After more than a decade of putting up with paltry savings rates, the sharp increase in rates over the past two years has certainly brought considerable cheer to savers. However, while the rise is certainly welcome, it is important savers do not overly rely on cash savings but carry on investing with a view to […]
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Lifetime Allowance removal provides pension boost
Several months have passed since the Spring Budget, which, although not necessarily packed with good news stories, held one announcement that certainly did bring considerable cheer to higher rate taxpayers. A recent survey has revealed the dramatic impact that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s decision to scrap the pension Lifetime Allowance (LTA) is having on people’s retirement […]
Economic Review – September 2023
Rate-hike pause as inflation dips Last month, the Bank of England announced a pause in its long run of interest rate rises following an unexpected dip in the UK headline rate of inflation and ‘increasing signs’ that higher rates were starting to hurt the real economy. Following its latest meeting, which concluded on 20 September, […]
Residential Property Review – September 2023
Economic uncertainty weighs on the residential market The most recent UK Housing Market Update from Savills has highlighted that buyers’ budgets continue to be impacted by higher mortgage rates, and although inflation has begun to move lower, core inflation remains ‘unexpectedly sticky.’ During July, with completed sales reducing by 18% on the 2017-19 average, market […]
Commercial Property Review – September 2023
Private investors acquire £1.3bn of London office assets over 12 months Knight Frank’s latest research report on the capital’s office market has highlighted that over the last year, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals have purchased £1.3bn worth of London office assets. Such high transaction volumes by wealthy private investors have been a by-product partly of […]
How does age affect your life insurance?
Age is a key factor in determining cost when you take out life insurance. Generally, the younger you are when you purchase a policy, the less expensive your regular premiums will be, because younger people are statistically less likely to die than older people, so the risk to the insurer is lower. Assessing the risks […]
Joint mortgages for FTBs
Traditionally, when thinking about joint mortgages, most people picture a married couple. Increasingly, however, friends or siblings are taking out joint mortgages when they buy their first home together. Stronger together A joint mortgage is the most popular way for first-time buyers (FTBs) to fund their home purchase, with more than six in ten opting […]
Investment myths debunked
To many, the world of investing is shrouded in mystery; the realm of financial whizz-kids and the super-rich. In reality, however, this is not the case and, once myth is separated from reality, it should be clear that investing is actually accessible to all. Can’t invest, won’t invest! Research1 has highlighted several reasons why people […]
Investment myths debunked
To many, the world of investing is shrouded in mystery; the realm of financial whizz-kids and the super-rich. In reality, however, this is not the case and, once myth is separated from reality, it should be clear that investing is actually accessible to all. Can’t invest, won’t invest! Research1 has highlighted several reasons why people […]
Over 50s consider dropping life insurance
Continued high inflation is prompting over 50s to reconsider whether they really need their life insurance policies, research has suggested1, sparking fears of vulnerabilities. Cutting costs A survey of 1,000 people aged 50+ has shown that 22% of customers are thinking about cancelling their monthly payments as a result of the rising cost of living. […]
