From April 2017, a new Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band is available in addition to an individual’s own nil-rate band. When it was announced in 2015, media headlines suggested that everyone could leave a tax-free legacy of £1m, but the changes will be introduced over the next few years, and don’t apply in every case. […]
Action Fraud has launched an identity fraud campaign with the City of London Police, Cifas and Equifax, asking members of the public to consider how careful they are with their personal and financial details. A recent YouGov Survey commissioned by Equifax found that the UK population are failing to take basic steps like protecting passwords […]
The first six months of 2017 have presented investors with an interesting half year. Think about the first six months of 2017 in the UK. There were several serious terrorist attacks, Article 50 was triggered to start the formal Brexit process, the Budget less than perfectly executed and, to round matters off, a snap election […]
Judging by the manifestos of the three main political parties, the days of appealing to voters by cutting income tax (and its alter ego, national insurance) are over: The Conservatives repeated their 2015 manifesto promise of a personal allowance of £12,500 and a higher rate threshold of £50,000 (outside Scotland) by 2020. The way inflation […]
The latest Quarterly Inflation Report (QIR) from the Bank of England has been published and shows that ‘the Old Lady’ has changed her mind a little. But the market projections for short-term interest rates don’t make for helpful reading for those with cash deposits. The QIR was published in May, a few days before the […]
The general election campaign provided a reminder that the issue of funding social care remains unresolved. Who pays how much for long term care in England came to the fore last month. It is one of those subjects which successive governments have repeatedly kicked down the road. Nearly 20 years ago the then […]
