Pensions

Why More People Are Paying 40% Tax, and How to Avoid the Costly Traps.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ second Labour Budget was delivered in late November 2025 amid lots of speculation as to possible tax changes and given the backdrop of the significant changes made in the previous year.

Spring has brought a busy start to 2026, and our first newsletter of the year offers a timely update as we approach the end of the tax year.

Shona Robison’s final Scottish Budget for 2026/27 was delivered yesterday after a delay caused by the late UK Budget, marking a pivotal moment ahead of the May Holyrood elections and her departure from frontline politics. The Budget sets out tax, welfare, and public‑service plans that will shape Scotland’s political debate over the coming months.

Many of us take steps to prepare for retirement – setting aside savings, managing our Inheritance Tax position, or making Wills. Yet one crucial area often gets overlooked: planning for future care needs.

You should review your personal and investment situation before the April 2026 deadline to ensure you have made the most of any available allowances and reliefs.

Yesterday, Wednesday 26 November, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her second budget. We have sifted through the details which we feel will be the most significant to our clients, and we hope the following review will be helpful.

State Pension Payments Predicted to Rise by over £550 next year. The state pension is expected to rise in April…

Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement. We have sifted through the details and hope the following review, which we feel will be the most significant to our clients, will be helpful.

2025 has been a mixed year, so far. The winners of 2023 and 2024 are not currently faring so well, with US stocks lagging behind Europe and the UK as the “Magnificent 7” technology companies decline in value.

A Rollercoaster Start to the Year -
2025 has begun with the market’s focus flipping between different topics at a lightning pace. Firstly, government bond yields spiked higher and created alarm about budget deficits. However, lower inflation data made those fears subside and led to a strong rally...

We are at a point in time where US stocks are dominating all others, in terms of both their outright size and the strength of their returns. In 2024, the MSCI USA index gained 24.6%, almost double the 12.4% return achieved by the rest of the world (MSCI World ex-USA). However, 2025 does bring a mixed outlook for unemployment and inflation, in the US and elsewhere, therefore it will be interesting to see if investment returns can remain so strong in the coming year.