Steene Law Solicitors

Experts in Social Care Law for Self Funders

reception@steenelaw.co.uk
0203 653 0623

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The Universal Wealth ‘trust’ scandal – are you affected and what can you do?

The Universal Wealth ‘trust’ scandal – are you affected and what can you do?

Were you a client of Universal Wealth or one of its subsidiary companies?

An example of a leaflet that might have come through your letterbox.

Perhaps you have only just found out that a member of your family was duped by their, sadly very believable, sales patter?

Universal Wealth promised that their managed trust scheme would ring-fence a person’s house and personal assets – in effect keeping them out of the reach of social services in the event that they ever needed to go into a care home.

The Universal Wealth scandal first hit the headlines back in October 2018 and since then hundreds of ripped off clients have come forward.

The business affairs of the directors involved in Universal Wealth are now being investigated by the police.

The scale of the alleged fraud is so huge that a special task force has been set up to deal with it – and the worst part is that the many hundreds of people who have already come forward are probably just the tip of the iceberg.

Many thousands more may be affected but do not yet realise they were sold a dodgy trust. 

Call us now 0203 653 0623 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will tell you the next steps you need to take and how we can help you.

“First class service. Prompt courteous replies to all questions. Excellent advice given with great patience. I would, without hesitation, recommend Steene Law Ltd. They have helped me and my family through a very difficult time.”

What went wrong at Universal Wealth?

Universal Wealth Management ran a series of seminars across the country called Keep It In The Family. At these seminars they promised to protect people’s assets from inheritance tax.

People were also told the trust was an ideal way of ensuring social services could not touch their home if they ever needed to go into a care home in the future. Aside from the fact this probably would not have worked – check out Deliberate Deprivation of Assets – worse was to come.

After attending the seminars, people typically put their home into a trust – very conveniently run by Universal Wealth. This meant they no longer officially owned their own home.

Some clients of Universal Wealth started to smell a rat when their emails and calls to the company went unanswered.

The company had in fact begun to experience financial problems and had been laying off dozens of staff.

Universal Wealth were placed into compulsory liquidation in May 2018.

What can you do if you are affected by the Universal Wealth scandal?

Are you a former client of Universal Wealth who is concerned about:

  • Management of a trust
  • Delays in estate administration
  • Payments going in and out of trusts
  • Unable to find your assets
  • An original Will or Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) held by Universal Wealth

If so, you need to speak to the experts at Steene Law.

As specialists in elderly law – and in particular financial abuse of the elderly – we are already acting on behalf of a number of former Universal Wealth clients.

We are regularly kept updated by the Police Eastern Region Special Operations Unit which is investigating Universal Wealth.

All documents that were held at Universal Wealth’s Head Office, Dencora House, Ipswich, Suffolk have been seized by the Special Operations Unit and we are being kept regularly updated by the police on their ongoing investigations. In fact, any dealings with this company or any company where Mr Steven Long or Mrs Melanie Long were involved and the address is at Dencora House, 34 White House Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5LT are matters of concern and whatever dealings you or your relative had with any individual organisation should be reviewed by experts – call us now for a free chat etc.

Call The Care Fees Specialists Now

Steene Law specialise in Care Home Fees, especially protecting you from having to sell a property to pay for care home fees.

Please do not delay, please call us now 0203 653 0623, email reception@steenelaw.co.uk or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will be delighted to help you.

We are available from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and will explain your options.

“I cannot thank David and Dianne enough for the effort and knowledge they displayed helping me deal with my Grandfather’s care and the subsequent legal battle that came with it.

I had a complicated and, to me, bizarre yet worrying situation that David and Dianne both worked tirelessly on.

My Grandfather was a WWII veteran and was neglected and treated as a statistic by a care home and a rather unforgiving council.

I’m grateful that David and Dianne not only got the result I needed, but made it simple to understand and took away a lot of stress. I have recommended them to many others and will continue to do so. Forever grateful!”

C.W

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Dementia Law is a trading name of Steene Law Ltd Solicitors. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors. Regulation Authority No: 636641. Director: Dianne Steene. Company Registration No (England and Wales): 10540524. Registered Office: 1 Blattner Close, Elstree, Herts WD6 3PD. VAT Registration No: 262468001

Subsidiary companies
  • Universal Wealth Preservation.
  • Universal Tax Solutions
  • Universal Asset Protection Ltd
  • Universal Trustees Ltd.
  • Folium Consulting
  • howtokeepitinthefamily.co.uk
  • universalseminars.co.uk- (no connection with .com)
  • SFM Law Limited
  • Universal Trust and Estate Practitioners Limited
  • Universal Trustee Services Limited
  • Universal Business Angels Limited
  • The Inheritance Advice Service Limited
  • Universal Lawyers Ltd
  • Universal Seminars Ltd
  • Universal Retirement Solutions Limited
  • Inheritance Advice UK Limited
  • Universal Trustees LLP
  • Universal Trustee Management Limited
  • Crown Law Limited