4 March 2026
What is pension auto-enrolment?An auto-enrolment pension is a UK government scheme for employers to ensure their employees are added into a workplace pension. Learn more about auto enrolment.
About the expert
Hannah joined AJ Bell in 2025 as an investment writer. She was previously a journalist at Portfolio Adviser Magazine, reporting on multi-asset, fixed income and equity funds, as well as macroeconomic impacts and regulatory changes within the industry.
Hannah earned a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin before beginning her career in London. Before joining the finance industry, she covered state politics in Texas and worked as a sports reporter.
Latest articles from Hannah Williford
4 March 2026
How to speak with your family about inheritanceMoney is something that sits in that uncomfortable zone of being a huge part of life and the topic no one wants to discuss outright. A study by the Money and Pensions Service found that just 52% of Brits are comfortable speaking to their family about finances.
Often, when the conversations do happen, it can be in vague terms that make it difficult...
26 February 2026
Can you afford the house you want?Buying a home is the biggest purchase that most of us will make, and it has a massive impact on day-to-day life. For many, a first home will be the place they plan to start a family or enjoy the first years of married life. It doesn’t stop there: finding bigger homes or downsizing later in life are just as much the start of a new chapter.
We want...
19 February 2026
Should you be investing more in your pension or ISA?As much as we may want to invest, for most of us, there’s only so much money left over each month to put in the market. This means needing to pick and choose what we invest for, and how to make those investments. Fortunately, the UK offers two tax-efficient wrappers for investments through pensions and ISAs which can be a good starting point for...
18 February 2026
When to call it quits on an investmentIf you were invested in an index fund last year, there’s a good chance that your investment made money. In the past year, the MSCI World returned 12.8%, the FTSE returned 25.8% and, despite it’s early wobble, the S&P 500 returned 8.4% (all in pounds sterling and based on data from FE Fundinfo).
But this success might leave some investors with a...
18 February 2026
How I invest: taking responsibility for managing the pension potFor the past few decades, Ian’s life has been a whirl of raising two children with his wife and trekking up the corporate ladder to become a chief technology officer, while fitting in a few nice holidays along the way.
But now, he’s taking some well-deserved rest. Ian is in his late 50s and both of his children have flown the nest to start...
16 February 2026
Bonds are flying under the radar: are passive or active funds best for exposure?Equity markets have kept investors on their toes in the last year. Between a stream of tariff announcements, policy shifts, and AI speculation, there have been more than enough factors to keep track of.
While equity markets often take the spotlight, bonds have been chugging along in the background with their own share of changes. So, what do...
13 February 2026
Investors are cooling on money market funds: where are they heading now?So far this year, AJ Bell DIY investors are a bit more adventurous than in 2025, with less interest in money market funds than was seen last year, and more interest in UK and global funds.
However, two areas that investors seem to be cooling on are funds focused on tech and North America. Some of this movement is likely due to geopolitical nerves...
12 February 2026
Applying for a mortgage? What to considerBuying a home is an equally exciting and exhausting process. By the time you get to sorting out your...
11 February 2026
Will you be impacted by the state pension age increase?The state pension is the bedrock upon which millions of Brits build their retirement plans. However, the sands are shifting, with a long-trailed hike in the state pension age to 67 kicking off from April this year and completing in 2028.
In the short term, that is a recipe for confusion – many of those affected during the transition will inevitably...
