Bereaved families being denied mortgage holidays

Bereaved families and struggling homeowners being denied mortgage holidays By Money Mail Reporter For The Daily Mail Published: 22:01 BST, 4 August 2020 | Updated: 22:01 BST, 4 August 2020 Struggling homeowners are being refused more time off mortgage payments, despite the banks being under orders to support customers through the pandemic. Banking trade body … Read more

How can the agony for bereaved families and victims in high-profile court cases get even worse?

Victim: 21-year-old Hull University student Libby Squire was raped and murdered More than 17 months have passed since Hull University student Libby Squire was raped and murdered after a night out with friends, and at every juncture in this horrific case her parents’ agony has been exacerbated by the torment of waiting. For seven long … Read more

Banks are ‘handing £100k-plus to bereaved relatives without probate’

Lawyers are raising the alarm about banks releasing vast sums to bereaved relatives who have no legal authority over a loved one’s finances. A ‘wild west’ scenario is allowing people to access amounts of £100,000-plus without getting probate, an important step to gain control over a deceased person’s assets, they say. Financial institutions should adopt … Read more

VICTORIA BISCHOFF: Betrayal of the bereaved

Over the past few chaotic months, banks, insurers and utility providers have rightly prioritised customers most in need of urgent financial help. But that has led to others falling by the wayside, including the recently bereaved. It is painfully evident that it’s never been more vital for firms to have a fully staffed, thoroughly trained … Read more

Probate wait hits two months: Bereaved families facing long delays

Probate wait hits two months: Bereaved families facing long delays to gain control loved one’s finances By Fiona Parker For The Daily Mail Published: 22:13 BST, 9 June 2020 | Updated: 22:13 BST, 9 June 2020 Probate applications should usually take ten days, but social distancing measures mean staff process forms remotely Bereaved families are … Read more

Bereaved families MUST be allowed to attend funerals, Communities Secretary says

Bereaved families must be allowed to attend the funerals of loved ones, the Communities Secretary said last night. In new government guidance, councils have been instructed to find innovative ways to enable ‘many’ close relatives to attend funerals in person. Robert Jenrick has also instructed local councils to open cemeteries so mourners can visit graves, … Read more