Ask the expert: Should I pay into an ISA, pension or overpay my mortgage? Personal Finance Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt helps a saver decide where to place their capital as interest rates fall. Q: In light of current interest rate expectations, is it better to pay down my mortgage, pay into my pension or invest in an ISA? I have a £350,000 property with a £200,000 mortgage at 4 [...]
Save billions by reforming ‘unsustainable’ public sector pensions Economics Moving new public sector employees onto defined contribution (DC) pension schemes could save taxpayers £37bn a year in the long run, a new report has found. The report, produced by Policy Exchange, argues that moving public sector workers onto a DC scheme would also send an “important signal” to the bond market that the government [...]
Ask the expert: I’m a higher rate taxpayer. Where can I save that won’t result in a big tax bill? Personal Finance Fidelity International personal finance specialist, Marianna Hunt, helps a taxpayer looking to lower their tax bill. Q: I’m a higher rate tax payer and likely to become an additional rate taxpayer. I currently hold both a cash and stocks and shares ISA. I also have Premium Bonds and a healthy amount in pensions. Where can [...]
Rainy day savings, pensions and stocks: Brits’ 2026 financial resolutions January 5, 2026 Nearly one in three people are aiming to reduce their monthly spending in 2026, as more Brits look to boost their savings. According to a survey commissioned by Pensions UK, committing to building up ‘rainy day’ savings as a new year’s resolution has grown in importance, with 28 per cent planning to do so this [...]
Center Parcs: UK pension funds in talks for stake in holiday giant December 27, 2025 A number of Britain’s biggest public sector pension schemes are understood to be eyeing a stake in the holiday giant Center Parcs after the Treasury ramped up its efforts for funds to invest in UK-based assets. The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF), the London-based Local Pension Partnership (LPPI) and the Edinburgh-based Lothian Pension Scheme are [...]
Planning your personal finances in 2026 and beyond December 9, 2025 Partner content, in association with JP Morgan Personal Investing. By Claire Exley, head of financial advice and guidance at J.P. Morgan Personal Investing In the run-up, the 2025 Budget was probably one of the most talked about in recent years. The telltale sign is when friends who don’t usually show much interest are suddenly asking [...]
Reeves to rush pension tax raid into law to calm nervous markets November 28, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is to rush through laws to enact her Budget, in a bid to reassure nervous markets that tax increases will be implemented even if they are not set to take effect for several years. Legislation to raise tax on pension contributions made through salary sacrifice schemes is expected to be introduced before Christmas, according [...]
Salary sacrifice cap will hit ordinary earners hardest, research finds November 28, 2025 Reeves’ crunch Budget measures ranged from freezing income tax thresholds to fresh levies on milkshakes and lattes as she sought to lower the UK’s fiscal headroom. But it was her decision to rip up the salary sacrifice scheme that sparked the largest reaction from employers and employees alike. Under the most popular form of salary [...]
Reeves’ Budget tax rumours threaten UK tech November 18, 2025 The UK’s tech sector is facing a critical moment ahead of the Autumn Budget. Rumoured caps on salary sacrifice pensions, alongside potential property and wealth taxes, threaten to hit the very talent and investment needed to drive growth in the sector. At the same time, the country faces a widening tech skills gap, leaving businesses [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves must cure British ‘pessimism’ disease November 5, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, chief executive of Peel Hunt urges Reeves to use the Budget to start the cure for British pessimism. As Rachel Reeves ruminates over which tax prescription to write to fill her fiscal black hole, [...]