The best (retirement) gift for your child?

With the cost of children’s birthday presents and parties often totalling hundreds of pounds – could there be a better way to provide for your child or grandchild?  Investing in a pension for your child can provide numerous long-term benefits and go some way to helping them secure a financially stable future. Setting up a […]

Unaffordable deals trap mortgage prisoners

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been reported to estimate over a quarter of a million homeowners are trapped on mortgage deals because their lenders have become inactive or unable to authorise new products1.  What could change?  Many of these ‘mortgage prisoners’ are no longer able to keep up with repayments, prompting campaigners to reiterate […]

News in Review

“With food price inflation likely to slow in the coming months as we enter the UK growing season, we expect wider inflation will continue to ease” The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlight that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) increased by 10.1% in the 12-month period to March 2023, down from […]

Rising prices adding 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 […]

Rebounding investor confidence

A recent survey1 suggests investors are becoming more confident despite ongoing challenges on the economic front. While this is certainly encouraging, maintaining a long-term outlook and retaining a strong sense of discipline in investment positioning remains a prerequisite for any successful investor.  An air of optimism  It’s fair to say 2022 was a turbulent year […]

News in Review

“The UK economy has lost momentum” New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the UK economy flatlined in February as strikes by public sector workers weighed on growth. Despite consensus estimates from a poll of economists forecasting a 0.1% increase in the month. The flat month-on-month performance can be attributed to […]

Spring Budget 2023 – key points 

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered the Spring Budget on 15 March declaring it to be “A Budget for Growth.” The fiscal update included a range of new measures, starting with the latest economic projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR):  The Chancellor’s strategy for growth focuses on four pillars ‘Everywhere, Enterprise, Employment and Education.’ Key […]