D&A Solicitors | BLOG

  Introduction Yesterday, on 20 November 2025, the Home Secretary announced what is arguably the most significant restructuring of the UK’s legal migration framework in half a century. For decades, the path to settlement—or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)—has generally followed a standard five-year timeline. As long as you lived here, worked here, and kept out of trouble, settlement was the natural conclusion to your visa journey. That era appears to be over. Under the new “Contribution-Based Model” unveiled by the government, the automatic right to settle after five years is being replaced by a tiered system where time is no longer the only currency. Instead, migrants must "earn" their place through economic contribution, integration, and strict adherence to the rules. For our clients here in Birmingham—from the healthcare heroes working in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to the tech entrepreneurs in the Custard Factory—these changes are seismic. The new rules propose doubling...

  Buying or selling a home is likely the biggest financial transaction of your life. Don't leave the legal foundations to chance. Here is a deep dive into why choosing a CQS-accredited firm like D&A Solicitors is the most essential decision you’ll make in the moving process. Introduction: The Excitement and the Anxiety of Moving Picture the scene: the offer has been accepted. The "For Sale" sign outside your dream Birmingham home has been changed to "Sold Subject to Contract." You are already mentally arranging furniture in the living room and picking out paint colours for the hallway. The excitement is palpable. But beneath that excitement, there is often a current of deep anxiety. You are about to commit a vast sum of money, take on a significant mortgage, and navigate a legal process that is notoriously complex, often painfully slow, and littered with potential pitfalls. This legal process is called conveyancing. In its simplest terms, it is the legal tra...