Latest News

New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Wealth and Assets Survey9 has revealed that the largest single component of household wealth is private pension holdings. In the latest recorded period (April 2018 to March 2020) pensions represented 42%

An alarming set of data has come to light. Over three million pensioners are holding all of their ISA savings in cash!8 The analysis highlighted that during the most recent year for which figures were available (2018/19), there were 5.8

With a pledge to reduce environmentally damaging emissions from portfolios by half by 2030 and to accelerate sustainable finance, the influential investor group Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance has ramped up its commitment to tackle climate change. The prominent investor group,

Despite the pandemic, new stats from The Investment Association(IA)7 show investors added over £43bn to funds last year, the second highest recorded. The IA details a key finding ‘inflows to responsible investment funds totalled a record £16bn, up £4.3bn on

Keeping up to date with tax changes can be challenging and you may have missed this one in relation to the reporting of Inheritance Tax (IHT), especially as it’s not something most of us will deal with very often. Excepted

When are you thinking of retiring? With many pre-retirees reassessing their lives and priorities in the wake of the pandemic, there really is a seismic shift for many people towards achieving life balance. People need a plan to flex with

Cautious optimism over 2022 dividend growth A recent report3 has revealed a dramatic rebound in UK dividends in 2021, increasing 46.1% last year to total £94.1bn. This figure was boosted by a record £16.9bn in special dividends, three times the

Effective tax planning strategies can help shield you from the chill this spring. While there’s minimal change in the operation and structure of the taxation of UK individuals in the 2022/23 tax year, the ‘no change’ element is significant. Excluding

As well as being a season of hope and renewal, spring is also viewed as the ideal time to declutter and reorganise. The last couple of years have taught us the importance of achieving balance in our lives – this

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a new strategy to give consumers the confidence to invest, safe in the knowledge they are supported by a high-quality advice market; and to help them do so safely, which should lead to

In recent times the importance of expert financial advice has become greater than ever, as people seek reassurance that their pensions, investments and protection plans are being professionally looked after during uncertain times. How to value financial advice Good financial

The days are longer, there’s a sense of hope and optimism in the air, it’s time to embark on a good spring clean. A great opportunity to de-clutter, organise and refresh, to bring a sense of wellbeing and contentment. This

More than four in five people in their 40s are unaware that the age at which they can access their pension might be about to change, according to research from the Pensions Management Institute (PMI)6. Numbers game The normal minimum

Many people have used the last couple of years to make positive life changes. Three in five people have questioned what is important in life, while half feel their priorities have changed5. Two in five credit the pandemic with encouraging

When it comes to mundane but crucial organisation tasks – what life admin personality type are you? Do you tend to have an ‘I’ll do it later’ approach to tasks? If you live in the moment and avoid life admin

Savers say goodbye to £34m in LISA bonuses During the 2020/21 tax year, HMRC reclaimed £34m in Lifetime ISA (LISA) withdrawal charges3. Although the government reduced withdrawal charges for LISAs from 25% to 20% in 2020 (to 5 April 2021)

Only a quarter of Brits have life insurance or critical illness cover policies in place, despite two in five knowing someone who has had a serious accident or been too ill to work, a study2 has found. Compared to protection

Spring is very much a season of hope; a time to look forward and plan. While that’s not always easy amid a flurry of headlines concerning the cost-of-living and immense global political tensions, it’s important to look beyond short-term bouts

Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester and Luton have been hailed the best top five cities for landlords to invest in this year, based on analysis of key indicators impacting buy-to-let desirability (including average total rent, the best short-term returns through yield

In January this year, a team clearing out the home of a retired antiques dealer and lifelong hoarder found a treasure trove of valuables worth £50,000. Among the piles of bags and boxes stuffed haphazardly into the Victorian town house

Pandemic-related travel restrictions have unleashed huge demand for UK-based rentals among British holidaymakers – with buy-to-let investors scrambling to take advantage. According to figures7, holiday let mortgage availability has trebled since 2020, giving would-be investors ample opportunity to tap into

The cost of living has shot up in recent months, with inflation expected to reach a peak of 8.7% in Q46 and many families facing a significant hike on their annual energy bills from April. With finances squeezed, every penny

Looming crisis in older people’s housing With demand for homes for older people four times higher than supply, the government has been urged to investigate4. The UK’s largest retirement housebuilder is requesting the introduction of rules to ensure 10% of

The cost-of-living crisis is likely to be felt by most Britons this year, with increases in energy and food costs and the increase in National Insurance Contributions from April. In addition, renters need to add in the rising cost of

As we move into spring, aspiring movers will likely find themselves feeling galvanised to proceed with their homeownership goals. Whether you’re a first-time buyer looking to get onto the property ladder, a second stepper seeking the perfect home for a

From many people’s perspectives, the Autumn Budget may have left a feeling that nothing much had changed in the world of personal financial planning, as there were no major changes announced to Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax or

Official figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for April to September 2021 show that IHT receipts totalled £3.1bn, £0.7bn higher than the same period in 2020.

The annual ISA limit has now been frozen at £20,000 for five years.

The government revealed in September that it would increase Dividend Tax by 1.25 percentage points from 6 April 2022 to help fund health and social care.

The Lifetime Allowance remains at £1,073,100 and the Annual Allowance remains at £40,000.

It’s important to be aware of all the variables at play; inflation, interest rates, taxation and frozen allowances all affect your finances.

When the property market reopened in mid-May last year, pent-up demand, combined with many people reassessing their housing needs following lockdown, led to a surge in buyer demand. Demand was further bolstered when, in July, the Chancellor announced a Stamp

Last January, as a new decade dawned, little did we know how the next 12 months would unfold. Now, as we’re in the early stages of 2021, there are growing shoots of optimism but, whatever the year does bring, a

One effect of the pandemic has been to divide segments of the population, whether by age, where they live or what they do for a living. When divisions occur, tensions can develop, not least between the generations. There is now

With the end of the tax year fast approaching (Monday 5 April), if you have cash that you don’t need to access in the short term and would like to use some or all of this year’s ISA allowance, don’t

Whatever 2021 has in store, we want to reassure you that we’re here for you and all your financial planning needs. While the coming months are expected to see the global economy rebound from the COVID-induced recession, the pace of

With the current tax year having begun on 6 April 2020, the clock is ticking and it is important to utilise all the tax reliefs and allowances available before 5 April 2021 in order

Early tax year ISA investors could be thousands of pounds better off, according to research* looking at the investing habits of hypothetical ISA investors over the last 10 and 20 years. The study concludes that if you were an ‘Early

Financial hardship can strike when we least expect it, showing the importance of having protection cover in place as a safety net. A recent YouGov* survey about the pandemic revealed that nearly a third (32%) of Britons fear for their

Research* has revealed that one in five over-55s with a private pension withdrew a lump sum during 2019, although the study does suggest that, for many, this was probably not a financially sensible course of action. ‘Stash the cash’’ The

The outgoing Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has said that thousands of UK pension schemes could be at risk of becoming worthless due to the challenges of climate change. Speaking during an interview with Radio 4’s Today

As the UK state pension age continues to increase, a new study has found that many savers are looking to retire at least three years before they reach the official threshold – living instead for several years on private pensions.

The latest data from banking trade body UK Finance has shown that the British public has more than £870 billion in savings within major high street banks. Savings increased by 2.6 per cent in November 2019 compared to the previous

New data obtained from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has shown that Lifetime Isa (LISA) savers have been charged more than £9 million in penalties for accessing their accounts since 2018. According to a Freedom of Information Request, withdrawal charges