Budget 2015: Six things we expect to see in Wednesday’s announcement from George Osborne March 15, 2015 There will be no giveaways in the 2015 Budget, George Osborne has said. The Budget will be aimed at those who have worked hard all their lives, the chancellor said. But with no giveaways on the menu, what can we expect? Osborne told the BBC there would be “no giveaways, no gimmicks”. “Everything we do [...]
Pensions shake-up: George Osborne mulls further change to annuity rules March 12, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne is considering including a further shake-up of pensions rules in his crucial pre-election Budget next week, to allow pensioners to sell their existing annuities for cash. From next month those over 55 years old will be able to cash in their pension pot instead of buying an annuity to be paid out [...]
LV= takes big hit from Osborne’s new annuity rules as profit drops March 11, 2015 A DOUBLE-whammy of low interest rates and chancellor George Osborne’s overhaul of Britain’s pensions industry have hit profits at mutual insurer LV=. The cricket and rugby sponsor saw pre-tax profits plummet 76 per cent to £37m last year after lower returns in its investment portfolio. Although pension sales were up to £63m from the £587m in [...]
Here’s why chancellor George Osborne’s pensioner bond bonanza won’t translate into votes March 11, 2015 George Osborne's so-called "granny bond" scheme has been heavily criticised as a blatant bid for the older vote, however new research has shown the chancellor's expensive giveaway is unlikely to pay off for the Tories. Rate setters at the Bank of England have held the main interest rate at a record low 0.5 per cent [...]
George Osborne to avoid post-election cuts debate by ducking out of Treasury Questions finale March 9, 2015 Labour claims George Osborne is trying to avoid debating the cuts planned in the event of a Conservative election victory, after learning that the chancellor will not be at the last Treasury questions session before the General Election. Osborne will be attending the Ecofin meeting of EU finance ministers instead. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls only [...]
Manufacturers ask Osborne for bigger cuts to the cost of energy March 9, 2015 MANUFACTURERS today called on the chancellor to help out with their energy bills and with more advice and support on exporting. Rapid drops in global oil prices have driven down UK energy bills, dragging inflation into negative territory and so putting giving a break to hard-pressed firms and consumers. But in its budget submission, manufacturers’ [...]
Income tax rate 2015: Is an £11,000 personal tax-free allowance on the cards in Osborne’s Budget speech? March 8, 2015 The nation could be in for a treat and find more cash in their pocket from April as part of a pre-election tax pledge by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. George Osborne is planning to raise the tax-free allowance further in what could be the chancellor’s last ever budget, due to be announced in less [...]
George Osborne regrets mistakes over RBS and looks to sell up quick March 5, 2015 George Osborne has conceded he made an error not reforming the state-owned bank RBS when the coalition took power in 2010. Speaking to the Financial Times Weekend Magazine the chancellor said he hopes to move forward "as quickly as we can to get rid of it". He added that he regretted acquiescing to the view [...]
UK sells off £750m stake in Eurostar in boost to George Osborne’s “long-term economic plan” March 3, 2015 The government is set to sell its stake in Eurostar for £757.1m as part of the coalition’s pledge to raise £20bn from asset sales by 2020. A consortium comprising Canadian pension fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec and British fund Hermes Infrastructure will buy the UK’s 40 per cent stake in the rail [...]
George Osborne slammed for claiming to have halved £1.7bn EU bill February 26, 2015 George Osborne will come under attack today over his claim to have halved a £1.7bn EU bill that landed on the chancellor’s desk last autumn. A powerful group of MPs led by Tory MP Andrew Tyrie will praise the Treasury for delaying the payments until later this year, but will shoot down Osborne’s bolder claim [...]