Lisa is a university lecturer and a keen kayaker in her early 50s. She’s also a single mum to two teenage daughters – Lila and Eliza. Lila is in the final year of her A-levels and Eliza is in the first year of her GCSEs. Both daughters are very academic – Lila wants to be a doctor and Eliza a vet.

With the cost-of-living crisis showing no signs of lessening its grip, despite earning over £50,000 a year, Lisa is finding she has less and less disposable income at the end of the month. With the cost of her daughters’ continuing education and h...

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Create your budget in four steps

Setting up a budget won’t take long, and if you stick to it then you could boost your savings at the same time. Your budget should chart your income, outgoings and financial goals and give you a spending plan to follow.

A budget can put you in control of your money because you’ll know exactly where each pound is being spent (or saved). And any savings you make in a month or money you bring in in addition to your regular income can be included in your budget.

Most importantly a budget can help you save an...

Reducing debt

• The government is reducing debt and borrowing, with borrowing forecast to be lower this year, next year, and on average over the forecast period compared to the OBR's March forecast.

• Underlying debt is also lower as a percentage of GDP, by an average of 2.1 percentage points across the forecast.

• The government is on track to meet its debt and borrowing fiscal rules with greater headroom against both rules compared to spring.

• The government has made available up to £14.1 billion for the NHS and adult social care and ...

Life can be full of surprises. You can’t be prepared for everything. You may have some insurance to support you financially if the unexpected happens, but have you considered how private medical insurance might offer you and your family the peace of mind you need if your health takes a turn for the worst?

A growing trend According to data published by The Telegraph, close to half a million people have taken out private medical insurance over the past year, as NHS waiting lists hit record levels this autumn. According to government statistic...

Traditionally, the value of financial advice has been measured by monetary results of investment performance and returns. Today, the cost of living crisis is causing many to re-evaluate the benefits of financial advice.

These days, financial planning is about more than simply looking after your money and protecting your wealth. As well as helping you see results in pounds and pence growth, we can also help ensure you are prepared to meet the challenges you may face in life.

Used as a trusted and impartial sounding board, we can help by:

•...

Whilst the Bank of England base rate remains the same, interest rates are still the highest they have been in 15 years. So if you are one of the thousands coming to the end of your fixed rate deal over the next few months it’s very likely you’ll see your payments increase as a result of higher mortgage rates but it’s a common misunderstanding that the Bank of England base rate is directly linked to the mortgage rates on offer. There are many factors that determine mortgage rate pricing.

Lots of factors determine mortgage pricing – not just ...

If the end of your fixed rate mortgage is on the horizon (even if it’s months away), then it’s a good idea to start looking at your options today.

If you haven’t got a new deal in place when your fixed rate mortgage ends, your lender will put you onto their standard variable rate, which tends to be higher than the rates on most other mortgage options. So it pays to get the right mortgage for you in place.

When it comes to remortgaging, some people prefer to search the market themselves. This could be time consuming, and the right de...