Category: Uncategorised

How can I be sure that I have an accidents at work claim?

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Uncategorised, Work Place Accidents

An accidents at work claim can be quite complicated. The amount of compensation you receive depends on the type of accident you have. The more losses you have experienced during your case, whether they be financial, physical or emotional, the more likely it is that you will get a higher pay-out. Some pay-outs may even come to thousands of pounds! That’s why it’s crucial for you to understand precisely whether or not you actually have a claim. We have already discussed in our interview with Elaine the types of work accident claims that exist. Today we are going to talk about what could make your employer liable for your injuries.

Could you be due compensation from your accidents at work claim?

One of the main things you need to be certain about when you make your accident at work claim is that you are most certainly not responsible for your incident. For instance, if you were acting irresponsibly in the work place by “messing around” on equipment or in the office, if you get yourself hurt then it is very unlikely that you could sue your employer for compensation. You were in complete control of your actions and knew that there was a chance that you could get hurt.

If you do want to claim for accident at work compensation, you will have to prove that that your employers have been negligent and have not provided an environment that can keep you and your colleagues safe whilst you work. That is their responsibility and the reason why you can claim for compensation in the first place. This is what is known as a “duty of care.”

Will I be financially hurting my employer if I claim?

No! You actually won’t. Companies are legally required to have employer liability insurance as soon as they employ people in their company. The only way that they may not need it is if they employ someone who is a member of their family or if the employee is based abroad. This insurance will pay an employee if they become sick or injured due to an accident. Overall, it means that if you ask for this compensation, they will not be paying it from their own finances.

There will not be any hard feelings if you return to work after you have been paid compensation. It’s important to know that if you do make an accidents at work claim, no one needs to know about it apart from your manager. It will be kept completely confidential unless you wish to share it. That means things should not get awkward between you and any other employees.

If any discrimination does happen in the workplace then you could ask for an employer tribunal. If this has happened to you during the Covid-19 pandemic, make sure to check out our worker’s rights blog to learn more.

How do I establish if an employer has been negligent?

So, if you have suffered from any sort of accidents at work, one of the first things you need to do is prove that your employer is “at fault” for your injuries and losses. Your losses can include:

Physical injures
Emotional damages (aka. trauma)
Financial losses (aka. wages)
Broken appliances/equipment

You need to prove that your employer actually failed in providing a safe work environment for you and your colleagues. So for instance, if you work in an office, you may have found that there was no safety training about moving around every few hours to avoid repetitive strain. Another example is if you work in a construction site, you may not have been given appropriate training on how to lift heavy items or use certain equipment. The type of injuries you suffer does greatly depend on the type of work place you are at. Each work environment is completely different, however they may include:

Slips and trips
Falling down with heavy objects
Repetitive strain injuries
Injuries with malfunctioning equipment
Electronic bodily harm
Strained muscles and broken bones

If your employer has not provided training to help you carry out your daily activities, or perhaps has asked you to do something out of the ordinary, if you get hurt then it is their responsibility to look after you through compensation or sick pay (SSP).

The main elements of accidents at work claims

Your main goal is to prove that the responsibilities of an employer-employee relationship have been breached. In other words, they have breached the duty of care towards you. Make sure to write out what expectations and responsibilities they had to ensure your safety in the office. That way you can find out which they breached and what arrangements they should be making to ensure that the workplace becomes safer.

Once you have established what types of “care” has been breached, your employer will have the chance to respond to you. If they accept negligence then they may be happy to enter into a settlement with you. If you have a work accident lawyer on your side, they can help you negotiate any terms and conditions before you even get to court.

How long should I wait to make a claim?

Now, normally we would recommend that you meet with a solicitor as quickly as possible to discuss your injuries. This is because they can analyse the types of damages you have suffered and how much you could be owed in your pay-out. However, as you will need to understand your own injuries, and perhaps receive medical treatment, we would suggest that you wait at least 2 weeks before you start your claim. With that said, try not to leave your claim for too long. Covid-19 has caused the UK court system to back up with unresolved cases. That means if you leave it for a while, it will take a long time for you to receive the compensation that you deserve.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help with your accidents at work claim

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that any type of injury can leave you feeling vulnerable. That’s why you can put your faith in our trained solicitors to help you get the compensation that you deserve. Not only can we work with you remotely, but we can also offer you free advice and consultations about your claim. If you decide you are interested in working with us further, we always offer our services on a no win-no fee basis. That means there is no risk if you want to claim against your employer. If we do not win your case, you will not need to pay any fees. So, why not get in contact today?

Call 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messaging feature located on our contact page. A member of our team will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to help you with your claim.

Want to read more from our interview with our operations director?

We understand that work claims can be complicated. That’s why you may want to learn more from our recent interview with Elaine. Check out more about accidents at work claims below:

Our blog is updated every week with new content and interesting law articles. So make sure to come back to check out some of our latest articles. If you have an article topic you would like to suggest, feel free to let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also let us know if you are interested in being signed up to our weekly newsletter.

We hope you enjoyed our blog and look forward to seeing you in our next article!

Have you been mis-sold a SIPP? Gowing Law can help!

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Pension Claims, SIPPs, Uncategorised

If you have been mis-sold a SIPP, it is likely that you may not know about it unless you research into the SIPP scheme itself. Many investors may experience the negative outcome of a mis-sold SIPP, some of them losing almost all of the pensions as a result, however they may not realize that they could actually claim compensation from this act of financial mis-selling. There are two different bodies that you could claim compensation from. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) could award you up to £50,000, whilst the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)has set a maximum compensation of £150,000.

Although you may not be able to regain the entirety of your investment, or your pension funds that you have invested, you should be able to be compensated for some of your losses. This should give you peace of mind, especially if you have a trained mis-sold SIPP lawyer on your side to help you through the process.

So, if you are considering investing in some sort of SIPP scheme, it is important that you know the signs of being mis-sold a SIPP. That way you can invest in a scheme that you fully understand. Before we jump in to the signs of a mis-sold SIPP scheme, remember, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you if you have been mis-sold a SIPP. Start your journey with our trained solicitors to get the compensation that you deserve.

What is a SIPP Scheme?

A SIPP stands for a “self-invested personal pension”. These were introduced in 1989 in order to give pension holders more freedom about where to invest their funds. Instead of going for a stand pension scheme from your pension provider, if you were willing to accept the risk, you could invest it in a completely different scheme (a SIPP). There was a higher chance you could get a larger return on your standard pension funds. A financial advisor could offer you advice on these types of investments, especially if you were still new to the world of SIPPs.

Originally, these SIPPs were extremely expensive. That meant that it was not a normal type of investment to make with normal funds. That’s why new SIPP products were introduced to target pension holders. This is because pension holders had a stable income that could be used to invest in a SIPP scheme. Now, you may think that if anything happened to the investors, it would come at their own risk .That meant that there was no risk of complaints because they fully understood the risk that came from these types of investment plans.

How could I have been mis-sold a SIPP?

One of the main things that we need to talk about is the vulnerability of those who invested in these types of SIPPs. Those who have a pension tend to be older. This means that there is a high chance that they could fall into a vulnerable age range. If this is combined with a lack of investment experience, this can leave them open to more malicious financial advisors or unregulated investment opportunities. Many people found that these “recommended SIPPs” were simply unsuitable for them and that the risk was higher than they expected. If someone had been mis-sold a SIPP, it is likely that they would sometimes be out of thousands of pounds from their pension pot or personal fund. This made it no different to being mis-sold a pension.

How do I know what an non-standard investment is?

If you have already been advised to invest in a specific type of SIPP, it is essential that you fully understand what you are investing in. One of the main reasons why you may have been mis-sold a pension is because you were making a “non-standard investment”. These investments may have included:

Car Park Schemes
Unlisted types of shares
Luxury property abroad
UK/abroad property
Farms/Farm land
Burial plots
Forestry
Renewable Energy
Store pods
Film schemes

SIPPs come with a wide array of investment opportunities. Usually, they may be in commercial property, investment trusts or shares. Keep an eye on the type of investments you are making. If you feel that they may be out of the normal categories of investment, or perhaps your advisor is pressurizing you too hard to invest, you should ask for help or conduct research to see if you can find evidence that you could be wasting your time and money on the scheme.

The Signs that you have been mis-sold a SIPP

You now understand the basics of mis-sold SIPP schemes. It is important for us to reflect on what you should do if you have already been mis-sold a SIPP. Unfortunately, you cannot get your money back, but you can still get compensation for your losses. This depends on how negligent your financial advisor was when they originally sold you your SIPP scheme.

If you can prove that your advisor gave you bad advice or told you to invest in a SIPP scheme that did not suit you, you can ultimately prove that you are the victim of a mis-sold SIPP scheme. To do this, you need to understand the signs of a mis-sold pension in the first place. Similarly you can use it to reflect on your own case and see what red flags could have been shown in your communication with your financial investment advisor:

1. Cold-Calling

SIPP investments can be extremely complicated. You have to take your time to find the right investment. For instance, it will suit the amount of money you have prepared to spend, and the amount of risk you want to take. So, why would a financial advisor randomly call you out of the blue to talk about a great new SIPP scheme that’s just appeared? Most of the time these advisors are commissioned or are part of a scam to get the money from your pension. The best thing to do is simply ignore these calls or hang up the phone. They are offering you a scheme that is not personalized and will most likely make you lose money. Do not get involved in them!

2. High-Pressure Advice

When you hire a financial investment advisor, you expect them to do the research about what SIPP is best for you and your financial situation. Unfortunately, they may not be as experienced as you think or have the credentials you originally believed them to have. That is why they may feel like they are trying to pressurise you into a certain scheme that does not fit you. Either that or they may make extra commission if they get you to invest in a certain SIPP. If you feel like you are being pressurized, it is important that you ask for your financial investment advisor to back off. You may need to find a new financial advisor or you could make it clear to your normal advisor that you have no intention in this recommendation. Instead, you would like new suggestions.

3. Your advisor knew about more risks than they were willing to tell you

This is one of the most common ways how you could have been mis-sold a SIPP scheme. Usually, when you invest in a specific SIPP, you know all of the risks and investment opportunities involved in the transaction. However, if your advisor only told you the positive aspects of the SIPP, and did not warn you about the potential risks, it is likely that you will lose more money than you originally intended. If you need some examples of SIPP schemes that have already done this, please have a look at the following investment brands:

4. Lack of information about fees and commissions

When you invest in a certain scheme or investment plan, you most likely want to know as much information as possible about it. That way you can know precisely what you are getting into and how much of a reward you can expect in return. However, in some cases you may be forced to pay in more than you realised. Did your investment advisor tell you that they had to be paid a commission, or perhaps there were hidden fees on your investments? These can all be red flags as it shows that your advisor has very little interest in helping you. In fact, it may even point to a larger scam in play.

5. You were forced to leave a regular pension scheme to invest in a SIPP

The main aim of anyone who had been mis-sold a SIPP is to prove they did it because of bad advice. Originally, you may have been satisfied to keep your funds in a work-place pension scheme, or perhaps in a
government pension scheme.

However, you were advised to move it to a SIPP by your advisor, when you had no intention of doing so, this could be a prime example of bad advice. You may have thought you did not have the experience needed to invest, or perhaps just did not want all of the fuss and bother of an investment. Would you have even invested if you had not been pushed into it? In conclusion, if that is not the case, it can show that you deserve compensation for your losses.

How long do I have to make a mis-sold SIPP claim?

As in most cases, you will have around 3 years. This will be from the time you found out you had been mis-sold the pension. We would advise that you collect as much evidence as possible before you make your claim. This can include:

Communications with your financial advisor
Letters of grievance
Examples of your financial losses
Information about the SIPP you invested with
Examples of additional fees and commissions you have paid to your advisor

Can a Solicitor help me with a mis-sold SIPP scheme?

If you have been mis-sold a SIPP, one of the most important things that you can do is get a solicitor. They can help you understand your claim. Financial mis-selling cases can get extremely complicated. This is true especially if you need to prove that your financial advisor was negligent and did not find a SIPP scheme that was personalized to your own financial situation. Every investor is willing to spend different amounts of money and take varied amounts of risk. A financial advisor’s main job is to give you different options. These can help you understand what precisely you are investing in.

If this did not happen for you, a solicitor can help you claim compensation for their negligence. Here are some reasons how they can help you with your case:

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you if you have been mis-sold a SIPP

Gowing Law Solicitors understands how heart-breaking it can be to have your pension and SIPP funds stolen away from you. We endeavour above all to help as many people as possible around the UK claim for their mis-sold SIPPs. All you need to do is fill out our simple form with as much information about your claim as possible. Additionally, you can find our mis-sold SIPP form here.

If you do decide to work with us, our trained solicitors can offer you free advice and consultations. We work on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means that there is no risk to your claim. If we do not win your compensation, that means you do not have to pay any additional fees. So, what are you waiting for?

Call today on 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. or use our direct messaging feature on our contact page. One of our team members will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to help you. If you want more information about mis-sold SIPPs, make sure to check out our mis-sold SIPP FAQ page!

Gowing Law Solicitors: Supporting our Local Community!

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Uncategorised

A Local community can provide the building blocks of our everyday world. They provide support to those who need it the most in their time of need. These are the core values behind Gowing Law. We support people all over the UK when it comes to helping them get the pay-outs and compensation that they deserve. Our clients have suffered from injuries due to work accidents, RTA accidents and public accidents that have not been their fault. That is why we are ready to help them in any way that we can. Our lawyers are here to protect and defend.

Here at Gowing Law, we have always thought it is essential to give back to the community in order to help protect the most vulnerable. That is why we have always taken the initiative to take part in charity projects, sponsorships and general good causes. That way, even if we are going through the worst of days, or the world has turned upside down, we can still try and put a smile on somebody’s face.

Gowing Law, Our Local Community and Charity

As we are a Manchester law firm, it is probably not a surprise to you to know that we love football! That’s why we have worked with Michael Owen on a series of campaigns and blogs to promote our services. Check out examples of our radio campaigns and advertisements below:

We are very proud of the work we produce with Michael. However, one of the most impressive things that we have managed to produce with Michael is the “Together in Football Foundation”. Did you know that he is the brand ambassador for this charity? The main aim of our charity is to bring together children from all different backgrounds to enjoy a game of football at a professional stadium. Football can truly build friendships and lasting memories of comradery. This charity originally ran across all of the North-West and West Yorkshire, however if you want to be a part of it then please let us know! All you need to do is register your football team with our “Together in Football” foundation. Then our team will be in contact as quickly as possible to arrange your first match.

Feel free to visit our charity page or reach out to our team directly by emailing Together@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be grateful if you could spread the word about our charity, that way we can get more people involved!

Equality, Diversity and our local community

Don’t all of these goodies look wonderful? Well, this is what we did for Pride last year in our local community in Manchester! Here at Gowing Law, we think it is important to celebrate diversity. Everyone deserves justice and to be treated as equals. No matter what race, sex or gender you may be, you deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. This is what we always strive to do when we are battling for our client’s compensation claims.

Due to the lockdown in the UK we have not been able to celebrate diversity with a raffle. That’s why this year, we have focused on a series called: ”Celebrating BAME voices & their contribution to the field of law”. In this series we focused on three different BAME figures and their impact upon the UK legal system. We discuss what these figures overcame and what we can learn from their stories. If you’re interested in reading more about them, feel free to check out their blogs below!

Put your faith in Gowing Law Solicitors

We are endeavouring to do as much good as we can during this difficult period of time. Covid-19 has truly carved its mark in to our community. So, if you do need any legal help then please feel free to come to us at any time. A lot of people will have fears of losing their jobs and livelihoods right now due to the lockdown. That’s why we will always be here if you need us. Whether you have had a personal injury claim, a road traffic accident or perhaps a hairdressing accident because of the recent re-opening of different beauty parlours, we will be here to help you handle your claim. All of our solicitors can offer you free advice and consultations.

If you want to work with us then we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee basis”. Don’t worry if you are feeling a bit scared about seeing us face-to-face. That’s why we offer our services remotely and can help by sending documentation electronically. We can also do video and phone calls.

If you have any questions then feel free to get in contact with us at any time. We would be more than happy to guide you through our processes before you decide to fully commit to a claim. This is why we also produce so many blogs about the claims that our lawyers specialize in! That way you can know all the basics of UK legal processes before you even set foot in a court. Isn’t that great?

Feel free to call us at any time by ringing 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our direct messenger located on our contact page. A member of our team will get back in touch with you as quickly as possible to help you.

Want to learn more?

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our blog page! We update it weekly with the latest information about different types of legal claims and present UK laws. Whether you want to know about work accidents or perhaps want to find out about immigration policies, Gowing Law will always be behind you 100% to ensure that you get the outcome that you deserve. If you’re interested in a certain topic, but cannot find it in our blog, why not let us know about it? Email info@gowinglaw.co.uk to let us know your suggestions and questions. We would be happy to write about them. You can also let us know whether or not you want to be signed up to our weekly newsletter.

We hope you enjoy our blog and future blogs to come! Good luck with your compensation claim.

Gowing Law Solicitor’s work with Botched!

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Covid-19, Uncategorised

Botched! is the type of reality show that shows the consequences of cosmetic injuries. As beauty, hair and nail salons open around the country re-open after 5 months of lockdown, it is important to take a moment to reflect on the safety procedures that now make them accessible to the public. Yes, we should celebrate that these businesses have managed to survive the pandemic, however there is always the chance that these procedures could go wrong. A nail salon technician could damage one of your nails or you could get an infection. In a hairdressers, you may suffer a burning accident or be cut with scissors. There are lots of potential hazards that you need to keep aware of.

This is where Gowing Law Solicitors can step in to help you. As specialists in personal injury, beauty & cosmetic negligence and hair damage and medical negligence claims, we want to help protect you from anything that goes wrong. We support claimants from all over the UK in getting their money back if an accident does take place during these treatments. That is why we have paired with the American smash-hit TV show, Botched!, to advertise our services all over the country. Make sure to tune in, that way you can catch our advertisement at the beginning and end of each episode.

Botched! What is it?

Botched! is a fantastic TV show that demonstrates what can go wrong with cosmetic surgery. You won’t be able to look away from the shocking states that some doctors leave their patients in! It’s amazing some of these victims have not tried to claim compensation for medical negligence already. Either way, they are helped by two of the best surgeons in California: Paul Nassif and Terry Dubrow.

Both of these surgeons carry out complicated corrective procedures to help their patients to, according to The Hollywood Reporter:

“remedy extreme plastic surgeries gone wrong.”

This includes:

Scar correction
Breast and nipple correction
Rhinoplasty fixes
Tummy-Tucks
Cement removal
Saggy Skin

The surgeons will talk to the patient about their experiences with their previous doctors and the losses they suffered due to their previous treatments. It is Gowing Law’s mission to help patients like this recover their dignity and regain their confidence about their appearance. These sort of surgeries can be devastating and can really impact a person’s quality of life. That is why we have chosen to sponsor Botched! to ensure we can help people in similar positions get the compensation that they deserve.

Gowing Law sponsors Botched!

Gowing Law has had the pleasure of working with many big names throughout our years in business, including working with Michael Owen on our advertisements and charity works:

Of course, we think it is incredibly important to support young people of all backgrounds, and we cannot forget about our own roots in medical and cosmetic injury claims. This is why we decided to work with Botched! in order to give our clients examples of what they could claim for. Of course, a lot of the cases on this show are very extreme. However, whether you have suffered from a small hairdressing accident or perhaps something more severe, we will be here to support you throughout your legal claims process.

Having reconstructive/corrective surgery is only the start of your journey. If you want to get compensation to help you with these treatments, or perhaps to help keep you comfortable as you recover, having a trained solicitor on your side can help take the burden from you. Gowing Law solicitors are here to support you.

Work with Gowing Law on your cosmetic injury claim

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that cosmetic injuries can have an extremely negative effect on the lives of the victims. That’s why you may be feeling a little worried about going out to your local nail & beauty salon even though they have just opened. But don’t worry, if anything goes wrong then Gowing Law will be here to have your back.

Our team of cosmetic negligence experts are here to help you with your claim, no matter how small it is. So, why not give us a call to discuss it today? We can offer you free advice and consultations. If you do decide to work with us, Gowing Law’s expert advisors work on a “no win no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top.

Call 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messenger located on our contact page. Our staff will then be in contact with you as quickly as possible.

What sort of accident at work compensation claims are there?

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Uncategorised, Work Place Accidents

Accident at work compensation claims can be difficult to handle on your own. Not only are you injured and are trying to recover from your wounds, but you will have to gather evidence from your work environment. This is where an experienced Gowing Law Solicitor can help you. We can handle your claim whilst you recover. However, before you get in contact with us, you may have some questions about work accident claims in general. Today is your lucky day! Gowing Law has recently interviewed our operations director, Elaine, about work accident compensation claims. Today we start with one of the most common questions: ”What sort of work accident claims are there?”

The different types of work accident claims

As you can see from our interview with Elaine, there are many different types of accident at work claims. This is due to the fact that there are a wide variety of different kinds of workplace. For instance, the accidents that could happen in a retail store and an office space are different. Before, work accident claims would mainly depend on the environment and whether there were any potential hazards that could cause accidents.

A construction site may have had faulty wiring and machines laying around, whilst an office may just have had a spill on the floor. But nowadays, Covid-19 may have ushered in a new type of accident at work claim. If someone got sick with Covid-19 due to an unsafe work environment, could the liability fall on the employer? It depends on the amount of evidence you have and whether you are remotely working. Speak to our solicitors today if you think that you have a claim.

Common Work accidents

Some of the most common accidents are normally things that have not had specific training set out for them. They can cause minor and major injuries that may even require time off work with SSP (aka. sick pay). Here are some examples of the most common injuries that you may be forced to endure if you are involved in an accident:

A lack of manual training

One of the most common accidents comes from a lack of manual training. When you get a certain job, there are expectations that come along with it. You know what duties you are going to fulfill and you should receive training to help you achieve your daily goals. However, sometimes you may be asked to help out with activities that you may not have any training in. This includes manual tasks like lifting up heavy objects and loading/unloading different objects before carrying them to your workspace. Now, most workplaces will not provide training about how to handle this sort of thing. It’s not a part of your normal duties, so why would you ever need to know safety measures about it? This is why you may end up getting hurt.

If it does happen then it is the responsibility of your employer to pay compensation for your injuries, especially if you are forced to take time away from work to recover from lifting something that was too heavy.

The lack of help for manual jobs

Everyone should know their rights when it comes to being safe at work. However, in some cases, it is impossible to maintain safety. This is because equipment in the workplace may not be in the best condition. If it does present a danger, this could injure someone. For instance, if there is a spill on the floor and no one has marked it as a danger, someone could slip over and hurt themselves. Another example is that a store front may have had its stock irregularly put away by customers. That means there is a high chance they could fall down and hit someone.

It is important that the workplace has protective measures in place to protect employees when they are injured. Different work environment present different hazards. That means that they need to identify these hazards and make them obvious to employees that they must be avoided. That way businesses can avoid liability.

Are there any other types of work accident claims?

Of course there are! Each work accident claim is extremely different as they depend on the circumstances behind the accident. Any sort of big or small injury could have an effect on your life. Your compensation depends on the extent of your losses. This could include:

Physical injuries
Emotional damages
Financial losses
Medical expenses
Broken products/ personal items

Claiming compensation should build you back up to the position you were originally in before you experienced these losses. That’s why you should wait around 2 weeks before you get in touch with your solicitor about your injury. That way you can make notes on what losses you have suffered and bring these to your solicitor. The more evidence you have to back up these losses, the better.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with any accident at work claims!

If you have suffered an accident at work, contact Gowing Law Solicitors to help you with your compensation claim. We would be happy to work with you to get the pay-out that you deserve. Gowing Law offers free advice and consultations to help you get started. These can be done remotely to ensure that you are protected against Covid-19 whilst you pursue your claim. Should you decide to work with us, we can offer you services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no risk when you make your claim. You will only need to pay us a fee if we win your case. Therefore, you will always come out on top.

Contact us now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our direct message feature on our contact page. Our friendly staff team will get in contact as quickly possible and will help you.

If you received a PPI payout, you could be owed PPI tax from HMRC!

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, PPI Tax refunds, Uncategorised

PPI tax is automatically taken away at 20% from your PPI payout. This means there is a high chance that you have not been awarded the full amount of what you have been owed when you made your compensation claim. You may be feeling a little cross that you were even charged tax in the first place on your refund. That is completely understandable. No one likes thinking that they are entitled to a large compensation fee, only to find that it has been taxed. This is why Gowing Law Solicitors are here to help you get your money back. PPI tax claims can be extremely complicated. That is why we have created a helpful self-assessment form to get you the support that you need. Start your PPI tax journey now with Gowing Law Solicitors and claim your PPI payout:

The basics of PPI

To understand the basics of PPI tax, you need to understand Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) itself. PPI was sold alongside financial lending schemes in order to protect people if they could not pay back the money due to emergencies, such as death, illness and unemployment. This was included in:

Credit card schemes
Mortgage schemes
Lending plans
Catalogue payments

However, a lot of PPI schemes sold were not actually suitable for the people who purchased them. For instance, if someone was self-employed, why would they need PPI to protect them since they were paying their own wages? Or, what if they were planning on moving abroad to start a business in a different country? These schemes were not personalized to suit the owner. Therefore, most people wasted money purchasing these protection schemes. This is why so many people claimed compensation for these losses until the deadline in 2016.

Why did HMRC take tax away from my PPI payout?

Your PPI pay-out/compensation is made up of three elements:

A refund of the amount of PPI you paid in.
Whether the bank added an extra loan to your pay-off of your PPI. This would have charged you interest.
You received statutory interest (8%) on both of the previous sums for each year you got PPI.

Only your statutory interest can be taxed. If it is taxed then this will be displayed on your PPI pay out statement. This tax was taken off your PPI pay-out because the statutory interest was intended to get you back to your original financial position if you had not been mis-sold PPI. Therefore, it would count as saving’s interest, aka. Interest that has been created from your saved money.

How much time could it take to make a PPI tax claim?

This depends entirely on how complicated your PPI tax claim is. For those who work with Gowing Law, it can take around 5-6 weeks after you have submitted your details. Whether you have been rejected by HMRC before, or perhaps have never made a claim before, Gowing Law’s expert solicitors will get your money returned to you as quickly as possible. That way you can save your funds for a rainy day or you can use it to enjoy the summer. The more information you provide about your PPI tax and previous pay-out, the more likely that you will have a successful return.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your PPI payout!

So far, Gowing Law Solicitors has been able to reclaim over £10,000 in rebates for our customers all over the UK. So far, all of our customers have been extremely happy with our services. Many of these clients did not even know that they were due back £100’s. All you need to do is use our online submissions form to get started. Fill in your personal details, claim details and then submit the form. Our friendly team will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to discuss your claim and to get started.

You can also contact us by phoning 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by visiting our contact page to use our direct messaging feature.

The Top Ten Signs you have been mis-sold a pension

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Pension Claims, SIPPs, Uncategorised

If you have been mis-sold a pension then you are going to want to know about it. After all, you have spent all of your life trying to build up your savings. That way you can get to your golden years and live comfortably. However, if you have been scammed out of your pension, or perhaps have unknowingly invested your money in high-risk SIPP, then it is likely that your funds may be drained before you even realized it. You may have been promised a large reward in return for your investment. However, an unregulated pension scheme can return very little on your initial sum.

As a victim of a mis-sold pension, you are entitled to compensation. This is where the experts at Gowing Law Solicitors can move in to help you. There are a number of warning signs that could demonstrate that a pension has been mis-sold to you. These signs can make those who sold you the pension scheme liable for your damages. An experienced mis-sold pension lawyer can help you provide evidence so that you can make a claim. Take a look at some of the signs below to see if you could be owed mis-sold pension compensation.

What is a mis-sold pension?

Now this may seem like a bit of an obvious point, however you would be surprised how many people do not actually know the basics of a mis-sold pension. Usually, if you have a mis-sold pension it means that you have been given “unsuitable advice”. So, for instance, if you were advised to move your pension from a work-scheme to a SIPP scheme, after being promised a larger return than what you standard pension would give you, this was unsuitable advice. Mainly, this is due to the fact that you did not receive the return that you were promised.

A “mis-sold pension” does not just rely on the investor’s advice. In fact, it can be due to the investments themselves. If you were not told about the cost of these payments or the amount that would come with the losses, this is an example of how you were unfairly persuaded into investing. Worse still, you may have even ended up with unregulated investments that you had no idea were part of the deal. This may include:

You did not know about these unregulated investments until it was too late. That is why you ended up losing your pension funds. Make sure to check out all of the details that come along with you pension scheme, especially if you are investing in a SIPP scheme. That way you will always know where your funds are going.

What should I do if I am mis-sold a pension?

Unfortunately, if you have been mis-sold a pension, it is very likely that you will not be able to get back the full amount of your investment. However, you can claim compensation for your losses. Now, according to the UK government website, to claim compensation, your claim must fall into one of three categories:

As you can see, these are the main ways to distinguish whether or not you have a claim. However, if you invested in a SIPP, you may want to look carefully at their policies and keep updated about any news about them. This can tell you whether or not your investments may not be going as well as you hoped. Make sure to keep any correspondence between you and your advisor. If they are lying about any facts surrounding your pension scheme, this can be used as evidence.

How to tell if you have been mis-sold a pension?

As lawyers, Gowing Law strives to help as many people around the UK with their claims as possible, whether they are work accidents or mis-sold mortgages, it is extremely sad to see someone who has had all of their savings taken away. That’s why we want to provide as much support as possible during this stressful period. If you have recently invested in a pension scheme such as a SIPP, or perhaps are considering it, make sure to look at these ten signs of being offered an unsuitable pension scheme:

1. You were cold-called

One of the biggest red flags when it comes to pensions is being offered a scheme through cold calling. Cold calling is when an advisor/investor will contact you out of the blue and offered you a way to increase your pension fund. Usually these type of calls will be from numbers you do not recognize. The investors on the other end will not know anything about your own personal situation. Instead, they will be trying to see who will “bite” at the opportunity to make more money. Usually, these types of calls end up being scams.

2. Your Investment adviser lied about their experience

Now, when you reach out for investment help from a pension specialist, you expect them to have the right qualifications. This can include a qualification in pension essentials, calculations and administration. They may also have taken courses about the best investment opportunities and how to apply them to different people. That way they can provide you with an appropriate pension scheme that can support you throughout your old age with the financial returns.

However, this was not the case. Some investors do lie about their experience in order to bring in more clientele. They may have claimed to have qualifications or worked in investments for longer than they have. In order to help you avoid this in the future, make sure to ask for a copy of your investor’s qualifications or evidence of their prior experience. These should be readily available if they do not have anything to hide.

3. Your investor did not provide you information about your pension

Did you know that at least 49% of mis-sold pensions happen because the pension holders were not provided with specific information about their investment? Most people are told about the positives of their pension. However, your investor may have left out some of the risks involved in the scheme. This meant that you invested your hard-earned pension without knowing what was fully involved. There could be small details that were not mentioned, worse still it may have been invested in high-risk products. This is what happened to SIPP investors that were convinced to put their money into The Dolphin Trust and Harlequin Properties. However, SIPPs are a little different to mis-sold pensions, so make sure to visit our SIPP page for more information:

4. Lack of Paperwork

How could you possibly make any sort of investment if you do not have the appropriate paperwork to back it up? Any investment should come with paperwork that details what you are investing in, how much you should expect to make out of your investment and how long it should potentially take. It should also list any potential risks that may make you lose money. Having the appropriate paperwork will help you distinguish whether or not you actually want to invest in the pension scheme or if you want to look around for alternatives. If a pension investor comes to you and claims to not have any paperwork to make things “simpler”, this is a red flag that something underhanded may be going on. Do not invest in this sort of “get rich quick” scheme.

5. Pressurized Investments

Now, in some cases, it may be likely that the investor you are working with may be making a commissioned profit off of your investment. This is because they get paid for every person they pull into the scheme. Of course, they will not tell you this, but it definitely gives them incentive to try and get you to invest. You may find that your investor starts to pressurize you in to the scheme by saying:

Your contract has a time limit
The investment is only going to be this cheap for so long
They are going to offer your investment to someone else
Other schemes require larger payments to invest

If you feel like you are being forced to invest, rather than you are being given a genuine choice, this is a sign that it may not be worth it. Make sure to tell your investor that you do need time to consider your options and that you cannot be forced into a pension scheme without careful consideration. If they do not back down then clearly it is time for you to find a different pension scheme.

6. Guaranteed Returns

If you have been mis-sold a pension, it is likely that it is due to the fact that your investor promised you a lot more than what they could actually deliver. An investor can provide you with case studies and evidence of how well a certain pension scheme has delivered for other people, however, they cannot ultimately say that any sort of pension scheme has a 100% chance of a guaranteed return. An investor saying this to you is clearly a red flag. It may also indicate that they do not know or understand the type of scheme they are trying to get you to invest in. Make sure to do your research if your investor is not telling you all of the facts about your potential pension scheme.

7. Fees & Charges

When you enter a pension scheme, the last thing you want to hear is that there is a joining fee or hidden commission fee that is required by your advisor to proceed with the investment. This should not happen if you are transferring your funds in to a pension scheme. Paying for anything that is outside of your initial investment is always a bad sign. After all, it is shows that your advisor solely wants to make money off you rather than help you retire in comfort.

8. Tax Avoidance Schemes

Now, this is completely illegal and normally is a sign of a scam. You have to pay tax in the UK or else you could be scamming vital services out of money. If you were unaware that this was happening, or that your funds had gone anywhere near this sort of scheme, you could be owed a lot of compensation. Make sure to provide evidence that you were not knowingly involved in this sort of scheme, including mis-leading documentation and communication between you and your advisor.

9. You were pressurized to leave your work pension

Normally, if you have had your funds placed into a work-place pension, they usually use a standard pension scheme that can ensure you get a comfortable amount once you retire. Those who are used to making investments may actively choose to leave this pension scheme. This is because they have a basic understanding of how investments work and how they can make a profit off them. However, if you are not used to investing, it is likely that you will stick with the pension provider of your firm. This is why it may have taken some convincing to try and get you to invest your funds in to a different type of pension scheme.

Did you find that your pension advisor recommended that you leave your work’s pension scheme? This act of pressure may have made you feel uncomfortable or like you were being bullied in to a scheme. You may have lost out on a good sum of money due to this bad advice. That’s why you could be due compensation.

10. New Unregulated Schemes

Even now, there are a number of unregulated investment schemes that are being marketed to vulnerable people. Around 19% of schemes that are judged as “dodgy” tend to get that title because they have not been adequately evaluated. Some advisors spend as little as 15 minutes checking over each scheme to make sure that each scheme is appropriate for their clients. It is the advisor’s duty to make sure that they understand that each scheme is personalized to their client’s needs. A good advisor will do diligence processes to ensure that each investment is not a scam scheme. Make sure your advisor does this as well or else you may have been accidentally mis-sold a pension.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your claim!

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we think it is disgraceful that someone would try to scam you out of your hard-earned pension. If you are the victim of a mis-sold pension then you deserve compensation. That way you can reclaim some of the funds that were stolen from you. Gowing Law has experienced mis-sold pension solicitors that are ready to help you. They can offer you free consultations and advice to get you started. This can all be done from the safety of your home. Gowing Law is more than happy to help you remotely. If you decide to work with us, our solicitors work on a “no-win, no fee” basis. That means there is no risk to you making a claim. You will always come out on top.

Speak to a professional solicitor today about your claim! Call 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk, or use our direct messaging feature on our contact page. From there, one of our helpful team members will be in contact with you as quickly as possible.

Pedestrian Safety & Covid-19: What you need to know

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Accidents in Public, Blog, Covid-19, Traffic Accidents, Uncategorised

Pedestrian safety is a big issue nowadays. Not only do pedestrians need to worry about being involved with accidents with traffic but there is always the threat for non-drivers of Covid-19 on public transport and in crowded areas of cities. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users as they can dart out on to the road without much warning, especially if they are trying to avoid coming into contact with groups of people. That’s why if you are vehicle driver, you need to keep an eye out for them. If a collision does happen, it is very likely that the pedestrian involved could sue for pedestrian accident compensation.

It is important that pedestrians feel safe if they are crossing the street, even if they are socially distancing from others on the street. However, if you have been involved in an accident whilst crossing a road, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you. Read our blog below to learn more information about pedestrian safety during the pandemic.

Pedestrian Safety & Road Traffic Risks

As a pedestrian, you are always at the risk of being involved in a traffic accident. Even if you are following the pedestrian rules of the road. According to a study in 2015, on average 14 pedestrians are seriously injured every day. Think about it this way. A pedestrian is not protected by a vehicle shell, similar to motorcyclists and cyclists, and therefore if they are hit by a vehicle, it is more likely that they will sustain greater injuries that could potentially be life threatening.

Pedestrian traffic accidents may include:

Hit and Run
Speeding vehicles
Darting out during changing traffic lights
Drunk Driving
Vehicle left hand turns
Reversing vehicle
Being “Doored”
Being pushed in to traffic
Illegal vehicle manoeuvres

As you can see, the roads can be extremely dangerous for pedestrians. That’s why, if you are a car driver, it is important to keep an eye out for them. This is because you have a duty of care towards everyone who uses the road. Pedestrians will need to cross the road, therefore you need to look out for them as well. That way you will to get yourself involved in a collision or a future pedestrian accident compensation claim.

Covid-19 & Pedestrian Safety

Now, Covid-19 has turned the world upside. Not only has the UK been through a lock down period, but now that it is easing, there is still a likely chance that a second wave will hit the country. People are going back to work and are creating social bubbles to try and reintegrate themselves in to society. That’s why it is more than likely that more people will be going outside and using public transport to get to quieter areas. If you are a pedestrian, you need to make sure to follow strict social distancing regulations to ensure your safety, as well as the safety of others around you.

To avoid catching Covid-19, you may want to consider following some of these safety regulations:

These are only a few of the examples of how you could socially distance as a pedestrian. In some cities they are considering putting up social distancing signs in crowded areas. Other places may even change the speed limit of their roads in order to promote bicycle and pedestrian use. One of the biggest changes is also in relation to traffic lights. In order to alleviate fears of spreading germs by touching a crossing button, the traffic light system may even become automatic or have a touchless feature installed to help pedestrians cross.

Active Travel & Pedestrian Safety

Another thing that drivers will need to be aware of is “active travel”. According to the BBC,

‘Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered English local authorities to make “significant changes” to give more space to pedestrians and cyclists. He said he would be setting up a £250 million emergency fund to encourage what he called “active travel”.’

This emergency fund was created in order to encourage more pedestrians to use the city streets for cycling and walking. This includes using the money to create temporary traffic orders that can install cycle lanes, create zebra crossings, close streets to traffic, and widen the pavement. Basically, it is to encourage more people to actually use the public space for walking. In turn, that means you are going to have to be aware of more people crossing roads. You do not want to be the reason behind an accident due to these changes. Instead, you will have to be aware of pedestrian safety measures.

Keep aware that the pandemic is going to change how we travel, as well as the use of cars and motorised vehicles on the road. The more pedestrians use the street, the more likely it is that a collision may happen. That is why you need to stay alert when driving.

Pedestrian vs Driver Negligence

If you are a pedestrian that has been involved in a traffic accident with a vehicle, one of the most important things that you can do is prove that you were not at fault for the accident. Many pedestrians believe that traffic accidents are solely caused by the driver. This is because they are more protected and so have more “responsibility” whilst they are on the road. Well, this is certainly not the case. Not all pedestrian accident claims result in the driver being at fault. In fact, there are a number of case outcomes where a pedestrian may be at fault for the accident. This is the sort of case where the pedestrian will not be awarded compensation even if they have suffered from injuries.

Examples of pedestrian negligence may include:

A pedestrian being distracted by their phone
A person crossing the road trying to beat an oncoming vehicle
People distracted by talking to each other and not watching the road

So, should you make a claim, it is important to know whether or not you were the main cause of the accident. If you were at fault for the traffic collision, it is unlikely that you will be able to get compensation.

What should I do if I have been in a traffic accident?

If you have unfortunately been involved in a car accident as a pedestrian, you may have experienced injuries that need to be looked at by a medical practitioner. These may only be minor, but in other cases you may also have sustained broken bones or traumatic head, spine and brain injuries. Make sure to focus on your injuries before taking down any evidence of the accident. Your health is what really matters, so get examined as quickly as possible.

With that said, there are a number of ways you can strengthen your case against any other party if they are liable for your injuries. The most important thing you can do is find evidence to prove you are not at fault:

Take photographs and videos of the scene. You may want to take pictures of the environment to detail where you were and what time it occurred. That way the driver who hit you cannot dispute it.
Images and videos of your injuries can help detail the severity of how badly you were hurt. These will be crucial in determining the amount of compensation you are awarded.
Information about the other driver’s insurance details and images of their vehicle.
Take witness statements and contact details from people who saw your accident.
CCTV footage may have captured your accident. Ask your solicitor to help you collect this evidence.
Call the police to get a police report taken of the accident. You can collect a copy of this report.
Save all receipts that have come from your expenses (i.e. medical and lost wages).

What can I claim for?

Now that you know how to handle an accident that you are involved in, do you know what you could actually claim for? Pedestrian traffic accidents can get complicated, especially if you solely set your mind on claiming for physical damages.

A solicitor can help you consider other options of compensation that include:

Emotional damages
Financial damages
Broken goods/property
Medical expenses

Your financial expenses may include wages that you have lost due to being away from work or the time you have spent in hospital. You can also claim for any medications that you have had to pay for or even recovery therapies (such as physiotherapy).

Make sure to look at everything that has happened in your accident. You need to consider cause and effect, as well as how has your daily life been impacted. These are what damages actually are. From these, a compensation tally can be totalled.

How much money can I claim?

Pedestrian safety is extremely important when it comes to sharing the road. However, if you have become the victim of a car collision then you may be considering how much money you could claim. Now, the first thing you need to know is that each traffic accident claim is different. Some people who have experienced life changing injuries may be able to claim thousands. However, others may get hundreds. It entirely depends on the extent of your injuries, whether the other party admits liability and the evidence of your losses. The more you can prove, the more likely that you are going to get a higher pay-out.

How long do I have to make a road traffic accident claim?

From the day of your accident, you have exactly three years to make a claim. We would recommend waiting at least two weeks to see the extent of your injuries and to process any evidence. Once you have sufficient evidence and know the extent of your injuries, this is when you should get in contact with a trained road traffic accident claims solicitor. They can help you understand the claims process and take the stress off you. This can really help if you have suffered severe injuries and are trying to recover. You may simply not have the time to make a claim on your own, especially if you have to balance work with your hospital appointments and work commitments. We can help you balance your schedule and make your claim.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your claim

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that pedestrian safety is key to helping people feel safe in public areas. It is not easy to recover from a collision with a car or any other type of vehicle. That’s why our trained solicitors are here to help you get the compensation that you deserve.

All of our experienced team in Manchester work remotely and so would be happy to assist you all from the comfort of your own home. They can offer free advice and consultations about your case. If you decide to work with our team of specialists, they can work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means that you will not need to pay any fees if we do not win your case.

If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you with your RTA claim, please get in contact as soon as possible! All you need to do is call 0800 041 8350 , email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or contact us directly through our live chat. This is located on our contact page. One of our staff will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible.

Learn more about RTA claims!

If pedestrian safety near roads is something that you are passionate about, you will be delighted to know that we cover more about them in our blog section! This contains articles about different law issues, including safety and accident claims on the road. Take a look at some of our suggested reading below:

We also cover other topics about financial mis-selling, personal injury and accidents at work. Please let us know if you would like us to write about a question you may have. We would be happy to know your suggestions. If you message info@gowinglaw.co.uk we can also sign you up to our weekly newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

What could make me eligible for a PPI Tax Reclaim?

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, PPI Tax refunds, Uncategorised

A PPI tax reclaim can get more complicated that you may originally have thought. That’s why it is always helpful to have a trained solicitor on your side to help you understand them. One of the main question you have is probably about whether or not you are actually eligible for a PPI tax reclaim. You may be self-employed or may not be a tax employer in the UK, but that’s okay! Gowing Law Solicitors has helped so many people in your position. Claimants who may have been turned away from HRMC are more than welcome to come to Gowing Law for help. We can help you understand how you can move forward with your claim and get your money back. Check out our PPI self-assessment form for more information.

The basics of a PPI reclaim

Before we jump into PPI tax and whether or not you are eligible, let’s start with the basics of PPI in general. That way you can fully understand why your bank/lender may have taxed your PPI pay-out. They are a bit different from making a work injury or traffic accident claim, so make sure to read this carefully:

As you can see from the description above, many people took out PPI in order to protect a financial scheme they had invested in or needed to pay back. This included:

Credit Cards
Visa Cards
Credit Schemes
Mortgages
Loans

Unfortunately, when PPI was sold it was usually not suitable for the person who owned it. For instance, it may have been sold to someone who owned their own business. Why would they need it if they got ill? After all they were the one who paid their own wages. Therefore, they did not need any financial protection if they got sick. This meant that the PPI scheme was not suitable to be added to their loan. Many people became victims of this scheme because it was simply not suitable for their needs. That is why the deadline was set for the 29th August 2019 to ask for their money back.

Why was tax taken off your PPI pay out?

Now, when a loaner/ bank returned your money it is very likely that they automatically took away 20% of your pay-out. This is because the main aim of your PPI claim is to return you to that original financial position you were in before you made a loss. If you suspect that this happened to you then you need to check either your tax statements or the PPI pay-out statement. According to Becky O’Connor, a financial specialist from Royal London,

“If you have received a payout for PPI compensation, it is worth checking the statement for details of any tax paid on the interest element of your refund. If it was and tax was not due because the interest income was within your personal allowance or you are a non-taxpayer, you may be entitled to request a refund.”

This leads us on to another point about why you could be due this tax back. It is important to understand the amount you paid out in relation to your own personal allowance. Your PPI payment should have included an annual interest of 8% every year. This was to compensate other claimants who may have lost money due to their mis-sold PPI policy. You should be able to have this interest returned to you alongside your tax. This is what is known as PPI interest. It’s important to understand that this PPI interest could have also been taxed, meaning that it is likely that you should be able to get more money back.

Could you be eligible for a PPI tax reclaim?

Normally, if you have had tax taken off your PPI claim, you can have it returned to you if you have kept within your own personal savings allowance or are a non- tax payer. This is because the interest was not necessary for you to make up the amount you paid in. If this has happened to you then you may be considering filling in a R40 form. However, there are some other ways that you could be eligible for a PPI tax reclaim.

Job Changes

Covid-19 has changed the world as we know it. As people in the UK have currently just come out of lockdown, and most are considering how they can safely go back to work, it is very likely that the tax you pay from your work or the amount you receive through your wage is going to change. Before the pandemic, you may have simply been trying to change jobs or you may have unfortunately lost your job. These job changes have affected the amount of income you have brought in, therefore you may have been paying too much in to your PPI payments. That means any interest that was added to your payments was unnecessary and can be reclaimed.

Redundancy Payments

Paying for your PPI through your job wages is one thing, being made redundant and using your redundancy payments pay is completely different. If you were made redundant by your employer, your redundancy wage should have been used to sustain you until you found a different job. Instead, you wasted the money on a policy that you never actually needed. That is why you are eligible to get this money back.

Pension Payments

Another thing that could affect the amount of income you bring in, and therefore the tax you pay on it, is your pension. Now, here at Gowing Law we do deal with mis-sold pensions that have robbed people of their life savings. But in terms of a normal pensions, this is different. You will have 25% of your pension tax free. However, you will pay 75% through income tax. This means that your own personal savings allowance should be around £12,500. If you go under this allowance then you should be allowed to pay some of the tax back. If some of your pension payments have gone in to paying for PPI then you should be allowed to get this money (and the tax) back. You could also be eligible if you have used income from a life or pension annuity.

Previous Tax Assessments

If you have previously filled out a tax assessment then you may have seen that you were eligible for PPI tax reclaims. This is because it tallied up all of your income and will display what taxes were paid on what payment. You may see additional payments that you originally did not realize you were paying in accordance to your PPI agreement. If you believe that you have paid too much on different taxes on your income, you can ask for it to be returned to you. You can write a letter of grievance to your lender/bank to let them know of your intentions and that you do require information to move forward with your claim.

Payments from abroad

Not everyone has stayed in the UK between 2016 and the present day. Some people may have taken out PPI and then moved abroad to pursue a business in a different country. They may have learned about the basics of PPI and then used their financial loan to try and work elsewhere. Additional interests may have been put on the tax and the PPI because the person was no longer in the UK. You will have to check with your solicitor to see if this has happened to you. If it has then you may be in for a higher pay-out. It entirely depends on your own personal circumstances.

PPI Plevin Case

Now, this is a bit different from getting tax on your PPI, but it is still something that you may want to consider doing. A PPI Plevin case is where you were paying an unreasonable amount of commission on your PPI to the loaner or your bank. You may not have been aware of it and so only found out when you tried to make your PPI claim. Make sure to check your tax statements carefully. That way you can see if anything underhanded has happened without your realizing it. You should never have been put in to this position in the first place, therefore you are due compensation.

If you pursue this type of case, you will not be allowed to claim tax on your PPI claim. So make sure to discuss it with your solicitor before you decide what legal battle you want to pursue. Gowing Law Solicitors also help clients with PPI Plevin cases, so make sure to get in contact with us to let us know how we can help you!

The evidence needed for a PPI tax reclaim

It is extremely likely that you are eligible for a PPI tax claim. If that is the case then you need to start considering legal action. You can fill out the R40 for on your own, but this can get very complicated, especially if you need to figure out what sort of evidence you have to prove that you are owed PPI tax claim compensation. Take a look at our infographic below to see some examples of how you can prove you are owed your tax back:

One of the most important things you need to remember is that you need to keep as much documentation as you can. Whilst some of it may not be useful in the long run, each communication or legalized loan document can show how much you have paid over the years. In turn, this can demonstrate why your tax should never have been taken off your PPI claim in the first place.

Make sure to keep these safe for your solicitor. That way they can be used to strengthen your case when you fill out your R40 with the help of your lawyer.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your PPI tax reclaim!

So far, Gowing Law has managed to receive £10,000 in rebates for our customers! This includes helping customers who have already been turned down from HMRC. That’s why it’s time for you to get in contact with Gowing Law Solicitors. We can start working on your PPI tax reclaims case ASAP. All of our customers are impressed with our experience and our useful online submissions system. You could be owed £100’s back from HMRC. So, why not have our experienced lawyers start working with you? That way you can earn some extra money. This can be spent over the summer or saved for a rainy day.

If you are ready to work with Gowing Law Solicitors, feel free to fill in our submissions system to get started. This will let our solicitors know all of the basics information they need to get focused on your claim. The average turnaround time, once this is completed, is around 5-6 weeks. So you should have your tax repaid in no time.

You can also contact Gowing Law directly to talk about PPI tax claims. Call 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our DM system located on our contact page. A member of our team will then be in contact to talk about your claim. Let us know if you have any questions! We would be more than happy to help you.

Want to learn more about PPI tax reclaims?

You can do this by following our blog page! We are proud to keep our blog page updated regularly. This is with information about the latest UK laws and present issues (like Covid-19). However, we also cover information about personal injuries, traffic accidents, accidents at work and immigration. Please let us know if there is a topic that you would like us to cover. You can send it in to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We can also sign you up to our weekly newsletter. This newsletter discusses our services in detail and covers specific law topics. They are informative and may make you think about getting in contact with us. We would always be happy to help you with any questions you may have!

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

The top reasons why you need a solicitor to help you with PPI Tax Claims

Posted on July 7, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, PPI Tax refunds, Uncategorised

PPI tax claims solicitors are extremely helpful when it comes to helping you reclaim the money lost on your PPI pay out. Many people think that the deadline for PPI reclaims have passed, therefore there is no point in trying to claim any more money back. You have been awarded for your losses. That should be the end of it. However, did you know that if you submitted a claim before the 29th of August 2019, you could claim back any tax that has been taken off your pay out? A trained PPI tax refund solicitor can help you collect this refund.

Tax reclaims can be complicated. That’s why you need the help of a trained professional to make sure your claim is not invalidated. This blog will help you understand the basics of PPI tax claims, as well as how a trained PPI tax claim solicitor can help you get the money that you are due back.

Did you get a successful PPI claim?

Before we talk about PPI tax claims, let’s start off by talking about PPI in general. That way you can understand whether or not you are eligible to get your tax back. PPI is short for “payment protection insurance”. PPI was a “protection” policy sold by the banks that would cover anyone who had a financial policy taken out. This included policies for:

Credit Cards
Loans
Mortgages
Credit Schemes

If you had PPI you would usually pay extra in order to protect yourself if you could not pay back your financial plan. For instance, you may have been ill and so did not go to work, therefore you did not have the funds to continue with your monthly payments on your financial obligations. This PPI would ”supposedly” cover this period of time until you got the funds to continue with your payments.

However, in most cases PPI was mis-sold to people who did not need it, such as those who were self-employed. That’s why so many people have now put in PPI claims to get their money back. Over £34 billion of PPI has been repaid so far. However, that does not mean that the tax has also been repaid. If you have successfully been able to get your PPI back, you should be able to get your tax back as well!

Exceptional Circumstances for PPI claims

Honestly, there are only a few reasons why you should be able to make a PPI claim now that the deadline has passed. Each of these cases will be judged individually, so you will be required to provide as much information as possible to help them judge your case. Here are some examples of where you may be allowed to file a compensation claim:

A serious illness that stopped you from making a complaint
The death of a loved one/ a bereavement that stopped you from making a PPI complaint
Caring for a sick family member or relative
A technical difficulty with the website when you tried to submit your claim

Speak to your solicitor if you think you may have an exceptional circumstance that could validate your claim.

Why did they take tax off my PPI pay-out?

As you can see, there are three main factors behind the overall pay-out you will receive. The only factor that can be taxable is your statutory interest, which should be around 8% per year. If you see that your PPI pay-out has been taxed, it is usually because statutory interest has been created to return you to the position you would have been in previously if you had not taken out PPI. Should this tax be due on your pay-out most banks and firms will take it out automatically at around 20%.

You should be able to see the deduction of tax on the bottom of the confirmation of your PPI pay-out. If you have noticed this tax deduction then there is still a chance that you could get it back. This is where a trained PPI tax reclaim solicitor can help you make up the difference. They can make a rough estimate to see how much you could be owed. Make sure to provide them as much information as possible to make sure you know what you are owed.

Will I be automatically refunded for my PPI tax?

Unfortunately, most banks and lenders will not just automatically refund any tax that you may have. Instead, you will have to fill out a complicated R40 form to get a refund. These can be quite difficult to understand, but a solicitor can help you with the self-assessment and understand what interest you had on your PPI. That means the PPI tax should be refunded to you.

What should you do if you have been rejected for a tax reclaim?

The first thing that you do is calm down. There is still a way that you could claim the tax back on your compensation. A solicitor can help you appeal if you are unsure or have been rejected for a refund of the tax that was taken from you. This includes:

If the bank has told you it needs more information
If you have been rewarded an unfair amount of compensation

Normally, when it comes to PPIT, the deduction is taken off automatically from the banks or your lender. Therefore it should not be an issue to request for this to be returned to you. A trained lawyer can help you sort out a “subject access request” form to help you get more information about your PPIT. This should give you all the information about your involvement with your lender over the past 6 years.

If you do not think you have been awarded the fair amount of tax for your PPI claim, you should consider the different factors behind your claim. For example, did you owe the bank money when you made a claim on your policy? Your bank may have also made assumptions about your own policy that you will have to rectify. Make sure to look at any pay-out letters carefully to see where any mistakes could have been made. Your solicitor can then advice you on what to do going forward.

How much could I get from a PPI tax pay out?

Now, this depends on how much money you put in to your PPI payments in the first place and how much you received when you received your payment. The first thing you need to consider is your tax allowances. For instance, under the marriage tax allowance you could be owed over £1,000 for a PPI tax. You will also need to consider whether you have a PPI Plevin case, however keep in mind you cannot claim tax if you do go to the court system with your case.

Now, if you need an example of how much you could earn from a PPI tax reclaim, Martin Lewis, a PPI claims expert, gave an example of one of his own clients. Geraint tweeted at him:

As you can see, Geraint showed that his partner managed to claim hundreds in pounds as well as get a little extra with the tax rebate. Most people who paid the 20% basic rate of tax could claim over £1,000, whilst others who paid 40% rate of tax could claim around £500. The majority of people are owed money back and don’t even know it! This is why they need a trained solicitor to help them get the pay out that they deserve.

How can a solicitor help me with my PPI tax claim?

If you are interested in pursuing a PPI tax reclaim, you can try and fill out a R40 form on your own. However, this may be more complicated than you realize. Not only are there different versions of the form (i.e. for the self-employed or those living abroad) but you may not know how to fill it in. That’s why you need the help of an experienced legal solicitor to help you get your money back.

Here are some examples of why having a solicitor help you reclaim your PPI tax is so useful:

As you can see from our list, having the experience of any sort of PPI tax solicitor can help you avoid small mistakes that could invalidate your claim. They will schedule you and help you understand a rough estimate of how much you could be due from your claim. A PPI tax lawyer can also help you hit deadlines and explain why they have been put in place. Even if this has to be done through remote communication, due to the effects of Covid-19, this can be managed.

Make sure to give your solicitor as much evidence as possible to support your claim. That way they can manoeuvre your case with precision and help you get the pay out that you deserve.

What evidence do I need to help my PPI tax claim?

Evidence for PPI tax claims are a little different to evidence you might find for a traffic accident or a work injury. Instead of photographs and videos, you need to show communication that you have had with your bank or lender. You may decide to write a letter of grievance to them, or perhaps you can show PPI statements or officially documentation about your lending scheme. This can show how much you have spent on your PPI and how much tax you should be able to receive in return.

Collect as many documents as possible that you think are relevant. Your solicitor can then order them and let you know which ones will be relevant to your case. They can also use them to help fill out the R40 form.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help with your PPI tax claim!

So far, Gowing Law has received over £10,000 in rebates for all of our customers looking for a PPI tax reclaim. This includes helping customers who were already turned down by the HMRC. Not only have we developed our own online submissions system but we have worked with clients all over the UK. A huge number of these clients did not even know that they were owed £100’s from the HMRC. If you are one of these people, these extra funds could really help you over the summer, especially if you are struggling with funds due to Covid-19. Our trained solicitors can help you get the payout that you deserve in around 5-6 weeks. Our services are fast, easy and efficient. All of the lawyers at Gowing Law know exactly how to help you. We are ready to listen to your case!

Feel free to use our submission system to get in contact with Gowing Law about you PPI tax claim. If you want to talk to our team of experts, feel free to call us on 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messaging system located on our contact page.

Please get in contact as soon as possible! Covid-19 has brought about a backlog of cases in the UK legal system. That means there is a higher chance that your case could be delayed if you do wait. So, get in contact with Gowing Law Solicitors. We can help get your PPI tax returned to you as quickly as possible.

Want to read more about PPI tax claims?

If you have claimed back your PPI then you could be owed the tax. That’s why it’s essential that you keep up with our blog page. Here we talk about the latest information about PPI taxes, financial mis-selling and personal injury claims. Check out our basics of PPI tax claim blog and our blog about self-employed PPI tax claims. We also talk about recent news topics about Covid-19 and the recent updates about UK law. If you want to suggest a topic for our blog, feel free to write in to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be happy to write about your suggestions. Gowing Law also has a newsletter that gets sent out every week. Let us know if you’re interested and we can sign you up.

We look forward to hearing from you soon

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