Wills and Probate Autumn Update 2026

Key Subjects

• Will Drafting and Planning Problems
• IHT on Pensions Update
• Family Home & Funding Care
• Less Common Issues when Administering Estates
• Tax and Trust Autumn Update
• Older Client Autumn Update

Speakers

Professor Lesley King, Professional Development Consultant, University of Law

John Bunker, Solicitor, Chartered Tax Adviser and Lecturer

Caroline Bielanska, Solicitor, TEP, Independent Consultant, Mediator, Author and Arbitrator

Conference Programme

9.30am Chairman’s Introduction

Will Drafting and Planning Problems

• Risk of claims under I(PFD)A 1975
• When is a statutory Will appropriate?
• Family relationships (with a quick look at the proposals for Cohabitees)
• Checking instructions

Professor Lesley King, Professional Development Consultant, University of Law

IHT on Pensions Update

This session considers what the new IHT charge on pensions, due to take effect in April 2027, will mean for clients and for your practice.

• The details depend upon various HMRC notes, secondary legislation and guidance, with more updates due before Sept/Oct.
• Following the Technical Note from HMRC in May, which had to be updated, we are expecting a further Technical Note, and some guidance which we need to understand how things will work.  
• How do we manage the huge new risks for probate work, in acting for or being PRs?
• Probate: the latest thoughts on how firms need to gear up/adapt, the new processes needed etc.
• How to avoid disputes in estates with different or the same beneficiaries?
• Estate planning: steps to help clients ahead of these major changes to pensions

John Bunker, Solicitor, Chartered Tax Adviser and Lecturer

Family Home & Funding Care

• When and how long the home is disregarded in the financial means test
• How the local authority values a beneficial interest in the home
• What if the home is a mobile home?
• Paying for additional care using the home as collateral
• Deferred Payment Agreements

Caroline Bielanska, Solicitor, TEP, Independent Consultant, Mediator, Author and

Less Common Issues when Administering Estates

• Mutual Wills agreement
• Charities and IHT
• Wills Act 1837, s33
• PRs’ liability for IHT on assets not in their hands

Professor Lesley King, Professional Development Consultant, University of Law

Tax and Trust Autumn Update 

This session provides an update on recent developments affecting trusts and tax planning, with a focus on practical implications for advisers.

• TRS update: guidance is expected on the new exclusions from the need to register Express Trusts, effective from 30 June 2026, so what does it mean for practice?
• Will drafting to mitigate IHT after the new limits on APR & BPR: after some uncertainty about how the 100% relief allowance would work, we should by the Autumn have a clearer picture of IHT planning through wills.
• Trusts and the lifetime trust allowance for 100% APR/BPR: how will the trust allowance work and what does this mean for lifetime and will trusts?
• Any other topical tax or trust issues

John Bunker, Solicitor, Chartered Tax Adviser and Lecturer

Older Client Autumn Update

• Introduction of digital trustee applications in the Court of Protection
• Getting an order for sale following AGNI [2026] UKSC 16
• Update on digital LPAs
• Update on MCA code consultation
• Health and social care case update

Caroline Bielanska, Solicitor, TEP, Independent Consultant, Mediator, Author and Trainer

5.00pm Close of Proceedings