CTFs could get a boost this Christmas Children with Child Trust Funds (CTFs) are expected to reap the benefits of a lucrative Christmas in terms of receiving money to investment, according to the Children’s Mutual, a CTF expert.
Newcastle Building Society Guaranteed Property Bond launched The Newcastle Building Society Guaranteed Property Bond has been launched which has a five-year term and its performance is linked directly to growth that occurs in the Halifax House Price Index (HHPI).
Card fraud in UK ‘worst in EU’ Card-spending Brits are proving a hit with the fraudsters due to their propensity for paying with the plastic, according to a spokesperson for credit reference agency Equifax.
Scottish property prices on rise again Property prices in Scotland are continuing to increase, prolonging the house price boom in the country, according to the Lloyds TSB Scotland House Price Monitor.
Privilege Insurance to cover downloaded music Privilege Insurance has announced that it plans to incorporate people’s downloaded music collections within their home insurance at no extra charge.
Biba warns of uninsured drivers raising premiums Drivers that are uninsured are not only endangering the lives of other road users and themselves, they are also forcing the price of premiums up, according to a spokesperson for the British Insurance Broker’s Association (Biba).
Hedge fund demand to grow, says expert Following on from the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA’s) consultation on hedge funds next year, more people will be likely to want to invest in them, says the chief executive of IFA Promotion.
Pensioners urged to consult professionals over mortgages One pensioner in six in the UK currently has outstanding mortgage debt, resulting in a spokesperson from charititable organisation Age Concern to recommend consulting with a financial advisor to determine the best way of managing finances.
Leeds’ Direct Saver Plus account ups rate The Leeds Building Society Direct Saver Plus account is to see an increase in interest rate to five per cent as of next month.
UK sees flood of unique insurance Insurers in the UK have set themselves part from their counterparts in other parts of the world by offering customers flood insurance as part of residential policies, according to an account manager from risk management consultancy Ambiental.
People not claiming for vandalism, says Direct Line For fear of losing their no claims bonus and facing the prospect of paying higher premiums, people are failing to claim in the event of vandalism, said a spokesperson for Direct Line.
Renovation could lead to remuneration, says CML Homeowners have been urged to renovate property in a move to guard against the predicted house price decline in the UK, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has said.
Buy-to-let beauties show their ugly side Large numbers of buy-to-let investors are having their properties repossessed and sold off at auction as growing numbers of property investors are unable to meet interest repayments.
Borrowers urged to prepare for another rise The Bank of England took no-one by surprise when it raised interest rates by a quarter point to 5 per cent this week. But banks may still not be quick off the mark to pass the rate rise on to savers.
Off-piste perils of owning a home in the snow Whether they fancy the thrill of racing down a black run themselves or just want to rake in a healthy rental yield, UK investors are piling into property in ski resorts across Europe and the US.
Industry draws up reforms to ward off annuity U-turn The pensions industry is lobbying the Treasury in a last-ditch effort to persuade the government not to axe Alternatively Secured Pensions, the new vehicles which allow investors to avoid purchasing an annuity at retirement.
Web puts private investors on par with professionals The internet has revolutionised share buying for the private investor, bringing instant access to an avalanche of free information. This proliferation of information is spurring growing armies of hobbyist investors who are making investment decisions with
Lenders give the green light to mortgages A derelict church or a new timber chalet might sound attractive to an adventurous homeowner but mortgage lenders have traditionally steered away from unconventional properties.
Crackdown on those working here and there Not many people feel sorry for City high-fliers earning six-figure salaries and often even bigger bonuses. But one place where this small but high-profile group is particularly unlikely to get much sympathy is HM Revenue and Customs.
City bonuses and foreign cash lead to mansion-mania First-time buyers may be scrambling for all the help they can get for a foothold on the property ladder but at the opposite end of the market the landscape looks remarkably different.
Court ruling says the days of tax exiles are numbered Accountants are reviewing the advice they give to tax exiles on how best to achieve the tax perks of UK "non domiciled" status in the wake of a groundbreaking court ruling this week.
Pressure on to stem the outflow of investors Pension companies have been adding more top-name fund managers to their personal pensions as they seek to slow the outflow of investors who are turning to the wider freedoms of self invested personal pensions
Rent-a-room scheme gives first-time buyers a leg up As lenders look for increasingly innovative ways to help cash-strapped buyers onto the property ladder, Stroud & Swindon is now offering larger loans to people willing to share their property with a couple of flat-mates.
ISA holders given freedom to switch cash into equities Savers who have built up billions of pounds in cash individual savings accounts (Isas) are set to be given new freedoms to switch their money into higher-risk stocks and shares Isas without losing their tax benefits.
Even a dream island is not always ‘home’ for wealthy Glance at the list of the richest people in the UK and you will spot a trend. Many of the most prominent British millionaires and billionaires, such as Roman Abramovich or Lakshmi Mittal, were either not born here or do not spend much time in the country.