one girl looking envious at the delighted girl next to her on the sofa

All the winners and losers from the 2024 Spring Budget

With one eye on a forthcoming general election, the chancellor has announced a Budget aimed at generating long-term growth, with “more investment, more jobs, better public services and lower taxes”. While the headlines will inevitably focus on Jeremy Hunt’s cut in National Insurance contributions (NICs), many less headline-grabbing messages will affect millions of families and […]

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Your Spring Budget update – the key news from the chancellor’s statement

The 2024/25 tax year is just a month away, and chancellor Jeremy Hunt has delivered his 2024 Spring Budget, outlining the government’s plans for the next fiscal year and beyond. With a general election looming – prime minister Rishi Sunak has said he will call it before the end of the year – the chancellor […]

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Investment market update: January 2024

While a new year started, many of the key factors affecting economies and markets in January were the same as those in 2023, namely high levels of inflation and recession fears. The World Bank warned the global economy is set to slow for a third successive year in 2024 and is on course for the […]

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A woman removing her wedding ring.

How to protect financial gifts to your children from relationship breakdowns

As younger generations face challenges reaching milestones as the cost of living soars, you might be thinking about gifting assets to improve their finances. If your beneficiary is in a relationship, you may want to consider what would happen if they split up with their partner. A well-timed gift could have a hugely positive effect […]

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The House of Commons, London.

Government borrowing halves and opens room for tax cuts in March’s Budget

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt could have more options ahead of March’s Budget as government borrowing halved at the end of 2023. With a general election looming, Hunt may take the opportunity to ease the tax burden. Read on to discover some of the personal finance changes that could be announced. Figures from the Office for National […]

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The London skyline.

The ups and downs of the FTSE 100 40-year history demonstrates time in the market matters

This year the FTSE 100 index turns 40. Over the last four decades, it’s become a way to measure the health of the UK stock market. During that time there have been highs that investors no doubt celebrated, and lows that serve as a reminder that there’s some truth in the saying: it’s time in […]

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4 excellent reasons you may want to boost your ISA now

If you haven’t used your ISA allowance for the 2023/24 tax year, it could be wise to review your options over the next few weeks before the 2024/25 tax year starts. Read on to discover some of the reasons why an ISA could make sense for you. Government statistics show that ISAs are a popular […]

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Retirement planning: The importance of setting out your lifestyle goals

When you start thinking about the steps you need to take when retiring, your focus might be on the financial side. Yet, it’s often a good idea to start with your lifestyle aspirations. Last month, you read about the different options when deciding how you’ll retire. Now, it’s time to consider what your ideal retirement […]

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Guide: Everything you need to know about annuities when creating a retirement income

When you retire, you will often have a range of choices available to you about how you access your pension. One such method is an annuity, which could provide you with a reliable income.  If you’re not sure how annuities work or if they could be right for you, this guide explains the essentials you […]

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Someone looking at stock market performance on their phone.

Investment market update: December 2023

Many markets rallied during December based on the expectation that interest rates will start to fall in 2024. Read on to discover what else may have affected your investment portfolio in the final month of 2023. On 27 December, the MSCI World Stock Index, which comprises stock from nearly 3,000 companies to track global equity-market […]

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