Abbey mortgages ‘to help first-time buyers’ Abbey mortgages could make life easier for first-time buyers, the lender claims, thanks to a new range of products tailored specifically to meet the needs of those struggling to get a foot on the property ladder.
Birmingham Midshires marks lower savings levels While Christmas may be just around the corner, savings are at their lowest level for the past year, according to new figures from Birmingham Midshires.
Make your credit card work for you, says expert A leading personal finance expert is urging consumers to make their credit cards work for them by taking full advantage of the benefits on offer.
Motorists urged to ‘shop around for insurance’ Should they find their car insurance premiums rising, motorists should actively seek alternatives according to financial research company Defaqto.
Jargon-free guide launched by Invesco Perpetual A free investment guide has been launched by Invesco Perpetual in a bid to provide its customers with a straightforward tool with which to learn the fundamentals of investment.
Investec chooses Alliance Trust for investments Investec, the international specialist investment manager, has passed over the administration duties of its ISA and PEPs invested in the Temple Bar Investment Trust to Alliance Trust, the financial services company.
Beware of ‘fee-free’ deals warns Moneysupermarket People hoping to take advantage of fee-free deals have been warned that these do not always represent the best offer available by an expert at Moneysupermarket.
Credit cards – predominant feature of debt Credit card debt is accounting for the vast majority of serious debt cases, a new survey undertaken by the Debt Counsellors has discovered.
Abbey mortgages to be five times salary In an effort to give its customers a helping hand onto the property ladder, Abbey is offering a mortgage that is five times as much as their salary.
Nationwide mortgages achieve platinum rating A platinum rating has been awarded to Nationwide building society’s mortgages at the LEX awards and is the only high street lender to have achieved such a feat.
Leeds two-year discount mortgage launched A new two-year discount mortgage with no lock-ins, available at a rate of 4.99 per cent, has been introduced by Leeds Building Society.
Barclays Blue debit card is really green The environmentally-friendly Barclays Blue debit card has been launched by the bank and is being sent to millions of customers whose old card has expired.
Swiftcover.com pet insurance launched A new addition to the swiftcover.com insurance range has been announced in the form of low cost pet insurance.
Nationwide mortgages available online Nationwide customers will now be able to apply for a mortgage online thanks to the building society’s new feature added to its website.
CIS reinforces its green credentials Following the launch of the Co-operative Insurance (CIS) eco motor insurance product, the company is to embark upon a new national television campaign to back the product.
Norwich Union warns of bonfire burglaries Homeowners have been warned by Norwich Union to be wary of the threat of burglary this Bonfire Night as instances of break-ins are expected to rise.
Ombudsman gets tough on banks over unfair charges Bank customers who complain about unfair charges are getting record levels of compensation, in a growing sign of banks’ willingness to settle claims.
Taxpayers in the dark over the legality of some schemes Taxpayers could face years of backdated charges because HM Revenue & Customs is failing to indicate whether or not certain disclosed tax-efficient schemes are legitimate.
Cash-strapped home-hunters get toeholds on property ladder Many people who rent the house they live in do not do so out of choice. They see rent as dead money and would prefer to own their home and pay their own mortgage rather than pay the landlord’s.
Clear appeal of ‘the purest form of trading’ Private investors are set to enjoy cheaper equity trading as increasing numbers of stockbrokers offer a direct route straight to the order book of the London Stock Exchange.
Burgeoning debt industry loses its allure If you watch television, listen to the radio or are an habitual reader of tabloid newspapers, you have seen or heard the advertisements. Sinking in debt? Clear your debts in three to five years.
Cash release schemes may make comeback Home reversion plans, which used to be a popular way for homeowners to release cash from their property, could be set for a comeback as formal regulation of these schemes next April is likely to give them some much-needed respectability.
Bad habits can lead to a healthy income Healthy individuals face shrinking pension incomes as the increased popularity of enhanced annuities, which offer better deals to people likely to die younger, is piling further pressure on to already low standard rates.
UK managers follow US model to offer high returns There is a type of equity fund that is hugely popular in the US but has yet to take off in a big way in the UK. Known as a covered call fund, it combinestraditional equity investments with derivatives to generate higher levels of income.
Investors go in one door and out the other Savvy institutional investors are pulling out of the UK commercial property market in droves just as record numbers of private investors are piling in.
Buyers flock to spread the cost of a home loan More and more first-time buyers are willing to shelve their differences and share their living space for a more affordable step on to the property ladder. According to lenders, record numbers of 20 and 30-somethings are pooling their funds and taking out
Buffett ends sleepless nights for many Names Warren Buffett’s offer to absolve Lloyd’s Names from future potential liabilities should put an end to decades of uncertainty for many of the 34,000 Names, not least in their inheritance tax planning.
How to make a big hit in one tax year The new pension rules significantly lifted the bar on contribution thresholds. But a small group of high-flying executives and City workers are taking advantage of a loophole that allows them to pay even more into their schemes, at least for one tax year.
Alternative routes when Treasury splits heirs The Treasury’s threatened clamp-down on Alternatively Secured Pensions is leading to a search by pensions savers and their advisers for other ways of obtaining comparable tax breaks.
Treasury may heed calls to raise ISA investing limit Investors saving through Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) would be able to put in much larger sums of money than presently allowed, if industry proposals are taken up by the Treasury.