Month: January 2020
Veganism – a protected belief under the Equality Act?
In recent years, the UK has seen a surge in interest in veganism – especially at New Year, a time when many people are full of resolutions to improve their health and wellbeing. In fact, over a quarter of a million people signed up to Veganuary in 2019, a month-long pledge to stop eating animal p....
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Commuter villages proposed
Hertfordshire and Essex could see the creation of dozens of commuter villages, if the ideas in a top academic’s report for an urban policy think-tank are eventually adopted by the government. The report suggests that these new communities should be developed on land, green belt in many cases, clo....
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Mixed sex civil partnerships: a step towards equality
In 2018, London couple Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan won a landmark legal bid at the Supreme Court for the right to enter into a civil partnership. Previously, only same sex couples had been permitted this right, as granted by the Civil Partnership Act 2004; however, following the Supreme Co....
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Call yourself a philanthropist?
It can be hard to pin down exactly what defines philanthropy. In essence, it’s a wish to promote the welfare of others, usually expressed by giving generously to charities or other worthy causes. If popping some loose change into a collection tin now and then or giving two pounds a month by direc....
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Navigating the 3% Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge
In his 2015 Autumn Budget speech, then Chancellor George Osborne announced a new 3% surcharge on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) payable on additional properties – for example, those purchased as holiday homes or buy-to-let properties. The changes, which passed into law in the Finance Act 2016, ha....
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