Close Brothers: How the motor finance scandal reshaped one of ‘Europe’s least cost-efficient lenders’
The tax return deadline is looming. Here’s how to avoid fines Personal Finance Many of us are guilty of putting our personal finance admin on the back burner, opting to leave paying our bills, planning the monthly budget and checking insurance policies until the last minute. But with the deadline of the 31st inching ever closer, leaving your self-assessment tax return until the final days of January, leaves [...]
Cancelling unwanted direct debits could revive your pension Personal Finance Cancelling unwanted direct debits could add thousands to Brits’ pension pots, as more people look to rein in unnecessary spending to beef up their retirement savings. The average Brit wastes nearly £40 a month on direct debits they no longer need or regularly use, such as streaming services, gym memberships and old insurance policies, according [...]
How to boost your pension pot in 2026 Personal Finance The New Year is fast approaching, and with it, resolutions to improve financial situations and retirement outlooks. This can be done through changing cash ISA accounts for one with a more favourable interest rate, investing in the stock market or paying off debts. But for many people, in particular those approaching retirement, reviewing and updating [...]
Brits’ disposable income shrinks in disappointing Golden Quarter December 18, 2025 Brits feel far poorer now than they did at the start of 2025, with even high-income households downbeat about their financial prospects. In January, people were four per cent more likely to say their pay had gone up rather than down, but Brits are now seven per cent more likely to have seen their pay [...]
High earners see purchasing powers eroded after Budget measures December 15, 2025 High earner households could lose thousands in purchasing power over the next few years as a result of measures introduced in last month’s Autumn Budget. According to analysis of HM Treasury data, high earners not rich yet (HENRY) households will see an average reduction in their annual purchasing powers by over £15,000 by 2029, due [...]
Millions more to get financial advice as part of FCA red tape shake-up December 11, 2025 More than 18m savers will benefit from more detailed advice on their investments and pension in the next decade as part of a radical shake-up of financial red tape that the City watchdog has hailed as “game-changing”. The Financial Conduct Authority’s ‘targeted support programme’ will give financial services firms the ability to give tailored suggestions [...]
Cash ISA limit cut: why your tax-free savings are still vital December 4, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves slashed the annual limit for cash ISAs. But this isn’t their death knell – they still have a very valuable place as part of a diversified portfolio. It’s all change for ISA limits For many savers, the cash ISA has been a huge success story. It’s given them a lower-risk, tax-free way [...]
Half of young investors check their accounts at least once a day December 1, 2025 Half of investors aged under 35 check their digital investment accounts at least once a day, research for a major bank suggests. This compares with only 11 per cent of over-55s, according to the survey among more than 2,000 people for HSBC UK. The research indicated that nearly a fifth of under-35s investors will check [...]
What does the Budget mean for you? November 26, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ second Budget has been the most closely watched in recent memory, with media briefings and soundings on all sides. Rachel Reeves has raised taxes by £26bn in her second Budget, which follows on from last year’s £40bn. They will go up to well over 38 per cent of GDP by 2030, the OBR [...]
Reeves’ income tax decision to hit wealth creators, warns Castore CEO November 26, 2025 The co-founder of sportswear brand Castore has hit out at Chancellor Rachel Reeves for freezing income tax thresholds as a “way of delaying the inevitable impact for entrepreneurs and wealth creators”. Tom Beahon, who leads the Manchester-headquartered company alongside his brother, added that “you can’t build a growth economy by disincentivising risk taking”. Announced in [...]