An Isa revolution: Why the savings and investment vehicle is now more powerful than ever before April 23, 2015 Nearly 14m new Isas were opened in 2013-14. According to the recent BlackRock Investor Pulse Survey, the 16 year-old savings vehicle is used by over a quarter of Britons to build up their longterm wealth, and by nearly 40 per cent to provide a rainy day fund for life events. And the government’s revolution in [...]
The final countdown: Should we fear the outcome of the most tightly fought election for a generation? April 23, 2015 The UK is approaching the most unpredictable General Election for a generation. In our increasingly fractured political landscape, there is no clear frontrunner between Labour and the Conservatives, while a surge of support for the UK Independence Party, Scotland’s SNP and the Green Party has complicated the picture further. Many commentators have voiced concerns over [...]
Surviving the lifetime allowance: You could face 55pc tax on your pension savings unless you plan carefully April 23, 2015 The chancellor’s generosity couldn’t go on forever. Just days before his transformational reforms to pensions were enacted – the end of the compulsory purchase of annuities has at last given savers real power over their money when they reach 55 – George Osborne announced that the pensions lifetime allowance (LTA) would fall from £1.25m to [...]
The help to buy Isa: How helpful is it and what does it really offer first-time buyers? April 23, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne threw would-be first-time buyers a lifeline in his Budget last month: the Help to Buy Isa has been dubbed a key part of the government’s savings revolution, offering assistance to those who want to get onto the property ladder. Due to come into force this autumn, this new Isa wrapper will mean [...]
General Election 2015: Miliband unpaid internship ban previously supported by PwC, KPMG and Axa April 17, 2015 Ed Miliband will promise to ban unpaid internships if he becomes the next prime minister. In a bid to woo young voters in a speech today, the Labour leader will say companies will be banned from offering unpaid work experience for more than four weeks under a Labour government. Miliband will say lengthy unpaid internships [...]
City Moves for 08 April 2015 | Who’s switching jobs April 7, 2015 Marsh The insurance and risk management firm has appointed Sally Williams as director of risk and governance. She joins from National Australia Bank Group, where she was head of risk, London branch. Williams has also worked as group director of risk at Aviva. Legal & General Investment Management The asset management firm has announced two [...]
As the Bank’s chief economist suggested, are interest rates as likely to fall as they are to rise? March 22, 2015 Adam Memon, head of economic research at the Centre for Policy Studies, says Yes. The Bank of England has kept interest rates at 0.5 per cent for six years; far longer than anyone imagined back in 2009. This extraordinary monetary stimulus has played an important role in the UK’s recovery. Nevertheless, the fact that the [...]
City Moves for 16 March 2015 | Who’s switching jobs March 16, 2015 Axa Assistance UK The assistance services firm has announced the appointment of Anthony Bradley as chief financial officer. He joined Axa Assistance UK in 2002, and has served as underwriting analyst, senior finance analyst, financial controller, and most recently as deputy chief financial officer. Covington & Burling The law firm has announced the appointment of [...]
IonStar founders Liz and Tim Hughes talk connecting City talent, lifeboats, piano lessons and how to make a real difference March 15, 2015 Like most couples, Tim and Liz Hughes got to the stage in life where they wanted to start a family. The challenge they faced was that, as successful professional people, they wanted to make the most of their skills and abilities – but also their family life. “Throughout my career, I’ve watched women above me [...]
Axa Real Estate adds logistics unit as online retailing expands expansion March 12, 2015 AXA REAL Estate Investment Managers yesterday launched a €100m (£70m) European logistics and industrial platform as it seeks to tap into the rise of online retailing. The French firm said Baytree Logistics Properties will operate alongside its existing €1.8bn (£1.3bn) European logistics platform targeting speculative logistics buildings in prime locations across Europe. The new platform [...]