A Mansfield company is leading the way as the impact of a major shake-up in the provision of legal services is beginning to take effect.

Mansfield-based independent Chartered Accountants, McGregors Corporate, has launched a sister company, Next Generation Planning Ltd, to offer more services.

It has become the first in Nottinghamshire to be licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales to carry out probate work — and one of only a handful throughout England and Wales.

The company, which already advises on Inheritance Tax planning, will also offer a will writing service through its own in-house qualified solicitor.

Mr Chris Holder, head of legal practice at Next Generation Planning and managing director of McGregors Corporate, said: “We can now provide enhanced support to our clients.

“As well as lifetime Inheritance Tax planning, which we already offer, we can now ensure that this planning is properly reflected in our clients’ wills and make any changes needed when their circumstances change.

“In addition, at the very difficult time of the death of a family member, we can take pressure off a family by administering the estate and applying for probate. They can be confident knowing that we would already have a detailed knowledge of their family affairs, having been involved in any Inheritance Tax planning and writing the will.

“We are offering a service that you can’t get elsewhere. Customers will have the confidence of knowing that the same firm can deal with the whole process of making a will, Inheritance Tax planning and probate.”

Mr Holder added that the company was excited about its new will writing service and urged people to make sure they had one.

According to the Law Society, the majority of UK residents do not have a will. Its research in October last year revealed that 73% of people aged 16-54 and 36% of those over 55 have yet to get a will.

Mr Holder said: “Making a will has never been more important. For example, when people divorce they need to make a new will. If people live together, but don’t make a will, this can lead to major problems in making sure that loved ones are provided for.”

The changes follow the Legal Services Act 2007, which intended that any business should be able to offer a full range of legal services, subject to gaining a licence and employing a qualified solicitor.

Customers, whether businesses or the general public, will benefit from a more cost-effective service because all the aspects of writing a will, probate and Inheritance Tax can be handled by just one company.

This will ensure a quicker and smoother process under one roof by professionals who will already know all the relevant details and requirements of their clients.

McGregors Corporate and Next Generation Planning Ltd are based at i2 Mansfield, go to www.mcgregorscorporate.co.uk or call 01623 635349 for more information.