PENSIONSANDSAVINGS.COM

The chancellor could and should have been far more radical.   There is still no requirement to use any pension assets to back British growth.  Just merging pension funds is no guarantee of boosting returns or improving UK infrastructure. Of course I applaud the Chancellors worth intention to facilitate more pension asset investment in higher expected return projects. Her radical reforms, however, could and should have been much bolder. With £70billion of taxpayer funds going into people’s pensions each year, surely…

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Autumn Budget 2024 – Employers, Pensioners and Pensions all hit.    Higher employer National Insurance contributions likely to mean lower pay and pension contributions as employers struggle to meet rising labour costs.  Ending Inheritance Tax exemption for unused pension pots will penalise pensioners’ children and see more people taking all the money from their pensions while still relatively young.  Triple lock gives much more money to youngest pensioners, while those beyond their early seventies will see much lower State Pension…

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Budget 2024 – some good news for British workers, companies and markets. British ISA to direct an extra £5,000 ISA allowance for investing in UK equities – we mustn’t let this be derailed by consultation. And good to see that the Chancellor wants to drive more pension money to support UK companies and growth too. This was a difficult Budget and I really hope it provides the kind of boost for growth that Britain really needs, both now and for…

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Pension funds and ISAs can help the Chancellor out of his fiscal hole by investing more in Britain to revive British long-term growth, infrastructure and housing supply.  Pensions and ISAs have abandoned UK equity markets – restoring domestic investor support should be a Budget priority.  25% of new pension contributions to be invested in UK assets and Mansion House reforms expanded to cover listed and unlisted UK companies.  A £10,000 Great British ISA.  Investors can still put their money overseas…

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Misleading cost disclosures are reducing investments in alternative energy and harming UK growth.   UK investment Companies are ready-made for kick-starting pension investment in sustainable UK growth, but FCA charge reporting rules makes them look high-cost, deterring new investors. No more dithering and delay – Government should intervene now to ensure the FCA stops these inappropriate EU-derived charge disclosure rules being applied to UK investment companies. FCA objectives to ensure fair competition, well-functioning, orderly markets, properly informed consumers and accurate charge…

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UK economic growth under threat as investment trust crisis damages investments in UK infrastructure, renewable energy and real estate projects.    Chancellor’s Mansion House reforms want pension funds to invest more to boost key sectors, but new regulatory cost disclosure rules have driven investors out of UK investment companies. Since 2022, waves of selling have caused funding to dry up, as official guidance – derived from EU disclosure standards – which EU firms do not even use – has artificially…

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