Rising taxes on rental income may squeeze buy-to-let yields and prompt some landlords to reassess investment strategies The Renters’ Rights Act marks a major shift toward periodic tenancies, limiting rent increases and strengthening tenant protections Housing happiness is closely linked to community, safety and environment, with smaller towns outperforming many larger cities Budget changes reshape the housing market November’s […]
Monthly archives: December 2025
Commercial Property Review – December 2025
Business rate reforms aim to support smaller retail assets but may unintentionally impact high-value offices and logistics buildings Regional office rents reached record growth as ESG-compliant, prime stock remains scarce across major UK cities Investor confidence strengthened in the West End, while occupiers increasingly favour flexible, fully fitted office space Business rate changes announced in Budget In the Autumn Budget 2025, […]
News in Review
UK GDP contracted unexpectedly in October, reflecting production declines, construction weakness and businesses delaying decisions pre-Budget Budget measures may ease inflation from April 2026, while economists anticipate a Bank Rate cut to support growth Mortgage lending surged in Q3, with higher loan-to-value borrowing reaching levels last seen before the financial crisis “We are determined to defy forecasts on […]
Personal pension age change delays access to savings
From April 2028, pension access rises to 57, impacting those born after April 1973 Early pension access will be limited to those with ill health or protected pension ages Many are worried about the upcoming change, so seek advice and review your plans A two-year increase in the normal minimum pension age could impact retirement planning for […]
Owning a home offers significant savings opportunities
Owning a home can create significant long-term savings when compared with renting Renters in London and Bristol are missing out the most on savings opportunities Despite challenges, many younger renters are optimistic about owning their first home Research1 has compared the average cost of buying versus renting, highlighting the investment opportunities that homeowning can offer. By […]
When gifts backfire
Gifting can reduce IHT, but poor record-keeping could cause the exemption to be rejected Gifts with reservation (e.g. continuing to benefit from gifted assets) often trigger unexpected IHT bills With frozen thresholds and pensions joining IHT, careful planning is more important than ever With pensions set to join the list of assets liable for IHT, for many families, […]
News in Review
Global growth is set to cool as tariffs bite, though resilient economies and easing inflation support longer-term stability UK conditions remain mixed, with modest growth, persistent inflation pressures and regional housing markets moving at varied speeds Construction output weakens sharply while long-term energy network investment pushes household bills higher over the coming years ‘The global economy has […]
Life insurance – time to redress the gender gap
Women are less likely than men to hold life insurance or understand its benefits Many women have not been educated about life insurance and believe they can’t afford it Life insurance provides financial support to loved ones if the policyholder dies during its term Women are falling through the cracks when it comes to life insurance. According to a […]
Clients are tuning in to intergenerational planning
More families now prioritise intergenerational planning, driven by record IHT receipts and policy changes Only half of advised clients have IHT solutions in place, showing a clear advice-action gap Women are set to control 60% of UK private wealth by 2025 but remain under-advised The Great Wealth Transfer is happening, with the UK expected to […]
News in Review
The Budget included a number of tax and spending measures, estimated to raise £26bn in taxes by 2029/30 Key announcements included changes to Dividend Tax and changes to salary-sacrificed pension contributions An extension of the freeze on Income Tax and secondary NIC’s thresholds until April 2031 was also announced “This Budget will bring down inflation and provide immediate relief […]
