Blog
The FCA’s Enforcement Watch 2 and what it means for the financial services industry
James Alleyne
21 April 2026
Protecting your UAE assets: the role of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Wills in international estate planning
In an increasingly mobile world, many individuals now hold assets across multiple jurisdictions while living somewhere entirely different from where they were born or began their careers. Despite growing awareness of international estate planning, it is still surprisingly common for expatriates and former UAE residents to assume that their English Will will automatically govern succession of everything they own worldwide. In practice, that assumption can lead to delay, uncertainty and unintended outcomes—particularly where assets are located in countries with very different succession frameworks.
17 April 2026
Moving to the UK from the US? Plan before you pack
A move to the UK from the US often begins with practicalities such as visas and travel arrangements, but those steps are only the start. From a tax perspective, the more important issue is not the date of arrival, but when UK tax residence is triggered. That question is governed by strict rules and, for many US individuals, the answer is far less intuitive than expected.
14 April 2026
Bricks, mortar and a bigger tax bill: What international property owners need to know about UK real estate in 2026
UK property has long been a magnet for international wealth. From prime London townhouses to rural estates, buyers from across the globe have regarded British real estate as a safe, prestige asset class. But the tax landscape has shifted dramatically, and for those owning or acquiring UK property from overseas, the rules are now considerably more complex — and more expensive.
11 December 2025
From Separation to Succession: Protecting your Pets
According to the PDSA’s 2024 report on pet populations, over 51% of UK adults currently own a pet. To many their pets are not “just pets”, but beloved family members and a core part of their family unit. If something unforeseen should happen in the future, most would want the best for their pets. Often, however, when an unplanned major live event happens, such as a divorce or the death of a pet owner, thought has not been given to what should happen to the pets.
9 December 2025
Infected Blood Scandal and IHT treatment following the recent Budget
While the Autumn Budget brought tax rises and gloom for some, it delivered relief and comfort to the victims and families of the Infected Blood Scandal, as the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that she would “exempt all payments from the Infected Blood scheme from inheritance tax (‘IHT’) regardless of the circumstances in which those payments are passed down”. This decision finally resolves a longstanding technical ‘secondary transfer’ flaw that had created a secondary injustice for affected families. The changes ensure that compensation awarded for a public failure will no longer be diminished by unfair taxation.
