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ISA shake-up risks reversing decade of simplification - Charles Stanley


By Goran Nastic

Proposed reforms to ISAs could undo much of the simplification introduced in 2014 and leave savers facing a “more restrictive and complex landscape”, Charles Stanley Direct has warned.

Under reported plans expected from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the annual cash ISA allowance would fall from £20,000 to £12,000 for under-65s from April 2027, while a new 22% charge would apply to interest earned on cash held within stocks & shares ISAs


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Rental yields remain stable in Q1 – Pegasus Insight

Rental yields across the private rented sector (PRS) have remained stable at 6.5% in Q1, following a period of "modest softening", Pegasus Insight has found

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Most Brits follow online financial advice without checking risks, study finds

The majority of Brits are acting on financial advice from social media, AI tools, and other unregulated sources without properly verifying the information or understanding the risks involved, a new study from Zable has found

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Flatter housing market conditions increase brokers’ transparency – conveybuddy

Advisers are becoming increasingly focused on transparency, communication and customer outcomes across the property transaction process as market activity begins to stabilise following volatility earlier in the year, conveybuddy has stated

Brokers predict further rise in near prime mortgage demand

Brokers are seeing growing demand for near prime mortgage products, with expectations that this trend will continue into 2026, a new poll by Atom Bank has revealed

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Income tax and NICs hit ‘eye-watering’ record high in April – HMRC

Income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid through wages reached a record high of £52.5bn in April, marking a £4.7bn year-on-year increase, HMRC has revealed
IHT receipts fall year-on-year in April

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts have fallen by £65m year-on-year in April to £700m, HMRC has revealed.

The first results of the new financial year follow a record-breaking year, when £8.5bn was collected in the 2025/26 financial year

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Over half of house moves collapse post-offer acceptance – OPDA

More than half (58%) of house moves collapse after an offer has been accepted, costing the economy a potential £2bn a year in time and fees, the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has revealed

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Income tax and NICs hit ‘eye-watering’ record high in April – HMRC

Income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid through wages reached a record high of £52.5bn in April, marking a £4.7bn year-on-year increase, HMRC has revealed

IHT receipts fall year-on-year in April

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts have fallen by £65m year-on-year in April to £700m, HMRC has revealed. The first results of the new financial year follow a record-breaking year, when £8.5bn was collected in the 2025/26 financial year

Wes Streeting proposes ‘wealth tax’ as part of leadership campaign

Former Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has pledged to align capital gains tax (CGT) with income tax as part of his campaign to become Labour leader

Two in five people not confident in six-month deadline to pay pensions IHT bill

Over two in five (43%) of UK adults aren’t confident the six-month deadline for paying inheritance tax (IHT) on unused pension funds will be long enough, new research by Standard Life has shown

CFIT launches roadmap as part of the Open Property Coalition

The Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) has launched its Roadmap for Open Property, following the completion of the first phase of Open Property Coalition. Backed by the mortgage industry and funded by the Department for Business and Trade, the coalition is aiming to transform the current "slow and fragmented" homebuying process, signalling the next phase of the UK’s Smart Data initiative

Gatehouse Bank partners with Finvise

Gatehouse Bank has launched a new partnership with AI-powered surveyor expertise platform, Finvise

TISA calls for vulnerable consumer safeguards under redress reform

The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA) has urged the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure proposed reforms to the redress system include clear safeguards for vulnerable consumers

News in brief - 11 May 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Together, Zephyr Homeloans and Hope Capital Property Finance

Savings product choice hits new record

The number of savings products available on the market has risen to 2,540 deals, according to data from Moneyfacts

Bridging lending remains consistent in Q1

Purchasing an investment asset remained the most popular use of bridging finance in Q1, accounting for 22% of all transactions, according to the latest Bridging Trends data. The latest figure was unchanged from Q4 2025, although the impact from the conflict in the Middle East won’t be fully clear until Q2

Quilter Financial Planning adds eight AR firms to adviser network

Quilter Financial Planning has added eight new appointed representative (AR) firms to its advice network

Santander completes £2.65bn TSB acquisition

Santander UK has completed the acquisition of TSB for an all-cash consideration of £2.65bn

Just 1% in pension returns could add £150k to retirement savings - study

Even a modest improvement in pension investment performance could dramatically increase retirement savings, with a 1% rise in annual returns potentially adding more than £150,000 to a worker’s pension pot over the course of their career, suggests new research from Smart Pension.

Abbey Life pension scheme secures £200m buy-in with Standard Life

The Abbey Life Assurance Company Limited Staff Pension Scheme has completed a £200m buy-in with Standard Life, which is also the scheme sponsor, securing the benefits of more than 1,500 members

Pensions Commission calls for system evolution amid widespread undersaving

The Pensions Commission has warned that the pension system needs to evolve to meet modern working lives, with 15 million people in the UK currently undersaving for retirement, according to its interim report. The report highlighted that the issue was particularly evident among low and middle earners, the self-employed, and women, and the number undersaving could reach 19 million people without action

Leeds Building Society pension scheme completes £66m buy-in with Royal London

The Leeds Building Society Staff Pension Scheme has completed a £66m buy-in with Royal London, securing the benefits of 590 members

Most Brits follow online financial advice without checking risks, study finds

The majority of Brits are acting on financial advice from social media, AI tools, and other unregulated sources without properly verifying the information or understanding the risks involved, a new study from Zable has found

UK inflation falls to 2.8%

The UK inflation rate has fallen to 2.8% in the year to April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed

Over-60s residential property wealth three times more than DC pension market value

Total residential property wealth held by the over-60s is estimated at £2.92trn around three times more than the total market value of all DC pension assets in the UK at £950bn, analysis published by Key Equity Release has revealed

One in 10 parents are investing in children’s future – Alliance Witan

Just over one in 10 (11%) parents are currently investing on behalf of their children, Alliance Witan has found

UK financial advisers lack trust in system outputs

Financial advisers in the UK lack faith in their system outputs, with just 7% saying they are very confident that their systems produce consistent outputs, research from Defaqto has revealed

Söderberg, Seccl, and Plannr launch new adviser tech integration

Söderberg & Partners Platform, Seccl, and Plannr Technologies have successfully launched a new integration which will deliver a fully unified, API-first ecosystem for financial advisers and their clients

Downing launches IHT calculator ahead of anticipated receipts surge

Downing has announced the launch of a new inheritance tax (IHT) calculator ahead of a forecasted surge in receipts over the next five years

Majority of financial planning firms say AI will not impact headcount

Seventy per cent of financial planning firms have reported that AI will not impact their headcount this year, with just 3% planning to reduce current staffing levels as a result of this technology, The Saltus Partnership Programme has found

News in brief - 27 May 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Hanley Intermediaries, RAW Capital Partners, Keystone Property Finance, Moneybox and Nivo

News in brief - 26 May 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Black & White Bridging, Together, Loans Warehouse, Afin Bank and Glenhawk

News in brief - 22 May 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring ModaMortgages, Together and CHL Mortgages

News in brief 21 May 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Black & White Bridging, Santander, The Cambridge Building Society, Paragon Bank, Rely and Buckinghamshire Building Society

BLOG: Royal London Equity Release: How high-net-worth individuals could benefit from releasing equity with the exclusive Premier product offering

In February 2026, we were recognised at the MoneyAge Mortgage Awards, taking home the title of ‘Later Life Lender of the Year’, with judges highlighting our rapid distribution growth, extensive adviser engagement and meaningful product enhancements. As an equity release provider, our approach is rooted in a holistic view of retirement, aiming to provide good customer outcomes with backing from the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company* – but what can we offer you and your clients?

BLOG: Are added-value services the key to engaging clients in protection?

Scottish Widows Protection Director, Rose St Louis, discusses how reframing protection conversations can help to engage clients

BLOG: Award-winning lending, built brick by brick

Saffron for Intermediaries discusses its latest lending offering on the MoneyAge blog

BLOG: Doing Good is Good Business

MoneyAge Awards winner Bespoke Advice discusses the key fundamentals of good financial planning in our latest blog piece

Check out our latest advertorials

Funding home adaptations: The changing needs in later life planning

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Delivering A Consumer-Focused Later Life Lending Sector for 2026 and Beyond

Later Life Lending: It’s more than just equity release or retirement interest only (RIO)

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Mortgage Advice Bureau and AI in the mortgage sector
Chief executive officer at Mortgage Advice Bureau, Peter Brodnicki, and founder and managing director at Heron Financial, Matt Coulson, joined content editor Dan McGrath to discuss how Mortgage Advice Bureau is using artificial intelligence to make advancements in the mortgage industry, the limitations of this technology and what 2026 will hold for the market

Perenna and the long-term fixed mortgage market
Content editor, Dan McGrath, spoke to head of product, proposition and distribution at Perenna, John Davison, to explore the long-term fixed mortgage market, the role that Perenna plays in this sector and the impact of the recent Autumn Budget

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NEW BUILD IN FOCUS - NEW EPISODE OF THE MORTGAGE INSIDER PODCAST, OUT NOW
Figures from the National House-Building Council saw Q1 2025 register a 36% increase in new homes built across the UK compared with the same period last year, representing a striking development for the first-time buyer market. But with the higher cost of building, ongoing planning challenges and new and changing regulations, how sustainable is this growth? And what does it mean for brokers?

Does the North-South divide still exist in the UK housing market?
What do the most expensive parts of the country reveal about shifting demand? And why is the Manchester housing market now outperforming many southern counterparts?



In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance, to explore how regional trends are redefining the UK housing, mortgage and buy-to-let markets.

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