David Cameron’s tax return in three simple charts April 10, 2016 David Cameron's tax affairs have been revealed in a move labelled "unprecedented" in the wake of pressure over his arrangements uncovered by the Panama papers leak. Here are the key numbers… 1. Income The PM has raked in more than a million over the last six years, since coming to power in 2010. This includes his salary, [...]
Panama Papers: Prime Minister David Cameron accused by Labour of hypocrisy after he confirms he did have a stake in his father’s offshore trust April 8, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron has been accused of hypocrisy by Labour after he confirmed that he had a stake in his father's offshore trust. Questions had been raised over his links to the huge data leak from a Panamanian law firm last weekend. Cameron's late father Ian Cameron was among the thousands of names contained [...]
Six reasons why London’s property market won’t collapse this year April 7, 2016 A recent report by UBS argued that London’s property market in London is exposed to the world's highest bubble risk and many would agree. But the reality is there are several good reasons why prices won't fall anytime soon. Here are just six. 1. Population growth London’s population grows faster than the UK national average and the supply of [...]
East London is propping up slowing central London housing market, JLL report shows April 6, 2016 East London residential property prices jumped by seven per cent in the year to March, helping to shore up a slowdown in other parts of the capital hit by uncertainty in the market, new research from JLL today shows. The property firm's latest central London development report shows a slowdown in sales activity in the first quarter of the [...]
Equity crowdfunding investors: Five key tips before you take the plunge March 31, 2016 The most recent figures from innovation charity Nesta show that equity-based crowdfunding is one of the fastest growing models of the alternative finance sector. Since 2014, it has grown by 295 per cent to £332m. Equity crowdfunding is not only providing investment for startups, early-stage growth companies and even those already eyeing a flotation on the [...]
Five reasons to think twice before investing in buy-to-let March 31, 2016 You hear it all the time. A relative or a friend has just inherited some money. They want to make it work for them. So they make what seems like an ironclad financial decision: they invest in buy-to-let. Why is this so common? After all, property ownership is a relatively recent trend. Well, rental properties [...]
Industry veteran John Spiers of EQ Investors talks Brexit, robo-advice and the future of investment March 31, 2016 For industry veteran John Spiers, successful investment is like cooking a gourmet dinner. “Even if you take the effort and go down to Borough Market and buy some really good ingredients, unless you select them in the context of the other ones, you could end up with a very unpleasant meal.” And this, he says, [...]
Isa guide 2016: As the dividend tax regime changes, here’s what income seekers need to know March 30, 2016 In this year's Budget, George Osborne tinkered with Isas yet again. Since becoming chancellor, he has increased the tax-free allowance a number of times (no bad thing), but he has also launched a raft of variations which cater to different, but not necessarily distinct, savings goals. As the Isa grows more complex, here's how income [...]
London is leading a second post-crisis boom in house prices March 30, 2016 House prices across the country continue to surge. Data published by the Land Registry this morning shows the average UK property price was £190,275 in February, a 6.1 per cent climb on the same month last year. London leads London house price growth continued to outpace the rest of England and Wales. The average price [...]
Isa guide 2016: The 45p rate taxpayer March 30, 2016 When the Isa was launched in 1999, alongside its impressive tax benefits, its virtue lay in its simplicity. And the Isa has remained a firm UK favourite ever since, with almost 14m people using the wrapper to shield their personal savings from tax. With the end of the tax year approaching, and given that, once [...]