At the virtual Conservative Party Conference on 6th October, Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestured towards a plan in the pipeline to introduce 95% Loan To Value mortgages in an attempt to reinvigorate home ownership and in his words, “help turn generation rent, into generation buy.” While the details of this plan remain unclear, the PM …
Introduction The end of October brought plenty of bad news for Western economies as scientists stood in front of graphs and talked of ‘inexorable rises’ and ‘exponential increases.’ Unsurprisingly, stock markets duly took note. We report on 12 major stock markets and only two, India and Hong Kong, were up in October, with all the …
Considering how small and densely populated the UK is, we are blessed with some amazing natural beauty. There are 15 national parks in total: 10 in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland. Each national park has its own distinct beauty and character, drawing visitors from around the globe. From the Cairngorms’ rugged mountains …
The government has confirmed that the minimum age for drawing a personal pension is to rise to 57 in 2028. Savers who pay into a personal pension either directly or through their workplace can currently access their money at 55. However, the government plans to raise the age as a result of increased life expectancy. …
This article discusses how financial advisers across the nation have adapted to continue to deliver a valuable service at a period of upheaval which hasn’t been seen since the Second World War. Covid-19 has completely changed the way financial planners deliver advice. At the drop of a hat, the industry had to embrace years’ worth …
Introduction September was a difficult month for world stock markets. It was one of those rare months when none of the markets we report on managed to gain any ground as fears of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a global sell-off in shares. It was also another month of bickering as tensions …
At first glance, recent figures from the housing markets appear wholly positive. During July, Nationwide reported a 1.7% leap in prices. However, the country’s largest building society warned of a “false dawn” when they announced these figures. They highlighted that much of the rise can be attributed to pent up demand and people deciding they …
The feeling of doing something that might help to make the world a better place is profoundly satisfying. And in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, a disaster which has heightened existing inequalities and accelerated poverty across the world, the time is right for all of us to find ways we can live more ethically. …
The effects of the so-called ‘Stamp Duty Holiday’ have dominated the recent property news. According to Rightmove, recent weeks have seen the highest number of agreed house sales in a single month since it started tracking them a decade ago. However, there has been some slightly less positive news that will affect many first-time buyers …
Introduction August used to be known as the ‘silly season’ – a phrase coined by the Times in 1861 to describe the lack of news in August and early September when parliament was in recess. Well, there was plenty of news in August 2020. With coronavirus and its effects, the continuing squabbles over Brexit, the …
