Consumers angry over phone wait Being kept on hold during a phone call is the biggest bugbear for consumers, a survey suggests.
Students ‘work 16 hours a week’ Many UK students take on part-time work in term-time, working an average 16 hours a week, a study suggests.
Raise air travel tax, report says An MPs’ report calls for taxes on air travel and high polluting cars to be increased to cut CO2 emissions.
Borrowers hit after interest base rate rise The Bank of England brought unwelcome news for borrowers this week as it raised base interest rates for the first time in two years.
Revenue clamps down on tax-free cash The Revenue has moved quickly to close a loophole that allowed holders of occupational pension policies to shift large amounts of tax-free cash from their retirement funds.
Moves to quit final salary schemes High-profile collapses of final salary pension schemes and reports about rising deficits are prompting thousands of people to transfer out of final salary pensions from former employers to safeguard retirement assets against a possible collapse of the co
Options still open to minimise IHT In spite of heavy protests from lawyers and accountants, the Finance Act incorporating chancellor Gordon Brown’s new rules on the taxation of trusts has just been given Royal Assent.
If something’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing twice More borrowers are turning to remortgaging – not only to release substantial funds from their properties but also because some lenders are offering deals that better the original loans.
U-turn on Hips leaves the market muddled Home owners and house buyers face confusion over home information packs – or Hips – following this week’s government climbdown on the requirement for the packs to include a formal property survey.
Advisers fall short on long-term care calculations Tens of thousands of elderly people face large shortfalls on their long-term care cover because advisers have underestimated their life expectancy in retirement.
Families’ fees nightmare is likely to be very long-term June Whitworth, from North Somerset, and her family faced a problem familiar to thousands of people across the UK when her 88-year-old father-in-law needed residential care: how to pay for it.
Poor service leaves retirees in limbo Many people approaching retirement are having to wait months for their pension applications to be processed. Life offices are breaching industry guidelines aimed at ensuring their customers get their pensions on time.
Vehicles set to queue for property schemes After months of chaos and confusion following Gordon Brown’s U-turn last December, the first swathe of investors is starting to channel pension funds into residential property through new types of syndicates.
Lenders extend interest-free credit periods It is a rare thing in the current climate for lenders to make their offers more generous. But several banks have recently extended deals on credit card balance transfers.
Avoid going bust on the beach Before you flee the city this summer, take the time to plan your finances to ensure you do not return to late payment charges or surprising shortfalls in your investment portfolio.
‘Sippable’ is now the word for more than just fine wines On their own, wine, coins and holiday homes do not attract the tax perks of pensions. But a crop of funds is available for investors keen to guard these assets in their Sipps.
Ignore the freebies for a good financial education With the start of the next academic year approaching, many new students will be preparing for life away from home – a life likely to be based on record levels of borrowing.
MoneyExpert: Beat The Rate Rise Mortgage analysts have been weighing into the extended post-mortem of the increase in the base rate of interest with advice...