Self-employed population nears 5m

The number of self-employed people in the UK is inching ever closer to the five million milestone, official statistics show. The Office for National Statistics' final labour market survey of the decade showed a record 4.96m people were registered as self-employed....

Pension saving levels among women hit 15-year high

Pension saving levels among women have hit a 15-year high, according to research from Scottish Widows. YouGov polled 5,036 adults on behalf of Scottish Widows earlier this year and found that 57% are saving enough for retirement. Average savings among women have...

Time runs out to open a help-to-buy ISA

Help-to-buy ISA providers are reporting a last-gasp surge to open the government-backed savings vehicle before it closes for good. Launched in December 2015, the help-to-buy ISA allows first-time buyers to deposit up to £1,000 and save up to £200 a month. Savers get a...

Complex taper catches out high earners

High earners could face large tax bills if they fail to declare pension contributions on their 2018/19 tax returns, according to a report. When completing self-assessment, taxpayers are asked if they have put money into a pension scheme above the annual pensions...

‘Next govt. should lower pensions freedoms age’

Pension freedoms should be extended to people under the age of 55, according to the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA). Introduced in 2015, the freedoms offered more options to over-55s when it comes to accessing their pension before retirement. In the run-up...