Research has found that 28% of young UK homeowners do not have life insurance1. It is estimated that 1.7 million adults aged 18-40 do not have appropriate cover in place, despite having a mortgage. This oversight puts their dependants in a precarious financial position in the event of their death. Why risk it? Of those […]
Author archives: matthew
Don’t just plan – protect your money
Are you confident you have all the relevant cover in place to protect your finances? Having a financial plan should go hand-in-hand with a conversation about insurance. The statistics We may not like to think about death, but the reality is it is inevitable; however, data has revealed that only 29% of UK adults have […]
Economic Review November 2024
Interest rates set to fall more gradually Last month, the Bank of England (BoE) cut interest rates for only the second time since 2020 but also warned future reductions were likely to be more gradual due to the prospect of inflation creeping higher next year. Following its latest meeting, which concluded on 6 November, the […]
Self-employed? Remember your pension
Over one million individuals have entered self-employment since 20201, so it is important to ensure you are still planning for retirement by making regular pension contributions. A growing sector In 2023, there were 4.2 million people in the UK’s solo self-employed sector – 3% higher than the previous year. Overall, the solo self-employed contributed £331bn […]
Avoiding the unretirement ‘tax trap’
Research1 suggests a significant minority of over-55s either have or are planning to unretire. Worryingly, though, a majority in this group have not checked the tax implications associated with such a decision, leaving many potentially at risk of falling foul of the unretirement ‘tax trap.’ The great unretirement continues According to the research, more than […]
Residential Property Review – November 2024
Budget caused uncertainty in the market There was some uncertainty within the housing market ahead of the Autumn Budget at the end of October, which was reflected in muted consumer activity. House price growth slowed ahead of the first Labour Budget in 14 years according to Savills. Mortgage rates rose slightly at the end of […]
Commercial Property Market Review – November 2024
Commercial property market outlook Despite anticipation of the Autumn Budget, Savills reported that the commercial property market remained stable in October, with some areas of growth. There was no change in pricing across any commercial asset class last month, with the average prime yield remaining at 6%. Eight sectors are now experiencing a downward pressure […]
Equity release update
Data suggests that confidence is growing among new and existing equity release customers. Equity release customers rose by 12% in Q2 of this year, with total lending increasing by 15% to £578m1. There was also a quarterly and annual increase in the average loan size, which indicates that customer confidence is being restored. More taking […]
In the news
Equity fund inflows on the up Statistics1 show that, during the first half of 2024, net inflows to equity funds were over £11.3bn, the best six-month recording for equity funds according to global fund network Calastone’s ten-year record. Of the most positive inflows, North America and global funds recorded £7.8bn and £7.2bn respectively, with emerging […]
Which pension personality are you?
A recent study1 has identified several distinct pension personality types, each with its own strengths and challenges. Which one resonates with you? Procrastination Pete and Paula are the most common type, often overwhelmed by the complexities of pensions. This group is likely to make poor decisions, such as hastily withdrawing a 25% tax-free lump sum […]
