It was a disappointing Spring Budget for anyone looking to get onto the housing ladder. There were no announcements on Lifetime ISAs, no changes to Stamp Duty thresholds, no replacement for Help to Buy and the Chancellor had already scrapped plans for 99% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages after resistance from the banking community. A deafening silence […]
Author archives: matthew
Economic Review – March 2024
Short-term growth forecasts upgraded New economic predictions produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest the UK economy is set to grow by more than previously expected over the course of the next two years. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled the independent fiscal watchdog’s latest forecasts during his Spring Budget delivered to the House of […]
What could this election year have in store for investors?
If elections have consequences, as Barack Obama said, then 2024 looks like being a highly consequential year. Some 64 countries are due to hold elections this year (including the US, India, Brazil, Russia and very probably the UK), representing over half of the global population and, in economic terms, half of the world’s gross domestic […]
A plan to grow the economy
With the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicting the UK economy will expand by 0.8% this year, and by 1.9% in 2025, Jeremy Hunt delivered his last Spring Budget ahead of the General Election, highlighting reforms aimed to ensure the tax system is simple, fair, keeps pace with economic developments, and supports public finances. Expectations […]
House number 13 – unlucky or not?
A recent study1 suggests that some Brits are superstitious, as homes numbered 13 are valued lower than the average property. Over 10 million houses have been analysed, each with a door number between 1–100. It seems many homeowners would like to be number one, as the first house on the street is worth the most […]
The financial pitfalls that primarily affect women
Research1 has shone a spotlight on the financial challenges that prevent women from accumulating the same wealth as their male counterparts. The report found that having children continues to have a disproportionately large impact on women’s finances, as do other life events such as the menopause. The findings Amongst the report’s findings were the following […]
The sophisticated scammers targeting YOU
According to a study from NatWest1, seven in 10 people have been targeted by scams over the last 12 months. Vulnerabilities brought on by cost-of-living challenges have likely contributed to the high numbers. Sadly, 13% of people have fallen prey to such scams, which are growing in both number and sophistication – targeting young and […]
Residential Nil Rate Band
The residential nil rate band, also known as the RNRB, is a relatively new addition to UK inheritance tax law. It was introduced in April 2017 and provides an additional allowance for individuals who leave their main residence to a direct descendant upon their death. The RNRB is in addition to the standard inheritance tax […]
Rising prices add almost 20% to retirement costs
It can be difficult to understand what funds you’ll need to finance the retirement you dream about and how this compares to your projected pensions income. It’s even harder to keep track when the cost of living is spiralling. Setting standards The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) developed its Retirement Living Standards1 to help […]
Mortgage holders impacted as Bank Rate rises again
Rising rates have been a feature of the mortgage market for almost a year. Following the latest Bank Rate rise, how should mortgage holders react? What happened? With Bank Rate at its highest level in 15 years, in the short term, this will affect anyone with a tracker or variable rate mortgage through higher repayments. […]