10 July 2026
Keeping your childcare benefits could save tens of thousands. How does it work?Childcare is often a hefty part of household expenses, particularly when parents are paying for additional care during the day or after school. For many families, government subsidies such as the funded hours or tax-free childcare can provide significant relief for the expenses.
However, data from the Department for Education shows that number of...
7 July 2026
Four steps to make passing down estates less painfulDealing with the loss of a family member is an extremely taxing process that most people know too well. While dealing with the grief, there is unfortunately also a legal side that needs to be handled to distribute their estate, which often falls to a family member. This includes tasks like gaining the legal right to deal with the departed's estate...
1 July 2026
Nine ways to beat the energy price hikeEnergy bills are rising as of 1 July, with the arrival of a new, more painful, price cap. We’re paying the price of higher wholesale gas prices after the outbreak of the Iran war, and despite the pull back since the ceasefire, today’s hike was already baked in.
The fact this is hitting at a warmer time of year means we may not feel the full impact...
24 June 2026
How to choose a money market fundMoney market funds provide a cash-like alternative to investors that can be held in a Stocks and shares ISA, while aiming to return slightly above the rate offered in cash accounts.
Investors often use these funds instead of cash because they are highly liquid and invest in things like short-term debt and treasuries, which are typically low risk...
19 June 2026
Don’t get caught out by this growing trend in investment fraudThe ways fraudsters attempt to take our hard-earned cash have become increasingly cynical – including tricks like pretending to be a family member with a new phone number.
The ‘Hi Mum/Dad I need cash for an emergency’ message from an unknown number cruelly plays on parental instincts and only adds to the hurt and distress involved in being a victim...
18 June 2026
Brexit 10 years on: what's the impact on your money?The impact of Brexit in the 10 years since the referendum is hard to untangle from everything else that has been going on over the past decade.
We’ve faced a global pandemic, runaway inflation prompted by war, and a bond crisis precipitated by a disastrous mini-Budget. However, there are some aspects of our finances that were clearly impacted by...
18 June 2026
Iran peace deal: what does it mean for your finances?After three and a half months of war between the US and Iran, a peace deal has been agreed that would include an extended ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Nothing can be guaranteed in this peace process, and with some terms of the agreement still unclear, there’s the chance that something could break in the fragile deal between the...
17 June 2026
Frozen thresholds drag 7 million into income tax net and 5,000 into IHTIncome tax thresholds have been frozen to the spot since April 2021, and inheritance tax bands since April 2020 – both were three prime ministers ago. These tax rules are set to stay until 2031 – and it’s anyone’s guess how many PMs may come and go in the interim. The number of additional taxpayers created by both freezes is impossible to ignore...
16 June 2026
13 things you should know about inheritance taxInheritance tax is positively Byzantine in its complexity, so while most people have got to grips with some of the basics, there will be a myriad of rules they have no idea at all about.
Some of these will be niche areas that only the most dedicated of tax nerds will delve into. It’s why it can be incredibly helpful to have a professional to guide...
15 June 2026
What an Andy Burnham win in crunch by-election could mean for your financesOn 18 June all eyes will be on the Makerfield byelection where mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham faces one of the biggest steps in his potential route to Number 10.
Standing to become an MP has allowed him to be grilled on what he might do if he eventually became prime minister, although we don't have much specific detail yet.
He has been...
12 June 2026
Are your emergency savings keeping up with household spending?Life is getting more expensive. Inflation may have slowed from the horrendous highs of the post-pandemic period, but we’re still feeling the squeeze. The cost of keeping a roof over our heads rose significantly, with rent and mortgages both up 14%, as rents climbed and homeowners continued to move off cheaper fixed rate mortgages.
The pain of...
11 June 2026
Hargreaves Lansdown new charges: here’s how AJ Bell comparesHargreaves Lansdown (HL) made its first change to pricing in more than a decade earlier this year, with fee cuts for a number of customers but increases to costs for many others.
While HL customers will benefit from a cut to the headline platform charge from 0.45% to 0.35%, other customers will find themselves paying a lot more in fees, thanks to...
3 June 2026
Five money problems that are nice to have (and how to solve them)Sharing some problems will always inspire a symphony of the world’s smallest violins. With so many people struggling with job losses or rising prices, it’s hardly surprising that you might not be keen to share your worries that you’re earning too much money or have too much in savings.
However, just because something is a nice problem to have, it...
28 May 2026
A new financial world for Gen Z: what they (and their parents) need to knowI recently learned that my mum purchased her first home (with no assistance) at age 24. My largest purchase by age 24 was a MacBook. This partly comes down to some financially questionable decisions by me: I moved to London touting a degree in journalism. My mum lived in a rural area on the east coast of the US as an engineer.
But young people that...
21 May 2026
‘Me’flation: Watch out for these rising pricesThe Bank of England announced that prices rose by 2.8% in the past year to the end of April as measured by the consumer price index, which was down from the 3.3% increase to the end of March. But that might not line up with how inflation has felt for you in the past year, and there’s a good chance your instincts are right.
Inflation readings...
19 May 2026
Are you wealthier than 90% of Brits?AJ Bell analysis of HMRC data shows that to be among the top 20% highest earning taxpayers, you need to make £49,900, and to be in the top 10% you need to make £67,400. There will be people on these kinds of incomes who don’t consider themselves wealthy, but it doesn’t matter what you think: it’s what the government thinks that counts when it comes...
15 May 2026
Investors snap up gilts as Westminster drama shakes bond marketSince the start of this year, there has been a growing sense that Keir Starmer’s leadership of the country and the Labour Party is fading, with last week’s disastrous local election results potentially spelling the end of his premiership.
This intense speculation has led to uncertainty about the future of the country under a new leader, which has...
13 May 2026
Six steps to protect your money during financial and political turbulenceThe drama engulfing Westminster this week is just the latest in a long line of crises that have been unfolding rapidly and unpredictably across the world for months. At times of volatility and uncertainty, it can be difficult to know what to do. Fortunately, there are six steps you can take in any period of upheaval to protect your finances.
1. Don...
1 May 2026
Finfluencer or fraud? Navigating investment content on social mediaJust like nearly every other topic in the world, investing has made its way onto social media. Influencers share their own portfolios, tell you how they made their first £100,000, or their most recent stock picks.
While some of this can be helpful information, it’s a part of social media that is fraught with scams and unreliable information. And...
24 April 2026
What inflation means for your pocketThe consumer price index was up by 3.3% year-on-year in March, compared to 3% in February, as the UK begins to see the effects of the US-Iran war in prices.
At this stage, inflation is fairly lumpy, with the pain felt most keenly at the pumps and for those using oil to heat their homes. However, over the coming months we can expect it to spread to...
24 April 2026
Discover 10 smart ways to limit your tax billThe amount you pay in tax on your earnings, savings and investments over the past year has increased significantly, absorbing a hefty portion of your wealth. With dividend tax rising this month, and key thresholds still frozen for years, it’s worth considering how to keep the taxman from tucking into even more in the years to come.
Income taxThe...
21 April 2026
How much cash should I hold before investing?If you’ve read any tips or checklists to help your get started with investing, you’ll have seen sorting a cash buffer or emergency fund mentioned.
Having a decent chunk of money readily available in an easy access account is a vital part of any financial plan. But there’s a balance to be had between holding too much cash, which might mean you never...
21 April 2026
Will you earn more investing all at once or monthly?Taking your money out of a savings account to put into the market might feel like standing on the edge of a high dive.
So, it makes sense that many investors choose to wade in, by investing just a bit each month, before building up the courage for a full plunge.
The idea of ‘a little bit often’ feels intuitive because it’s the way we approach many...
17 April 2026
Building a rounded portfolioWhen an investor is first setting up their portfolio, they are usually asking themselves some basic questions, like how much risk they are comfortable taking and what goal they are trying to achieve.
For example, if you are uncomfortable seeing the value of your investments move up and down a lot, then you are probably on the risk averse part of...
17 April 2026
What you can do as numbers paying dividend tax doubleDividend tax increases have had a significant impact on investors over the past few years, with pensioners and average earners hit particularly hard. In the coming year this is likely to intensify thanks to the latest dividend tax hike.
A Freedom of Information request from AJ Bell revealed the number of people expected to pay dividend tax in the...
