The Government has launched plans to make wide-ranging changes to how major pension funds are structured, with legal requirements to invest in UK assets. The plans will oversee the creation of new pension ‘megafunds’ which will manage over £25 billion in assets. This will affect major Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) and multi-employer defined contribution …
Giving to charity is enormously rewarding in several ways, enabling you to support causes you’re passionate about, as well as ensuring a legacy is put towards something meaningful. Doing so in a tax-efficient way also means you can significantly increase what you’re able to give to charities close to your heart. Below is a breakdown …
Introduction It’s almost impossible to write any commentary on financial markets this year without mentioning Donald Trump. After the turmoil of April, and the dramatic tariff announcements which sent markets into a spin, May was relatively sedate in comparison. United States US equity markets bounced back in May. The S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite and …
Introduction April was an explosive month as President Trump’s ‘liberation day’ on 2nd April caused major market turmoil. The trade tariff war was more hostile than markets had predicted and most indices went tumbling as the news of the tariffs broke. Trump quickly rowed back on many of his ‘counter tariffs’, allowing many markets to …
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, outlining the UK’s latest economic and spending priorities against a backdrop of tightening fiscal constraints. Reeves didn’t downplay the difficulties ahead. She pointed directly to external forces, including Donald Trump’s reintroduction of trade tariffs, as factors compounding the strain on the public purse. These global pressures have …
Savers are missing out on millions of pounds in interest after leaving £54 billion in low-interest savings accounts. Analysis from savings provider Paragon Bank has found £52.4 billion is languishing in instant access accounts that pay less than 2% interest, while £1.7 billion is held in fixed-rate ISAs earning 2% or less. Further to that, …
Introduction Geopolitics continues to dominate the financial news as markets continue to react to Trump’s unpredictable tariff war. In 2024 the US was not just the world biggest economy, it was firing on all cylinders, as Trump returned for a second turn. At the end of the first quarter of 2025 the question on many …
This Spring Statement was always intended to be a fiscal non-event. Chancellor Rachel Reeves had promised that there would only be one major economic event each year and last October’s controversial budget was most definitely intended to be it. Speculation has been rising that this Spring Statement might break that promise, and bring some surprises …
Financial scams are a rising problem in the UK, with more than £1.17 billion in financial losses in 2023, according to banking body UK Finance. UK Finance’s most recent figures suggest over £570 million was stolen in the first half of 2024. Almost everyone knows a friend or family member who has been a victim …
One in every 42 homes – more than 700,000 – in the UK is now worth more than £1 million, according to new research from estate agency Savills. The vast majority of these – just under 350,000 – are in London while another 160,000 are in South East England. This means one in every 11 …
