The Covid-19 pandemic is expected to be the catalyst for significant workplace changes, including more flexible working options. It’s a trend that could affect the housing market as aspiring buyers shift their priorities. When searching for a home, ease of getting to work has long been a priority for buyers. Sellers with properties that have benefitted from excellent transport options or are located in commuter towns have benefitted from rising property prices. But with more people working remotely or at flexible times, this could change. Before the pandemic took hold, 18% of workers regularly ..read more

Financial protection can provide you and your loved ones with security. However, there are myths that stop people from choosing a product that may be right for them. One of these is that financial protection policies don’t pay out and insurers will find any reason not to honour a claim you’ve made. If this is something you’ve heard, you’re not the only one but it is a myth that can be damaging. The truth is financial protection products overwhelmingly pay out when a claim is made. In 2019 alone the insurance industry paid out more than £5.7 billion to policyholders that made a claim, figures f ..read more

Young adults planning to head to university this year have faced more challenges than usual thanks to Covid-19. Yet, come September, thousands will still be heading to university and, for some, that will mean independence for the first time. Questions remain over how universities will tackle social distancing restrictions when it comes to lectures, seminars and accessing resources like the library. However, if your child or grandchild is moving away from home to attend university, they’ll need to take control of their finances no matter how courses are structured. If they haven’t had to pay th ..read more

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant we’ve evaluated many areas of our lives and priorities. One area that’s now being reconsidered by the over-60s is their later life care plan. Research suggests that the challenges and restrictions care homes faced during lockdown mean people are keen to explore the alternatives. With many care home residents being vulnerable to illness and the proximity to others, they faced higher infection rates. This sadly led to death and serious illness in some cases, with loved ones unable to visit to offer comfort. On top of this, care homes stopped permitting visitors, i ..read more

Even with careful financial planning, shocks can happen. Often financial crises are unexpected and out of our control, so it’s important to have a safety net to fall back on. However, research suggests that most people don’t feel confident in their ability to overcome a financial crisis. Whether it’s unexpected property maintenance or redundancy, it’s essential that you feel confident in your financial situation. Research from Aegon indicates this isn’t the case for millions of Brits though. It found just three in ten men and two in ten women are confident they could financially handle a major ..read more

Planning for retirement should be an exciting time in your life. You’re able to give up work and focus on the things you enjoy. But what if your aspirations and financial expectations don’t line up with your partner’s? Creating a balance can help both of you feel fulfilled in the next stage of your life. It’s not uncommon to find that partners have conflicting views of what they want retirement to look like. While you’re both working, you may have discussed ensuring you have enough saved or even talked about some of the things you’d like to do. However, most of us don’t start considering retir ..read more

Restrictions on travel and concerns about the coronavirus pandemic may have affected your holiday plans for the summer months. There’s been a lot of contradictory information about what you’re entitled to and if you must cancel. So, we take a look at what your rights are and what your next steps should be if you’re affected. Most people with travel plans in the next few months have had to abandon them. The Foreign Office currently advises against all non-essential travel, whether you’d been planning to visit a destination in the UK or abroad. On top of this, several countries have also, in eff ..read more

After a brief slump, the demand for rented homes has bounced back. After decades of rising property prices and rental yields, it’s easy to see why people want to invest their savings in the property market. However, being a landlord comes with outgoings and responsibility too. If you’re thinking about using property to boost your income, there are some important things to consider first. The initial impact of Covid-19 saw a 57% fall in demand for rental housing in the two weeks to 30th March. But the market is starting to bounce back, though is still lower than before the pandemic began. It’s ..read more

For students planning to head to university, it’s already been an emotional time. With college suspended due to Covid-19 and exams cancelled, there has been some uncertainty around how grades will be awarded, which could affect where they head to study for the next few years. As a parent or grandparent, you may be wondering if university is the right decision for them too. The good news is that research shows most students benefit financially from attending university. It’s a step that can pay off in the long run, but it’s still a significant financial undertaking for young adults. According t ..read more

If you’ve been putting off reviewing your finances, the lockdown is the perfect opportunity to complete some tasks that could help make sure your finances and plans remain on track. With potentially more time on your hands, here are six things to do during the stay at home period. 1. Review your will and Power of Attorney It’s estimated that more than half of UK adults don’t have a will in place and even more haven’t established a Power of Attorney. These two legal documents are vital for ensuring your wishes are carried out. Even if you do have both of these in place, take some time during lo ..read more