24 July 2025

Why you may have to wait longer to claim the state pension

The government has launched a new review of the state pension age, which may mean that it rises to the age of 68 sooner than planned.

Currently both men and women can claim the state pension from the age of 66, but this is already planned to rise to 67 and to 68 for future pensioners. However, the government has launched the third review of the...

10 July 2025

What could Mansion House speech mean for the future of pensions and ISAs?

After a bruising few weeks, the chancellor will be hoping to reset the agenda at next week’s Mansion House speech, likely turning her attention to pensions again and trying to persuade voters this government can plot a path toward a more prosperous retirement for millions of Brits.

Phase two of the government’s Pensions Review will look at adequacy...

29 April 2025

Government to press ahead with plans to consolidate small pension pots

Automatic enrolment is one of the big public policy success stories of our time. But it’s not without its flaws. People start a pension when they join an employer, but when they switch employer, they often leave their old pension behind, neglected and unloved. This has created a plethora of small pension pots which are easily forgotten.

Confirmatio...

28 March 2025

Navigating a decade of pension freedoms

Next month we will be lighting the candles on the cake celebrating 10 years of pension freedoms. George Osborne’s 2014 Budget bombshell was a dramatic initiative which ripped up the rulebook on annuities and gave people more control over how they access their pension savings.

In the biggest pensions shake-up in a generation, government relaxed some...

18 February 2025

Are you one of the 20 million people with a lost pension?

There has been a boom in the number of small pension pots in the UK, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found. There were around 20 million defined contribution pension pots valued under £10,000 in 2023 which are no longer being topped up and are worth a total of almost £30 billion, according to an IFS report.

The think tank claims over...

6 February 2025

AJ Bell calls for Lifetime ISA rules changes alongside package of ISA reforms to boost investment

AJ Bell is calling on government to strengthen the appeal of the Lifetime ISA as part of a broader package of ISA reforms designed to incentivise investing and boost UK markets.

Responding to the Treasury Committee’s call for evidence on the Lifetime ISA, the business has set out a series of reforms intended to enhance the appeal of the Lifetime...

24 January 2025

AJ Bell urges government to rethink inheritance tax on pension proposals

When the government first set out its plans to bring pensions into inheritance tax (IHT) at the Autumn Budget, it became apparent to many in the industry that its initial proposals were unworkable. Not only do they threaten to create delays and complexity, leading to financial gridlock in the probate process, but in many cases could lead to...

30 October 2024

Value of lost pensions hits £31 billion – should you combine your pots?

The total value of ‘lost’ pension pots has hit £31.1 billion increased by £4.5 billion, new data published by the Pensions Policy Institute reveals*, having risen from £26.6 billion in 2022. Almost 3.3 million pension pots are now considered lost, containing an average sum of £9,470. This rises to £13,620 per pension among people aged 55 to 75.

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12 September 2024

Three priorities for Labour’s first Budget

The first Budget for new Chancellor Rachel Reeves is coming at the end of October. The rumour mill has already geared up with speculation on what could be included, but we’ve laid out three key areas the Government could focus on when it comes to people’s investments and savings.

ISA simplification

At a time when government is facing significant...