News

To reach their dream of homeownership, most aspiring buyers depend on being offered a mortgage. In Q2 2020, the outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans had reached a staggering £1,513.3bn1. But where did it all start? Pre-1900s Estimates of homeownership are sketchy prior to the 20th century, but data from 1831 has led to […]

A study1 has revealed that, based on the UK’s average house price of £231,000, the West Midlands is the UK region with the most living space. Many properties in this region have around 30% more space than average at 104.92 sq m. Buyers can also expect to benefit from a higher-than- average number of bedrooms […]

More than ever, UK savers are struggling to prioritise their pension, with over half saying they are likely to review or reduce their pension contributions in the wake of the pandemic1. It’s true that it can be easy to think of pension contributions as a drain on your resources. And yet, despite travel restrictions, Britons […]

UK to launch first green gilt The government is planning to launch the UK’s first green gilt in 2021 in response to “growing investor demand,” as announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He said it would be the first in a series of new issuances, with the government keen to position the UK as a world-leading […]

Most houses have at least a little clutter lying around. Maybe a few old schoolbooks circa 1960, or some of the children’s old teddies; lofts and cupboards across the country are full of what optimists might call ‘keepsakes’ and what others would label ‘junk’. Over the years, some priceless artefacts have been uncovered in the […]

It’s difficult to quantify the impact of the pandemic on children. Let’s face it, their lives changed beyond recognition overnight too, the regular rhythms of childhood and adolescence gone indefinitely. A survey exploring what made children feel stressed during lockdown discovered that not having enough money or food featured, alongside schoolwork, family life and other […]

It’s so easy to watch the ads on TV about scams or see the consumer shows interviewing devastated people about their financial losses as victims of fraud, and think “it won’t happen to me,” but think again! In the year to September 2020, Action Fraud received over 17,000 reports of investment fraud, totalling £657.4m in […]

At the height of the pandemic, insurers received 7,000 life insurance claims and paid out £90 million – the equivalent of £980,000 every day – to support the families of those who died due to COVID-19. The data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) shows that between 1 March and 31 May last year, […]

Last year was challenging, with job losses and pay cuts causing many to tighten their budgets. It was particularly difficult for the self-employed, with many freelancers losing income as companies cut costs and stopped using contractors. Despite government grants being available, many self-employed workers have found they are not eligible. Almost five million people in […]

Launched in September 2020, the Green Homes Grant is a government scheme that allows homeowners in England to claim vouchers of up to £5,000 to help pay for energy-saving home improvements. Examples include insulating your home to reduce your energy use or installing low-carbon heating to lower the amount of carbon dioxide your home produces. […]