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For anyone looking to enter the buy-to let market as a new landlord, the decision is currently far from straightforward. On the plus side: Average English rents increased by 7.1% over the year to May 2025, with the average monthly rental now standing at £1,394; Average UK house prices rose by 3.5% over the year […]

The government has announced the revival of the Pensions Commission, over 20 years after it was first launched.  In late 2002, Tony Blair’s Labour government asked Lord Turner to chair a Pensions Commission that would examine the future of non-State pension provision. The move was prompted by concerns that the rapid closure of private sector […]

Shortly before Parliament closed for its summer holidays, the government announced a review of the State pension age (SPA). Pensioners are a sensitive topic for the government. Not only has it been forced to make a U-turn on winter fuel payments, but it has also had to stand firm against the Women Against State Pension […]

The government has published its reply to the many responses made to last October’s consultation paper on bringing pensions within the scope of inheritance tax (IHT).  In last October’s Budget, the Chancellor announced two major changes to IHT, both of which were immediately put out to consultation. The first, which takes effect in April 2026, […]

August’s cut in interest rates of 0.25% was far from straightforward and has implications for future moves.       The Bank of England was given independence to set interest rates in May 1997. Since then, the Bank Rate has been decided by a vote of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which consists of nine […]

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been surveying 40–75 year olds, with some interesting responses.   The DWP have recently released the results of its second ‘Planning and Preparing for Later Life’ survey, based on questions posed to over 4,000 people aged between 40 and 75. The answers showed some conflicted – or […]