Compared to other countries in Europe and the US, Brits are among the least likely to take out life insurance, and it could leave their families in a vulnerable position if the worst happened.

Life insurance would pay out a lump sum to your beneficiaries if you passed away during the term. Your loved ones could use the money however they wish, including paying off an outstanding mortgage to improve their financial security. As a result, it’s something many homeowners, particularly those with dependants, could benefit from considering.

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Your home may be one of your largest assets. However, the wealth tied up in your property is usually inaccessible.

You may have considered unlocking some of its value to supplement your retirement income or support your loved ones. Equity release has become increasingly popular for people looking to access their property wealth later in life.

In fact, the Equity Release Council (5 November 2025) states that total lending through these schemes rose to £639 million in Q3 2025. This is up from £636 million in Q2 2025, and 4% higher than the...

If you’re saving for retirement, you will want to get the most out of what you’re putting into your workplace or private pension.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tax efficiencies when you save your wealth into a pension.

Indeed, any investment returns generated within your fund are typically free from Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.

Better yet, you can also receive tax relief on your contributions, significantly bolstering the value of your pot over time.

Despite these advantages, many people overlook one of the most valuable benefi...

On 5 April 2026, the current tax year will end, and the new one will start the following day. Making a note of the deadline in your calendar could help you make the most of tax breaks as part of your financial plan.

Here’s why the start of a new tax year might matter to you.

1. 5 April 2026 may be your last opportunity to use 2025/26 allowances

When a tax year ends, many allowances reset. Consequently, the coming weeks might be your last chance to use some of them.

For example, you can add up to £20,000 into ISAs in 2025/26. ISAs provi...

Geopolitical tensions and threats of trade tariffs continued to impact global investment markets at the start of 2026. Read on to find out what factors may have affected your investments at the start of 2026.

Markets experienced highs, but geopolitical tensions continue to cause volatility

On 2 January, the first day of trading in 2026, the FTSE 100 – an index of the largest 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange – hit a new high and exceeded 10,000 points for the first time, getting the year off to a good start for investors...

There’s more to being a successful investor than following the latest market trends and tips. Setting out a strategy that’s right for you could allow you to balance risk against your goals.

Last month, you read about the importance of defining what success means for you. With your goals outlined, you can start to think about an investment strategy. Here are some of the factors you may need to consider. 

The guide to creating an investment strategy that suits your needs

To be a successful investor, you may think you simply need to choose...

You might already know that salary sacrifice can be a practical way for your employees to bolster their retirement funds, while reducing their tax liability.

However, in the 2025 Autumn Budget, the government announced changes to how salary sacrifice is treated for National Insurance (NI) purposes.

From April 2029, a new cap will be introduced, limiting the portion of pension contributions exempt from NI to £2,000 a year.

While 2029 might seem a long way off, this is the ideal time to think carefully about how you and your business migh...

When you take out a mortgage, you pay interest on the amount you borrow, and the bank rate set by the Bank of England (BoE) can affect your repayments. Read on to find out why and how the bank rate could affect you in 2026.

Explained: The Bank of England’s bank rate

The “bank rate” or “base rate” is the interest rate set by a country’s central bank, the BoE in the UK. This is the rate that the BoE pays commercial banks for holding their money, or charges them when they borrow.

As a consumer, you don’t directly pay the bank rate. However...

Every investor wants to be successful. Over the next few months, you can read about ways to improve your investment strategy.

Defining success against the performance of others can encourage a short-term mindset.

What “success” means when investing is different for everyone, and defining what it means for you is crucial.

You might be tempted to measure success by achieving a certain average annual return, selecting the best-performing stock, or beating market averages. While these can be useful indicators of your portfolio’s performance...