Government invests heavily in flood alleviation
The government is investing over £860m during 2021-22 to protect homes and businesses from flooding and coastal erosion. It is part of a £5.2bn package to be spent over the next six years, the details of which are set out in the Flood and Coastal Erosion Investment Plan, published on 29 July. It will, the […]
Annexes: not just for Granny
Converting existing outbuildings into residential space used to be the preserve of those whose elderly parents had grown too frail or dependent to live alone – hence the term ‘Granny annex’. Now, however, annexes are coming in useful for a wide variety of purposes. So popular are they, in fact, that councils received approximately 9,000 […]
Financial advice and wellbeing go hand in hand
According to a recent study1, those who take financial advice are four times more likely than those without, to have high levels of financial wellbeing. The study also revealed that the average advised client accumulated almost three times more pension savings (£246,000), compared to non-advised people (£95,000). Advised clients also accumulated total non-pension savings of […]
Investing through the ages
Creating plans and setting goals are important at all stages of life, even if they inevitably change as we progress through life’s journey. Similarly, investment strategies also need to adapt as we move from one life stage to the next. Twenty and thirtysomethings Arguably, financial decisions made in early adulthood are more important than any […]
Regulator notes vital insurance need
Earlier this year, the Financial Conduct Authority published the results of its latest Financial Lives Survey. These showed, among other things, that COVID-19 had presented a severe test for the population’s finances, and that about a quarter of UK adults displayed signs of low financial resilience. Such signs include over-indebtedness, low levels of savings and […]
‘Flip the context’ to protect your savings
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed that over £2m was lost to pension scammers in the first five months of 2021. The average amount lost so far in 2021 is £50,949, compared to £23,689 in 2020. The FCA research shows that pension holders were nine times more likely to accept ‘advice’ from someone online […]
Best ways to add value to your home
Several months of double-digit house price growth has benefited homeowners looking to sell. However, if you want to boost the asking price of your home even further, it’s important to understand which projects will add the most value once you’ve factored in the cost of the job itself. The most valuable projects Loft conversions can […]
Inflation debunks ‘cash is king’ mantra
A modest level of price inflation is generally seen as acceptable and even as a sign of a healthy economy. For some years, the Bank of England’s target for annual Consumer Prices Index (CPI) growth has been 2%; not a steady 2%, as short-term fluctuations are inevitable, but an average of about 2% over several […]
Young adults struggle to understand the mortgage process
It is hardly a secret that young people face significant barriers on their way to purchasing their first home. Quite apart from prohibitive house prices and stringent affordability criteria, a lack of understanding of how the mortgage process works is also holding them back. According to a survey1, 52% of adults aged 18–34 say they […]
UK investors plan to continue lockdown habits
During the pandemic, many people have been able to significantly increase their investment contributions, as spending on travel, leisure and hospitality plummeted. Now, a poll1 has revealed that, far from reducing their investment contributions as restrictions loosen, 76% of UK investors intend to keep up their lockdown habits, with half planning on reducing everyday spending […]