Women have lower pension pot sizes in every age bracket. The staggering impact of the gender pension gap has been revealed in new research[1] which shows that women have lower pension pot sizes in every age bracket, with the situation significantly deteriorating as they approach retirement. Worryingly, women on average retire with less than half the income of men. Gender pension gap by pension contributions: age gap in pension contributions 20-24 13%25-29 16%30-34 15%35-39 18%40-44 23%45-49 29%50-54 35%55-59 40%60-64 45%65-69

Ensure your financial security for when you might need it most. There are a number of reasons why you might need life cover and critical illness cover. If you have dependents, then it is important to make sure that they will be financially secure if something happens to you. If you have a mortgage or other debts, then life cover can help to pay these off. Critical illness cover can provide you with a lump sum of money if you

30 million parents want to leave wealth in their Will. Research[1] has highlighted how millions of Britons say they want to plan to pass on wealth to their children and grandchildren in a Will – but fewer than half have written one. Failing to plan write a Will or complete estate planning could potentially lead to a significant Inheritance Tax (commonly called IHT for short) bill being levied on a person’s estate when they die. Anything that isn’t exempt will

Impact on work, wealth and wellbeing putting further pressure on age group. The financial decisions made by individuals as they reach retirement could have significant consequences on their finances and standards of living. Midlifers (people aged 40 to 60) are facing a challenging backdrop, with rising inflation and increasing energy bills putting further pressure on an age group that is already juggling multiple headwinds. Midlifers spend £10 billion a year in financial help for loved ones, while support costs have

Nine in ten adults make stark spending decisions as anxiety runs high. The pressure of spiralling living costs is a major concern among many UK households, with the vast majority looking to make significant lifestyle changes in response to price rises. According to new research[1], 95% of adults in the UK say they are worried about the anticipated rise in the cost of living in 2022. Women are the most worried, with a third (33%) mentioning they are extremely worried

Britons saved almost £4bn as a result of the Omicron variant. New research[1] has highlighted Britons saved almost £4bn[2] as a result of the Omicron variant disrupting social plans during the festive period. The identification of the new variant and the subsequent surge in positive cases caused many to put festive plans on hold this year, resulting in 35% of people saving money, with an average saving of £212 per person. 1% of people cancelled bigger plans over Christmas, resulting

Five principles of investing everyone should know. Are your investments working as hard as they could be? With so many options out there, it can be confusing. We can help you navigate your options and provide a personalised recommendation based on your investment goals. The following five principles will help you get on top of some key issues that affect everyone who invests their money. 1. Set investment goals Successful investing begins by setting measurable and attainable investment goals and

Why now is the time to make sure you protect your wealth. The word ‘inflation’ had barely featured in the market’s vocabulary in the last three decades until it suddenly started to come back with a vengeance in 2021. As higher inflation looks set to persist in 2022, finding ways to generate a return on investments greater than inflation will be a key investment theme – otherwise your wealth falls in real terms. Spending spree There are two basic reasons

Staying on track to achieving specific financial goals. All of your financial decisions and activities have an effect on your financial health. To help improve your financial health during this period of rising inflation and interest rates, we look at three areas that could help keep you on track to achieving your specific financial goals. Beat the National Insurance rise The National Insurance rise from April this year is going ahead for workers and employers despite pressure to reverse the

Savers still recognise the importance of long-term planning. Britain’s cost-of-living crunch has hit the country hard, with inflation at its highest level in three decades, petrol prices spiralling, retail price increases rising to their highest levels in ten years and, most recently, Ofgem announcing a 54% price hike in energy bills affecting 22 million households. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been forced to announce an emergency £350 of support per household to help with the cost of heating. As a result,

Bolstering your retirement lifestyle as you approach retirement. Have you ever wondered what you need to consider as you approach retirement? Whatever your concept of what is a good pension pot, one certainty is that relying on the State Pension alone will not give you a good enough pension to live on comfortably through your retirement. ‘Will I be able to retire when I want to?’ ‘Will I run out of money?’ ‘How can I guarantee the kind of retirement

You work, you save and then you retire. A full and happy retirement is a priority for many. But no two people are alike. A ’one-size-fits-all’ system cannot accurately account for everyone’s individual lifestyle choices, so it makes sense that the way you prepare for your future is likely to be different from others. On the surface, retirement planning hasn’t changed all that much over the years. You work, you save and then you retire. But while the mechanics may