News

Most people (98%)1 appreciate the impact their home has on their sense of wellbeing, which can be thrown into turmoil if problems with neighbours present. Nearly two thirds of Britons (64%) have had a dispute with a neighbour2, with Welsh residents having the most gripes (72%), followed by those in Northern England (70%), South West […]

According to Barclaycard Payments1, the UK population spent £40.6bn, or a staggering £771.34 each, on dispensable items to alleviate lockdown boredom. The ordinary… Popular purchases included takeaways (24%), summer clothes (19%) and garden plants and flowers (16%) – but not everybody was so conventional. And the bizarre Topping the list of the weirdest items purchased […]

UK investors return to funds Following the highest ever monthly outflow from retail funds in March, UK savers invested more in the second quarter of 2020 than they did for the whole of last year. Figures show that £11.2bn was invested for the quarter, compared to £9.8bn in 20191. In June, global shares were the […]

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 […]