How we check our facts
Every figure on this site comes from an official or specialist source, and we record the date we last checked it. Rules change; the Autumn Budget is on 28 October 2026 and pensions join estates on 6 April 2027. When a rule changes, the figures change the same week and this page says so.
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Care means test limits (£23,250 and £14,250), 12-week disregard, who keeps the home out of the assessment | Care and Support Statutory Guidance; Age UK factsheets 38 and 40 | Sep 2026 |
| Deferred payment agreement interest (4.65% from 1 July 2026) and fees | Council deferred payment pages (Liverpool, West Sussex, Hampshire) | Sep 2026 |
| Care home fees for self-funders by region | carehome.co.uk and Lottie fee surveys; LaingBuisson council rates | Sep 2026 |
| NHS funded nursing care rate (£267.68 a week) | NHS England, 2026-27 rate | Apr 2026 |
| Inheritance tax bands (£325,000 and £175,000), taper, rates, gift rules | GOV.UK inheritance tax pages; HMRC manuals | Sep 2026 |
| Pensions counted in estates from 6 April 2027 | HMRC technical note (May 2026); Finance Act 2026 | May 2026 |
| Bands frozen to April 2031 | Autumn Budget 2025 | Nov 2025 |
| Lasting power of attorney fee (£92), signing order, rejection causes | GOV.UK; Office of the Public Guardian annual report 2025-26 | Jul 2026 |
| Intestacy: spouse's statutory legacy £322,000; unmarried partners inherit nothing | GOV.UK intestacy rules | Sep 2026 |
| Court of Protection deputy application fee (£432), hearing fee, annual supervision | GOV.UK: become a deputy, fees | Sep 2026 |
| Will signing rules: two adult witnesses present together; video witnessing ended | GOV.UK: making a will; Wills Act 1837 s.9 | Sep 2026 |
| Typical prices: online will £99 to £150, solicitor will £150 to £600, LPA form checking £99 to £150, solicitor preparing two LPAs up to £500 | Which? Wills, Co-op Legal Services, MoneyHelper price pages | Sep 2026 |
| Solicitor and adviser hourly rates (£150 to £350 outside London) | GOV.UK solicitors' guideline hourly rates 2025; MoneyHelper | Sep 2026 |
| Free wills for over-55s | Free Wills Month; Will Aid | Sep 2026 |
| Lifetime mortgage rates and loan-to-value by age | Equity Release Council statistics; rate tables published by brokers | Sep 2026 |
| Stamp duty bands | GOV.UK | Apr 2025 |
| Trust mis-selling: 95% of specialist solicitors have met mis-sold clients | Association of Lifetime Lawyers survey | Sep 2025 |
| 27% of over-55s have no will; 77% have no power of attorney | Canada Life research (Opinium) | Oct 2025 |
| Care costs the top worry of over-55s about passing on assets | Mattioli Woods and YouGov, 2,174 adults | Jun 2026 |
What we do not do
- We do not use invented statistics, invented reviews or stock quotes presented as customers.
- We do not name a product or a provider, and we do not recommend one. Only a regulated adviser or a solicitor can.
- We do not sell, arrange or refer for lifetime “asset protection” trusts.
Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will check it within two working days.