The perennial rumours have once again started to circulate about the possible tax targets in the sights of the Chancellor as he seeks to recoup some of the extraordinary costs of the pandemic. As usual, the pensions system is a cause for concern, with speculators and the media alike purporting all sorts of leaks from […]

Many of us who retire before the State Pension Age then dedicate a lot of our time to caring for our grandchildren or other young relatives. If that sounds familiar, then you, or your partner, might well benefit by checking out whether you’re missing out on a very handy boost to your future State Pension. […]

  Rishi Sunak appears to be pushing ahead with plans to encourage pension funds to divert up to £500bn into infrastructure projects and start-up companies in order to boost the economic bounce-back from Covid. His “Long-Term Asset Fund”, announced last November, is planned to launch before the end of 2021. The UK has some £2.2trillion […]

It goes without saying that the World has been a very different place during lockdown… but how much will the World of Work change for older workers when things return to “normal”? By Tony Watts OBE If you’re someone in their 50s 60s or beyond, and still engaged in work, the last year or so […]

Have you ever suffered from ageist attitudes? And, if so, do you think it’s a problem that the country needs to address? By Tony Watts OBE Many people think we are living in an increasingly compartmentalised society, with different groups living in, and separated by, their own communication bubbles and not connecting to others. But […]

While most of us assume that we’ll be retiring at a date of our choosing, new research shows that almost half of early retirees are forced out of work unwillingly by either poor health or redundancy. In fact, found the Just Group research, 33% stop work due to ill health or physical problems, and a […]

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has sounded a warning to people saving for, or in, retirement after research showed that just one in eight is taking advice from an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) while one in five has considered riskier pensions and investment products because of poor returns from mainstream products. The prolonged, historically-low […]

Two thirds (66%) of 2021 retirees risk not having the pension savings to sustain their planned retirement income, according to a new report from Standard Life Aberdeen. The report also says that almost two in five (37%) 2021 retirees have accelerated their retirement plans due to Covid-19. After surveying UK adults planning to retire this […]

New figures show that older workers are being severely affected by the economic repercussions of the Covid pandemic – not just by a huge rise in unemployment figures but also facing reduced incomes if they do get back into work. The implications long term are that anyone saving for their retirement could find themselves either […]

While many of us are comfortable with the notion that “42” is the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”, some people disagree – and even point out that our perception of the meaning of life actually changes as we age. By Tony Watts OBE Most of us, and not just […]