A “mortgage famine” could be on the way, according to lenders and housebuilders, that’s if new proposals to prevent reckless borrowing are implemented. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has outlined plans to encourage responsible lending, which could mean even more buyers are locked out of the market. The FSA has already proposed affordability tests for [...]
In a bid to encourage people to save for their retirement, the Government has announced that all UK businesses should offer a company pension scheme or enrol members of staff into the new National Employment Savings Trust (NEST). Employees will be enrolled automatically in the scheme unless they opt out, contributing 4% of their salary. [...]
Business Secretary Vince Cable has today unveiled a proposed reform of Britain’s state pension system, with the introduction of one universal payment. This would replace the current system of earnings-related “top-up” payments, plus additional means-tested benefits. Costs relating to the proposed reform were not divulged but it is intended to reduce inequalities between men and [...]
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has today warned that proposals by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), to encourage responsible lending, could mean even more buyers are locked out of the market. City Watchdog, the FSA, has previously announced plans to restrict mortgage lending, in a bid to prevent reckless borrowing. The FSA has already [...]
As expected, Chancellor George Osborne has today revealed plans to simplify the UK tax system, in a bid to encourage investment and stimulate economic growth. The Chancellor said the “spaghetti bowl” of UK tax law will be simplified and said: “The previous government took a complex tax system and made it even worse. A decade [...]
Chancellor George Osborne will today reveal plans to simplify the UK tax system, in a bid to encourage investment and drive economic growth. Since coming to power, the coalition Government has argued that the UK tax system is too complicated and has been proposing to make it simpler. Mr Osborne is set to announce that [...]
A report by the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank has said the UK’s savings system needs to be reformed in order to encourage people to bank their money. According to the think tank, schemes need to be simplified if people are going to save as the current system is too complex with multiple tax regimes. [...]
In yesterday’s Budget, Chancellor Alistair Darling unveiled plans for rescued banks, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group, to lend more to businesses. In a legally binding agreement, RBS and Lloyds, which are 84% and 41% owned by the taxpayer respectively, were rescued at the height of the financial crisis but there have [...]
Government-backed National Savings & Investments (NS&I), which runs Premium Bonds and a variety of savings products, is to launch a new savings account in March with an “attractive” interest rate. The news will be welcomed by savers who have been suffering amid the historically low interest rate environment. The financial crisis led to many British [...]
Nationwide Building Society has increased the rates on a number of its Fixed Rate Bonds and e-Bonds. These include: Three year Fixed Rate Bond and e-Bond paying up to 4.70% gross p.a./AER for balances over £25,000. Two year Fixed Rate Bond and e-Bond paying up to 4.10% gross p.a./AER for balances over £25,000. 18 month [...]
The Personal Accounts pension scheme, which is aimed at encouraging low to middle income workers to save for their retirement, is to be re-branded as the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST). NEST will be one option open to employers who will have to enrol workers into a workplace scheme. Employees will be enrolled automatically in [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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