From pensions to healthcare: UK state spending on old age surges May 18, 2026 Government spending on the elderly has dramatically increased the size of the state, analysis by the official statistics body has shown. Fresh research by the Office for National Statistics has suggested a steady rise in spending on health and old age has contributed to a rise in government consumption as a share of GDP. In [...]
The student loan rip-off is hitting women hardest April 24, 2026 Women already earn and save materially less than men – and a student loan system that, were it nay other credit product would amount to mis-selling, is making it worse, says Gina Miller Britain’s student loan system is one of the most quietly distortionary fiscal instruments on the statute book. It applies a nine per [...]
Pensions belong to savers, not the state April 23, 2026 No government should have the power to direct where pension savings are invested, says Helen Whately Alongside the Starmer-Mandelson debacle, the everyday work of government is stumbling on. The Pension Schemes Bill, for instance, should by now be approaching the end of its legislative journey. Instead, it has run into sustained resistance in the House [...]
Inside the fintech industry’s pensions gambit April 22, 2026 The fintech industry are on the offensive and in this week’s column Samuel Norman gives an insight into the sector’s lobbying calls for pension fund allocation. London has found itself brought to a halt this week. One may have thought the Tube strikes would bring Square Mile to a standstill, too. But the lack of [...]
Anti-establishment? Reform’s triple lock pledge proves they’re more of the same April 8, 2026 If Reform is truly committed to being an anti-establishment party, a party that is serious about solving Britain’s economic woes rather than merely performing opposition then pledging to scrap the triple lock is not something that is optional – it is imperative, says Oliver Dean Just weeks ago, Reform were finally getting serious about the [...]
Graduates are the canary in the coalmine for a failing welfare system April 7, 2026 The welfare state is a Ponzi scheme that’s dependent on an ever shrinking cohort of taxpayers, says Anne Strickland Discussion about student loan unfairness has dominated the headlines over the last month, after a freeze in the repayment thresholds led to a backlash about the student loan system in general. With fiscal drag pulling more [...]
‘More needs to be done’ to help pension savers after salary sacrifice, says Standard life boss March 16, 2026 The boss of one of the UK’s largest pension providers has warned “more needs to be done” to help those saving for retirement after the government introduced a cap on salary sacrifice in the latest Budget. Andy Briggs, the chief executive of Standard Life, told City AM: “Obviously, we weren’t supportive of [salary sacrifice changes] [...]
Reform’s sovereign wealth pitch risks raiding pensions not reviving growth March 2, 2026 Reform’s Richard Tice’s plan to consolidate local council pension schemes fundamentally misunderstands the nature of fiduciary duty, says Tim Focas Behind the rhetoric of Reform’s proposal to consolidate local council pension schemes into a near £500bn sovereign wealth fund lies a major misunderstanding of what these pension assets are and who they exist to serve. [...]
Women in their forties drove January pension contribution surge February 25, 2026 Women paid more into their pensions than men in January 2026, with females in their 40s driving the surge. According to retirement firm Pensionbee, female customers contributed 104 per cent of the amount men contributed, despite only accounting for 42 per cent of total customers, and marked just the second time in the firm’s history, [...]
Allow pensions savings to go into housing deposits, says FCA chief February 10, 2026 The head of the financial watchdog has suggested that the UK should have the “contentious debate” about whether pension savings could be put towards housing deposits. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said there was greater scope for pension savings to support financial resilience, particularly among lower income households. “We have [...]