In Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s second financial statement this year, there were few surprises as he looks to fix the economy following the pandemic.

With inflation climbing and interest rate rises on the horizon, Britain is at a critical period in terms of its economic future. Multiple lockdowns caused the UK economy to slump by 10% while the government spent more than £100 billion supporting jobs.

Now the economy is recovering the chancellor is under increasing pressure to balance the books and claw back money...

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his third Budget and the results of his Spending Review on 27 October, declaring that it begins "the work of preparing for a new economy post-COVID." The Chancellor struck an upbeat tone during the key fiscal event, as he outlined his vision of “an economy fit for a new age of optimism, where the only limit to our potential is the effort we are prepared to put in and the sacrifices we are prepared t...

The central theme of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget was greater investment in UK PLC as part of the government’s long term economic plans and priorities. This included £11.5 billion investment in 180,000 new affordable homes, and a Levelling Up Fund that will mean £1.7 billion invested in local areas across the UK.

While some of the announcements may have seemed rather long term, Mr Sunak did provide some more immediate relief for households and businesses still fragile from the effects of t...

The communication teams at the Treasury have been busy in the run up to the Autumn Budget on Wednesday. After a weekend that, according to The Times, contained no less than 11 announcements covering £26 billion of expenditure, you might think that there is not much left for Mr Sunak to talk about when he addresses Parliament on 27 October.

We now know to expect extra spending on Manchester trams, the NHS, post-16 education, incentives for UK investment by overseas companies and even new cutters f...

With retail sales falling, it’s a sign that the UK economy is cooling following a resilient summer. But inflation is on the rise.  

September was a volatile month for financial markets, with many factors at play including supply chain disruptions, a rise in inflation and concerns that the pandemic could carry on moderating the recovery for some time. Global stock markets dipped during the month, after reaching record highs in previous weeks.¹ The FTSE 100 index struggled, with falls in sectors including construction and commercial prop...

Working out how long your pension pot will need to last – as life expectancy rises – is worth thinking about sooner than later.

The lockdown caused many people to reassess their lifestyles, which for some meant choosing early retirement. But what retirees have found is that pension pots are not matching the period of time needed to enjoy a comfortable life.

Life expectancy is going up. The Office for National Statistics offers an online calculator which gives an estimate of life expectancy –...

Many fixed mortgage deals will be approaching the end of their term this October, so it’s a good idea to review your buy-to-let mortgage.

With interest rates still at low levels and demand for rental properties increasing around the country, investing in a buy-to-let (BTL) is a popular choice for many.

Buy to let basics

A BTL mortgage is a specific type of product for those who want to buy a property with the intention of renting it. Because of this, there are different terms and rules around a...

Make the most of your tax allowances by using the different types of ISAs that are available.

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) were first introduced in 1999 and are a tax-free way to save into a cash savings or investment account. There lots of different types of ISA available, but the right one for you will depend on your financial goals. We explain how they work so you can choose the one that is best for you.

Cash ISA
A cash ISA works in the same way as traditional savings account but you won’t have ...

The pandemic continued to unsettle global financial markets during August.

August turned into a month of highs and lows for markets, especially in Europe. There was positive news that the euro area’s economy grew by 2% in the second quarter, which was then countered by a heavy fall in share prices, with the FTSE 100 in London, Frankfurt’s Dax and the Europe Stoxx 600 all dropping more than 2%.1 Causes for concern in Europe centred on fears of a new wave of Covid-19 as...