and Centrum’s facilities and location within Norwich Research Park provides the ideal platform for forming these long lasting relationships.”

Struan endorses this view: “Some crowdfunding is done online these days. While these are useful tools for some small investors, they do not allow for the benefits of face to face discussions required by serious business angels to really understand the potential in a business and the passion of those involved in it.

“We already feel part of the Norwich Research Park community and look forward to supporting great businesses in the region.”

SSCS have been shortlisted for the British Business Awards 2014 (hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce in China and China-Britain Business Council) and are one of 5 finalists for the category “GREAT British Product”.

Please show your support by voting for us at https://www.britishbusinessawards.cn/voting/

On the 18th of September, a joint celebration marked the official start of the Swarm Apprenticeships into Suffolk and the Fresh Aspirations Forum, an initiative helping young people fulfil their potential.

Addressing an audience that included councillors, youth leaders and EADT editor Terry Hunt, Robert Ashton and Chris Perry, of Swarm, explained their aim to offer young people entrepreneurial apprenticeships in a business setting “It’s fantastic to bring Swarm back to the place where for me the original idea of Swarm was conceived. It was during an apprenticeship focus group right here at the Framlingahm Technology centre that the concept of was born after hearing the feedback from the businesses taking part in the group.” Robert Ashton said.

Robert Ashton then went on to talk about the Swarm journey so far and introduced Chris Perry who had been recently appointed as Swarms new Managing Director. “Being a Swarm apprentice is about showing innovation, ability, aspiration and desire – not just following orders. said Chris Perry. “We coach our Enterprise apprentices to develop an intrepreneurial mind-set by encoraging them to want to stand out from the crowd, be proactive and think creatively about their approach to a task”,he added.

Ends

Digital marketing agency, Bigfork, have substantially increased online enquiries in a digital campaign for Norfolk based house builder, Abel Homes. Bigfork were appointed to design a new website and carry out digital marketing for Abel Homes who have developments in Shipdham and Watton.

“Our brief was to market new homes in Norfolk for Abel Homes by targeting people in East Anglia and the South East. We successfully carried out search engine optimisation and pay per click campaigns using Google Adwords, Bing and Facebook which has generated over 300 quality enquiries so far,” says Mark Ellaway, a Bigfork Director.

Nearly all the homes have now been sold at both developments and Abel Homes are launching a new development, ‘Swan’s Nest’ in Swaffham, in 2015. “Working with Abel Homes has been a real pleasure. They are a family owned, local firm who have shown that they can compete with regional & national builders by building traditional and contemporary homes, that come with a full range of energy efficient features and a choice of fitted kitchens as standard.” added Mark.

You can see more details about the campaign at the Bigfork website and more details about Abel Homes at www.abelhomes.co.uk

Bigfork – we make websites stand out T:01603 513080www.bigfork.co.uk

The National Franchise Exhibition is one of the largest franchise events in the UK franchise calendar each year. The exhibitors include a range of franchise companies from a wide variety of different industries together with franchise specialist consultants and legal and financial franchise experts. The National Franchise Exhibition is exclusively supported by the British Franchise Association (bfa).

Leathes Prior’s dedicated Franchising Team will be at Stand L150 over the course of the two-day exhibition and will be providing advice on the legalities of franchising. Ed Savory, partner and head of the Franchising Team, will also be giving a seminar on ‘What to Consider When Choosing a Franchise’ on Saturday 4 October at 10.30am.

If you are considering franchising your business and would like to talk to a member of our Franchising Team, please contact us on 01603 610911 or visit us at the Exhibition on Stand L150.

If you would like more information about the upcoming National Franchise Exhibition, including free advance tickets, please visit the Franchise Info website www.franchiseinfo.co.uk

September has arrived. As children start a new school year, many offices come alive once again with employees making plans for the next quarter.

As we get back into the swing of things, filling our diaries with meetings and new projects, it is essential not to neglect our wellbeing. Why? Because our health underpins everything we do. Your mental, emotional and physical fitness is key to building your career, and positive wellbeing is connected to good business.

So, if you want to be a success at work, you need to make sure that you are staying on top form. And with around 170 million working days lost every year through ill health, you can also keep your sick leave to a minimum, maintaining an excellent attendance record.

Leading East of England recruitment consultancy firm, Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure), often advises job seekers and workers on the importance of wellbeing for professional performance. Grab your notebook and jot down some of Pure’s tips on keeping your wellbeing wonderful:

1. One o’clock workout Use your lunch hour to improve your fitness and work away any stress you may have built up during the morning. It is very easy to stay at your desk, but taking a break can actually boost your productivity. Try Zumba, yoga or speed-walking – whatever you opt for, make the most of your break and recharge your batteries for the afternoon ahead.

2. Nip worries in the bud Personal worries can impact how well you do at work. If you are going through a tough time, you could benefit from talking to a counsellor. Your employer may already offer free counselling, if not, look for a professional who is qualified to help. Sharing your problems can help free up your mental energy so you can fully focus on work and home life again.

3. Make posture your priority If you are suffering from back issues, shoulder problems or headaches, you may need to look at how you sit at your desk. It is very easy to unintentionally get into bad habits; slouching, cradling the phone handset between your chin and shoulder, or looking down on your computer screen can all impact your health. Your HR team should be able to look at your desk set-up, or they may even invite an expert into the office to help you manage chronic problems.

4. Request flexible working In June this year all workers were given the right to request flexible working from their employer. It is not guaranteed that you will get it, but it is always worth asking. Being able to flex your hours, or work from home and other locations can work wonders for your wellbeing. Whether it is the simple change of scenery or the comfort of working in your own living room, it can help lessen stress levels and it can even encourage more creative thinking.

5. Be selective with snacks Since food plays a huge role in our health, boosting your nutrition can only support your performance at work. Certain foods can boost concentration levels and help you stay alert for longer. So, avoid sugar-laden treats and caffeine that can cause sugar crashes and lead to fatigue, and opt for tasty, wholesome options instead. Top tip: stock up each week so you do not run out (and give in to the temptation of the vending machine)!

6. Take on a pro bono project Does your workplace have a charity partner? Are there any opportunities to support the organisation’s work? These days many businesses offer free expert advice to not-for-profits, so enquire with your manager about opportunities. Giving something back is immensely rewarding and it gives you a welcome break from the daily routine.

About Pure Resourcing Solutions Founded in 2002, Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure) is a leading and innovative recruitment consultancy firm in the East of England. Employing more than 65 staff across four regional offices in Cambridge (head office), Ipswich, Norwich and Chelmsford, Pure offers clients and candidates recruitment services that go above and beyond the industry norm.

Growing from a specialist accountancy recruitment business, Pure now provides temporary and permanent recruitment services for accountancy, executive, financial services, human resources, marketing and professional office support, and from September 2014, IT. Pure provides services such as assessment centres, proficiency testing, psychometric testing, training, salary benchmarking and coaching. Not only that, but the firm runs business seminars and workshops for clients throughout the year, and is very active in charity support.

From major FTSE 100 corporates, regional companies and SMEs, to charities and public sector bodies, many clients have made Pure its recruitment consultancy of choice. Find out more: www.prs.uk.com.

Pure’s Initiatives • Compare My Salary, the UK’s first ever live, peer-to-peer salary comparison website. • Women’s Leadership Programme is unique, offering aspiring female professionals a wonderful opportunity to develop their careers using a dual approach. Participants learn new skills, and are also supported by senior sponsors, who usually come from the delegates’ own organisations. • Best Employer initiative is run by Pure and eras ltd. It promotes employee engagement and identifies the region’s best employers with a survey, awards, seminars and a festival.

If you would like to find out more, contact Anna Hill, Pure’s Marketing Manager, for more information: anna.hill@prs.uk.com or 01223 209888.

Brent Council did. UEA graduate Leeana Pitt contacted UEA’s Research and Enterprise Services to help with a customer service training need in 2013.

Leanna was put in touch with *Cast, UEA’s role-play services company, who were asked to deliver a series of 22 role-play sessions aimed at improving the communication skills of Brent’s social workers.

The resultant training was such a resounding success that Brent Council saw an increase in ‘excellent’ customer experiences from 58 to 73 per cent with no poor customer experiences recorded at all after the sessions.

The Customer Service training, which received consistently positive feedback from the delegates, was based on a review of the current performance of a group of 200 social workers, care assessors and contact agents. The review highlighted the need for a more reflective social care practice when communicating with customers, and the importance of a diverse ability to adapt communication styles depending on the needs, age, and culture of the client.

*Cast works with businesses to deliver communication, presentation and customer service skills training by providing realistic, simulated customer-service environments. The commercial company, led by Val Taylor of UEA’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, employs students, graduates and professional actors to perform scripted role-play scenarios built around each company’s specific needs.

“Cast were professional, flexible and co-operative to work with. They delivered an excellent quality of service and talented actors, who worked hard to meet our specific requirements to ensure the sessions were as successful as possible.” Leeana Pitt, Team Manager, Brent Council.

*Cast is just one area where UEA has been able to help an organisation find a business solution, to find out how we can help you, contact business@uea.ac.uk, or +44 (0)1603 591578 or visit our website.

The University of East Anglia (UEA) has leapt to 14th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015, its highest ever position in this well-respected league table.

According to the guide: “The University of East Anglia is seldom outside the top 10 in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide analysis of the National Student Survey (NSS) – and this year is no exception, ranking fifth in the UK for student satisfaction. Its 15,000 students appear to like the scale of this relatively small campus university, as well as the quality of its courses and the accessibility of staff.”

The guide also highlighted the university’s world-leading Creative Writing programme, its fast-developing health studies schools, and UEA’s sharpened focus on employability with a strategy that promotes the development of the academic and wider skills that employers demand through the curriculum.

Vice-Chancellor Prof David Richardson said: “It is extremely pleasing to see the hard work of staff and students recognised with this tremendous result.

“Over the past few years we have firmly established UEA in the top 20 of UK universities and we will continue that upward trajectory. Delivering a first class student experience, combined with internationally-renowned research and teaching, is key to our high position in the league tables, and I look forward to our continued success in the years to come.”

The results are the latest league table success for UEA, following a climb to 14th in the Guardian League Table, 15th in the Complete University Guide and a second year in the top 3 of the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey.

This is the second year that the Sunday Times and Times have published combined league tables.

www.uea.ac.uk

As more and more organisations are relying heavily on technology, we at Pure think it’s great that increasing numbers of IT professionals are climbing the ladder to senior jobs. And let’s face it – we all need these masters of tech to make sure our workplaces tick over nicely!

The days of IT experts being recruited just for their niche skillset are fast becoming history. For example, in the USA organisations are recruiting more tech-savvy people into top roles so they can have more input into high-level decisions.

As we launch our new IT recruitment division (you should check out the fantastic IT Manager job in Ipswich, by the way), we’re feeling positive about technologists’ careers. In fact, we think they can bring huge benefits to organisations when they’re one of the head honchos! So, this week, we’re looking at how these very talented people can influence the success of your workplace.

1. Keeping you safe from harm Digital technology is key to our economy but, unfortunately, threats from cyberspace have become a serious issue. Whether it’s hacking into databases to source confidential information, or to simply cause glitches, having an IT security expert at the top can help protect an organisation from serious damage.

2. Networking know-how Whether it’s email, video calls or file sharing, sending and receiving information over digital networks is now the norm. With workplace communications becoming more ‘techy’, having someone at the top who understands the complexities is enormously helpful. Of course, it’s not just about trouble-shooting. A chief with tech knowledge could also have a deeper understanding of how and why networks need to constantly improve to keep up with the fast-paced changes of industry.

3. Making sensible investments It’s no fun working with an unreliable internet connection when superfast broadband could boost productivity! That’s why it’s great to have an IT guru at senior level, who’s able to input into big spending decisions on new technology. It can be a long-term investment, so a senior specialist can use budget wisely, based on their knowledge of the market, and what works for the organisation.

4. IT acumen is good for custom Getting technology right isn’t just about how your people work – it also influences your customers’ experiences. And since everyone’s much more tech-savvy nowadays, it’s an important issue that IT workers need to consider. They know that out-of-date systems can impact an organisation’s efficiency and the customer experience. Having a senior-level IT pro’ on the board could improve how you engage with your customers, and possibly lead to more business!

5. Handling ‘Big Data’ If you’re in IT or marketing, you’ve probably come across this industry buzzword a lot recently. Basically, ‘Big Data’ is huge amounts of complex data (e.g. customer details, social media, website statistics) that traditional databases struggle to process and store safely. And since data informs how we approach business, it needs to be handled very carefully, and employees need to be able to get to it easily.

This is now a huge challenge for organisations of all kinds, and it’s fast becoming clear that IT experts in strategic, decision-making roles can help tackle the problem.

This is just a short list of the ways IT experts can boost business if they’re in top jobs. After all, it’s good for them, their organisations and our economy.

Find your very own tech guru today! Contact Pure’s Associate Director, Scott Woodrow on 07879 841 906 or email: scott@prs.uk.com, who takes care of IT jobs in the East of England.