News & Insights

Political instability in Europe and further afield affected investment markets in December. Read on to find out what other factors may have influenced your investment returns at the end of 2024. Remember to focus on your long-term goals when assessing the performance of your investments. The value of your assets rising and falling is part of investing. What’s important is ...

Preparing to buy your first home can be exciting, but it might also be a milestone you’re feeling apprehensive about. Not only will you be making a large financial commitment, but the process of buying a property can seem complex and filled with jargon. Indeed, according to a survey from Halifax, more than half of under-35s admit they don’t feel ...

Interest rates are expected to fall in 2025. If you’re a homeowner, it could present an opportunity to reduce your mortgage repayments and boost your finances overall. The Bank of England (BoE) increased the base interest rate when inflation was high as a way to slow down the rising cost of goods and services. Between December 2021 and August 2023, ...

The number of people with at least a million pounds in their ISAs is on the rise. If you want to join their ranks, consistency and investing could be key. An ISA is a tax-efficient way to save or invest. The interest or investment returns added to your ISA won’t be liable for Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax. As ...

If it’s been some time since you reviewed your pension, going through these practical tasks could help you get more out of your retirement savings in 2025. As retirement could be years away, it’s easy for your pension to slip off your list of priorities. In fact, a survey from The People’s Pension suggests that almost a fifth of savers ...

Using allowances and exemptions could reduce your overall tax bill and help you get more out of your money. On 5 April 2025, the current tax year will end, and many tax-efficient allowances and exemptions will reset. So, here are five that you may want to consider using before the 2025/26 tax year starts. 1. ISA allowance ISAs provide a ...

On 5 November 2024, US citizens voted for their next president, and the election had a knock-on effect on investment markets and business prospects around the world. Republican Party nominee Donald Trump will serve a second term as president of the US. Trump has previously spoken about imposing harsh import tariffs, including a tariff of up to 60% on goods ...

With 195 countries to choose from, deciding where to go on your next holiday can be tricky. In a world where many popular holiday destinations are flooded with visitors and overwhelmed with inauthentic restaurants and shops, you might want to find a place off the beaten path so you can truly enjoy the country you’re visiting. This is where Lonely ...

During the Autumn Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled an increase to Stamp Duty that could affect buyers of second homes and property investors. The temporary higher thresholds for Stamp Duty are also set to end in 2025 and could lead to larger tax bills when buying property. Read on to find out what you need to know about the tax. ...

If you and your partner are considering taking out life insurance, one question you may want to answer is: Would single or joint life insurance be better suited to us? Life insurance is a type of financial protection that would pay out a lump sum if you passed away during the term. The payout would go to your beneficiary, who ...