The other major announcement concerned the so-called ‘Triple Lock’. This ensures that the state pension is supposed to increase every year in line with whichever of inflation, the average wage increase or 2.5% is the highest. The Conservative manifesto at the 2019 election said that the Triple Lock would remain in place for the duration […]
The Government has made a series of important announcements this month as it seeks to address the two biggest issues in its in-tray – the need to start paying down the debt incurred as a result of the pandemic and, secondly, the social care crisis. The requirement to tackle how social care is funded has […]
Many of you will be continuing to read news reports detailing concerns about the potential impact of inflation on the UK and global economies. Consumer price inflation in the UK rose to its highest level in almost three years in June – hitting 2.5% against a forecast of 2.2%. Fuel prices and second-hand car sales […]
One of the areas where we have been most busy during the pandemic has been around future planning. While it is clearly integral to all of the long-term planning that we carry out on behalf of clients, there is no question that the seismic events of the last 18 months have led a good number […]
It is now just over two weeks since the team at Phillip Bates Financial Services returned to the office. We have enjoyed being back in Neston and from the number of face-to-face meetings we’ve had since returning, it is safe to say that many of you are too! While we may be back in our […]
There has been a lot of positive economic data circulating over recent days. The pound touched a three-year high as reports showed that British manufacturing grew at its fastest rate in almost 30 years, while house prices have risen at their fastest pace for almost seven years. Alongside this, we have seen far less volatility […]
We are delighted to report that Helen Brown has made it into her industry’s most prestigious guide. Helen, a chartered financial planner, is listed in VouchedFor’s 2021 Top Rated Financial Adviser Guide, produced in conjunction with The Times newspaper. Helen is one of only a select band to receive more than 130 positive reviews from […]
This Budget was always going to be a tricky balancing act for Chancellor Rishi Sunak. After a year of unprecedented public spending, he had to decide how much longer to extend the nation’s safety net against the realisation that the country needs to begin paying back some of the vast national debt it has accrued. […]
Many of you will know of my long-time involvement with Caldy Cricket Club. I am therefore delighted that Phillip Bates & Co Financial Services is able to play an important role in helping the club celebrate its centenary this year. We are sponsoring a range of commemorative kit, including playing shirts, polo shirts and caps. […]
The question I get asked more than most at the moment is: “Why are investment values going up when we are in a pandemic?” It is a natural question to ask because most people would assume that during a crisis as severe as this one that values would take a hammering. The reality is somewhat […]
