Private market allocations reach record high as investors pump in £4.7 trillion January 28, 2026 Global private market allocations from institutional investors have reached record highs, with many planning to increase their allocations over the next few years. Private markets have risen to represent 12.5 per cent of overall portfolio allocations, accounting for $6.5 trillion (£4.7 trillion) of assets under management, according to the latest study from Aviva Investors. North [...]
Ministers urged to extend ‘nightmare’ deadline for paying inheritance tax January 28, 2026 The UK government has set an unrealistic deadline for inheritance tax payments on unused pensions, a House of Lords committee has warned. The House of Lords economic affairs committee urged the government to extend the deadline for pension fund personal representatives, who are typically estate executors, from six months to 12 months. The committee argued [...]
The £37bn public sector pension opportunity January 27, 2026 Unfunded public sector pensions amount to a £1,4 trillion liability to the taxpayer. there is a better way, says Ben Sweetman The UK’s public finances are under acute pressure. The government faces difficult choices, made tougher by our lack of growth. One of the largest components of the public sector’s future spending commitments is unfunded [...]
Save billions by reforming ‘unsustainable’ public sector pensions January 26, 2026 Moving new public sector employees onto defined contribution (DC) pension schemes could save taxpayers £37bn a year in the long run, a new report has found. The report, produced by Policy Exchange, argues that moving public sector workers onto a DC scheme would also send an “important signal” to the bond market that the government [...]
Ask the expert: We pay for our adult children to live at home. Will that result in an IHT liability? January 26, 2026 Fidelity personal finance specialist, Marianna Hunt, is on hand to help parents who are concerned that letting their adult children live at home could lead to a large IHT bill. Q: Our adult children live in our house. We pay for all food, utilities, council tax etc, but don’t charge any rent. Is that an [...]
Reeves told City at ‘critical juncture’ after claims of golden age January 25, 2026 Rachel Reeves has been handed a firm warning that Britain’s financial ecosystem is facing a “critical juncture” even after the Chancellor touted a “golden age” of opportunity for the City. The Chancellor faces a call to action following a report from lobby group TheCityUK and Big Four consultancy giant PwC revealing the “hard truth” that [...]
Millions of parents miss out on free pension cash by overlooking this rule January 22, 2026 Millions of UK parents are missing out on hundreds in free pension cash after being left in the dark by employers about a pension rule for new parents. While most parents are aware of child benefits and junior ISAs, many are losing as much as £720 per year after overlooking a far less familiar perk. [...]
High earners could be missing out on thousands in pension tax relief January 19, 2026 High earners could be at risk of losing a quarter of a million pounds in pension tax relief through failing to reclaim by the self-assessment tax return deadline. Brit ensnared in the £100,000 tax trap could see thousands of pounds slipping out of their grasp, as well as valuable free childcare support, according to wealth [...]
Divorced retirees more likely to rely on the state pension January 14, 2026 Thousands more divorcees depend on the state pension compared to those in a marriage as the financial impact of separation continues to ripple into retirement across the UK. Nearly 70 per cent of divorcees rely on the state pension for their main source of income after leaving the workforce, compared to 45 per cent of [...]
Women and Gen X are feeling blue on their finances for 2026 January 12, 2026 UK adults have reported feeling upbeat about their finances for the year ahead, but women and Gen X do not share the positive sentiment. Six in ten adults said they felt positive about their financial situation going into 2026, maintaining last year’s results and up from the 52 per cent reported in 2024, according to [...]