Higher interest rates dampen investment The results of the Q2 2023 RICS UK Commercial Property Monitor point to a renewed setback for the commercial property market, with an upward shift in interest rate expectations weighing on investor demand and placing downward pressure on capital values. The survey shows a clear majority of respondents (68%) are […]
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News in Review
“Inflation has fallen rapidly over the past six months” The latest inflation data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measured 6.8% in the 12 months to July 2023, down from 7.9% in June, the lowest rate since early 2022. Prime downward contributors during the month derived […]
Home insurance for home renovations
Home renovations are a popular way to give your property a new lease of life. When undertaking large-scale projects, there is a lot to think about – and the impact on your home insurance should be part of this planning. In the loop As well as producing detailed plans, seeking planning permission and choosing your […]
How up to date are you with your pension?
Here are a few things to consider. How much is in your pension pot? According to research1, three quarters of UK adults don’t know how much is in their pension pot. This figure rises to 79% of 55 to 64-year-olds who say they can’t put a figure on the value of their pension – especially […]
Wealth planning – striking a balance
While recent financial challenges have taken their toll on everyone’s pockets, it comes as no surprise that parents are putting concerns about their children’s finances above their own, as highlighted in a recent survey of advisers1. Over half (55%) of the advisers surveyed noted that adult children were taking priority in clients’ wealth planning at […]
BTL landlords choosing to ‘retire’
Older buy-to-let (BTL) landlords are selling up in large numbers, new analysis suggests1, leaving a void when they ‘retire’ from the business. Ageing population The median age of individual landlords was 58 in 2021, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, significantly older than the general population. In contrast, only 15% were under the […]
It’s your retirement – don’t do it a disservice
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that 90% of those currently in their 30s and 40s are saving less than they need to if they want to have a decent standard of living in retirement. Whilst the IFS researchers found that the current generation of pensioners is doing better than any before it, […]
News in Review
“This is good news… we are making progress” Last Friday, newly released data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a better-than-expected uplift in UK economic growth. The UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.5% on a monthly basis in June, beating market expectations of a 0.2% rise. This higher growth rate, the […]
News in Review
“Inflation is falling and that’s good news” Last Thursday, the Bank of England’s (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to increase Bank Rate to 5.25%, a fourteenth consecutive rise that has taken Bank Rate to its highest level in 15 years. At the MPC meeting, the nine-member committee was split three ways, with six voting […]
Summer retirement lowdown
The last few years have created an increasingly complex backdrop for retirement planning. Not only has the post-pandemic era seen attitudes to work alter significantly, but macro-economic headwinds from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis have created significant unhelpful market volatility. In combination, this has inevitably heightened the need for everyone to engage […]