Couples Use Prenuptial Agreements to Cover Pet Custody Issues
New research from Direct Line Pet Insurance has revealed that as many as 28% of people would consider putting a prenuptial agreement in place to cover custody of their pets in the event that a relationship breaks down. A ‘pet-nuptial’ is a deed of agreement between the parties who set out clearly what will happen […]
Gender Differences in House Buying
Having a joint mortgage is a bigger commitment than marriage, according to 40% of British adults. New research by Zoopla also revealed that couples are together for an average of three years, three months and 12 days before they commit to buying a property together. The research found evidence of gender differences when it comes […]
Calls for Revolution in Retirement Housing
There could be a retirement housing gap of 160,000 houses by 2030 if more isn’t done to focus on last time buyers, according to new research by the International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC-UK). The think tank has called on the Government to ensure thousands of new retirement properties are built as a matter of […]
Study Highlights Problem of Family Instability
A new study has claimed that the UK has one of the highest rates of family instability in the developed world. According to pro-marriage think tank Marriage Foundation, the study shows that three in five (62%) British children born to unmarried parents who are living together experience family breakdown before they hit their teens. In […]
House Price Index Reveals Annual Price Rise
The average price of a property in Scotland in November 2016 was £143,033, according to the latest UK House Price Index. This is an increase of 3.3% on the previous year and an increase of 1.5% when compared to the previous month. Across the whole of the UK, the average house price was £217,928 in […]
Possibility of Divorce Affects Inheritance Planning
As many as one in three parents are apparently reluctant to leave an inheritance to their married children, because they fear the relationship will end in divorce and ultimately result in assets leaving the immediate family. The study, by Investec Wealth & Investment, found that 12% of parents said their children’s marriages had already broken […]
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax “operationally successful”
A recent report by the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee has concluded that the country’s transition to the new Land & Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) was ‘operationally successful’. However, the report goes on to say that it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions on the impact of LBTT rates and bands after […]
Figures Reveal Fall in Divorce Numbers
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed a fall in the number of divorces that took place in England and Wales during 2014. The figures show that: According to the ONS, the fall in divorces is consistent with a decline in the number of marriages over the same period. The […]
Removing Barriers to Co-Parenting
Researchers in the US have recently looked at how concerns about parenting behaviour can affect the ability of divorced parents to co-parent. The study, from the University of Missouri, found that fathers and mothers have differing concerns about co-parenting, and these concerns can impact on their ability to jointly raise their children. The researchers believe […]
Parents Pay Premium to Live in Best Catchment Areas
New research from Bank of Scotland has revealed that Scottish parents are prepared to pay a premium of as much as £80,000 on average to live in the catchment area of a top performing state school. According to the research, the average cost of a house near one of Scotland’s Top 20 performing state schools […]