News

Chancellor unveils plan for growth  On 29 January, the Chancellor outlined her plan to boost economic growth during a speech in Oxford, although data released last month suggests the UK economy remained largely stalled at the start of this year.  In her speech to business leaders, Rachel Reeves set out a series of major announcements […]

The government is encouraging individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to maximise their State Pension by filling gaps in their National Insurance (NI) records for the period between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018.  By making voluntary contributions, people can potentially increase their future State Pension payments. This option is available until the […]

As we head into a new year with hope and optimism – it’s a good time to reflect on your personal financial circumstances. With the 2024/25 tax year drawing to a close, don’t leave it to the last minute to get your finances in order – that includes using your tax-efficient allowances.  You might want […]

Commercial property outlook for 2025  According to Savills, the outlook is for increased stability in the UK commercial property market for 2025, following a 20% rise in investment volumes for the office and industrial sectors in 2024.    With two Bank Rate reductions and expectations of further cuts, borrowing costs look set to decrease, enhancing investor […]

As we step into 2025, now is the perfect time to set your financial plans in order. With changes on the horizon – like many pension pots becoming subject to inclusion in Inheritance Tax (IHT) calculations from April 2027 – it’s wise to prepare early.  Financial wellbeing involves having a positive relationship with your money, […]

Headline inflation at eight-month high  Release of the latest inflation statistics showed consumer prices are now rising at their fastest rate since March 2024, while last month also saw Bank of England (BoE) policymakers become more divided over the need to cut interest rates.  Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the […]

A report from UK Savings Week shows that having a savings habit improves wellbeing.  Savers on the lowest incomes were found to benefit the most from regularly putting money aside, with 53% of this group reporting that they are satisfied with their life. However, only 40% of low-income non-savers could say the same1.  Interestingly, low-income […]

Robust demand for Scottish hotels  The Scottish hotels market continued to show resilience in Q3 according to Colliers.  Hotel investment in Scotland hit £110m in quarter three – £40m more than Q2 and 150% higher than the five-year quarterly average of £44m. The year-to-date investment total is £200m – up 18% when compared with the […]

Recently released research1 suggests a significant proportion of working age people are no longer planning a traditional ‘hard stop’ retirement, with 45 to 54-year-olds most likely to feel they will continue working beyond pensionable age.  Work work work  According to the survey, more than a fifth of working age adults think it unlikely they will […]

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 […]