The Bank of England (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided at its meeting on 18 September 2025 to hold the bank rate at 4%, while slowing its programme of ‘quantitative tightening’ (QT). The decision was widely expected by markets and analysts, given the mixed recent economic data from the UK economy on inflation and […]
The State Pension is due to increase by 4.7% next April after the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures were published on Tuesday, 16th of September. The ONS data confirmed the latest annual wage growth of 4.7% would be the deciding figure under the State Pension Triple Lock. This uplift, while lower than some […]
Introduction The FTSE100 recorded multiple record highs in August as equity markets continued to rise, before a little wobble hit all equity markets at the very end of the month. Trump’s ongoing row with the Fed caused some market turbulence as August drew to a close. The dismissal of Governor Lisa Cook, if upheld, would […]
The UK Government bond or ‘gilt’ market is once again under pressure. In recent weeks, yields on long-dated gilts have risen sharply, with the 30-year gilt yield reaching above 5.61% (at the time of writing). That level has not been seen since 1998 and represents a significant increase in borrowing costs for the Government. The […]
The Government is weighing up potential reforms to the way capital gains tax (CGT) is applied to property. Reports suggest one option under discussion is whether to alter the generous tax treatment of primary residences, particularly those at the higher end of the housing market. At present, private residence relief means homeowners do not pay […]
UK inflation climbed to 3.8% in July 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).This is up from 3.6% in June and was driven by food price increases in items such as beef, orange juice, and coffee, alongside a sharp 30% monthly spike in airfares and higher […]
Introduction UK equity markets hit new heights in July as the FTSE100 cruised through 9000 despite sluggish GDP growth. President Trump continued to show his more conciliatory side as he delayed tariff deadlines and achieved a relatively soft landing once a deal with the EU was reached. Whilst we will inevitably see some ups and […]
Between April and June this year, HMRC issued refunds amounting to nearly £49 million to pensioners who had overpaid taxes on their pension withdrawals. Approximately 13,000 claims were processed during this period, with each individual receiving an average refund of £3,800. The issue of over-taxation arises from the method HMRC uses to calculate tax on […]
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a series of reforms to UK financial services. Here’s how they could affect your finances. The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced on 15 July a sweeping package of reforms to financial services called the ‘Leeds Reforms’ (based on Reeves’s parliamentary constituency of Leeds West and Pudsey). The reforms are a wide-ranging […]
The Bank of England (BoE) is increasingly likely to cut the base rate despite rising inflation, as employment falls in the UK. The BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) looks set to cut its base rate again when it meets on 7 August. Although not guaranteed, the latest employment data will have created rising concerns for […]