Parents’ secrecy on inheritance plans leaves children facing unexpected tax burdens September 15, 2025 Parents are choosing not to tell their children about their inheritance plans, leaving them at risk of being slapped with unexpected tax bills, new research has found. According to investment manager Charles Stanley, more than a third of Brits have an alarming lack of knowledge of how their parents plan to pass down wealth, despite [...]
Autumn Budget: Rachel Reeves told to scrap ‘not fit for purpose’ Lifetime ISA September 12, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is “not fit for purpose and must be reformed” in the Autumn Budget. Tom Goddard, a senior associate at audit, tax and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, has argued that the LISA “must be reformed to not conflict with shared ownership schemes”. The LISA [...]
FCA plans to allow contactless payment limits above £100 September 10, 2025 Card providers are set to be given the powers to set their own limits on contactless payments, which are currently set at £100, under proposals set out by the City regulator. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed that it will consult industry on whether the rules should be relaxed as part of its task [...]
University students lack basic financial knowledge, research finds September 9, 2025 Incoming university students lack basic understanding and knowledge of personal finance, leaving them at risk of running out of money, new research has found. Nearly 50 per cent of young adults felt stressed about their financial situation ahead of starting Higher Education, while four in ten didn’t feel at all prepared financially, according to retail [...]
Millennials and Gen Z cling to property dream as house prices soar September 8, 2025 Millennials and Gen Z are refusing to give up on their dream of owning a home despite the steep challenges of getting on the property ladder, fresh research has found. Over 35 per cent of Gen Z and 40 per cent of Millennials think that owning a property is the most effective way to grow [...]
Parents forced to delay retirement to bankroll staggering university costs September 4, 2025 Over a third of UK parents are postponing retirement to fund their children’s university education. According to a new study from wealth manager Rathbones, parents expect to work an average of five years longer than initially planned to afford increasingly higher education costs. However, more than a quarter estimate they will need to extend their [...]
Boost pension to avoid retirement poverty graduates warned September 1, 2025 Graduates entering the workforce have been urged to begin topping up their pension pot, as retirement poverty worries continue to loom large. Nearly 90 per cent of recent university graduates believe pension planning is important, but pressing financial matters have shifted their focus away from saving for retirement, according to research from insurance provider Standard [...]
What has caused the M&A surge in the UK financial sector? August 27, 2025 The UK financial sector has seen an influx of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity so far this year as investors look to capitalise on emerging opportunities in the market. Growing economic stability in both the private and public markets, following a period of instability caused by inflation and soaring interest rates, has sparked a renewed [...]
Younger Brits turn to AI for financial advice August 21, 2025 Brits are increasingly turning to AI tools to access financial tips as the “advice gap” grows wider. Two thirds of people are either considering or already using AI tools to gather personal finance advice, new research from financial comparison platform Finder has found. Two in five people opted to use generative AI, such as ChatGPT [...]
Generation games: young people don’t see property as key to retirement August 20, 2025 Younger generations are taking a “more flexible approach” towards saving for retirement, amid concerns that traditional savings routes won’t be enough to rely on. The majority of younger generations see both pensions and property playing “key parts in their financial future”, according to the latest Standard Life retirement voice research, surveying 6,000 people. Over 50 [...]