Taxing times

Time for a tax health check?

With the current tax year having begun on 6 April 2022, the clock is ticking and it is important to utilise all the tax reliefs and allowances available to you before 5 April 2023 in order to minimise any potential liabilities.

Personal tax planning should be at the top of your agenda as the end of the current tax year is not too far away. Taking action now may give you the opportunity to take advantage of any remaining reliefs, allowances and exemptions.

At the same time, you should be considering whether there are any planning opportunities that you need to consider either for this tax year or for your long-term future. We’ve listed a few reminders of the issues you may want to consider as worthy of including in your 2022/23 tax health check to-do list.

Some key things you might need to action before the tax year end:

Personal reliefs

Married couples should consider utilising each person’s personal reliefs, as well as their starting and basic rate tax bands. Could you make gifts of income-producing assets (which must be outright and unconditional) to distribute income more evenly between you both?

Salary sacrifice

This is an especially tax-efficient way for you to make pension contributions, to save and reduce your Income Tax and National Insurance. Have you considered exchanging part of your salary for payments into an approved share scheme or additional pension contributions?

Pensions annual allowance

Unless you are an additional rate taxpayer or have already accessed pension benefits then you are entitled to make up to £40,000 of pension contributions per tax year. Have you fully utilised your tax-efficient contributions for this tax year or any unused allowances from the three previous tax years?

Stakeholder pensions

A stakeholder pension is available to any United Kingdom resident under the age of 75. Children can also make annual net contributions of £2,880 per year, making the gross amount £3,600 regardless of any earnings. It is also a very beneficial way of giving children or grandchildren a helping hand for the future. Is this an option you or a family member should be utilising?

Large pension funds

The Lifetime Allowance (LTA) is currently £1,073,100 and has been frozen at this level until the 2025/26 tax year. The maximum you can pay in is £40,000 per annum unless you pay tax at 45% in which case the annual limit could be as low as £4,000. Inflationary increases by the end of the current tax year could also have an impact on your pension funds. Do you have a plan in place to protect your money from this?

Pension drawdown

If your are 55 or over you could access 25% tax-free cash from your Defined Contribution (also known as Money Purchase) pension pots and invest the rest. However, drawing large amounts in one tax year can lead to a larger tax bill than if spread over a longer period. Do you know the implications of taking money out of your pension pots?

Passing on your pension

Usually called a ‘spousal by-pass trust’, although the recipient may not always be a spouse, this is a discretionary trust set up by the pension scheme member or pension holder to receive pension death benefits. Are your pension death benefits written in trust?

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)

An ISA allows you to save and invest tax-efficiently into a cash savings or investment account. The proceeds are shielded from Income Tax, tax on dividends and Capital Gains Tax. The government puts a cap on how much you can put into your ISA or ISAs in any tax year (from 6 April to 5 April). The ISA allowance for 2022/23 is set at £20,000. Have you fully utilised the maximum annual allowance?

Junior ISAs

This is a long-term tax-efficient savings account set up by a parent or guardian, specifically for the child’s future. Only the child can access the money, and only once they turn 18. Have you invested the maximum £9,000 allowance for your child or children?

Lifetime ISAs (LISAs)

The Lifetime ISA (LISA) is a tax-efficient savings or investments account designed to help those aged 18 to 39 at the time of opening to buy their first home or save for retirement. The government will provide a 25% bonus on the money invested, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year. You can save up to £4,000 a year, and can continue to pay into it until you reach age 50. Could you be taking advantage of this very tax-efficient option?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

There are two different rates of CGT – one for property and one for other assets. If your assets are owned jointly with another person, you could use both of your allowances, which can effectively double the amount you can make before CGT is payable. If you are married or in a registered civil partnership, you are free to transfer assets to each other without any CGT being charged. It is currently £12,300 but will be reduced to £6,000 from 6 April 2023 and £3,000 from 6 April 2024. Have you fully used your current £12,300 annual exemption?

Inheritance Tax (IHT) relief

IHT must be paid on the value of any estate above £325,000, or up to £1 million for married couples including the residence nil-rate band). However, certain business assets, including some types of shares and farmland, in private trading companies can qualify for 100% relief from IHT. The government has frozen the IHT thresholds for two more years to April 2028. Are you taking advantage of the reliefs available to you?

Residence nil-rate band (RNRB)

This allowance was introduced during the 2017/18 tax year and is available when a main residence is passed on death to a direct descendant. The allowance is currently £175,000. When combined with the nil-rate band of £325,000, this provides a total IHT exemption of £500,000 per person, or £1 million per married couple. If you are planning to give away your home to your children or grandchildren (including adopted, foster and stepchildren) the RNRB must be claimed. There is a form for this purpose – IHT435. The form is available on the Gov.uk website. If applicable, have you applied for the RNRB?

Charitable and personal gifts

If you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity a reduced inheritance rate of 36% applies rather than the usual 40%. Other exemptions apply for inter-spousal transfers, transfers of unused annual income, business and agricultural assets, and for various other fixed, small amounts. Are you intending to make gifts before the end of the current tax year?

Trust funds

These help protect your assets and guarantee that your loved ones have financial stability for their future. Crucially, a trust can help to avoid IHT and ensure that the majority of your money, shares and equity are passed on in the most efficient way. Should you consider setting up a trust?

Future legislation could potentially result in changes to tax law, which could in turn require adjustments to your plans.

A PENSION IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE UNTIL AGE 55 (57 FROM APRIL 2028 UNLESS PLAN HAS A PROTECTED PENSION AGE).

THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENTS (AND ANY INCOME FROM THEM) CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP WHICH WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE LEVEL OF PENSION BENEFITS AVAILABLE.

YOUR PENSION INCOME COULD ALSO BE AFFECTED BY THE INTEREST RATES AT THE TIME YOU TAKE YOUR BENEFITS.

THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENTS CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND YOU MAY GET BACK LESS THAN YOU INVESTED.

THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE TAXATION AND TRUST ADVICE. TRUSTS ARE A HIGHLY COMPLEX AREA OF FINANCIAL PLANNING.

Millennials willing to forgo inheritance

Harder to support bigger financial commitments of older generation parents.

Many people want to do what they can to ensure they maximise the amount they leave to their family and minimise Inheritance Tax, but working out how much you can afford to give away during your lifetime isn’t easy.

With finances being stretched in all directions, it can be incredibly stressful if you want to support your children in the short term, while making sure you don’t find yourself struggling further down the line. New research has shown that the oldest of the millennial generation would prefer their parents to use their cash to fund their own, comfortable retirement, rather than receive it as an inheritance[1].

Cost of living

The research of 40-year-old millennials and their parents reveals disparities when it comes to financially planning. Nearly all parents surveyed (99%) intend to pass an inheritance on to their children or grandchildren, with almost two in five (37%) anticipating gifting more money to help their children with the rising cost of living.

However, a third (32%) of adult children would rather their parents kept it all to themselves, to support a comfortable retirement. The desire from each generation to financially support the other comes against the backdrop of financial challenges on two fronts: continued market volatility impacting pension pots and property prices on the one hand and rising living costs on the other.

Financial priorities

This makes it harder to support bigger financial commitments – of those older generation parents that are worried about funding their whole retirement, over a third (36%) are specifically concerned about funding the cost of care[2].

Juggling financial priorities makes communication and forward planning even more vital, but this does not always happen. Two in five (38%) of parents admit to not speaking to their children about their inheritance plans, and one in four have not developed a plan to protect their child’s inheritance should their child go through a difficult divorce.

Important to plan

With cash required to go further than ever before, almost a third (31%) of the parents of millennials are worried about supporting their own immediate living costs, and one in five (19%) are considering downsizing.

Even though most children would be very grateful if their parents are able to pass on some inheritance while they’re still alive, they wouldn’t want them to have money worries in the future as a result. This is why it’s not only important to plan, but also to include your family in any conversations – it can make such a difference and help remove some of the pressure many parents feel when thinking about how and when they’ll pass on their wealth.

Source data:

[1] Censuswide data, unless otherwise specified, is taken from 2,000 consumers who turned 40 in 2021, who will turn 40 this year or who will turn 41 this year; and 2,000 parents of consumers who turned 40 in 2021, will turn 40 this year or will turn 41 this year. The 2,000 parents of consumers all had assets of at least £1m, including property. The 2,000 40-year-old Millennials are already investors, or have considered investing their money. Data gathered July 2022.

[2] 31% of parents surveyed are worried about funding their whole retirement. Of this 31%, 36% worry specifically about funding the cost of care.

‘Phased retirement’

Pre-retirees starting their plans but will rising living costs halt their plans?

Retiring early is a dream for many people and it is achievable for people who have been able to plan, save into a pension over a long period and taken financial advice to help them plan their finances. However, it can become a financial problem if retirement is forced upon people before they have had time to prepare.

It’s estimated that to maintain your current lifestyle, you’ll need around 60 – 70% of your present monthly income. The reduced outgoings are due to not having a mortgage to pay, reduced commuting spend and, hopefully, your children can now support themselves financially.

Lifestyle you want

But those people retiring early have less time to save into a pension fund and their fund needs to last longer. They potentially will have a reduced retirement income and run a greater risk of running out of money in retirement.

People planning for retirement should think hard about what they want to do when they eventually stop work. It is helpful to have a good idea of the lifestyle you want, how much it will cost and how you are going to pay for it.

Retirement nest egg

Retirement might seem a lifetime away for younger people who are concentrating on their careers, buying a home or raising a family but they can take action now to secure their retirement. The simplest option is make sure you join your company pension and save as much as you can. Making additional contributions early in your career can make a huge difference to the size of your retirement nest egg.

Research[1] has found that 34% of pre-retirees[2] (those aged 55+ who are still in some form of work) have already started phasing into retirement – equating to 3.3 million[3] employees. The study reinforces the idea that retirement is no longer a line in the sand.

Perception of later life

The number of pre-retirees considering a gradual or phased move into full retirement shows how much the perception of later life has changed in recent years. However people choose to approach retirement, it’s important they see it as something that should be actively managed, and not something they already feel they are ‘in’ or have ‘done’.

Almost half (48%) of all employees aged 55+ expect that they will cut down the amount they work rather than completely stopping, with one in seven (14%) planning to wind down over the next year.

Phased retirement route

Many people want to take the phased retirement route by reducing their hours, so they can keep their job but lessen their stress (37%). However, most people have revealed they are making the decision because they simply cannot afford to retire fully (44%).

On average, over half (54%) of all people who are taking a phased approach to retirement are working 15+ hours less every month, consequently earning £9,150 less every year. As a result, many expect to have to adjust their lifestyle (38%), and some even anticipate they could struggle with meeting the cost of household essentials (17%).

Potential gap in salary

Despite the intention to slow down at work, the cost of living has had an impact, with one in ten people who had begun to phase into retirement having to increase their work commitments again. In addition, two-fifths (40%) of people who anticipated gradually moving into retirement in the next five years now worry living costs might mean this plan is not possible.

For those wanting to keep their options open while also looking for ways to supplement their income, flexible products such as fixed term annuities can play an important role. They provide a guaranteed income for a set time – in some cases as little as three years, helping to bridge any potential gap in salary.

Source data:

[1] Research was carried out online by Opinium Research amongst 4,000 UK adults between 14th – 20th October. The results are weighted to nationally representative criteria.
[2] Pre-retirees’ refers to those aged 55+ who are still in some form of work
[3] On a nat rep survey of 4,000, 248 55+ year-old workers have already taken a phased approach to retirement (248/4,000 *52.890m = 3.3m)

THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENTS CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND YOU MAY GET BACK LESS THAN YOU INVESTED.

Don’t miss the ISA deadline

Use your tax-efficient allowance or lose it forever!

Time is running out to take advantage of this year’s Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowances. You get one ISA allowance per tax year. So use it or lose it soon, when the tax year ends on 5 April.

Any unused ISA allowance will not be rolled over into the new tax year. On 6 April when the new tax year starts, if you haven’t used all of your or your children’s ISA allowances from the previous tax year, they will be lost forever.

Want to know more about investing in an ISA? Your ISA questions answered:

What is an Individual Savings Account (ISA)?

An ISA is a ‘tax-efficient wrapper’.Types of ISA include a Cash ISA and Stocks & Shares ISA. A Cash ISA is similar to a normal deposit account, except that you pay no tax on the interest you earn. Stock & Shares ISAs allow you to invest in equities, bonds or commercial property without paying personal tax on your proceeds.

Can I have more than one ISA?

You have a total tax-efficient allowance of £20,000 for this tax year. This means that the sum of money you invest across all your ISAs this tax year (Cash ISA, Stocks & Shares ISA, Lifetime ISAs, Innovative Finance ISA, or any combination) cannot exceed £20,000. However, bear in mind that you have the flexibility to split your tax-efficient allowance across as many ISAs and ISA types as you wish. For example, you may invest £10,000 in a Stocks & Shares ISA and the remaining £10,000 in a Cash ISA. This is a useful option for those who want to use their investment for different purposes and over varying periods of time.

When will I be able to access the money I save in an ISA?

Some ISAs may tie your money up for a period of time. However, others are flexible. If you’re after flexibility, variable rate Cash ISAs don’t tend to have a minimum commitment. This means you can keep your money in one of these ISAs for as long – or as short – a time as you like. This type of ISA also allows you to take some of the money out of the ISA and put it back in without affecting its tax-efficient status.
‘An ISA is a tax-efficient way to invest because your money is shielded from Income Tax, tax on dividends and Capital Gains Tax’
On the other hand, fixed-rate Cash ISAs will typically require you to tie your money up for a set amount of time. If you decide to cut the term short, you usually have to pay a penalty. But ISAs that tie your money up for longer do tend to have higher interest rates.

Stocks & Shares ISAs don’t usually have a minimum commitment, which means you can take your money out at any point. As with all investing, it’s recommended that you invest your money for at least five years or more. Staying invested for longer allows your investment to grow and to better weather any market volatility. With the cost of living in the UK rising at its fastest rate in 41 years, can you really afford to see the purchasing power of your hard-earned savings stagnate in a bank account?

Could I take advantage of a Lifetime ISA?

You’re able to open a Lifetime ISA if you’re aged between 18 and 39. You can use a Lifetime ISA to buy your first home or save for later life. You can put in up to £4,000 each year until you’re 50. The government will add a 25% bonus to your savings, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year.

What is an Innovative Finance ISA?

An Innovative Finance ISA allows individuals to use some or all of their annual ISA allowance to lend funds through the Peer to Peer lending market. Peer to Peer lending allows individuals and companies to borrow money directly from lenders. Your capital and interest may be at risk in an Innovative Finance ISA and your investment is not covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

What is a Junior ISA?

This is a savings and investment vehicle for children up to the age of 18. It is a tax-efficient way to save or invest as it is free from any Income Tax, tax on dividends and Capital Gains Tax on the proceeds. The Junior ISA subscription limit is currently £9,000 for the tax year 2022/23.

Is tax payable on ISA dividend income?

No tax is payable on dividend income. You don’t pay tax on any dividends paid inside your ISA.

Is Capital Gains Tax (CGT) payable on my ISA investment gains?

You don’t have to pay any CGT on profits.

I already have ISAs with several different providers. Can I consolidate them?

Yes you can, and you won’t lose the tax-efficient ‘wrapper’ status. Many previously attractive savings accounts may cease to have a good rate of interest, and naturally some Stocks & Shares ISAs don’t perform as well as investors would have hoped. Consolidating your ISAs may also substantially reduce your paperwork. We’ll be happy to talk you through your options.

Can I transfer my existing ISA?

Yes, you can transfer an existing ISA from one provider to another at any time as long as the product terms and conditions allow it. If you want to transfer money you’ve invested in an ISA during the current tax year, you must transfer all of it. For money you invested in previous years, you can choose to transfer all or part of your savings.

What happens to my ISA if I die prematurely?

The rules on ISA death benefits allow for an extra ISA allowance to the deceased’s spouse or registered civil partner.

THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENTS CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND YOU MAY GET BACK LESS THAN YOU INVESTED.

Chancellor retains state pension triple lock

State pension is set for a record-breaking increase from April 2023.

If you’re currently receiving or have been looking into the State Pension, then you’ve probably heard of the ‘triple lock’. But what is it?

The triple lock was introduced in 2010. Its purpose is to make sure that the State Pension doesn’t lose value over time. The triple lock aims to protect pensioners against the impact of inflation. If the State Pension didn’t change but the price of goods and services continued to increase over time, then you wouldn’t be able to buy as much with it. Meaning you’d be losing money in real terms.

In the 2022 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor confirmed that the triple lock will be reinstated from 6 April 2023. This means the State Pension will rise in line with last September’s inflation rate – 10.1% – in the 2023/24 tax year. Anyone receiving the State Pension will benefit from the triple lock.

To make the guarantee even more secure, it included three separate measures of inflation, hence ‘triple lock’. The three-way guarantee was that each year, the State Pension would increase by the greatest of the following three measures: average earnings; prices, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and 2.5%. The government usually compares the three rates in September, before implementing the correct rise the following April.

The State Pension triple lock has proved to be a burden for successive governments, as it has proven costly for the taxpayer. Because of people earning much less during the lockdowns of 2020, there was a big leap in average earnings of 8% come 2021 as people returned to work. The government announced that the triple lock would be suspended for the 2022/23 tax year.

No ‘one-size-fits-all’ protection solution

Helping you feel confident your family’s finances are secure.

With a New Year comes resolutions. Everyone should make a resolution to review their protection and estate plans. A solid plan will help you feel confident your family’s finances are secure.

The uncertainty of the past couple of years has shown how important it is to have a robust plan in place for securing your family’s finances. While no one knows what is around the corner, reviewing your protection, updating your Will and creating an estate plan will help you rest assured that the financial side of things is taken care of.

These are some of the main considerations:

Protect against illness and death

It is essential to make sure that you have adequate protection in place, depending on your particular circumstance. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ protection solution so receiving professional advice is important when considering the right products for you and your family’s needs. This will ensure that your finances remain secure if illness or death happens unexpectedly, giving peace of mind to you and your loved ones at what could otherwise be a difficult time.

A life insurance policy is one of the most important types of protection to have in place. It pays out a lump sum if you die during the duration of the policy, helping your family to pay off their debts, maintain their lifestyle or cover any other expenses they may have.

Critical illness cover can also provide valuable financial protection in case you are diagnosed with a specified serious illness while your policy is active. This type of cover will pay out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with an eligible condition, allowing you to concentrate on getting better without having to worry about bills piling up.

Income protection is also worth considering when developing your financial plan. This type of cover provides regular payments should you become ill or injured and are unable to work. This can help you cover your regular outgoings, such as mortgage payments or rent, while you recover.

Write or review your Will

Writing or reviewing your Will is essential for making sure that your wishes are respected and carried out after you pass away. It ensures that your money and other assets go to the people and causes you care about, such as relatives, family friends, charitable organisations, etc. Additionally, it provides you with the opportunity to appoint guardians for any children in your life, so they can be looked after by people you know and trust.

If you don’t have a Will in place when death occurs, then the rules of intestacy will be applied to distribute your assets and possessions according to legal guidelines. These might not always align with what you would have wanted. Therefore, it is important to obtain professional advice on how best to proceed with making a professional Will. Doing so can help to ensure that your wishes are appropriately recorded and respected, even after you’ve gone. With the right professional advice and guidance, writing or reviewing your Will provides peace of mind that comes with having your affairs in order.

Create an estate plan

Creating an estate plan is a step that can make a significant impact on the financial futures of your children and grandchildren. Despite common misconceptions, estate planning isn’t only for the wealthy. In fact, due to rising house prices and the freezing of the Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band until April 2028, IHT could now be more impactful than before.

Fortunately, there are various ways in which you can minimise this unexpected burden, ranging from making lifetime gifts to utilising pensions and trusts. To get the most out of these options, it’s best to seek professional financial advice. We can help guide you as you build a comprehensive estate plan tailored specifically to your needs, to ensure that your family is well-protected and their financial futures are secured.

Leaving a tax-efficient legacy

Considering the rule of seven when making financial gifts.

You’ve worked to build up your wealth. But now it’s time to make plans so your loved ones can get the most from the estate you intend to leave behind. If you think you might be affected by Inheritance Tax, it can be tempting to hold off making plans to do anything about it. But the truth is that it’s better to plan earlier for Inheritance Tax.

Estate planning is an essential element of preparing your finances for when you are no longer around but want to make sure that as much of your estate as possible is exempt from Inheritance Tax. Current thresholds are frozen until at least 2026, so it’s likely more estates could trigger a 40% Inheritance Tax bill over the coming years.

Inheritance Tax planning options

On your death, the first £325,000 nil-rate band (2022/23) of your estate is exempt from the 40% Inheritance Tax. However, you can also make financial gifts that will reduce the value of your estate when you die. For those who have accumulated a reasonable amount of wealth and who have children, the seven-year rule can be taken full advantage of.

This is one of the most popular, and cost-effective, Inheritance Tax planning options relating to gifting some of your wealth to loved ones before you die. The idea being that the people who matter to you most could start to benefit from some form of inheritance earlier.

Gift reduces each year

It also reduces the value of your estate. Meaning, when it’s assessed for Inheritance Tax, your potential liability could prove lower. Or, even better, you don’t have one at all. In order for bigger financial gifts to be fully exempt from Inheritance Tax, you need to live for at least seven more years.

If you die within seven years of making the gift, it is still considered part of your estate and it will be included in your Inheritance Tax assessment.

If you die between three and seven years, you would still have to pay some tax on the gift if it exceeded the available nil-rate band. The amount payable on the gift reduces each year once you have survived the gift by over three years. Only after seven years is the full gift no longer part of your estate for Inheritance Tax purposes.

There are many ways you might be able to reduce (or even eliminate) a potential liability. But the longer you wait, the more expensive some of these options might prove.

It goes without saying that none of us knows when our time will come. That’s why it can really help to start making plans now. Doing so could help you maximise the amount of inheritance you leave to loved ones.

INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING IS A HIGHLY COMPLEX AREA OF FINANCIAL PLANNING.

INFORMATION PROVIDED AND ANY OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE FOR GENERAL GUIDANCE ONLY AND NOT PERSONAL TO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, NOR ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC ADVICE.

PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL ADVICE SHOULD BE OBTAINED BEFORE TAKING
ANY ACTION.

INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING IS A HIGHLY COMPLEX AREA OF FINANCIAL PLANNING. THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING.

Doing the right thing for the planet

Four in five looking to change jobs demand green pensions.

When you first start paying into your employer’s pension, your contributions, along with employer contributions and tax relief, will be invested through a default fund. You will usually have several fund options to choose from.

Increasingly, new research has identified that people are choosing to work for employers that provide ‘green pensions’[1]. Today’s workers expect employers to show true leadership and offer pensions which are invested responsibly.

Investments in high ESG-risk sectors

Demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities is not only the right thing to do for the planet, it could also be a game changer for attracting and retaining the best talent. Business leaders have a real opportunity to show staff that they are serious about doing the right thing.

Many companies remain unaware of how their current employee pension schemes can undermine the progress they are making to develop more sustainable operations, primarily due to sizeable investments in high ESG-risk sectors such as coal, oil sands and tobacco.

One of the top four benefits

The data reveals the views of employees and employers relating to sustainable workplace policies and individual practices. Across the UK workforce, eight out of ten employees (83%) view climate change as an important issue – expecting their employer to take an active stance on ESG issues and implement sustainable workplace practices.

One quarter (24%) of employees cited support for more sustainable personal finances – including green pensions – as one of the top four benefits that they expect from a new employer, alongside flexible working (48%), cost of living support (39%) and an attractive holiday package (34%).

More sustainable pensions

72% of workers said that it was important their employer invests their savings sustainably, as part of their organisation’s overall stance on critical environmental and social issues. With a third (32%) of workers currently seeking new employment – and a further quarter (24%) planning to apply for new jobs in the next year – the data suggests that the provision of more sustainable pensions may provide a new way for employers to attract and retain talent.

Despite this sizeable employee demand, only a quarter (25%) of employers claim to be knowledgeable about green pensions. More than a third (37%) of employers claim to not know anything about them or have never heard of them.

Social and governance outcomes

In fact, nearly half of employers (43%) identified a green pension as a fund that avoids investments in highly polluting industries, such as oil or thermal coal projects. But only a fifth of employers (22%) acknowledged the social and governance outcomes, such as the equitable treatment of workers or promotion of gender and racial diversity on corporate boards (17%).

With over a third (34%) of employers admitting they don’t currently offer a sustainable pension scheme to their employees, there is a significant commitment gap on implementing workplace policies that positively impact ESG issues.

Source data:
[1] Make My Money Matter, FTSE100 Research, September 2022

Don’t abandon pension contributions as prices rise

Savers could miss out on thousands of pounds in retirement.

As the cost of living continues to soar, with inflation reaching a 40-year high, the impact on household finances is taking its toll. But it is essential to try to maintain a savings habit even in the current climate. The impact of any breaks in pension contributions could mean savers miss out on thousands of pounds in future that will mean less income during retirement.

Research has highlighted that reducing or stopping pension contributions, even for a relatively short period of time, can have a significant impact on the final pot, with savers potentially being thousands of pounds less well off in retirement as a result[1].

Having an even bigger impact

For example, someone who began working with a salary of £25,000 per year and paid the standard monthly auto-enrolment contributions (3% employer, 5% employee) from age of 22, would have a total retirement fund of £456,893 at the age of 68.

However, stopping pension contributions at the age of 35 for just one year, would result in a total pot of £444,129 – almost £13,000 less than if they had not stopped paying in. Stopping contributions for a longer period would have an even bigger impact.

Risk of sacrificing savings to cover everyday expenses

While currently relatively low, the risk of sacrificing savings to cover everyday expenses continues as long as these challenging circumstances go on. Almost all (93%) say that increasing costs and high inflation are going to impact, or are already impacting, their financial situation.

If possible, the first port of call should be to reduce spending, for example, cutting back on unnecessary purchases and shopping around for better value deals. Doing this, rather than making decisions that will affect future finances such as reducing or stopping pension contributions, even if for a short period only, will be beneficial in the long term.

Tips for potential spending cutbacks in the current environment

1. Review your expenditure for potential areas of savings – By looking through your monthly outgoings, you may find there are ways to make savings. Do you have any subscriptions or memberships that you no longer use and could cancel or pause? Do you spend a lot of money on things that are a luxury, such as takeaways? Taking some of these small steps could make a difference.

2. Shop around for better deals – You may be able to switch household providers and find cheaper deals, such as for broadband or your mobile phone. Many providers have package deals for new customers so it’s worth using a price comparison website to see if there are savings to be had.

3. Set budgets – To help you keep an eye on your outgoings, it is a good idea to set a budget for things like food shopping and socialising so you don’t spend more than your means.

Source data:
[1] Research conducted among a sample of c.2,600 contactable Standard Life customers between 9–22 May 2022. Calculations are intended for the sole purpose of providing an illustration regarding the projection of savings and pensions. They should not be used with the intention to give an accurate representation of real world outcomes.

Spotting an investment scam

How scammers are getting more convincing.

Around half of UK adults (51%) have or know someone who has received a suspicious communication in the last 12 months, according to new research[1]. This equates to 27 million people across the UK.

Most of these cases can be described as ‘phishing scams’ (51%), when a fraudster attempts to imitate a legitimate company or person to secure important information from the victim.

Pension transfers

Crypto scams are also becoming worryingly common, with one in five reporting they or someone they know has received one in the last 12 months.

Pension transfer scam communications account for almost one in ten (8%) of contacts, while romance scams or dating scams are similar at 11%.

Scammer approaches

Around a fifth (21%) of those who have or know someone who has been contacted say they have lost money because of approaches by scammers. However, among 18 to 34-year-olds, this increases to almost half (46%).

The average loss to scams for themselves/someone they know was around £207, with this amount almost doubling to £361 for those aged 18 to 34 years old, compared to £112 for those aged 55+.

Perfect opportunity

With many families struggling to make ends meet, and as the cost of living squeeze tightens, offering easy access to your pension might seem the perfect opportunity to dig yourself out of trouble. The reality is you can’t access your pension savings before the age of 55, so it’s very likely it will be scammers.

Follow the simple rule of thumb: if it appears too good to be true, it inevitably is. Simply walk away, hang up or delete the email or text to keep your money safe from the scammers.

51% of UK adults – 27million people – have received or know someone who has received a suspicious communication in the last 12 months.

Younger people are more likely to know someone who has lost money, and are aware of someone losing more than older generations.

Almost one in ten (8%) communications relate to pension transfers.

10 tips to help identify and avoid financial scams

1. If you receive an offer to help you access your pension savings before age 55, for example, through ‘pension loans’ and ‘free pension reviews’. It is only possible to access your pension before age 55 in rare situations, for example, if you are very ill.

2. Warnings that the deal is limited and you must act now. This is a pressure tactic and making any financial decisions should not be done under pressure.

3. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will never contact you by email, phone or text informing you of a tax refund, so simply delete or ignore any contact made this way – HMRC will only contact you via post.

4. You are discouraged from seeking professional financial advice or talking to Pension Wise.

5. Sign up for Action Fraud Alert, a free service provided by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. The service alerts about new types of crime or those which are increasing in their severity. If you sign up, you will receive those alerts which are relevant to you. https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/sign-up-for-action-fraud-alert

6. Contact by somebody who is not on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Register. The Register is a public record of all the regulated firms and individuals in the financial services industry, including pension providers and investment companies https://register.fca.org.uk/

7. Be very cautious around any recommendation to take a large amount of money, or your whole pension pot, in a lump sum and invest it elsewhere, for example, in overseas property, forestry, car parking or storage units. And be very wary of unsolicited offers of ‘amazing investment returns’.

8. Seek advice from your professional financial adviser who will be able to explain the rules and tax implications of different options and help you make the best choices for your personal circumstances, so be very suspicious if this is discouraged.

9. There can be significant tax implications if you choose to cash in your pension in one go, so check the tax position before you make any decisions.

10. Check www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart for known scams and use the tools to help identify a potential scam.

Source data:
[1] Source: Research among 2,000 UK adults conducted by Opinium, with fieldwork between 12–16 August 2022.