The Chancellor cut welfare and departmental spending to restore a fiscal buffer, but risks to forecasts remain high Inflation dipped unexpectedly but is expected to rise again due to higher energy, taxes and wage costs Business and retail activity showed resilience, but weak manufacturing and trade tensions cloud economic prospects Chancellor trims spending plans Rachel […]
Author archives: matthew
When is the right time to buy your first home?
Changes to Stamp Duty and mortgage rates may make now a good time for first-time buyers. House prices are predicted to rise in 2025, though at a slower pace than before. Lower mortgage rates have boosted first-time buyers’ budgets, but personal circumstances should guide decisions. There is a lot to think about when purchasing your […]
Protection insurers pay out record sum
In 2023, protection insurers paid out a record £7.34bn in claims in, supporting those facing bereavement, illness and injury. The total value of critical illness claims rose to £1.2bn, with cancer the most common reason for claiming. Over 1,660 income protection claims have been paid out for more than 10 years, highlighting the value of […]
Spring Statement 2025
“A serious plan for growth” On 26 March, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement unveiling updated economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), announced further reductions to welfare spending and confirmation of a rise in defence spending. The Chancellor reiterated her commitment to “just one major fiscal event a […]
Advised investors are ‘less vulnerable’
Investors who receive financial advice are four times less likely to be vulnerable than the general population, according to analysis1. The study looked at a cohort of more than 5,000 advised investors, assessing them using a psychometric financial wellbeing questionnaire. Designed by an in-house behavioural psychologist, the questionnaire was designed to find and evaluate indicators […]
Pension pulse – a reminder for ‘25
Aside from the change announced about bringing unused pension pots into IHT from April 2027, other announcements relating to pensions were thin on the ground during the Budget speech. The Chancellor confirmed that the State Pension will increase in line with average earnings, rising by 4.1% in April 2025. The new flat rate State Pension […]
Now here’s a golden anniversary worth celebrating!
It’s 2025 and we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act which, amongst other measures, made it possible for women to get a mortgage without a man’s countersignature. It’s a great time to reflect on how far we have come in promoting financial equality between the sexes. In recent years, we have […]
End of tax year IHT recap – gen up on gifting allowances
Recent HMRC data shows that IHT receipts rose to £4.3bn during the period from April to September 2024, a £400m increase on the same period the previous year. With 27% of 18 to 34-year olds (1.1 million people) holding out for an inheritance before going ahead with major life events and 12% of UK adults […]
The changing face of retirement – as the traditional ‘hard-stop’ is consigned to history
Catalysed by the 2011 abolition of the Default Retirement Age, a combination of economic and socio-demographic trends are changing people’s outlook to retirement; and this, in turn, is heightening the need to adopt a more fluid approach to retirement planning. Carry on working Research1 suggests the traditional ‘hard stop’ retirement is increasingly being consigned to […]
Could ‘right-sizing’ help the housing market?
With the UK housing market facing an array of problems, experts have suggested almost as many solutions. One concept that could help resolve the current shortcomings is ‘right-sizing.’ ‘Right-sizing’ refers to the process of moving to a more suitable property for your requirements, generally one with fewer bedrooms. Closely related to downsizing, some analysts think […]