IMPORTANT NOTICE
Coronavirus
As the impact of Coronavirus continues, I want to inform and reassure you about the plans Sprake & Kingsley have in place to ensure that we continue to provide you with the advice and service that you need whilst minimising the risks to all.
Our primary concern is the health and wellbeing of our staff, our clients, and all those with whom we come into contact on a daily basis. We have taken steps to minimise the risk of coronavirus to everyone we deal with in line with guidance from Public Health England.
Our service to clients
Our teams are able to work remotely and phone calls can be answered regardless of where we are based. This means that we do not envisage any of the work we normally carry out will be adversely affected. How we deliver that service may be different; we will discuss this with you on a case by case basis.
Our client records are held electronically which means that we will be able to access almost all necessary documentation and systems remotely whilst following our usual processes and controls.
Post received at the office will be scanned and distributed electronically. However, we encourage you to use email to send us information wherever possible. If sending personal or confidential information, then please speak to us to discuss how we can receive the information more securely than regular email.
Meetings in our offices & reception
In line with government advice we are limiting social contact. We have therefore taken the decision that all non-essential face to face meetings are to be postponed or moved to another communication facility, in order to help protect both you and our people. We will discuss the best arrangements with you.
Whilst we remain available to provide our services to you, from Monday 23rd March all visitors should telephone us to make arrangements before visiting the office.
Continuity
We have a robust business continuity plan in place that will enable us to minimise the impact of the current situation on our service to you and your business. For well over 200 years Sprake & Kingsley has been helping clients with their legal affairs, and the team here is doing whatever it takes to ensure we continue to offer our clients the very best attention and quality of service in these challenging times.
If you wish to contact us you can:
• Call the main switchboard – 01986 892721;
• Call the direct line of the person you wish to speak to;
• Email us.
If you have any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
David Sprake
Managing Partner
Refund of Deputyship fees
On 4 October 2019 the Ministry of Justice launched a new refund scheme.
The Office of the Public Guardian has decided that it needs to refund some of the fees it charged in deputyship matters for the period 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2015.
Some refunds will be issued automatically and some will need to be applied for, e.g. by the deputy themselves or executors in an estate.
Further details can be found;
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/check-if-you-can-apply-for-a-refund-of-deputyship-fees
Power of Attorney Refund Scheme
The Ministry of Justice has announced that people who applied to have a Lasting Power of Attorney or Enduring Power of Attorney registered between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2017 may apply for a partial refund of the fees paid. You must apply by 31st January 2021.
The refund scheme will be operated by the Office of the Public Guardian and applications can be made by telephone, post or online.
Supply your name, contact number, address and email address and the donor’s name and case reference number (if known) to:
Telephone: 0300 456 0300 (select option 6)
Write: POA Refunds Team, 7th Floor, Office of the Public Guardian, PO Box 16185, Birmingham B2 2WH
Email: poarefunds@justice.gsi.gov.uk
Please note that the application must be made by the donor or an attorney even if the initial application was made by Sprake & Kingsley or another organisation.
If the donor has died only the Executor or Administrator of the estate can make the claim.
