It’s estimated that the number of people aged 50 to 64 who are economically inactive sits at 3.6 million, which is 300,000 higher than pre-pandemic1. There is no doubt that the UK’s economic growth will, in part, be reliant on getting the over-50s back into work. If you retired early but are now having second […]
Category archives: All
Economic Review – April 2023
Recent signs of economic resilience While the latest gross domestic product (GDP) statistics revealed that the UK economy stagnated in February, recent survey evidence paints a more positive picture with signs of ‘encouraging resilience’ and ‘growth momentum.’ Official data released last month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the economy saw no […]
Residential Property Review – April 2023
Residential market update Demand, sales and new listings all remain in negative territory, according to the latest UK Residential Survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with agreed sales dropping to -31% this month, below the -25% recorded in February. New buyer enquiries, meanwhile, were down by a headline net balance of -29% […]
Commercial Property Market Review – April 2023
Investor confidence returns as pricing plateaus UK commercial investment volumes totalled £5.6bn in Q1 2023, according to a report from Savills, the second lowest quarterly volume since 2009. Amidst a volatile and unpredictable economic backdrop, investment volumes were lower than any quarter except Q2 2020. The average Savills prime yield now stands at 5.57% after […]
A pension – 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 add almost 20% 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 […]
Mortgage holders impacted as Bank Rate rises again
Rising rates have been a feature of the mortgage market for almost a year. Following the latest Bank Rate rise, how should mortgage holders react? What happened? With Bank Rate at its highest level in 15 years, in the short term, this will affect anyone with a tracker or variable rate mortgage through higher repayments. […]
Investor confidence returns
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 […]
