News

What’s on your playlist this year? Over the years, several studies have proven that investors can enter emotional relationships with the stocks in which they invest. Research has reinforced the concept that equity prices are not only driven by analysis of a company’s prospects but also by external factors which can directly impact investor mood. […]

Scam victims suffer a £9.3bn hit to wellbeing Scams unfortunately continue to be rife. The financial impacts can be devastating, but a new study has sought to quantify the cost to scam victims’ wellbeing. By using a model that allows researchers to value changes in wellbeing in monetary terms, they have calculated the impact of […]

Key drivers in the housing market in 2021 were a continuing desire for homes with more indoor and outdoor space, a mismatch in supply and demand, and the temporary cut in Stamp Duty. The resulting property boom, which according to Zoopla culminated in 1.5 million homes having changed hands last year, also saw UK house […]

If you have little idea how to prepare for retirement, then join the club. Nearly half (47%) of working age Brits are a bit lost when it comes to their pension savings1. Research has also revealed that just 28% feel secure in their understanding of how to manage their pension in the run-up to retirement, […]

In the run up to the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor pledged an additional £1.8bn to assist housing supply via land regeneration. The additional funds are aimed at delivering 160,000 new homes and comprises of two parts: • £300m to be distributed to councils and combined authorities to help them unlock smaller brownfield sites for housing […]

Given the challenges of the past two years we could be forgiven for focusing on life’s trials and tribulations as a new year dawns. However, while concerns about supply chain disruption, new COVID variants and rising inflation may be disconcerting for investors, all the signs are that the coming 12 months will be a time […]

The start of a new year is always the perfect time to take control of your finances and grasp any opportunities that may lie ahead. This year the case is even more compelling with rising inflation and tax increases set to challenge household budgets up and down the country. So now really is the ideal […]

It’s easy to feel bombarded by the constant cycle of negative news headlines or ‘noise’, which can add to your anxiety about how your investments are doing and uncertainty as to whether your investment strategy is on the right course. It’s important to try and block out this noise which could influence you to make […]

The government is investing over £860m during 2021-22 to protect homes and businesses from flooding and coastal erosion. It is part of a £5.2bn package to be spent over the next six years, the details of which are set out in the Flood and Coastal Erosion Investment Plan, published on 29 July. It will, the […]

Converting existing outbuildings into residential space used to be the preserve of those whose elderly parents had grown too frail or dependent to live alone – hence the term ‘Granny annex’. Now, however, annexes are coming in useful for a wide variety of purposes. So popular are they, in fact, that councils received approximately 9,000 […]