According to a study from NatWest1, seven in 10 people have been targeted by scams over the last 12 months. Vulnerabilities brought on by cost-of-living challenges have likely contributed to the high numbers. Sadly, 13% of people have fallen prey to such scams, which are growing in both number and sophistication – targeting young and […]
Author Archives: matthew
Spring Budget 2024
On 6 March, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt delivered his Spring Budget to the House of Commons declaring it was “a Budget for long-term growth.” The fiscal update included a number of new policy measures, such as a widely-anticipated reduction in National Insurance, abolition of the non-dom tax status and new savings products designed […]
Living the retirement dream
Research1 has revealed that the ultimate retirement dream is actually very simple – financial security for the rest of your life. This is according to a survey1, which questioned 2,000 respondents aged 50 and over on their aspirations for later life. Hopes and dreams Nearly all the respondents to the survey (94%) said that financial […]
Economic Review – February 2024
Survey suggests recession already over Official statistics released last month showed the UK economy fell into recession during the second half of last year, although more recent survey data does suggest the recession could already be over. The latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the economy […]
Residential Property Review – February 2024
Positive start to the year for the housing market Increased demand from buyers and sellers is helping to get the housing market back on track this year. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the data on new buyer enquiries is consistent with a gradual recovery which shows a 7% uptick in January, […]
Commercial Property Review – February
2024 – a turning point? The recently released UK Commercial Market in Minutes from Savills has identified 2024 as a pivotal year for the commercial property investment market. Expectations are for an uptick in investment volumes versus 2023, after a couple of years of falls, with some strengthening in prime yields also likely. Positivity about […]
Sleep easy in 2024
If you’re losing sleep over your finances, you’re not the only one. According to research1, nearly half (45%) of UK adults are lying awake at night because they’re worrying about money. The squeeze on people’s finances caused by the cost-of-living crisis is understandably a large part of this wave of insomnia, with those surveyed saying […]
Are you due a midlife MOT?
Just to be clear, we’re not talking about your physical health here (that’s the doctor’s remit). We’re talking about a check-up to assess your financial wellbeing. And we’re asking because nearly one in six people aged between 45 and 54 are now making significant financial sacrifices to ensure their pension pots are up to scratch […]
In the news
Pension Tracing Service swamped People who think they could be missing out on thousands of pounds in pension savings have flocked to the phonelines to try and track down their lost money. Through a freedom of information request, it has come to light that The Pension Tracing Service received a total of 251,733 phone calls […]
Economic Review – January 2024
UK economy rebounds in November Official statistics show the economy returned to growth in November, although analysts believe it remains a close call as to whether or not the UK will once again manage to avoid a recession. Figures released last month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK economy grew by […]
