Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced measures in his first Mansion House speech aimed at unlocking billions of pounds of extra pension cash to support the economy. According to the government, the Mansion House Reforms aim to secure the best possible outcome for pension savers, whilst strengthening the UK’s position as a leading financial centre. This is […]
Monthly archives: October 2023
Your safety net
When faced with the unpredictability that life brings, it is comforting to have the support of protection cover. Increased household bills, mortgage and rent costs, mean that protection is more important than ever right now but, in response to these challenging conditions, some households are considering reducing their level of protection – leaving themselves vulnerable […]
News in Review
“The near-term outlook for prices is now more mixed” The latest UK inflation data for September was released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week, disclosing that the overall Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate unexpectedly remained at 6.7%, ending three consecutive monthly declines. This clearly exemplifies that the battle with inflation is still […]
Time to crackdown on ‘finfluencers’
Influencers who generate content on financial topics are rapidly rising in popularity on social media, having been dubbed ‘finfluencers.’ The good news is that finance is becoming more accessible and appealing to younger generations through bite-sized, more light-hearted formats. Coupled with a lack of financial education in their school years, Gen Z and millennials are […]
Residential Property Review – October 2023
Conditions remain challenging The residential sales market continues to be challenging, according to the latest UK Residential Survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with demand, sales, instructions, and prices remaining in negative territory. At a national level, new buyer enquiries recorded a net balance of -39% in September, which although weak, is […]
Commercial Property Review – October 2023
Industrial and warehouse space in demand New analysis has highlighted that the most in-demand UK commercial property sector currently is industrial/warehouse space, as companies look to facilitate and improve their ability to deliver online purchases to customers as efficiently as possible. According to data from Sirius Property Finance, buyer demand for hospitality and leisure assets […]
News in Review
“The UK economy is holding up but remains in a precarious state” The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted a modest 0.2% expansion in August, following a sharp 0.6% reduction in July. The monthly growth was in line with expectations from a Reuters poll of economists. Contributors to the growth […]
Investor implications – Dividend Allowance cuts
With the UK in the midst of a sharp tax-raising drive, understanding the full impact of fiscal changes on investments has arguably never been so critical. One area that has been subject to particularly draconian reductions is Dividend Allowance, with changes in this area likely to have a significant impact on many investors. Six-year slide […]
Mortgages – keep calm
After successive Bank Rate rises, the cost of a mortgage hit a 15-year high in July and will likely stay high for much of the next year. In unpredictable and unsettling times, here are some ways for mortgage holders to keep a cool head. Help is available If you’re worried about your mortgage payments, in […]
News in Review
“It’s great to see financial services firms reporting another positive quarter” Financial services activity held relatively firm in the third quarter, according to the latest Financial Services Survey released last week by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). In total, optimism and business volumes grew slightly less quickly than in the buoyant second quarter. Moreover, […]