The political background The chancellor Rachel Reeves has been under enormous pressure all year. In addition to some major economic headwinds, she has faced political battles on several fronts. Even her own MPs rebelled when she tried to save money through benefits cuts. The media reduced her choices down to two simple options. Break the …
Introduction The Autumn Statement on 26th November dominated British headlines. In the US the longest government shutdown in history came to an end, and China will hope that the trade war ceasefire will start to show improving results in their end of year economic performance. UK After months of speculation, the Autumn Statement finally arrived, …
The Government has announced a major change to the cash ISA allowance and other reforms to the ISA system alongside a hike in savings income tax rates. The changes bring major changes for UK savers contributing cash into the tax-free accounts, with potentially far-reaching consequences. Under the plans announced by the Chancellor, the annual tax-free …
The Autumn 2025 Budget included several changes that may affect households, and businesses. We’ve highlighted the key points below, with more detail to follow in our December newsletter. If you have any concerns about how the updates might impact you, please do get in touch. Our top 3 key planning takeaways are: Venture Capital Trust (VCT)* …
Beyond investing – why cashflow planning matters What will you be doing in ten years’ time? Most of us can give a rough answer – perhaps enjoying more free time, travelling, or finally working less – but few of us can say with certainty how our finances will support that vision. In a fast-moving and …
We’ve seen record highs in equity markets, a ceasefire in the Middle East, better than expected inflation figures, and surprisingly good UK retail sales performance. Despite this, the pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves is relentless as she heads towards another Autumn Statement on 26th November, where she is expected to face more criticism and possibly …
Prices rises have remained steadily at 3.8% for three consecutive months, the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows. These figures, published on 22 October 2025, show that the annual rate of the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) remained at 3.8% in the 12 months to September, unchanged for the third month in …
For many people approaching retirement, the pension tax-free lump sum is one of the most attractive features of their pension savings. It allows you to take up to a quarter of your pension pot as a one-off payment without paying income tax, up to a current maximum of £268,275. While this can seem straightforward, the …
Inflation and economic growth were the two key themes which politicians, global economists and central bankers grappled with in September. There is an almost unprecedented interest in economic indicators in 2025, perhaps because of the unchartered economic territories Trump has pushed the world into. Not all these indicators are reliable predictors of the future. So, …
The pound slipped in value against both the US dollar and the euro last month, with markets reacting to concerns over economic growth and interest rate expectations. Unfortunately, these shifts are not just abstract market movements, when the pound falls it has a tangible impact on individual finances. A weaker currency affects everything from the …
