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With a ‘black hole’ of £22 billion to fill, there are plenty of groups giving Rachel Reeves advice. The Fabian Society published a report on taxation on August Bank Holiday Monday. While their main audience is in Scotland, which has its Summer Bank Holiday at the start of August rather than at the end, the […]

We now have a clear understanding of how much the main State Pension will increase next April. That the State Pension triple lock was not going to change was a consistent commitment in the election manifestos of all major political parties – Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats. In truth, once one party had nailed its […]

The pension challenges facing western Governments are also confronting the world’s second most populous country.   At what age should the state start to pay a pension? The question is a challenge to all Governments, whether democratic or otherwise. There are two main drivers, at opposite ends of life: Life expectancy. Unless state pension ages […]

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) publishes a review of the cash savings market following evidence of some dubious tactics at work. While the use of paper cash is declining as a means of payment, the need to retain a cash reserve remains as strong as ever. We all need some ‘rainy day’ money in case of […]

‘Tick the Gift Aid’ box to boost your donation to charity and save some tax. The number of national and international calls on our goodwill to donate to causes has grown in the last few years. You are probably familiar with the ‘Tick the Gift Aid’ box, or a request to sign a declaration, when […]