Reeves to rush pension tax raid into law to calm nervous markets Business 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 Personal Finance 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 Tech 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, [...]
Spike in employer pension contributions could throw UK businesses into insolvency October 21, 2025 Rumours over potential spikes to employer pension contributions in the upcoming Budget has thrown UK companies into a frenzy, with some admitting it could put them at risk of insolvency. According to research from consultancy Barnett Waddingham, nearly 20 per cent of businesses fear they could become insolvent if an increase to employer pension contributions [...]
Rachel Reeves’ growth policies scored by City AM October 20, 2025 As Rachel Reeves does her maths ahead of the 26 November Budget, she will hope that Labour’s policies have delivered enough growth to limit the number of tax hikes needed to restore her £9.9bn fiscal headroom. The fiscal black hole facing the Treasury could be between £20bn and £30bn due to higher borrowing costs, productivity [...]
Gen Z dream of early retirement while ignoring alarm bells October 15, 2025 Young Brits are eyeing an early retirement, due to a growing belief that investing the minimum will be enough to fund their dream later life, ignoring warnings their savings are falling short. According to Standard Life, on average Gen Z hold ambitious aspirations to retire at 60, earlier than any other generation and years before [...]
Brits’ retirement hopes wane as financial pressures grow October 7, 2025 Brits’ retirement dreams are moving further out of reach, as mounting financial pressures leave more people expecting to work for longer in order to live comfortably in their later years. According to the latest survey from pensions provider Standard Life, most UK adults predict they will now be working until they are 67, rising from 66 [...]
Require ‘default’ UK weighting in pensions or risk stock market doom loop, report says September 25, 2025 Pension funds should be required to have a “default” UK weighting to prevent the London stock market getting caught in a “doom loop”, a new report has argued. A UK weighted default fund with an allocation of between 20-25 per cent, if made a requirement for defined contribution (DC) pensions with an opt-out for individuals, [...]
Standard Life set to enhance pension exposure in private markets September 24, 2025 Pension provider Standard Life is set to launch a new fund with significant private market allocation, as it works to make investing in the private market more accessible for savers. The Future Opportunities fund aims to improve outcomes and boost returns by diversifying customer portfolios with exposure to quality private assets which could offer increased [...]