In a month where the Middle East conflict rumbled on without conclusion, there was one major economic change announced in mid-September. The Fed hiked interest rates by 0.25%, the first increase since 2023. Whilst the Bank of England held, the European and Japanese Central Banks also raised their rates. Andy Burnham used his platform at …
Most of us change jobs several times during our working lives. Each move can bring a new workplace pension, and older pots can become harder to keep track of as the years pass. The scale of the issue is significant. The Pensions Policy Institute estimated that 3.3 million pension pots worth £31.1 billion were lost …
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that executors will be able to ask pension schemes to hold back up to half of what each non-exempt beneficiary is due while an inheritance tax (IHT) bill is being settled. The detail appears in HMRC’s second technical note, published on 27 August 2026. The underlying change is …
What is the triple lock? The State Pension is an important part of many people’s retirement income. At present, it normally increases each April by whichever is highest: inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5%. This is known as the triple lock, and it is designed to help protect the value of the State Pension over …
August was, in many ways, a repeat of July. It was defined by the same AI-valuation nerves, the same fragile Iran ceasefire, and the same central banks trying to hold the line on rates while inflation refused to fully cooperate. The month began with hope that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was …
Many women reach retirement with less pension income than they expected – often because of time spent caring, raising families or working part-time. This may affect you, your partner, or the younger women in your family. The good news is that a few simple checks can make a real difference for you or the women …
Your home may be one of your biggest assets, but how does it fit into your wider retirement plan? From standard mortgages to retirement interest-only mortgages and lifetime mortgages (equity release), there are more options than many people realise. Estimated read time: 4 minutes If you are in your 50s, 60s, 70s or beyond, you …
As schools reopen and summer holidays come to an end, September can be a natural time to think about the younger people in your family. If you spent time with children or grandchildren this summer, you may be wondering how best to support their future. Here are five ways to help them financially, without putting …
Reading the news and you would find it hard to believe that the FTSE 100 hit its all-time intra-day high in July 2026, showing that markets can still move ahead even when the news feels unsettled. Some areas improved, some risks increased, and investors ended the month asking familiar questions: where next for interest rates, …
From April 2027, the rules around cash held in ISAs are changing – including a new 22% charge on interest paid on cash held in investment ISAs. Here’s what’s changing, who is affected, and why it’s worth reviewing your savings before the new rules come in. Government confirms 22% charge on cash held in investment …
