Budget ‘black hole’ is filling with rumour if nothing else…
This Wednesday, (November 26) the Chancellor will unveil her much-anticipated Autumn Budget and reveal her latest plans for filling the alleged ‘£20 billion black hole’ in the public finances. Or is it £30bn?
So what will be in Rachel Reeve’s Budget and how might it affect you? That is certainly the £20billion question because, as...
What the Chancellor should be saying in a pre-Budget speech…
We try not to do politics in these columns but following headlines suggesting Chancellor Rachel Reeves may well become the first to increase Income Tax in 50 years in fact (breaking manifesto pledges in the process), we had a little go at envisaging her speech before the November 26 Budget.
(The following is tongue in...
A message from the Chancellor…
Good afternoon. I have just returned from a relaxing and much-needed break which took us to bustling Hungary, Slovakia and Austria. Yes, I took the computer though the inbox defied my occasional review so apologies if you are still awaiting my reply!
I returned to an unexpected speech from our Chancellor. I should like to...
Uncertainty and wobbles on global stage
Some really positive news from the Middle East at last. Whatever you think of him, well done President Trump for being the catalyst – time to move onto Russia in earnest now. Let us hope that this awful conflict will also be over very soon now.
Sadly, economically at home, unemployment rises, wage growth slows,...
Oh what a show!
UK growth pains, our 40th and testimonials
Oh dear, so the latest UK economics’ figures for the month suggest there was zero growth (and also August’s government borrowing was higher than expected as well). As I have shared before, chancellors pre-spend their projection of economic growth’s increased tax revenues so when it doesn’t happen… and the flip side is then more...
Stamp duty shenanigans dent confidence
Interesting times with politics and Stamp Duty shenanigans. They all affect investor sentiment too and confidence and upsets are not helpful. I do feel slightly sorry for Angela Rayner on this one in that one relies upon those completing the process to know what Stamp Duty to pay but of course if they were...
ISA reform looks likely – but no details as yet!
A shake-up of Cash ISAs seems on the cards as the Government has given its clearest indication yet that it is looking to reform the system. That’s a good thing as it will encourage people to see ‘investing’ as different from ‘saving’!
As reported by online financial news platform Citywire, City Minister Emma Reynolds has...
State Pension booster deadline is looming
Time is running out for anyone who wants to boost their State Pension by paying for any missing National Insurance years, Martin Lewis has warned.
People aged between 40 and 73 have until just April 5 this year to plug any gaps in their NI payments by buying missing years going back to 2006.
After the...