INSIGHTS & NEWS
Practical legal commentary across Immigration, Family, Civil, Employment, Probate and more.
A plain English guide to the UK spouse and partner visa under Appendix FM: who qualifies, the financial requirement, relationship and English language evidence, the five year route to settlement and the most common reasons applications are refused.
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A plain English guide to the UK spouse and partner visa under Appendix FM: who qualifies, the financial requirement, relationship and English language evidence, the five year route to settlement and the most common reasons applications are refused.
ILR removes the time limit on your stay in the UK and opens the door to British citizenship. Our guide covers the main routes to settlement, the 180 day absence rule, the Life in the UK test and the pitfalls that most often lead to refusals.
Since 6 April 2022, divorce in England and Wales no longer requires blame. This guide walks through the process step by step, from the first application to the final order, and explains why money and children are dealt with separately.
Comprehensive maritime safety and compliance standards to align domestic law with international obligations.
Many people moving to or living in the UK are surprised to learn that certain visas come with a No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition. But what does that actually mean?
The Innovator Founder Visa could be your pathway to success. RakLAW Solicitors are here to guide you at every step.
As of December 2025, the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Act 2025 has changed the landscape of citizenship law in the UK.
Digital conveyancing is the process of buying or selling property using fully electronic systems to carry out title checks, sign deeds, and register transactions, rather than relying on paper documents, wet-ink signatures and manual registration.
Our new Insights section brings you regular commentary on UK immigration, family, civil and employment law from RakLAW's solicitors.
The Skilled Worker route is built around employer sponsorship, and the Certificate of Sponsorship sits at the heart of it. Here is how the process works from the applicant's side, what to check before you apply, and where applications commonly go wrong.
Naturalisation is the process by which settled adults apply for British citizenship. We explain who qualifies, the good character requirement, the evidence you need, the ceremony, and the common reasons applications are refused.
There is no automatic 50/50 rule when a marriage ends in England and Wales. We explain how the courts divide money, property and pensions on divorce, and how to make your agreement legally binding.
A plain English guide to child arrangements orders under the Children Act 1989: what they cover, how the welfare checklist works, why mediation comes first, and what to expect from the court process.
The UK Global Talent visa lets leaders and potential leaders in academia, research, the arts and digital technology live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time. Here is what it covers, who qualifies, and what it costs.
A trust is a legal relationship in which a person transfers property to a trustee, who holds legal title for the benefit of another, known as the beneficiary.
A practical guide to the divorce process in England and Wales: eligibility, joint vs sole application, arrangements for children, money and property, and the documents you'll need.
Statutory Sick Pay from day one, day-one Paternity and Parental Leave, doubled collective redundancy protective awards, the new Fair Work Agency, and lower trade union recognition thresholds. The 2026 UK employment rights timeline explained.
The Home Office has confirmed visa, settlement, citizenship and sponsorship fee increases effective 8 April 2026. Full breakdown for Skilled Worker, Innovator Founder, Student, Graduate Route, ILR, naturalisation and Sponsor Licence applications.
The 2026 Financial Remedies Guide brings every level of the Financial Remedies Court under one rulebook. Stronger focus on non-court dispute resolution, a clear duty to negotiate, stricter document rules, and the High Court allocation threshold rises from £15m to £20m.
From 1 May 2026 Section 21 'no fault' evictions are abolished in England. Landlords can only end a tenancy using a Section 8 possession ground. Full guide to the mandatory and discretionary grounds, plus the wider Renters' Rights Act changes on rent, bidding and pets.
From 2 March, the Home Secretary has announced that refugee status in the UK will shift from permanent to temporary, subject to review every 30 months for all adults claiming asylum.
A highlight from Director Rakesh Prajapati's recent podcast with Lyca Communications, answering the most common questions in Family Law and Immigration Law today.
Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, identity verification is now becoming mandatory for certain Companies House filings. What solicitors need to know about Directors, PSCs, personal codes, and compliance records.
The Law Society has confirmed that the TA6 (6th edition) Property Information Form will become mandatory for Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) firms from 30 March 2026.
The Ministry of Justice plans to remove the statutory presumption of parental involvement. Family courts will no longer automatically assume children should have contact with both parents: child welfare and safety come first.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2025 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, creating the UK's 'smoke-free generation' by banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. Here is what the Act actually does, when each part switches on, and what it means for retailers, parents and the public.
From 6 February 2026 it is a criminal offence in England and Wales to create, or to ask someone else to create, a sexually explicit AI deepfake of an adult without their consent. The new offences sit in sections 66E and 66F of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, inserted by section 138 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. They carry up to 6 months in prison and an unlimited fine, and they apply even if the image is never shared, and even if the requested image is never actually made.
The Home Office's Earned Settlement consultation (Command Paper CP 1448) closed on 12 February 2026 after drawing roughly 130,000 responses. The plans would double the default ILR qualifying period from 5 to 10 years, reducible to 3 years for very high earners or extended to 30 years for irregular arrivals, and would apply to everyone in the UK who has not yet received ILR. Here is what migrants currently on a 5-year track, and their advisers, need to know.
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