News

The new National Insurance Contributions (NICs) scales for 2020/21 were announced ahead of March’s Budget, with one slight surprise hidden in the numbers. Are NICs a tax?      Over many years, Chancellors have tried to convince the public that … Continue reading →

The 11 March Budget from the new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, included £7 billion of expenditure targeting the impact of Covid-19 on employees, the self-employed and businesses. On 17 March a further raft of measures was announced, amounting to an additional … Continue reading →

With individual investors now exposed to direct marketing of some products, the UK financial regulator has spelled out which parts of the personal investment market it is most worried about. “Sustained low interest rates have suppressed returns in safer asset … Continue reading →

Last week’s Budget from the new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, included £7 billion of expenditure targeting the impact of Covid-19 on employees, the self-employed and businesses. Six days later a further raft of measures was announced, amounting to an additional £20 … Continue reading →

The government has published the revised level of state pensions and other benefits for 2020/21. But Britain remains last in the state pension league table. In April 2020, the new state pension will increase by 3.9% to £175.20 a week … Continue reading →

There was some welcome news in the Budget for pension funding. Tax relief remains unaffected and many high earners will no longer be subject to the pension tapered annual allowance, although those earning more than £300,000 could see their funding … Continue reading →

The National Living Wage (NLW) rises by over 6% in April. The 6.2% increase to £8.72 an hour equates to £15,870 a year based on a 35-hour week. The substantial rise is not down to inflation – which ended 2019 … Continue reading →

What do you remember about the 2010s? A decade is a long time and a lot happens, but important details can be lost in the big headline moments. The one that has just ended makes the point. The 2010s started … Continue reading →

The intestacy rules for England and Wales have been amended. The intestacy rules automatically apply to the distribution of estates where there is no will. There are three different sets of rules in the UK: one for England and Wales, … Continue reading →

The clock is ticking on using up your pension annual allowance The allowance effectively sets the maximum pension contributions from all sources (including your employer) on which you may be able to claim income tax relief. In recent times it … Continue reading →

In early January the Chancellor announced a new Budget date: 11 March 2020. This could be a significant Budget. Traditionally, the first Budget of a new Parliament is when the Chancellor delivers the medicine of tax increases and/or unpopular reforms. … Continue reading →

The world’s share markets enjoyed strong rises in 2019. Index 2019 Change FTSE 100 +12.1% FTSE All-Share +14.2% Dow Jones Industrial +22.3% Standard & Poor’s 500 +28.88% Nikkei 225 +18.2% Euro Stoxx 50 (€) +24.8% Shanghai Composite +22.3% MSCI Emerging … Continue reading →