Let’s be honest… this Budget is austerity for the private sector October 30, 2024 Rachel Reeves has introduced a new kind of Marxism with this Budget, where private industry foots the bill for an expanding public sector, and the poorest don’t get better off, says Mattew Lesh Just two months ago, in a speech delivered inside Downing Street, Keir Starmer declared that growth and wealth creation were his government’s [...]
Autumn Budget 2024: Stamp duty for second homes upped to support first-time buyers October 30, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased the amount of tax Brits will pay when buying their second home to provide support for first-time buyers and those moving home. Second-time buyers previously paid three per cent stamp duty on homes worth up to £250,000. From tomorrow, they will pay five per cent tax. The increase will also [...]
Santander UK profit slides as analysts forecast £1.8bn motor finance hit October 29, 2024 Santander has revealed a sharp fall in its UK profit during the third quarter, while delaying the publication of more detailed figures as it digests a landmark motor finance court ruling in London.
Housing market continues to strengthen as mortgage rates fall October 29, 2024 New figures from the Bank of England showed that 65,600 new mortgages were approved in September, the highest figure since August 2022.
On housing, the government’s numbers just don’t add up October 29, 2024 Developers can only build at the rate they can sell, and this is intrinsically linked to mortgage financing. Long-term, fixed-rate mortgages above the 4.5 times income threshold can be part of the solution, says Arjan Verbeek The United Kingdom’s housing market is at a critical juncture. The government has pledged to deliver 300,000 new homes [...]
First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under rumored Budget change October 28, 2024 First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under changes rumored to be included in the Autumn budget. It has been rumoured that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will rule out any changes to stamp duty land tax in the Budget. Stamp duty land tax currently applies to homes costing over £250,000, but in March [...]
House prices rising slowly but 2024 still a ‘bumper year’ October 28, 2024 2024 is set to be a “bumper year” for house sales thanks to rising real incomes and lower mortgage rates, according to Zoopla’s latest house price index. The level of new sales has increased to its highest level since late 2020, the survey showed. There are 306,000 homes currently working through the buying process, 26 [...]
How might the Autumn Budget affect the housing market? October 24, 2024 The property market is, finally, doing well. In September, a closely-watched survey of estate agents found that sentiment in the market turned positive for the first time in two years. Market sentiment has improved as mortgage rates have started to fall. House prices have ticked up to their highest level in more than two years. [...]
Barclays shares hit nine-year high as investment bank helps profit beat forecasts October 24, 2024 Barclays' shares have hit their highest level in nine years after a rebound in investment banking helped its profit beat expectations for the third quarter.
Lloyds Bank: Lender beats profit estimates as consumers prove resilient October 23, 2024 Lloyds Banking Group has beaten profit estimates as the lender set aside less than expected for souring loans and saw improved consumer confidence.