The Bank of England has raised interest rates and warned further hikes are likely in the coming months. This will mean bigger bills for some homeowners.

On 22 September 2022, the Bank of England raised interest rates from 1.75% to 2.25% - the seventh hike since December 2021 - in a bid to combat soaring inflation. And, the Bank’s Governor, Andrew Bailey, has warned people to expect further rises in the coming months.

It is now widely anticipated that rates will rise to over 5% by...

Reducing your energy consumption can be a great way to cut your carbon footprint, lessening your personal impact on the environment and potentially helping to limit the devastating effects of climate change.

As living costs and the price of energy are soaring, taking action to lessen your usage can also be an effective tool to save money on your bills.

1 in 8 UK consumers think they’re already doing enough
Interestingly, when compared globally, the UK has the hi...

In his 2021 Budget, the Chancellor announced a five-year freeze on the lifetime pension allowance. What does this mean for you and your retirement fund?

What is the lifetime pension allowance?
The lifetime pension allowance sets a limit on how much you can save in your pension before you start paying tax on anything over the limit. For a few years before the 2021 announcement, the limit had been tied to inflation, meaning that it rose in line with the cost of living.

With the global pan...

In a bid to tackle rising inflation, the Bank of England has increased the base rate for the seventh time since December 2021. The 0.5% hike takes the interest rate to 2.25% - the highest since November 2008, when the banking system faced collapse. So, what does this mean for you?

Mortgages
If you’re on a fixed-rate mortgage, you’ll be protected from the latest rise until your current deal runs out. If that happens any time soon, you may well find the cost of a new fixed-rate mortgage has...

There is no right time to begin investing but there are some decisions to make that could affect your returns. If you are 7 years old and saving your pocket money for a PS5, 17 saving the money from your first job for a car, 27 saving for your first house or 57 and finalising your retirement plans which include a dream holiday, we can provide personalised advice for you.

Angela was looking at ways she could reduce her inheritance tax. After spending some time researching, she realised she coul...

When Sue and Jim decided to move in with their daughter so they could be on hand to help with childcare, they were reluctant to sell their home in case their new living arrangement didn’t work out. They were a bit worried about leaving it empty though, so when they heard their niece Megan was looking for somewhere to rent, it seemed like the perfect solution.

Everything was going great until, after a busy night shift, Megan came home and decided to run a bath. While the tub was filling up, she went downstairs to w...

Although not traditionally associated with jollity, for those who like to have the last laugh, a funeral may offer the perfect opportunity.

It’s becoming increasingly popular to use humour during services to reflect the personality of the individual being celebrated. A survey by Co-op Funeral care on the music people would like at their final goodbye found Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, Going Underground by the Jam and Highway to Hell by ACDC were among the chosen tunes.

After the music’s faded, gravesto...