Hexagon Legal Update #2

Everything is moving very quickly. We have some exciting announcements to make in the coming days.

But for now….

1. The website should (by the time you read this) be up and running. Take a look and tell us what you think ? The site is at www.hexagonlegal.com (it is still propagating so could be patchy for another 24 or so hours. I will listen to all your comments (gulp!).

2. The launch meeting (read drinking) will take place on 23 August 2017 at Lexis Nexis offices in Farringdon. More on that later. Why not join us lawyers at 5.00 pm and non lawyers at 6.00 pm ? Should be fun.

If you wish to receive an invite please email my colleague Cindi Van Graan on cindi.vangraan@hexagonlegal.com so she can add you to our welcome list.

There is a £10 cost to the event but there will be wine and nibbles and good company too. Even as a Yorkshireman (no jokes thank you – I have heard them all !) that has to be fairly decent for The Big Smoke.

3. In the words of David Cameron ..we are all twits now since we have joined twitter – say hi and follow us ! @hexagonlegal.com

Shak Inayat

The Hexagon Team

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Further changes to pension ages

More pension changes are afoot in the UK.

Pension age versus retirement age

Let me just clarify one point first though; it is often quoted that the age of retirement is currently 60 (sic) for women and 65 for men. That however is not correct.

You can retire when you wish if you have the means to do so. Maybe that is semantics for most of us but the distinction is important.

The ages stated above are when you will receive your state pension, not when you can retire.

Current position

That having been said, the actual current state pension age is 63 for women and 65 for men, with the former due to rise steadily until all workers, male and female, retire at 65 by 2018.

From 2019, the state pension age will increase for both men and women, reaching 66 by 2020 and 67 between 2026 and 2028.

Those born after 05 April 1978 will reach state pension age at 68.

Proposed changes

Further changes are likely as the Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke has now announced that the state pension age will rise from 67 to 68 from 2037. He told MPs the Government was accepting the recommendation made in the Cridland review earlier this year.

This brings the change forward seven years earlier than was initially planned as the state pension age had been due to rise by a year – from the current age of 67 – in 2044.

No one born on or before 5 April 1970 will see a change to their current state pension age. There is also no change for those born after 6 April 1978, whose state pension age was already due to rise to 68. It is the “inbetweeners” who are feeling the sense of injustice and are feeling the pinch (yet again).

The further change is largely blamed on the fact that the number of people over state pension age is expected to grow by a third between 2017 and 2042, from 12.4 million in 2017 to 16.9 million in 2042, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.

I do not for a minute think that this is the end of the matter – the goalposts will undoubtedly keep changing in the years and decades to come.

The information provided in this article is not intended to constitute legal or financial advice and each case requires careful consideration in our view by a fully qualified Solicitor (or financial advisor as appropriate) before decisions are made and before you embark on a certain course of action.

Shak Inayat

Solicitor

Penn Chambers Solicitors

0207 183 2898

 

 

Hexagon Legal – Update #1

Hello all

The questions I am being asked about Hexagon Legal Networking are very similar so I thought I would post the following :

Hexagon is for lawyers (sic) not specifically solicitors or sole practitioners per the last organisation that I ran (SPG London Region).

You would therefore be welcome to attend, if you are a solicitor/ legal exec/ counsel/ licensed conveyancer/ consultant etc in a small law firm/other legal entity.

Companies or individuals who provide services to the above are also welcome to attend the networking part of the meetings.

It will comprise monthly meetings on the penultimate Wednesdays of each month and presents an opportunity for lawyers to learn, share problems and ideas and then network. They usually take place from 5 pm until 7 pm with the networking continuing at the local pub until we all decide to go home !

Wine, soft drinks and nibbles are provided on the night and there is a fee of £10 to help us cover those costs.

The meetings are very informal, collegiate and fun. There is no stuffiness to them and you should enjoy your time there.

The first launch meeting will be on 23 August 2017 and the venue is yet to be fixed. I will add you to our welcome list if you send me a PM and keep you updated.

I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Shak

Hexagon Legal – Launch – 23 August 2017

Hello all, I just wanted to let you all know that I, with others are launching a new small law firm support, mentoring and networking group called Hexagon Legal.

We aim to be very collegiate, amiable, informative and fun to be part of. The meetings will likely be held at Church Court Chambers, Goldsmith Buildings, Temple.

Our launch date will be 23 August 2017 – watch this space for more details in early course.

If you want to know more details feel free to send a public or private post to me.

Shak