News

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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 […]

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 […]

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.    […]

Have you opened a Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA) for your child? If so, it’s a great financial priority to support long-term savings goals for the children in your family. Research has highlighted that women have led the way on opening JISAs every year since 2019, when the data was first analysed.  Despite the gender […]