The Debate: Should we put rats on our banknotes? Opinion Churchill's been ditched from UK banknotes. Is the rat a worthy successor? We hear the case for and against in this week's Debate.
ISA reform could bring £16bn into UK equities each year Opinion The government could bring a much-needed boost to UK markets with one simple, tax-neutral measure, argues Richard Staveley, manager of UK small-cap investment trust Rockwood Strategic. ISAs are undoubtedly much loved in the UK, with more than 22m accounts and around £775bn in total assets, which exceeds the amounts saved into defined contribution pension schemes. [...]
Stonehenge and glitter: Inside the Bank of England’s new banknote consultation Banking The Bank of England first began issuing banknotes in 1694, and today there are 4.7bn sterling banknotes in circulation, worth a combined total of £86bn. And while the use of cash as a method of payment has dropped from around one in two transactions to one in four over the past decade, cash remains a [...]
A new LISA life: why the lifetime ISA needs reform July 18, 2025 While the Treasury Committee has criticised the Lifetime ISA (LISA) as poor value for money, helping young people get on the housing ladder remains a worthwhile goal, says Oliver Dean The Treasury Committee has raised valid concerns about the Lifetime ISA’s (LISA) value for money, concluding that in its current form the scheme is not [...]
Brits sound alarm on branch closures as Lloyds and Natwest shutter sites June 9, 2025 Over half of Brits struggle to speak to a real person when they need support, fresh research shows, underscoring the challenge facing banking customers as more top lenders shutter their branches. Research from credit information service CRIF showed six in ten consumers were unable to get the support required due to bank branch closures. This [...]
Cash ISAs: Record £14bn piled in after rumoured cut from Reeves June 2, 2025 A record £14bn was put into cash ISAs in April as the new tax year kicked off, fresh figures from the Bank of England show, marking the highest amount since April 1999. The ballooning savings follow speculation over the fate of cash ISAs amid rumours of a cut to the allowance. In the Spring Statement [...]
One in four Brits cling to bank branches as closures soar May 20, 2025 Brits remain keen for in-person banking even as high-street sites shutter, a fresh report from the Financial Conduct Authority has revealed. One in four current account users still opted to use branch services in the year to May 2024 despite their waning availability. The figure marks a steep drop from 63 per cent in 2017, [...]
Co-op breach a ‘stark reminder of why cash remains essential’ May 8, 2025 The disruption to card payments at Co-op stores last week is a warning to Brits on over reliance on digital payments, according to a leading consultancy firm. The Co-op shut down parts of its IT systems last week and suspended contactless payments at nearly 10 per cent of stores after detecting a potential breach. “The [...]
Post Office extends banks’ cash deal as MPs call for mandated acceptance May 1, 2025 The Post Office has reached a five-year banking deal with lenders and building societies to keep cash services running amid a continued retreat of banks from the high street. This renewed deal follows research commissioned by the company, which found nine in ten people believe it is important to maintain access to cash. The partnership [...]
Post Office predicts record-high £1bn in cash withdrawals ahead of Christmas December 10, 2024 The Post Office is predicting a record-high number of personal cash withdrawals this month, reaching upwards of £1bn. The prediction exceeds last year’s record-breaking numbers during the festive shopping season, with December 2023 seeing a total of £930m in cash withdrawals. A total of £916m in personal cash was withdrawn in November, the latest figures [...]