News

In current terms ‘The Budget is a statement made to the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the nation’s finances and the Government’s proposals for changes to taxation.’ So, when was the earliest one? It was certainly before 1860, when William Gladstone was using the red despatch box discarded in 2011 […]

Granny and Grandad lend a hand Nearly half (48%) of grandparents have stepped in to shore up their financially-struggling grandchildren during the pandemic1. This help has come in the form of cash (32%), childcare (8%) and assistance with rent and mortgage payments (6%). FCA announces new mortgage support Borrowers struggling to make their mortgage repayments […]

“Sorry, we don’t accept cash” has become a familiar refrain in shops and eateries in recent months due to fears that handling cash could accelerate the spread of the virus. So, are we on our way to a cashless society? Predictions of the death of cash are not solely a result of the pandemic. Discourse […]

It seems the months spent at home have been put to good use as the nation reflected on their living space and chose to spend an average of just over £4,000 each on renovating their homes, since lockdown commenced in March. A study1 has highlighted that the key area for improvement has been upgrades to […]

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has extended its protection for savers amid concerns that the pandemic has increased the likelihood of financial firms failing. The fund currently protects deposits with UK banks, building societies and credit unions to the tune of £85,000 per person. However, there is additional protection for consumers who temporarily have […]

Investing according to environmental, social and governance principles (ESG) has been a fast growth area, according to figures1, UK-based ESG funds saw record inflows between March and July 2020, with £362m invested in July alone. What is ESG? The acronym, ESG, refers to three key factors used by investment companies to evaluate corporate behaviour: Environmental […]

UK dividends experienced their biggest quarterly fall on record in Q2 2020, dropping by over £22bn (57%) to give a total payout of £16bn. Dividends were cancelled by 176 companies and reduced by at least a further 30. BP cut its dividend for the first time in a decade, with a 50% reduction to 5.25 […]

Are you on the ball? ScamSmart campaign targets football fans In the last three years, over £30m has been lost to pension scammers, with losses ranging from under £1,000 to £500,000, with some rare cases topping the £1m marker. A new ScamSmart campaign is aimed at football fans, after discovering they are highly likely to […]

If so, you’re part of 37% of the UK population who managed to put away more money during lockdown, as daily expenditure on commuting and leisure activities dramatically decreased. What’s more, it looks like Britain’s growing army of savers are here to stay, with 36% stating they aim to keep cutting costs post-lockdown1. Could savings […]

Your first port of call should be getting your finances in good shape before lenders review them and assess your ability to make repayments on your loan. Some top tips for standing yourself in good stead include:  Save – To improve the chances of being offered a mortgage on favourable terms, save as much as […]