Nine out of ten employees continue to work even while being ill Feeling ill? Well, staying at home would seem to be the sensible course of action. However, for many, going to work while sick has become the norm. Employers are seeing more staff turning up to work while ill, according to a new survey[1].

5 tips that add up to teaching your child about money matters Understanding how money works is an essential life skill. Unfortunately, for a lot of people, these lessons come later than they should, and often as the result of something going terribly wrong.

How much should you try to save to have a comfortable retirement? The good news is that the number of people saving enough for a comfortable retirement has hit its highest ever level, with almost three in five Britons (59%) now saving adequately for the future[1]. This is a significant improvement from the 55% proportion … Continue reading “Saving adequately for the future”

Annual and lifetime limits When it comes to managing money, one of the things some people find most difficult to understand is the tax relief they receive on payments into their pension. Tax relief means some of your money that would have gone to the Government as tax goes into your pension instead. You can … Continue reading “Tax relief and pensions”

Putting a value on your pension savings in the future The pension lifetime allowance is a limit on the value of payouts from your pension schemes – whether lump sums or retirement income – that can be made without triggering an extra tax charge. The lifetime allowance for most people is £1,055,000 in the tax … Continue reading “Pension lifetime allowance”

The foundation of most people’s retirement plans Data for people qualifying for the full new State Pension following its introduction in April 2016 reveals that almost two in five pensioners (365,290 people, or 38% of claimants) receive less than £150 a week, while a further 314,290 people (33% of claimants) receive more than £150 a … Continue reading “State Pension”

Government’s bid to ensure ‘pension age equalisation’ On 3 October, campaigners lost a significant legal battle against the Government’s handling of the rise in women’s State Pension age. Up until 2010, women received their State Pensions at the age of 60, but that has been increasing since then.

Building up a pot of money to provide an income in retirement With a defined contribution pension, you build up a pot of money that you can then use to provide an income in retirement. Unlike defined benefit schemes, which promise a specific income, the income you might get from a defined contribution scheme depends … Continue reading “Defined contribution pension schemes”

Paying out a secure income for life which increases each year A defined benefit pension scheme is one where the amount paid to you is set using a formula based on how many years you’ve worked for your employer and the salary you’ve earned, rather than the value of your investments. If you work or … Continue reading “Defined benefit pension schemes”

Saving tax-efficiently for retirement A personal pension is a type of defined contribution pension. You choose the provider and make arrangements for your contributions to be paid. If you haven’t got a workplace pension, getting a personal pension could be a good way of saving for retirement.