Economy

Royal London launches IHT hub

Royal London has launched an Inheritance Tax (IHT) hub to support advisers through client...

International buyers hold 203,000 homes

Almost 203,000 homes across England and Wales are owned by international homeowners, with London...

Calmer housing market emerges, but tax drag still weighs on first-time buyers

A period of stabilisation is taking shape in the housing market as mortgage rates...

Inflation rise seen as temporary as rate cut hopes remain

UK inflation ticked higher at the end of last year but is still expected...

Half of UK homes rise in value as northern markets outperform South

Around half of the UK’s 30m homes increased in value during 2025 with gains...

House prices edge higher as London lags regions

UK house prices picked up pace towards the end of last year with annual...

Buy-to-let lending rebounds as yields rise

Buy-to-let mortgage lending rebounded sharply in the third quarter of 2025 as falling interest...

Nationwide extends six times income lending to movers and remortgagers

Britain’s biggest building society has widened access to higher loan-to-income borrowing, extending six times...

Barclays steps up broker investment as mortgage volumes shift to intermediaries

Barclays is deepening its commitment to mortgage brokers as it accelerates its push for...

Royal London highlights role of income protection

Income protection and wider workplace support are increasingly critical as workers grapple with health...

MPs warn UK regulators are lagging on AI risks in finance

Britain’s financial regulators are failing to keep pace with the risks posed by artificial...

Mortgage lenders turn to AI to tackle delays

UK mortgage lenders are increasingly prioritising technology and process reform as economic pressures continue...

Equity release largely absent from retirement planning

Equity release is still largely missing from retirement planning conversations, research from Canada Life...

Barclays targets mortgage growth as it pivots to retail banking

Barclays is stepping up its focus on the UK mortgage market as part of...

COMMENT

We need to wait to get a clearer picture

It's been a week where the political and economic backdrop has moved almost as fast as rates themselves, and it's worth taking stock of...

Leasehold valuation reform: the consultation is asking only half the question

The Government's consultation on leasehold enfranchisement valuation rates is important because it will help determine what leaseholders pay to extend leases or buy freeholds,...

What commonhold will mean for mortgage lenders and brokers

Commonhold is often presented as the straightforward alternative to leasehold. It removes the freeholder, gives flat owners greater control and avoids some familiar problems...

Why you need to know what sits behind the average review score

There’s a funny thing about review scores. The better they are, the less likely we are to question them. If a company is sitting at...

The new Chancellor wants to remove barriers to growth; he should start with housing

There was probably a degree of unintended irony in the Treasury choosing to call the Chancellor, John Healey’s, first major market ‘intervention’ his ‘Growth...

Latest news

MAB revenue rises as refinancing drives mortgage completions

Mortgage Advice Bureau reported an 8.6% increase in first-half revenue to £161.0m as higher...

FCA warns consumers over pressure tactics in debt advice market

The Financial Conduct Authority has warned consumers to be alert to firms using pressure...

Landlords adapt portfolios as Renters’ Rights Act beds in

Landlords are adjusting their operating models to the Renters' Rights Act rather than retreating...

Chetwood Bank takes Tower 42 office as balance sheet reaches £7bn

Chetwood Bank has opened a new London office in Tower 42 as it expands...

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