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, …
Annuity sales hit their highest level in a decade in 2024, with higher rates tempting retirement savers to swap their pension pots for a guaranteed income for life. Insurers sold 89,600 annuities last year, up 24% on the year before – and the highest level since 2013, according to trade body the Association of British …
Cuts to interest rates are a key financial news theme in 2024 and we don’t expect that to change in 2025. Many central banks across the world are looking to reduce interest rates as inflation figures slowly return to normal. It is often heralded as great news for mortgage borrowers, but what about investors? Financial …
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt recently got himself in a bit of a pickle when he said £100,000 is “not a huge salary” for people in his Surrey constituency. Writing on X, Mr Hunt was recalling a chat with a constituent in Godalming who was concerned about the government’s childcare offer, as it isn’t …
Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget was a rather unflashy affair, with no big headline-grabbing, rabbit-out-of-the-hat moment. This was a surprise when you consider that we’re in a general election year, but it does explain why the reaction to the entire fiscal event was rather muted and why the Budget hasn’t moved the dial politically. But there …
What do you do with your monthly earnings when they land? Do you leave all the money sitting in your current account? Or do you invest some elsewhere, so you can make your money work hard for you and maximise your returns? Well, a new survey by the Building Societies Association (BSA) reveals that many …
When you sign up for a service or subscription, such as an insurance policy or broadband contract, it’s easy not to give it another thought and just get on with your day-to-day life. But loyalty to a particular company or provider often isn’t rewarded, and blindly sticking with the same deal for years on end …
Adjusting to adulthood can be a difficult stage of life, as you strike out on your own for the first time and adapt to huge changes at home and at work. It’s therefore understandable that getting to grips with your finances can get pushed down your list of priorities, in particular, saving for your pension. …
Inheritance tax has long been a controversial levy and the debate over scrapping it completely has been rumbling on for many years. So we note with interest the swirling rumours that the government is considering cutting inheritance tax and potentially scrapping it completely. According to the Sunday Times, Rishi Sunak wants to phase out the …
A financial adviser will typically recommend that you start preparing for retirement as early as you can. But what if you’re in your 40s or 50s and have only just started thinking about pension planning? Have you missed out on the possibility of enjoying a secure and comfortable retirement? Well, not necessarily, as there are …
