Revealed: Three times as many South East homes could be burdened by inheritance tax freeze
A house bought in the South East in 2022 is three times more likely to result in families being hit by inheritance tax than in 2009, when the levy was first frozen at £325,000.
Analysis of the Land Registry’s price paid data[i] shows that in 2009, 19% of all property purchases (22,342 out of 120,385) in the South East cost £325,000 or more. However, in 2022, this more than trebled to 61% (85,773 out of 141,652).
With 80% of people saying they have not thought about making lifetime gifts to reduce their inheritance tax liabilities and more than 1 in 5 people (21%) saying they do not ever expect to consider estate planning, according to a survey of 1,000 people by Mayo Wynne Baxter[ii], more families could find themselves being burdened by inheritance tax.
Fiona Dodd, our private client partner said: “When modern inheritance tax, known as estate duty, was introduced in 1894, it was intended to affect only the extremely wealthy.
“However, the tax-free allowance has been frozen at its current rate for more than a decade, where it will remain until at least 2026 despite increasing house prices and inflation – bringing more families into the net.
“As our survey shows, many people do not believe they will ever have to consider estate planning. However, rising house prices are swelling estate values and more properties are edging towards the £325,000 allowance – before possessions and money are even taken into account.
“The standard inheritance tax rate is 40%, which can eat into what is left behind, leaving families facing an unexpected and, potentially, large bill.”
Inheritance tax is paid if a person’s estate – including their property, money and possessions – is worth more than £325,000 when they die. The rate of inheritance tax is 40% on anything above the threshold. In the latest financial year (2022-23), inheritance taxes raised a record £7.1 billion for the Treasury – £1 billion more than the previous year (2021-22).
If the main home is being left to children or other direct descendants such as grandchildren, people can take advantage of the residence nil-rate band, introduced in 2017, which will increase the threshold by £175,000 – taking the tax-free allowance to £500,000.
However, the number of properties that were purchased for £500,000 or more in the South East in 2022 quadrupled when compared with 2009 (28% versus 7%), according to the Land Registry’s price paid data.
Jessica Partridge, private client partner said: “Many families that do not consider themselves to be wealthy could find themselves facing an unexpected tax bill because of the property they inherit.
“There are steps people can put in place to mitigate their inheritance tax liabilities and there are lots of options available to ensure as much wealth as possible passes to your beneficiaries rather than HMRC. Tax is such a complex area and the key to success is taking early specialist advice.
“There are some basics everyone should look at, like making a will to ensure an estate is not shared according to pre-determined rules. Pensions can be a valuable tool when passing down wealth as the contents of a pension are not generally subject to inheritance tax.
“Any donations to charity given as part of a will are also not subject to inheritance tax. Donating at least 10% of an estate triggers a discount on the rate paid too, reducing it to 36%.
“There are other solutions that might be available to people depending on their circumstances. Those wishing to make gifts while retaining control might consider using a trust or a family investment company, for example.
“Business owners may find that a substantial element of their wealth could be exempt from inheritance tax, but the reliefs are subject to very strict conditions, and it is easy to trip over those conditions and fall into an unexpected tax liability.
“With a huge menu of options, anyone with a potential inheritance tax liability should take specialist tax and legal advice to ensure they are making the best of their situation.”
Our research also found that despite almost half of people (46%) expecting to receive inheritance when a loved one dies, only a third (34%) have discussed the subject with their parents.
With 1 in 5 people (21%) saying they are relying on an inheritance to supplement themselves financially in the future, rising estate values could see an influx of people contesting their loved ones’ wills – leading to costly and upsetting inheritance disputes.
Caroline Flint, contentious probate partner said: “Estates increasing in value and the static inheritance tax threshold means there is more for families to fight over.
“Furthermore, it provides an incentive to leave a greater proportion of the estate to charity to benefit from a reduce rate of inheritance tax or a spouse or civil partner as those gifts will not attract inheritance tax. Despite being a tax-efficient thing to do, it can create more disputes.
“Trying to balance the needs of competing members of a blended family is often very difficult, and the fractious nature of some of those relationships can also lead to disputes.
“With growing inheritance tax bills, it is possible that people may be tempted to take part in aggressive tax schemes, but we generally advise against these as HMRC have some general tools available to them that make ‘tax schemes’ generally ineffective.
“In order to avoid problems down the line and legal disputes, the most important thing is to work with a reputable specialist tax adviser who can help you find the best way forward.
“With all this in mind, one cannot underestimate the benefit of families having open and honest discussions to avoid any confusion and financial misunderstanding when they eventually die. All too often the cases we deal with some from a lack of communication and a will containing a surprise that leaves people without money they were depending on.”
If you need any advice on the above please contact Jessica Partridge.
[i] Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2021. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
[ii] The research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Mayo Wynne Baxter with 1,000 people with a parent aged 60 or over. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society, which is based on the ESOMAR principles, and is a member of The British Polling Council.
From Wednesday 26th July, the government is changing the ‘Statutory Legacy’ sum from £270,000 to £322,000, which means if a person dies without a Will, in addition to being entitled to their personal effects, their spouse or Civil Partner will automatically receive up to £322,000 worth of assets from the deceased’s estate, with the remaining sum split 50/50 between the surviving spouse/Civil Partner and any children.
What if we don’t have children?
If there are no children then the surviving spouse/Civil Partner will automatically inherit everything. But this is only applicable to those who are married or in a Civil Partnership, and doesn’t include cohabiting couples.
Why does Statutory Legacy only apply to married couple or those in a Civil Partnership?
Despite many people believing this to be the case, there is no such thing as a ‘common law spouse’ and therefore, you don’t have the same rights married couples or those in a Civil Partnership.
Without a Will in place, you and your loved ones are unprotected, and instead of following your wishes the distribution of your estate at the point of death, will be determined by fixed rules under UK law.
Is the increase is Statutory Legacy a good thing?
For estates worth less than £322,000, the surviving spouse/Civil Partner will inherit it all. For estates over the new threshold, a split in inheritance could lead to issues for those left behind.
If the deceased owned the family home in their sole name, subject to the value, this new statutory legacy threshold could lead to surviving spouses or Civil Partners being forced to sell the property to release sums due to their children, or including children on the deeds, potentially limiting what the surviving partner can do with the property down the line.
It’s worth noting that the rules of intestacy use an arbitrary system to prioritise distribution of assets, which is limited to: spouse/Civil Partner, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, and therefore doesn’t take into consideration step-children, or other dependents you may have.
The only way to guarantee they are included in your estate is to prepare a will.
Could someone dispute the Statutory Legacy?
With the cost of living crisis and an increasing number of second marriages, blended families and unmarried couples, an estate that is distributed under intestacy (without a Will) is more vulnerable to costly challenges and claims from dependents, or those who were given promises of inheritance.
For example, children often feel aggrieved if the home they grew up in is left solely to their step-parent, and likewise surviving cohabiting partners can be forced to effectively challenge the intestacy rules by bringing a claim against their late partner’s estate, if it means losing half of their home to their deceased partner’s children.
Making a Will is something every adult should consider, to protect their loved ones in the future.
I undertook my Training Contract to become a solicitor between 2008 to 2010. I was, in terms of my professional life at least, still very much “in the closet”.
I had joined the firm I trained with along with a cohort of around 15 other trainees. There was a real mix of personalities, backgrounds and interests and it was a real eye-opener for me as I had gone through University believing the vast majority of solicitors were very much from one particular “group” in society – I had gone in with the impression that I and I alone was going to be the one that stood out but that wasn’t the case at all, everyone was different.
It did turn out, however, at least as far as I am aware even to today, that I was alone on one particular front- I was the only gay trainee.
I absolutely didn’t feel like I could let this slip on day one, two, ten or even on the last day of my training contract. Coming out to colleagues, even those that I had begun to consider my friends wasn’t an option. I was even asked the question directly “are you gay” and I said “no”. I don’t recognise that person I was 14 years ago.
I had a very strongly held belief that my career would be hampered by others’ opinion or views on my sexuality. I know now the trainees I had grown close to, socialized with, bonded with over our usual trainee gripes, fundraised with and struggled with would have absolutely supported me and it wouldn’t have made a difference as to how they treated me – but they weren’t the decision makers.
The decision makers were older, cis gendered, straight men and women and rightly or wrongly I assumed they wouldn’t have given me the same chances as my fellow trainees if they knew I was a gay man. I don’t recall seeing anyone else who was openly “out” in the office, I had no one to lean on or learn from and I certainly didn’t feel I could be myself in a professional office environment.
Fortunately for me, a friend came into my life at about the right time and they were the first person I felt I could be open and honest with and she enabled me to be myself outside of work primarily. Ironically, she was actually someone I worked with. Having a friendly face in and out of the office meant I could begin to be my more authentic self but never to the point of being an “openly gay man”. She was an ally in every sense of the word and emphasised to me the importance of having these people in your life!
It wasn’t until I qualified and began to feel a little more control over my future, that I was able to bring my true self to work and not shy away from discussing my life outside of work with colleagues – something I had avoided doing as much as possible before.
I won’t forget the first time I positively affirmed my sexuality at work as I felt a rush of adrenalin and fear when it rolled off my tongue but the reaction was one of total nonchalance – perfect. The conversation went like this, “you have a girlfriend right?” “no, I have a boyfriend,” “ah ok, cool, what’s his name?”
That was it, the plaster had been removed.
It is very difficult to appreciate how my work life has changed since 2008 to now and so much of this is down to culture changes in the office and wider society around acceptance and the value of welcoming all people from different backgrounds, characteristics and views at higher levels in businesses.
Since then, the firm I worked with underwent quite a significant change in culture and moved away from the quite stuffy firm it was to what is now a very friendly, open and accepting one where being yourself is recognised as a strength. Seeing other members of the LGBTQ+ community at senior levels in the firm provides reassurance that it isn’t a barrier.
I felt empowered to organise the firm’s inaugural participation in the Birmingham Pride Parade, I have represented members of the LGBTQ+ community on open discussion forums broadcast to staff, actively participated in LGBT Pride Month activities and have even been able to reach out to the LGBTQ+ community as potential clients for the firm by taking part in local networks designed to encourage members of the community to build links, grow their referral relationships and otherwise come together and support queer business owners and leaders.
There is still a long way to go in some respects when it comes to ending stigma and discrimination in all areas of life but when it comes to work – a place you spend so much of your time and energy, it is very reassuring that the vast majority of firms have taken such strides in helping to create environments where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves. I see a lot of trainees and more junior members of the firm actively partaking in LGBTQ+ inclusion groups and involving all members of staff in discussions about the community and I see many allies both old and new supporting them and it’s lovely to see. I wonder how my career would have taken a different path if I had simply had the courage to bring more of myself to work each day.
Just one final point and it was in fact the final message from our CEO at a recent firmwide partner conference – “Keep being yourself”. If that doesn’t sign this off appropriately, I don’t really know what else would.
Matt Parr, private client partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter.
We carried out some analysis that has revealed that 4 out of the 5 largest price comparison websites[i] reference a common law spouse – perpetuating the myth that such a relationship status exists and putting people at huge financial risk.
MoneySuperMarket, Go.Compare, Compare the Market and Quote Zone – which have a combined estimated 22 million visits each month – allow users to select that they are in a “common law” relationship, despite no such status being recognised in law.
Our expert family solicitor Karen Jeary has warned that the incorrect language used on price comparison websites adds to the distress caused to those believing they were protected by a “mythical relationship status”.
Karen said: “Throughout my career, I have spoken to numerous unmarried people following the breakdown of their cohabitating relationship who incorrectly believed their positions were similar to married couples and could make similar claims on the breakdown of their relationship.
“However, the current law that applies to cohabitees means it is possible in certain circumstances to live with someone, have children with them and for there to be no ongoing financial responsibility for the former partner – only the children.
“For example, they may have contributed to mortgage payments on a property they did not legally own believing it guaranteed them an interest. Sometimes, they may have invested capital in a property that was in their partner’s sole name. While we may be able to establish that they have a beneficial interest in the property, doing so has an emotional and financial impact.
“In other situations, people have believed they are entitled to a form of maintenance for themselves because they are a ‘common law spouse’ with the reality being the only support will be for any children from that relationship.
“There is a real risk people will take major financial decisions based on their belief in an entirely mythical status and, in doing so, expose themselves to significant amounts of financial insecurity and even litigation. So long as insurance websites and companies perpetuate the myth, people will keep on believing it.
“Family lawyers can – and do – regularly speak up to try and make the position clear, but people interact with price comparison sites a lot more frequently than they do solicitors so it is becoming increasingly difficult to convince people when they are so regularly told the status exists.”
According to the latest government figures, there are currently 3.6 million unmarried couples living together in the UK – an increase of 23% in the past decade. Further research [ii] also revealed that almost half of people (47%) who are looking to buy a house incorrectly believe a status of common law spouse exists, with a further 20% of the difference in rights between married and unmarried couples.
Karen added: “Getting married isn’t for everyone and cohabiting can provide a financially practical option for many couples, especially as we contend with the cost-of-living crisis. However, it is vital that legal protection is put in place in case a relationship fails.
“A cohabitation agreement, which sets out what will happen to joint and separate assets in the event of a break-up, should be the top priority for all unmarried couples planning to move in together. It is especially important to have this agreement in place if the house is in one party’s name only or if children are involved, as protecting your wealth will provide security and help safeguard their future.
“Although this may be an uncomfortable thought, it is important to consider all eventualities and arrange legal protection if something was to go wrong. It is a bit like having insurance – you hope you don’t have to use it, but it is there should the worst happen.
“Ideally, the law should reflect modern life and family lawyers have long pressed the government to introduce some level of rights for cohabiting couples. Sadly, there’s no sign of that happening. Until it does, cohabiting couples need to remember there’s no such thing as a common law spouse and protect themselves accordingly.”
[i] Mayo Wynne Baxter analysed the available relationship options across the five largest price comparison websites in the UK: MoneySupermarket, GoCompare, Compare the Market, Quote Zone and Confused.com.
MoneySupermarket, GoCompare, Compare the Market and Quote Zone all referenced “common law”.
Insurance price comparison website
How cohabiting is referenced
MoneySupermarket
Common law
GoCompare
Common law/living with partner
Confused.com
Living with partner
Compare the Market
Common law-partnered/cohabiting
Quote Zone
Common law
[ii] Mayo Wynne Baxter commissioned Censuswide to survey 504 people who were looking to buy their first or second home within the next 12 months.
The proposed abolition of section 21 evictions will introduce a simpler and more secure tenancy for a tenant. As “no fault evictions” will no longer exist, a landlord would have to have a valid ground for possession of the property, meaning that a tenant would have to have breached one of the clauses of the tenancy agreement. Currently, Section 21 allows landlords to reclaim their property with two months’ notice without the tenant being at fault, if the tenancy’s fixed term has ended.
To ensure that landlords remain able to obtain possession of their property if genuinely required, the grounds for possession are set to be reformed with the addition of new grounds under Section 8 of The Housing Act which will allow landlords to sell or move close family members into the property, or evict their tenant if redevelopment is taking place. After a tenant has lived in a property for six months, their landlord will be able to evict them under these “reasonable circumstances”. In addition to this, the grounds dealing with persistent rent arrears and anti-social behaviour will be strengthened.
Landlords will still need to serve notice on the prescribed form to their tenant with the required notice period. If a tenant does not leave the property, the landlord will need to go to court and provide evidence that the ground applies before being awarded possession.
The intention is for tenancies to be simplified by transitioning all tenancies to periodic tenancies, meaning that a tenancy would only end if the tenant chose to leave and provided two months’ notice to their landlord, or if the landlord had a valid reason to seek possession.
As well as the abolition of Section 21, the Bill will limit landlords to one rental increase per year. There will also be a new ombudsman for private landlords appointed to oversee independent investigations of landlords when tenants have made complaints, with the potential of the tenant being awarded up to £25,000 in compensation from landlords deemed to have acted improperly.
The Bill still needs to pass through parliament, but there is likely to be two stages to the abolition process. Stage one will transition all new tenancies to periodic agreements, and stage 2 will move all existing tenancies to the new system under a date given by the Secretary of State.
It is likely that it will take several months for the Bill to become law and there is also the possibility that the content of the Bill will change during the parliamentary process which began on 17 May 2023.
If you would like to talk about any of the matters above, please contact us on 0800 84 94 101
We are so pleased to announce the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey and Sussex (KSS) as our new charity partner for the next two years.
The team from MWB visited the KSS Redhill Aerodrome to meet its doctors, paramedics, and crew, as well as the chance to see its life-saving helicopters in action.
Employees at the law firm voted to support KSS because of the vital service it delivers, and they are already organising fundraisers to contribute to the charity’s £45,000 daily operating costs.
Dean Orgill, chief executive partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter, said: “It was a privilege for the team to meet the heroes who work at KSS and we are proud to support their work.
“It’s important to us that we support charities which take care of our local community and as Mayo Wynne Baxter expands from our Sussex heartland into Kent and Surrey, we wanted to select a charity which would represent our current and future employees.
“We know that 87% of the charities’ total income comes from donations. Every year it responds to more than 3,000 incidents where they provide cutting edge pre-hospital care, which could mean the difference between life and death.”
KSS is an independent lifesaving charity, which has provided world-leading pre-hospital emergency care whenever and wherever it’s needed, for more than 30 years. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 day a year it delivers the hospital room to the road side, a beach or a patient’s home.
KSS recorded its busiest year in its history in 2022, where it responded to more than 3,000 incidents, an average of nine patients every day.
We will be planning a calendar of fundraising activities and challenges, from office fundraising classics such as bake sales and raffles, to participating in KSS Heli Hike sponsored walks.
Kelly Heaton-Ralph, executive director of fundraising and philanthropy at KSS, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the employees of Mayo Wynne Baxter for voting for KSS as their Charity of the Year!
“We are excited to be able to work together on a number of fundraisers throughout the year, further raising the profile of KSS in Sussex, Surrey and beyond and building a strong partnership together.”
If you’d like to support KSS Air Ambulance, visit their website!
Civil service delays are causing huge disruption and emotional anguish to bereaved families trying to unlock estates.
After someone dies, a grant of probate is a vital step to gaining control over the deceased’s estate. Without it, families can be left unable to sell their loved one’s home, access their bank account to pay beneficiaries their inheritance or settle any outstanding debts.
HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has been working with huge backlogs in processing probate applications since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. While delays are improving, executors can still expect a 10-week wait before they are issued their grant of probate.
According to the latest data from HMCTS, for the 22,072 grants of probate issued in February 2023, the average timeline from submission to grant was 10.6 weeks – a slight reduction from the 11 weeks recorded in January.
Private client partner Fiona Dodd said: “These lengthy delays are, rightly, causing huge frustration and anxiety for bereaved families who are having to pay the price as a result of faults within the system.
“They are being left in limbo as it is basically a waiting game – there is no shortcut or way to avoid the delays when applying for grant of probate. Despite these types of applications being daily bread and butter for probate practitioners, legal teams up and down the country are experiencing the same problem.
“Pre-Covid, if probate had not been granted, we would follow up with HMCTS after just 10 days. However, now, there is a 16-week purdah in place where we are unable to chase the registry to find out what is happening with an application.
“The onus is on the government to come up with a way to get through the backlog and speed up the current process. In the meantime, we recommend seeking legal assistance with the estate administration to ensure the application is carefully prepared, and completed and submitted correctly.
“Longer term, if clients are wanting to avoid problems in the future, we recommend they seek legal advice, have joint accounts, and make sure their pensions and insurance nominations are up to date.”
Under current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (‘MEES Regulations’) a Landlord cannot lawfully grant a lease of a non-domestic property where the property does not have a valid EPC with a rating of F or G. This applies to both brand-new leases and the renewal of existing leases.
The MEES Regulations were initially introduced in 2013. These have since been reviewed and from 1 April 2023, it will be unlawful for a Landlord to grant a further lease or continue letting a non-domestic property pursuant to an existing lease if that property has an energy rating of F or G.
Looking further into the future, the government has plans for the minimum ratings to increase over the next 7 years. From 1 April 2027 the minimum rating required to lawfully let non-domestic properties will be C, and by 1 April 2030, a rating of B. Landlords as well as potential buyers of non-domestic properties should therefore be mindful of the future increases as the costs and inconvenience of works over the years could be significant.
Leases should also be drafted and interpreted carefully to ascertain whether the relevant provisions in a lease allow the Landlord to recover the costs of improvements from the Tenant.
Where a Landlord does not comply with the above requirements, they could be subject to a penalty based on 10-20% of the rateable value of the property. This is subject to a minimum fine of £5,000 and a maximum fine of £150,000. Enforcement is carried out by local Weights and Measures Authorities.
There are some exceptions. Some properties do not require an EPC at all. Other properties that do require an EPC, but do not meet the minimum rating requirements may not need to carry out works to improve the EPC rating if they can prove and rely on a legitimate reason as set out in the MEES Regulations. In that scenario, a Landlord must register the property on the ‘Private Rented Sector (PRS) Exemption Register’. Only then will a Landlord be exempt from the minimum EPC rating requirements and enforcement action.
If you are a Landlord and do not have a valid EPC, or an existing EPC with a rating of F or G, we strongly recommend that you instruct an energy assessor to carry out an assessment of your property as soon as possible. They will then be able to advise on any works required to improve the EPC as necessary as well as any exemptions you may be able to rely on.
We are expanding our presence on the South East coast, we are merging with Eastbourne firm Lawson Lewis Blakers.
The union will see Lawson Lewis Blakers become part of the Mayo Wynne Baxter brand, taking the team to more than 220 people and adding £2 million to our turnover.
Acting for businesses, people and their families in Eastbourne, Peacehaven and Lewes, Lawson Lewis Blakers has significant experience in private client and family law, residential property, employment, commercial transactions and litigation.
No money will exchange hands as part of the merger and there are no planned redundancies. MWB will provide career progression and development opportunities for those joining from Lawson Lewis Blakers and continues to proactively recruit talented teams and individuals across the region.
Jeremy Sogno, director at Lawson Lewis Blakers, said: “We were looking for a larger organisation that shared our values and could offer greater growth opportunities for our talented and ambitious team, as well as providing additional services and expertise to our valued clients; Mayo Wynne Baxter more than fits these criteria, and we are excited about joining forces and continuing our legacy within the local area.”
With origins traced as far back as 1835, Lawson Lewis Blakers is no stranger to mergers, with the latest iteration of the brand forming when Lawson Lewis & Co and Blaker Son & Young merged in October 2012. MWB is also a firm steeped in history, having served the local community for more than 150 years.
Dean Orgill, chief executive partner at MWB, said: “Lawson Lewis Blakers is a long-standing firm with an excellent reputation and an ambition to grow – for its people and its clients. We see ourselves being stronger together and look forward to welcoming the whole team to the Mayo Wynne Baxter brand.”
Lawson Lewis Blakers’ Peacehaven office will become our eighth hub in the Sussex area, expanding our geographical footprint and remaining close to existing clients in the area. The deal is expected to complete later this year.
We are part of legal and professional services group Ampa, and this partnership with Lawson Lewis Blakers is in line with the wider group strategy of investing in and bolstering the brands within the group portfolio to truly unlock their potential.
Ampa, which has recently achieved B Corporation accreditation, also includes full-service Midlands law firm Shakespeare Martineau, national consumer legal brand Lime Solicitors, uninsured loss recovery experts Corclaim, planning consultancy Marrons Planning and cyber security experts CSS Assure.
The Ampa group of brands has been named as one of the UK’s top 100 large companies to work for as well as top 25 law firms in the Best Companies list 2022.
All Ampa brands are recruiting talented lateral hires and teams, and the group is proactively looking for like-minded businesses to join the group as either standalone brands or bolt-ons to its existing portfolio.
We are so pleased to be a part of legal and professional services group Ampa – and the group has now been awarded B-Corporation certification!
Organisations with certified B-Corporation status are legally required to consider the impact of business decisions on their people, customers, suppliers, communities and the environment, ensuring a balance between purpose, people and profit.
The benchmarks in order to achieve accreditation are incredibly high and the auditing process is rigorous, with non-profit B-Lab independently scoring companies across governance, workers, community, environment and customers to determine the business’ social and environmental performance.
In order to achieve certification, a company must:
Demonstrate high social and environmental performance by achieving a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above and passing our risk review. Multinational corporations must also meet baseline requirement standards.
Make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and achieve benefit corporation status if available in their jurisdiction.
Exhibit transparency by allowing information about their performance measured against B Lab’s standards to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website.
Dean Orgill, our chief executive partner, said: “This is a key milestone in our ambition to change the world of business for good. We believe we can be both purposeful and profitable and our B-Corporation values are embedded in our business strategy and fully supported from the top-down. We also take great pride in helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals.”
“As we continue to grow our group, we are looking for likeminded professional services brands to join Mayo Wynne Baxter and the wider Ampa group, whether they have B-Corporation status or not, and we can support them in their growth strategy as well as better business practices to people and the planet.”
Ampa also includes the brands Shakespeare Martineau, Lime Solicitors, Marrons, CSS Assure and Corclaim, employing more than 1,300 people over 18 hubs across the UK and is the largest legal and professional services group to have achieved B-Corporation accreditation.
Helen Hay, group head of culture and sustainability at Ampa, said: “This is a huge achievement for us and demonstrates our commitment as a group to use business as a force for good for our people, planet, communities and clients.
“We’re really proud to have achieved our highest score for how we treat our people, including our approach to pay and reward, our wellbeing initiatives and benefits and embedding professional development support and opportunities across the group of brands.
“We keep ourselves accountable through our responsible business ambitions that are constantly tracked and analysed, pushing us to do better and achieve more. So far, we have achieved a number of our ambitions across diversity and inclusion, reducing landfill waste and carbon emissions, as well as supporting young people in our local communities.”
Among other ambitions, in 2022 the group increased racial diversity at a membership (equity stakeholder) level by more than 3%, against a target of 2%, supported more than 400 young people through a variety of career development events, and significantly reduced its paper use.