Sales of ethical funds are at the highest level since the start of the credit crunch, according to new figures published this week. Statistics from the Investment Management Association (IMA) show total ethical investments of £98 million for the second quarter of 2010, an increased of £106 million compared to the -£8 million recorded for [...]
The Co-operative Financial Services and Ecclesiastical Investment Management were named yesterday as sponsors of the third annual National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW). NEIW 2010, on 7-13 November, is a series of events and other activities across the UK to raise awareness of green and ethical investment options. UKSIF, the sustainable investment association behind NEIW, said [...]
Since the financial crisis city bankers, fund managers and financial advisers have become more aware than ever before of green and ethical investment options. Recent research by F&C Investments found 73% of investors would consider taking advantage of an ethical investment trust if one became available. According to the UK sustainable investment and finance association [...]
Smile and the Fair Investment Company have been named the best fund supermarkets for savers who want to invest in an ethical ISA. Both were given five star ratings in a mystery shopping exercise by National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW). NEIW found that the two fund supermarkets make it particularly easy for savers to find [...]
More than a quarter of UK investors think financial advisers should be legally obliged to inform clients about green and ethical investment options. In a YouGov poll of investors, over a quarter of respondents said the government should introduce rules requiring financial advisers to ask investors if they are interested in green and ethical funds. [...]
More than two thirds of the British public consider their outlook on life to be either very or fairly green and ethical, new research has discovered. The YouGov poll, conducted on behalf of National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW), also found that nearly half (49%) of people with savings and investments would like to use their [...]
Investment in ethical funds has recovered to pre-credit crunch levels, new research has discovered. During the third quarter, investments in ethical funds reached more than double the total of ethical investments in the same period last year. Net sales of ethical funds between July and September were £59 million, compared to £21 million in the [...]
Nearly nine in ten independent financial advisers (IFAs) offer advice on green and ethical investments, a new study has found. Research commissioned by National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW) and the Association of Independent Financial Advisers found 87% of IFAs will offer advice to clients on investing their money ethically. This is compared to 70% of [...]
The financial crisis has not changed the attitude of investors towards green and ethical investments, new research has discovered. In a poll of financial advisers just 18% said the economic downturns has impacted on the attitude of clients towards green and ethical investment. This is compared to 85% of advisers who said the crisis has [...]
In the run up to National Ethical Investment Week (NIEW) financial advisers are being offered the chance to receive training in ethical finance. At a series of seminars in London and Southampton, experts will explain how financial advisers can use money to make a difference. The events, hosted by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance [...]
Ethical investment portfolios have performed at least as well as other investments, new research has discovered. Nine out of ten wealth managers said ethical funds had performed on a par with, or better than, standard investments. The research was conducted by EIRIS (Experts in Responsible Investment Solutions) to debunk the myth that ethical investments are [...]
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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