Switzerland has rejected wealth taxes: Westminster should take note December 17, 2025 Swiss voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed 50 per cent inheritance tax, proving that individuals in a democracy understand that confidence in a jurisdiction can evaporate quickly, says Tim Focas Swiss voters have issued one of the clearest democratic verdicts on wealth and capital in recent memory. Last month, more than eight in ten rejected [...]
Autumn Budget Live: Wealthy, landlords and pensions hit in £26bn tax raid November 26, 2025 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. In a shocking turn of events the UK fiscal watchdog has accidentally released the economic forecasts – intended to be published after the Budget – before the Chancellor even took to the despatch box. Rachel Reeves has raised taxes by £26bn in her second Budget, which follows on [...]
Family businesses on brink after inheritance tax crackdown November 19, 2025 The damage wrought by the Chancellor’s inheritance tax crackdown on family firms has been laid bare by fresh research that found over a third are on the brink of closure before the end of the parliament. A poll of family business owners found nearly two thirds of the UK’s 4.8m family businesses are worried about [...]
Treasury ‘buries’ farming report until after Budget in inheritance tax blow November 16, 2025 A government-commissioned review that shows the financial pressures on the farming industry has been “buried” by the Treasury until after the Autumn Budget, Whitehall sources claim. The review which was carried out by a former president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Baroness Batters, is understood to lay bare concerns among farmers over Chancellor Rachel [...]
Will the Budget push the economy off the cliff? November 13, 2025 Downing Street is in chaos and the economy has flatlined. Now, with just a couple of weeks to go until we find out what’s really in Rachel Reeves’ Budget, Britain’s bosses are getting restless. It used to be the case that Chancellor’s went quiet in the run-up to a Budget, keeping their powder dry and [...]
UK faces founder exodus in wake of tax hiking Budget November 5, 2025 Britain could suffer an exodus of business owners if the Chancellor follows through with rumours of a crackdown on wealth at the upcoming Budget. A fresh poll of founders has shown that four in 10 UK-based entrepreneurs would weigh up whether to leave the UK were Rachel Reeves’s speech to contain either a hike to [...]
Wealthy parents ramp up gifts ahead of feared inheritance tax raid November 4, 2025 Parents are locked in a race to organise financial gifts and inheritance tax arrangements ahead of an anticipated clampdown at next month’s Budget, with some advisers reporting a doubling of transactions in recent weeks. Half a dozen lawyers and tax advisers told City AM that the widely expected overhaul of gifting rules at the Budget [...]
Wealthy Brits are failing to notice that they will be hit by IHT changes October 28, 2025 Many high net worth Brits are unaware that their pensions will soon be liable for inheritance tax, leaving families exposed to significantly higher levels of tax. Nearly 20 per cent of high net worth individuals (HNW) aged 55 and over reported having no knowledge that their unused private pension pot will fall under the scope [...]
Family farm and business tax could cost £14.8bn in lost GVA October 15, 2025 The government should rethink its damaging tax raid on family farms and businesses, says Neil Davy UK MPs have returned to Westminster with fresh policy positions and new priorities ringing in their ears. As they do so, the fallout from one of last year’s most contentious policy announcements, the family business and farm tax, should [...]
Budget rumours spark a surge in client queries for financial advisers October 10, 2025 Independent financial advisers have seen a significant uptick in client enquiries in the run up to the Budget, as speculation over tax changes continues to plague Brits. According to analysis from wealth management firm, Rathbones,90 per cent of independent financial advisers (IFAs) have reported a spike in client enquiries as the November Budget inches closer. [...]