What did the 2021 Budget have to say about housing?
Rishi Sunak stood up on Wednesday 3 March to give his highly anticipated Budget speech to the House of Commons. While other coronavirus support measures were first on the agenda, the Chancellor’s speech also revealed some important housing measures. Extension of Stamp Duty holiday The Chancellor announced a three-month extension of the temporary £500,000 nil […]
A little more than a year after coronavirus hit our shores…
COVID support understandably featured front and centre of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s second Budget on 3 March, in what is an extraordinary and challenging time for the UK and global economies. The Chancellor’s pledge to “continue doing whatever it takes” set the tone for proceedings, with the statement centring around a three-point plan offering support for […]
Hopes of a “swifter and more sustained economic recovery”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his second Budget on 3 March, which centred on a three-part plan to continue supporting people and businesses through the pandemic, to fix public finances once recovery is underway and to lay the foundations for the future economy. The Chancellor opened his statement by revealing the latest predictions […]
Key Points Spring Budget 2021
Job support Furlough scheme extended until 30 September 2021 – the government will continue to pay 80% of employees’ wages up to £2,500 a month until the end of June, employers then pay a 10% contribution in July, rising to 20% in August and September The Self Employment Support Scheme also extended until the end […]
Mortgages: A brief history
To reach their dream of homeownership, most aspiring buyers depend on being offered a mortgage. In Q2 2020, the outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans had reached a staggering £1,513.3bn1. But where did it all start? Pre-1900s Estimates of homeownership are sketchy prior to the 20th century, but data from 1831 has led to […]
How much space can £231k buy you?
A study1 has revealed that, based on the UK’s average house price of £231,000, the West Midlands is the UK region with the most living space. Many properties in this region have around 30% more space than average at 104.92 sq m. Buyers can also expect to benefit from a higher-than- average number of bedrooms […]
Struggling to save for retirement? Try this tip
More than ever, UK savers are struggling to prioritise their pension, with over half saying they are likely to review or reduce their pension contributions in the wake of the pandemic1. It’s true that it can be easy to think of pension contributions as a drain on your resources. And yet, despite travel restrictions, Britons […]
In the News
UK to launch first green gilt The government is planning to launch the UK’s first green gilt in 2021 in response to “growing investor demand,” as announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He said it would be the first in a series of new issuances, with the government keen to position the UK as a world-leading […]
Is your loft a gold mine of undiscovered treasures?
Most houses have at least a little clutter lying around. Maybe a few old schoolbooks circa 1960, or some of the children’s old teddies; lofts and cupboards across the country are full of what optimists might call ‘keepsakes’ and what others would label ‘junk’. Over the years, some priceless artefacts have been uncovered in the […]
Spring Budget 2021
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his second Budget on 3 March declaring that “we will recover“. The key fiscal event, which had been delayed from the Autumn due to the pandemic, centred on a £65bn three-part plan designed to continue supporting British people and businesses through the pandemic, ‘fix’ the public finances once […]