Don’t Be Blue, This Blue Monday


Enjoy our Exclusive Wills Offer* 20% off new Wills*


Exclusive Priority Access for Readers - Call Us on 0116 212 1000 and quote “New Year, New Will”


If your 2026 New Year’s Resolution


includes


remembering to write your Will, Lawson West Solicitors is offering readers an exclusive 20% off new Wills offer to help you get started.


*The Exclusive Reader Offer applies to pre-booked appointments made from Monday 12th January 2026 until Sunday 25th 2026 only. Lawson West will take your details and book an appointment to take place within 30 days.


Appointments are for up to 60 minutes online via Teams or face to face in one of their offi ces.


The 20% discount applies to all new Wills, 20% off the entire fee cost is guaranteed. Hurry, there’s a limited number of exclusive rate appointments, so book


early disappointment!


Trusts and Rising Costs of Care


Seeking expert advice is crucial. Phoebe Skarlatos, Legal Director, Head of Probate, Wills & Trusts, Lawson West Solicitors Limited Care Home Fees


One of the most pressing concerns for our ageing population seems to be the ever-increasing cost of care. Average fees for residential care are around £67,000 per year. Costs are only rising, meaning that many worry that their life savings – or the family home – will be swallowed-up paying for care.


Lawson West Solicitors see huge interest in trusts for care home fee planning. They are also constantly working on unravelling inappropriate and mis-sold trusts where clients have been left with large tax bills they knew nothing about.


Setting Up a Trust


A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are given to trustees to hold for the benefi t of benefi ciaries.


In the context of care fee planning, families often ask whether placing property or savings into a trust can protect them from being assessed by


local authorities when


calculating care. The answer isn’t always straightforward, and getting this wrong can cost thousands.


When planning, you must consider


“deliberate


deprivation of assets”. This is where you give something away with the intention of reducing your assets so that you don’t pay for your care.


A common example is where someone puts their house into trust, but they continue to live in it rent-free. If you have deprived yourself of assets,


the trust is likely to not achieve what you intended and may cause you more costs in the future. That does not mean trusts have no role. Properly structured, they can provide legitimate benefi ts: safeguarding assets for loved ones with disabilities or challenges, managing complex family arrangements, or ensuring continuity of fi nancial planning, including inheritance tax planning.


The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) stresses that trusts must be set up with clear, genuine purposes beyond simply avoiding care fees. Be wary of companies selling trusts for this reason alone, and those not giving information about the taxation of trusts.


Ultimately, trusts are not a silver bullet against care costs. They are powerful tools, but only when used correctly.


Lawson West Solicitors Limited is registered in England and Wales (registered number 7514625) and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. www.lawson-west.co.uk


National award-winning legal advisers in Probate, Wills & Trusts


What to look for in my adviser if I am interested in exploring trusts?


• Is your adviser a solicitor? • Is your adviser a member of STEP? • Does your adviser have a specialism in Trusts?


Interested in what happens when Trusts go wrong? Sign up to Lawson West’s free webinar on Family Protection Trusts on 18th February at 10:00am, email for more information pskarlatos@lawson-west.co.uk


to avoid Advertisement


Call Us on 0116 212 1000 and quote “New Year, New Will”


About Phoebe & Lawson West Solicitors Phoebe heads up the Probate, Wills and Trusts Team at Lawson West Solicitors. Phoebe and her team assist clients with their estate planning and estate administration needs across the country. This year, the team achieved national recognition at the British Wills and Probate Awards winning “Private Client Firm of the Year - Boutique” and were also listed in The Legal 500 for their expertise in the fi eld. Phoebe and her team have expertise in trusts and estates including international assets, businesses, complex share holdings and are renowned for their work unravelling mis-sold Family Protection Trusts.


Lawson West Solicitors Limited, 4 Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RP. Tel: 0116 212 1000.


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