You could be forgiven for thinking that the issue of rising inflation and interest rates had come out of nowhere given the frenzied doom and gloom among some sections of the media. But, as regular readers of this newsletter will know, the onset of tougher financial conditions was something that had long been anticipated. The […]
We are delighted to announce that Helen Brown has been included in a prestigious guide of the UK’s top financial advisers. Helen, a Chartered Financial Planner at Phillip Bates & Co Financial Services, features in the newly published ‘VouchedFor’s 2022 Top Rated Financial Adviser Guide’, produced in conjunction with The Times newspaper. Helen was one […]
We continue to be shocked and concerned at the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the senseless loss of life. I have had a few questions from clients asking how the conflict and the sanctions being imposed on the Russian regime may affect portfolios. The reassuring answer I can give you is that our clients’ […]
The Chancellor’s Spring Statement did not make for easy listening last week. Rishi Sunak’s announcements on the raising of the National Insurance threshold by £3,000 and the 5p a litre cut in fuel duty were welcome. Likewise, the promise that he would reduce the basic rate of income tax from 20p to 19p in 2024 […]
This month will see Jan Jones, one of our colleagues at Phillip Bates & Co, raising money for children’s hospice Claire House, by trekking in the Himalayas. Jan, part of our accountancy team, will be travelling to Nepal to trek to Everest Base Camp, a trek of over 80 miles at high altitude and temperatures […]
Waking up to reports this morning of an assault on Ukraine, one’s first thoughts are with potential loss of life and liberty and, sadly, how this may affect the rest of the world. There was an absolute inevitability that markets would fall sharply first thing. This is the result of uncertainty, more sellers than buyers, […]
You may have seen some headlines recently about the Trust Registration Service (TRS), which was established by HMRC in 2017. The TRS is a register of the beneficial ownership of trusts and new rules introduced on October 6, 2020, extended the scope of the trust register. Trustee clients need to be aware of their obligation […]
It seems that every way we look at the moment, uncertainty reigns. At home, we have the uncertainty caused by rising energy costs, the latest rise in interest rates (now 0.5% following last week’s Bank of England decision) and the corresponding concerns over people’s cost of living. Then, there is the continuing saga surrounding Prime […]
Looking back at my end of year message to clients a year ago, we were still to face the most testing period of the pandemic and the UK was just days away from leaving the European Union. Despite these substantial challenges, 2021 has been a year when the markets have shown remarkable resilience and investments […]
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is pinning his hopes on a supercharged boost to productivity to ensure future economic growth. The Budget unveiled by Mr Sunak had more of the hallmarks of former Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown than one you would typically associate with a Conservative government. Rather than austerity, Mr Sunak announced an extra £150billion of […]
