Pensions, savings and investments

Businesses leaving employees in the dark about rewards and pay

17 May 12

Companies failing to communicate with employees about their remuneration package, including salaries and benefits, are 'wasting' their money and failing to reap the benefits, research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has claimed.

Millions set to retire on less than the minimum wage

17 May 12

More than six million of the UKs over 50s will live on less than the minimum wage in retirement, a new survey has found.

Millions of taxpayers in line for early tax refund

14 May 12

HMRC has confirmed that more than three million tax refunds are to be sent out as of next week - two months earlier than previous years - due to an earlier review of the amount of tax paid for 2011/12 via the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system.

Pension auto-enrolment eludes employees

10 May 12

More than two thirds of UK employees have little or no understanding of upcoming pension changes, despite auto-enrolment coming into force for many employees in October this year, a study by Aviva has found.

New defined benefit pension rules offer 'breathing space' for employers

30 Apr 12

The Pensions Regulator is to relax the rules regarding defined benefit pension schemes, after fears that businesses are putting themselves at risk struggling to maintain funding in the current economic climate.

Over 50s may have to work an extra 11 years to afford retirement

25 Apr 12

Millions of older workers may have to work well into their late 70s in order to live comfortably in retirement, new research from the Pension Policy Institute (PPI) has found.

Will writing and estate administration should be regulated, says advisory group

24 Apr 12

Providers of Will-writing and estate administration services should be regulated, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has said, after research found an inadequate standard of Will administration and safekeeping of consumer's money.

Early staging dates for pension auto enrolment now available

23 Apr 12

Businesses now have the option to bring forward the staging date in which they will automatically enrol employees into a work place pension scheme.

Treasury report criticises Budget reforms and quantitative easing

19 Apr 12

The Government should do more to warn savers about the effects of 'loose' monetary policies, including quantitative easing (QE) and low interest rates, which have damaged pension savings; a Treasury Committee report on the Budget has found.

Inflation unexpectedly rises to 3.5%

17 Apr 12

Inflation in the UK rose in March to 3.5 per cent, up from 3.4 per cent the previous month, driven by higher food, clothing and recreation prices, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Guidance published on reduced rate of inheritance tax

16 Apr 12

HMRC has released guidance on the new reduced rate of inheritance tax available to estates which leave a ten per cent donation to a registered charity.

Average weekly state pension rises

11 Apr 12

The average weekly state pension for 2012/13 has risen by £6 from £118 to £124 according to Government estimations following changes which came into effect last week.

Government to explore new workplace pension options

10 Apr 12

The Government is to explore new types of workplace pension schemes in order to give firms and employees more certainty about the amount of income they can expect to pay out or receive, says minister for pensions Steve Webb.

New tax year brings in tax and benefit changes

05 Apr 12

Significant tax and benefit changes, which come into force with the beginning of the 2012/13 tax year on 6 April, will affect millions of families around the UK, according to Government and opposition figures.

ISAs: Have you made the most of your allowance?

30 Mar 12

With the end of the financial year approaching, investors have less than a week to make the most of their annual tax-efficient Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance.