Northern cities surge in mortgage searches As buyers consider more affordable housing options beyond the capital, the six major Northern cities of Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle have witnessed a significant increase in purchase mortgage searches and now account for almost 11% of all mortgage search activity, up by two-thirds on last year1. […]
Category archives: All
Finding midlife balance
Midlife can be demanding. Having moved onto – and, perhaps, up – the housing ladder, started a family and settled down, you would think you might have earned an easy ride. Yet midlife demands on your time and money can make you feel you are being pulled in a hundred different directions. Between supporting your […]
The new Renters’ Rights Bill – what does it mean?
The Labour government has designed a Renters’ Rights Bill, aiming to improve the rights and protections for tenants. Changes have already been made to improve rights in Scotland and Wales, so the proposed Bill will be applicable to renters in England, with some elements stretching to Wales. No more no-fault evictions The Bill will include […]
Economic Review October 2024
Economy set for short term Budget boost New economic projections produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest the Labour administration’s first Budget will provide only a ‘temporary boost’ to UK economic output. Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed the independent fiscal watchdog’s latest forecast during her Autumn Budget delivered to the House of Commons on […]
Autumn Budget 2024
“Our mission to grow the economy” Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivered the Labour government’s first Budget on 30 October with a promise to “restore economic stability” and “invest, invest, invest” to promote growth. In her statement, she outlined a number of new tax and spending measures that she said would create “an economy […]
Uptick in IHT receipts – what lies ahead?
Data1 has shown that Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts have continued their ascent, with £2.8bn received in the April to July period this year. This figure is a substantial £0.2bn increase on the same period in the previous tax year (2023/24). Frozen thresholds continue to take their toll as IHT, once a tax reserved purely for […]
In the news
Money worries outweigh study concerns for almost half of students Have you got a child at university? If so, it’s likely, according to a new study1, that they’ll be more worried about the cost of living (a top-rated concern for 47% of students), than their academic studies (26%). Other main concerns of university students in […]
Navigating a multi-retirement reality
Over the years, a number of notable trends, such as increased longevity and individuals taking on greater responsibility for their pension provision, have clearly altered the retirement landscape significantly. Now, new trends look set to further change the face of retirement, adding complexity to the retirement planning process and making early planning ever more essential. […]
Residential Property Review – October 2024
Improving conditions in the residential market Activity in the residential property market is picking up as house prices continue to show modest growth, according to Savills. In August, mortgage approvals were only 3% below pre-pandemic levels. In September, sales agreed and new instructions were 8% and 9% above their respective 2017-2019 averages, highlighting that supply […]
Commercial Property Market Review – October 2024
Commercial market update UK commercial real estate continues to perform well, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate. Investor sentiment has improved, with sterling continuing to strengthen, reaching its highest level against the dollar and the euro in over two years. This helps to attract overseas investors and boost UK weightings in global real estate allocations. […]
