Shared ownership and tax relief
Shared ownership involves buying a share in a property and renting the rest. It’s a cost-effective way for first-time buyers to get a toehold on the property ladder. The Chancellor’s 2018 Budget included plans to correct an anomaly from his previous Budget by cutting stamp duty for first-time buyers of shared ownership properties worth up […]
First-time buyers get two more years to benefit from Help to Buy
Under its Help to Buy scheme, the Government offers first-time buyers and second-steppers a loan of up to 20% of the price to buy a new-build property of up to £600,000. A London-only version of the scheme provides 40% equity loans. Changes announced in the Budget The 2018 Budget contained details of how the Government’s […]
New home stats – through the roof!
With the Government having pledged to build 300,000 new homes a year in England by 2025, there’s welcome news concerning the number of new homes registered in the third quarter of 2018. Builders register homes expected to be built in the coming months that are to be covered by the National House Building Council (NHBC) […]
What you need to know about retirement mortgages
Whilst much is often made of the plight of first-time buyers, a lot less attention is generally paid to older borrowers who are looking for the right type of mortgage product for their needs. However, banks and building societies are increasingly aware that borrowers are living longer and want to borrow for longer too. Many […]
Single adults find it hard to save
With more people now living alone than ever before, and the numbers predicted to rise, new research1 shows that single people in Britain are finding it harder to save for retirement than those who are married or co-habiting. More than six million single adults are under-prepared for retirement. The study reveals that just 47% of single […]
More taking out protection policies as health consciousness rises
Life is full of twists and turns, some of them good, others not so good. Protection policies are one of the best ways of ensuring your family is provided for financially, if unexpected and unwelcome events should happen. Policies can pay out lump-sums or provide an income to ease the financial burden at a difficult […]
Women are better savers than men
Women, it seems, are heeding the message about saving for retirement and are saving more for their future than men, after adjusting for earnings. However, the fact that women are saving more as a percentage of their earnings, but still achieving lower balances in their pension plans, shows the effect that the gender pay gap […]
Reached your half-century? How to plan for retirement
Once you reach 50, it’s time to get serious about planning your retirement. True, it could still seem ages away, and you may not be thinking of giving up work anytime soon. However, putting a retirement plan together will help you understand what your finances will look like when you decide to take life easy. […]
First-time buyers need 13 times their salary to buy a home
Despite signs that the housing market is slowing down, especially in London, house prices have remained high due to the shortage of supply. This has meant that affordability has continued to be a major issue, especially in the south of the country. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that first-time buyers in London […]
Why bad maths could cost you a fortune
How much are your possessions worth? Having enough insurance is almost as important as having insurance in the first place. When it comes to applying for a policy, it’s important to provide the right figures, as getting them wrong could have serious consequences. “Guesstimating” the value of your household contents could leave you under insured […]