After a period of volatility in the middle of the day bond markets rallied alongside modest gains for sterling. Yields on 10-year government bonds, a source of concern for the government ahead of the budget, have seen a modest rally after a chaotic period in the middle of the day. Market open saw bond yields…
The Government has abolished the stamp duty on share purchases in newly listed companies. The move is aimed at making London a more attractive destination for investment after one of the quietest years on record for new listings. The change scraps a tax that investors paid when purchasing shares in a company going public. The…
The chancellor announced that lower taxes for retail and hospitality businesses will be funded by higher charges on large commercial properties, shifting more of the tax burden onto the UK’s biggest industrial and infrastructure sites. By announcing rate reductions for 750,000 shops, cafés and leisure venues, Rachel Reeves has brought business rates for the retail,…
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, the controversial measure that prevented families on benefits from claiming support for more than two children. The move was greeted with cheers by Labour MPs who have long opposed the cap, that was introduced by the Conservative government in 2017. The removal of the…
Motoring groups criticised the new tax levied on electric and hybrid vehicles announced in the Budget, which is expected to affect 1.7 million UK motorists from 2028. The new pay-per-mile road charge will be set at 3 pence per mile for electric vehicles and 1.5 pence for plug-in hybrids, meaning that drivers of these vehicles…
The minimum wage will increase by 4% in April with even bigger increases for younger workers, under plans announced in the Budget on Tuesday. Over-21s will see their minimum wage rise by 50p to £12.71 an hour while, for those aged between 18-20, it will rise by 85p to £10.85 an hour. For 16 and…
Owners of homes worth more than £2m will face a new annual surcharge of at least £2,500 a year under plans unveiled in the Budget. Properties valued above £2m by the Valuation Office Agency from April 2028 will incur a recurring levy, paid in addition to council tax. The charge will apply across four pricing…
The cap on the salary sacrifice scheme will weaken saving incentives for young workers. Rachel Reeves has imposed a cap on salary sacrifice schemes in a move that will raise £5bn for the Treasury in 2029 when it comes into place, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. “Salary-sacrificed pension contributions above £2,000 will be…
Rachel Reeves has confirmed the tax-free allowance on cash ISAs will be cut for under 65s in a bid to encourage more Britons to invest their savings. The current £20,000 allowance will be slashed to £12,000 by April 2027. By doing so, The Chancellor hopes to encourage more Britons to invest their remaining savings in…
Rachel Reeves has announced an immediate reduction of capital gains tax relief for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) from 100 percent to 50 percent. The move aims to preserve an incentive for these types of companies while supporting government forecasts for increasing revenue from £14bn this year to £30bn by 2030. This is estimated to raise…