“Our economy is rebounding faster than initially expected” Last week saw the International Monetary Fund (IMF) release its latest assessment of the global economy. Among the headline stories was a sharp increase to this year’s UK growth forecast, with the renowned international soothsayer now predicting a 7% expansion – 1.7 percentage points higher than its […]
Author archives: charlie
In the news – Money
Be wary of that holiday selfie Now that many of us are able to make travel plans, remember to think twice before posting a holiday selfie on social media. Your insurer may consider this as telling people that you are away from home, leaving your property unoccupied and as a result, potentially invalidating or compromising […]
Lenders reassured by mortgage guarantee scheme
The government’s mortgage guarantee scheme, which launched in April 2021, is encouraging lenders to offer mortgage finance to buyers with smaller deposits. It has been welcome news for prospective home buyers. The scheme works as follows. The government offers lenders a ‘guarantee’ on 95% LTV mortgages (i.e. those worth 95% of the property value, with […]
Warm outside? Don’t forget about the LTA freeze
Summer, freedom and (hopefully) sunshine are all well on the way, but not planning for the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) freeze could cast a cloud over your finances. For the next five years (until April 2026), the pension LTA will be held at its current level of £1,073,100. This means that the amount you can hold […]
In the news – Home Finance
How does your garden grow? Since the pandemic hit the UK, Brits have been spending more time in their garden – and spending more on them, too. According to new research1, 58% of respondents to a survey said their garden is now a bigger priority, which has been reflected in their spending. Almost a quarter […]
Multi-jobbers take heed
Workers with more than one job, earning lower salaries, are at risk of a poorer retirement, as they miss out on employer pension contributions, a new study has found1. Under the auto enrolment scheme, employers are required to set up a pension and make contributions on their employees’ behalf, unless an employee decides to opt […]
Residential Property Review – July 2021
Building Safety Bill published Claiming “the biggest changes to building safety in nearly 40 years“, Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, said that the Building Safety Bill will set out a clear pathway for the future as to how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained. The Bill was published on 5 July to set out new […]
Commercial Property Market Review – July 2021
Moratorium on commercial evictions extended The government has announced an extension to the moratorium on commercial eviction due to rent arrears until 25 March 2022. The scheme has been extended to give hospitality businesses and nightclubs, which have operated under restrictions for the entirety of the pandemic, and which came under increasing pressure when the […]
News in Review
“The current approach to self-isolation is closing down the economy” During a week which saw the delayed Tokyo Olympics finally get underway, the news agenda on these shores was largely dominated by the so-called ‘pingdemic’. After it was revealed that almost 620,000 alerts were sent to Test and Trace app users in England and Wales […]
News in Review
“With every day that goes by our economy is slowly and cautiously picking itself up off the floor” Ahead of so-called ‘Freedom Day’ on Monday, Boris Johnson urged people to exercise caution as most restrictions on social contact were lifted in England. With the Prime Minister and Health Secretary currently isolating, and UK daily infections […]