Welcome to our blogs which relate to the financial services you may be interested in from mortgages to pensions; protection to auto-enrolment and many more. So why not grab a drink and enjoy the read.
Anyone buying their first home from July 1, 2021, can get stamp duty relief at the same level as that before July 8, 2020. This is a discount to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder. This means you’ll pay: • Property purchase price up to £300,000 – zero per cent stamp duty • The portion from £300,001 to
The government is planning to launch the UK’s first green gilt in 2021 in response to “growing investor demand”, as announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He said it would be the first in a series of new issuances, with the government keen to position the UK as a world-leading green finance hub ahead of the COP 26 international climate talks
Did you know that the phased increases to State Pension age (SPA) reached 66 for both men and women in October 2020 and it’s set to rise further? The minimum age for taking funds from a personal pension is also set to rise in 2028. Getting to know your pension ages, and what you can expect to receive, is vital
In the latest Trusts and Estates Newsletter, HMRC has warned against applying too early for a Grant of Representation, in order to avoid delays. A Grant of Representation includes both a Grant of Probate (where the deceased had a valid will) and Letters of Administration (where there is not a valid will). The process is known as ‘confirmation’ in Scotland.
One in eight people do not know how many old workplace pension pots they have, according to a poll carried out by Interactive Investor. With an average age of 55, 13% of customers of the investment platform said they did not know how many old workplace pensions they have. The poll, which was recently conducted on the Interactive Investor platform
Last year was challenging, with job losses and pay cuts causing many to tighten their budgets. It was particularly difficult for the self-employed, with many freelancers losing income as companies cut costs and stopped using contractors. Despite government grants being available, many self-employed workers have found they are not eligible. Almost five million people in the UK are self-employed, or
More than ever, UK savers are struggling to prioritise their pension, with over half saying they are likely to review or reduce their pension contributions in the wake of the pandemic. It’s true that it can be easy to think of pension contributions as a drain on your resources. And yet, despite travel restrictions, Britons were still expected to spend
One in three adults under the age of 40 are saving to buy their first home and get a foot on the property ladder, but research from Cushon has found that less than half (44.1%) are taking advantage of top up bonuses offered by the government. The workplace savings and investment provider revealed that of those saving to buy their
It will soon be a new tax year, a fresh start and forward focus. We aren’t the only ones looking forward and appraising the year ahead; a new report has noted that in 2021, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are placing a high priority on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues and assessing how organisational ESG activities and investments compare with
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can save families undue stress and expense if they are worried about the health or mental capacity of a relative. Lasting Power of Attorney’s (LPA’s) are not just for the old and the mentally incapacitated. Sadly, the pandemic is a reminder that no matter what age you are you could end up in hospital