Financial wellbeing has many facets

Financial wellbeing has many facets

 

According to research1, 81% of the UK’s wealthiest individuals are ‘stressed’ about their finances, suggesting financial wellbeing is about more than just the totality of your wealth. So, virtually everyone has concerns about what their financial future will look like. 

Home Finance – In the news

location is key for home finance and mortgages

 

Location, location, location 

Homeowners are willing to pay more for convenience, as a short walk to a town centre or high street could boost a home’s value by more than £80,0001.  In England, homes that are close to a town are worth 27.6% more than the average property. 

Your bonus, your pension?

Colleagues talking about putting their bonuses into their pensions

 

Receiving a bonus at work as a reward for a job well done is highly satisfying, but with bonuses subject to Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions, you face losing a significant portion of your hard-earned money. A bonus may even push you into a higher tax band, meaning that you receive an even smaller sum than expected. 

Money – In the news

Financial goals fall by the wayside

 

Financial goals fall by the wayside 

A poll has found that 57% of adults had money-related goals for 2024, such as reducing debt and wanting more disposable income1. However, two-thirds (67%) had given up on achieving their financial aims by the end of Q1; 16% said this was due to having unrealistic expectations, and 10% put it down to laziness. 

Economic Review – July 2024

 

UK growth stronger than expected

Figures released last month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK economy grew faster in May than had been predicted, while survey evidence points to a more recent post-election pick-up in business activity.

Why ‘home bias’ could mean missing out on investment returns

 

Does your investment portfolio suffer from too much ‘home bias’? It’s natural for investors to stay close to home when thinking about investing, contemplating well-known UK companies or UK-focused funds rather than looking further afield. But if your portfolio becomes too heavily concentrated in the UK, you risk missing out on valuable diversification benefits and better potential returns elsewhere.  

Commercial Property Market Review July 2024

 

A report from Carter Jonas indicates some growth in commercial markets recently 

According to MSCI, annual retail rental growth was 0.9% in May – the highest annual growth rate since 2016. While rental values have grown modestly since 2022, values are still 17% lower than the peak seen in 2018.