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FIRST CODICIL TO THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

England And Wales  ·  Wills Act 1837, S.9

I, George Frederick Palmer, of The Grange, 8 Church Lane, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2NP, Retired Solicitor, being of full age, sound mind, memory and understanding, and having the testamentary capacity required by law (Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005), declare this instrument to be the First Codicil to my Last Will and Testament dated 2022-10-15, which Will was prepared by Harrington and Cole LLP, Canterbury. No previous Codicil to the said Will has been made by me. I intend this Codicil to be read and construed together with my said Will and any earlier Codicils as a single testamentary disposition under the Wills Act 1837.

The Will to which this Codicil relates is the Last Will and Testament of the Testator dated 2022-10-15, prepared by Harrington and Cole LLP, Canterbury (the "Will"). Where a term is defined in the Will, that defined meaning applies in this Codicil unless the context otherwise requires. All references to numbered clauses, paragraphs and gifts in this Codicil are references to the corresponding provisions of the Will.

The Testator confirms that at the date of execution of this Codicil the Testator: (a) is of full age and has the mental capacity required to make a valid testamentary disposition under Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 and the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, understanding (i) the nature of the act and its effect, (ii) the extent of the estate affected, (iii) the claims of those who might reasonably expect to benefit, and (iv) that no disorder of the mind perverts the Testator's sense of right; (b) is not acting under duress, undue influence or mistake; and (c) does not by this Codicil revoke the Will in whole. Save to the extent that any provision of the Will is expressly altered, revoked or added to by this Codicil, the Will and any earlier Codicil shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with section 22 of the Wills Act 1837 and the doctrine of republication. Where there is any doubt as to capacity, the Testator and witnesses are encouraged to obtain a contemporaneous opinion from a registered medical practitioner (the "golden rule" — Kenward v Adams The Times, 29 November 1975).

With reference to Clause 2 (Appointment of Executors) of the Will, I direct as follows:

I revoke the appointment of my brother Thomas Edmund Palmer as executor and trustee of my Will and appoint in his place my daughter Sarah Louise Palmer of 12 Oak Avenue, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7BH to act jointly with my existing co-executor Margaret Anne Palmer. All powers, duties and discretions conferred upon my executors and trustees by my Will shall apply to Sarah Louise Palmer as if she had been named as an original executor therein.

This amendment shall take effect from the date of execution of this Codicil and shall be read as if it had been contained in the Will.

With reference to Clause 5(c) (Specific Legacies) of the Will, I further direct:

I revoke the specific legacy of my 1968 Jaguar E-Type motor car (Registration EFP 122G) previously given to my nephew Andrew Palmer and instead give the same free of tax and delivery costs to my son Edward Charles Palmer of 3 Willow Close, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1RF. If Edward Charles Palmer fails to survive me by 28 days, this legacy shall fall into my residuary estate.

I further direct:

I give the sum of Five Thousand Pounds (£5,000) free of inheritance tax to Macmillan Cancer Support (Registered Charity No. 261017) for its general charitable purposes. The receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer of the charity shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors.

Save as expressly altered, revoked or added to by this Codicil, I hereby confirm and republish my Will dated 2022-10-15 and every earlier Codicil thereto. By executing this Codicil I republish my Will under the doctrine of republication, with the effect that the Will is treated as having been made at the date of this Codicil, subject always to the alterations contained herein.

Any executor or trustee newly appointed by this Codicil shall hold and exercise all the administrative powers, duties and discretions conferred by the Will, by the Trustee Act 2000 (including the statutory duty of care under section 1 and the general power of investment under section 3), by the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (where real property is held), and (if incorporated by the Will) by the STEP Standard Provisions (3rd Edition), as if originally named in the Will. Such appointee shall be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses and (if a professional trustee) to charge for time spent in accordance with section 28 of the Trustee Act 2000 and any clause of the Will permitting professional charging.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Testator has considered (and where appropriate has taken independent advice on) the inheritance-tax effect of the gifts and dispositions altered by this Codicil. The Testator notes that, by virtue of the Budget 2025 announcement, the Nil-Rate Band (£325,000) and the Residence Nil-Rate Band (£175,000) remain frozen at those levels until 5 April 2031, with the RNRB tapered for estates exceeding £2 million; the combined Agricultural Property Relief / Business Property Relief 100% allowance is capped at £1 million on the same timeline and is transferable between spouses or civil partners from 6 April 2026. Any unused proportion of the Testator's NRB and RNRB may be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner under sections 8A and 8G of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984. The Testator's executors are directed to claim all available reliefs, allowances and transferable bands by reference to the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 in completing form IHT400 (or, where applicable, form IHT205 / IHT207).

The Testator directs that, immediately upon execution, this Codicil shall be kept together with the original Will and any earlier Codicils so that they may be read as a single testamentary instrument. The intended place of safekeeping is Harrington and Cole LLP strongroom, Canterbury (original Will is held by the same firm). The Testator should inform the executor(s) appointed by the Will (and any new executor appointed by this Codicil) of the existence and location of this Codicil. On the Testator's death, the executors must produce both the original Will and every Codicil to the Probate Registry in support of any application for a grant of probate (Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 r.14).

(a) References in this Codicil to a statute (including the Wills Act 1837, the Administration of Justice Act 1982, the Inheritance Tax Act 1984, the Trustee Act 2000 and the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996) include any amendment or re-enactment and any subordinate legislation made under it. (b) Words importing one gender include the other; words in the singular include the plural and vice versa. (c) References to a spouse or civil partner include a party to a marriage or civil partnership recognised under the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004. (d) Any legacy, gift or appointment made in favour of a person who fails to survive me by 28 days shall lapse and fall into the residuary estate unless this Codicil or the Will expressly provides otherwise; section 33 of the Wills Act 1837 (substitution for predeceased issue) is not excluded. (e) This Codicil is governed by and to be construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and is intended to be a valid testamentary instrument under the Wills Act 1837 (as amended). The Testator notes that the Law Commission's report Modernising Wills Law (16 May 2025) recommended a new Wills Act, but as at the date of this Codicil no such Act has been enacted and the 1837 Act remains in force.

This Codicil is executed in accordance with section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 and is intended to be a valid codicil for the purposes of that Act. In witness whereof I have signed my name to this Codicil at Canterbury, Kent on 2026-04-14 in the presence of the two witnesses named below, both of whom are present at the same time and each of whom has attested and subscribed this Codicil in my presence.

Each witness confirms that at the date of attestation the witness: (i) is aged eighteen (18) years or over; (ii) is not a beneficiary under the Will or this Codicil and is not the spouse or civil partner of any such beneficiary, so that no gift is avoided under section 15 of the Wills Act 1837; and (iii) has no reason to doubt the Testator's mental capacity, knowledge and approval of the contents of this Codicil.

WITNESS PARTICULARS