Autism and Employment

Whilst Autism and more generally, ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are widely recognised as developmental disabilities, this does not mean that they are widely accepted or understood by U.K. employers. In order to fully accept those on the Autism Spectrum, it is crucial that people begin to educate themselves (and others) on the disability wholly. A key starting point is understanding that every person on the spectrum is unique and therefore has their own individual needs. Despite those with ASD experiencing many similar traits, each person will be affected by their disability differently. There is no ‘one adjustment helps all’ approach that can be taken by employers who are looking to create a better environment for their ASD employees. In a recent case of mine, the employer argued that they had provided reasonable adjustments for their autistic…

Is now a good time for first-time buyers?

  If you are looking to own your first home, you may wonder whether or not now is a good time to buy. On the one hand, the increase in property prices seems finally to have stalled. On the other, living costs and interest rates have risen sharply. Add to this the uncertain economic outlook, and it is hard to decide what to do for the best. Nobody knows for certain what the future holds. For most people, their home is a long-term commitment, and it is important to see things in perspective. Whether you decide to buy now, or to wait, there is a lot to consider. We outline some of the key considerations for first-time buyers. Plan your finances well in advance Building up savings can reduce the amount you need to borrow and…

Employment law risks when keeping clients happy

The client is king and businesses will usually do anything they can to keep and grow clients, but not everyone is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion at the same pace. This can create some tricky dilemmas. Should an employer accommodate a client’s discriminatory preferences? And does the employer have a duty to protect employees from discriminatory clients? ‘Employers can sometimes find themselves in the difficult position of wanting to keep a client happy, but also needing to protect their employees. The law in this area is a mix of seemingly contradictory provisions,’ says Kalpesh Nakeshree, Head of Employment Law with Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby & Malton. Kalpesh offers guidance and practical tips for dealing with this type of scenario and he also looks at the potential impact of clients rewarding diversity and…

A record amount of charity donations were included in Wills in 2022

According to recent data, 2022 saw a record amount of bequests to charities. Of the 231,582 wills that Smee & Ford handled, 36,992, or nearly 16%, contained a gift to a charity. The overall amount of charitable estates was higher than Smee & Ford's forecast of £20 billion from September, coming in at £21.3 billion, the highest amount ever. The total number of individual bequests within charitable estates awarded probate in 2022—123,298 in England and Wales—was also the highest amount ever recorded. Over half of all legacy revenue in 2022 came from high-value bequests worth over £100k, with 31% of bequests valued at over half a million pounds and another 22% coming from bequests valued between £100-£250k. “It is encouraging to see that 2022 was another strong year for legacy income and that the number of…