News

Data1 has shown that Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts have continued their ascent, with £2.8bn received in the April to July period this year. This figure is a substantial £0.2bn increase on the same period in the previous tax year (2023/24).  Frozen thresholds continue to take their toll as IHT, once a tax reserved purely for […]

Money worries outweigh study concerns for almost half of students  Have you got a child at university? If so, it’s likely, according to a new study1, that they’ll be more worried about the cost of living (a top-rated concern for 47% of students), than their academic studies (26%). Other main concerns of university students in […]

Over the years, a number of notable trends, such as increased longevity and individuals taking on greater responsibility for their pension provision, have clearly altered the retirement landscape significantly. Now, new trends look set to further change the face of retirement, adding complexity to the retirement planning process and making early planning ever more essential.  […]

Have you opened a Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA) for your child? If so, it’s a great financial priority to support long-term savings goals for the children in your family. Research has highlighted that women have led the way on opening JISAs every year since 2019, when the data was first analysed.  Despite the gender […]

The proportion of homebuyers choosing to pay in cash has hit a 10-year high1, analysis has found.  In 2023, cash buyers were responsible for a third (34.5%) of all property transactions – the highest percentage seen since data became available in 2013. This trend carried on into this year, as 32.8% of market activity was […]

Reassuringly for investors, the latest batch of projections from economic soothsayers continues to predict a period of steady, if unspectacular, global growth. The forecasts also highlight a number of economic concerns including ‘sticky’ inflation, large budget deficits and geopolitical uncertainties, which could inevitably create some investment challenges.  Growth rates beat expectations  Economic growth figures released […]

The summer was largely positive for the housing market due to a boost in confidence following the General Election and the reduction to Bank Rate. So, where are we now and what does the autumn have in store?  Lenders and buyers alike were already showing signs of confidence before the election, as mortgage approvals steadily […]

Several retirement reports have hit the headlines recently with a consistent message: if you want a comfortable retirement, you should plan early and be flexible.  Could a phased retirement approach work for you?  Research from Standard Life1 suggests a ‘gradual transition’ into retirement could be one of the best ways to boost your pension pot. […]

New research1 has found that one in ten married people in the UK have considered splitting up but decided against it, with the financial burden of divorce most commonly given as the main reason.  A challenging time  While respondents to the survey did cite other reasons for not divorcing a partner, for instance the effect […]