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Chancellor ‘likely to set sight on’ £48bn pension tax relief in Budget

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Chancellor ‘likely to set sight on’ £48bn pension tax relief in Budget

New analysis published today by consultants Lane Clark and Peacock argued that the Chancellor is likely to be taking a keen interest in pension tax relief – with a net annual cost estimated by the Treasury at around £48 billion.

The analysis examines the potential for changes to pension tax relief as part of the October 30th Budget.

The authors argued that some changes, such as introducing ‘flat rate’ tax relief – though potentially lucrative – are highly unlikely politically.

This is especially true because a significant group of beneficiaries of higher rate relief are mid-ranking and senior public sector workers, a group which the government is unlikely to want to alienate.

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However, there are other aspects of the system where the Chancellor may judge that there is the potential to raise significant additional revenue.

The three areas considered in the paper are employer NI to be levied on employer pension contributions, a cap on tax-free lump sums and reducing the tax privileges of pensions on death.

On employer NI to be levied on employer pension contributions, the authors maintained that levying full NI on employer contribution in one go would be a huge increase to the costs of businesses.

They said this could damage the government’s growth objective and would also be likely to reduce the amount of money firms were willing to spend on their workers’ pensions – and therefore reduce retirement incomes.

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At present, where a worker is paid a wage, that wage is subject to both employee NI contributions (now at 8%) and employer contributions (at 13.8%).

But if that same remuneration is paid into a pension, no NI is levied on either the worker or the firm.  Because of this difference, in many workplaces an HMRC approved system of ‘salary sacrifice’ is in place where workers agree to a pay cut in return for a deal whereby their individual pension contributions are also made by their employer to reduce the overall NI bill.

The Government estimates that the cost of not charging NI on the pension contributions made by employers is around £23.8 billion.

Steve Webb, partner at LCP said: The Chancellor will be looking for relatively simple changes which can be introduced quickly and will raise large sums with least voter anger.  Changes to taxes on business may fall within that category, and the large cost of exempting employer pension contributions from National Insurance Contributions will not have escaped the Chancellor’s attention”.

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On the issue of capping tax-free lump sums, LCP modelling suggests that many public sector workers with long service in their public sector pension scheme may well be caught by a cap at this level.

The authors said whenever pension tax relief limits have been cut in this way in recent years, a system of ‘transitional protection’ has been introduced for those already over the limit or set to be so.  It is likely that a cut in the cap on lump sums would also have to be accompanied by a complex system of protections.

But this would dramatically reduce the short-term revenue that would be raised from such a measure.

Alasdair Mayes, partner at LCP said: “Capping tax-free lump sums sounds simple in theory but would be complex in practice.  Complex transitional rules would need to be designed for those who would otherwise be unfairly affected by the change, and this could mean it would take months or years to implement.  This would also reduce the revenue-raising potential of the measure and may mean the Chancellor decides it is not worth the political pain”.

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The paper also touched on reducing the tax privileges of pensions on death. The authors said an anomaly which the Chancellor might look at is the rules which allow people to inherit a pension pot free of income tax where the person who died was under the age of 75.

This distinction based on the age at death could be removed but is expected to raise relatively little revenue.

Tim Camfield, senior consultant at LCP said: “Pension pots currently offer significant tax benefits upon death, generally being shielded from Inheritance Tax. While it can be argued that reform could encourage the use of pensions for income to the saver and their spouse rather than inheritance, any changes must be weighed carefully to avoid unintended consequences such as penalising unmarried partners.”

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Money Marketing Weekly Wrap-Up – 23 Sept to 27 Sept

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Money Marketing Weekly Wrap-Up – 23 Sept to 27 Sept

Money Marketing’s Weekly Must-Reads: Top 10 Stories

Stay informed with our curated list of this week’s top 10 financial news stories, including Scottish Widows’ senior investment team appointments and a protest by victims outside the FCA headquarters.



Scottish Widows announces senior appointments to its investment team

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Scottish Widows has announced four senior appointments to its investment leadership team. Matt Brennan will join in November as head of asset allocation and research, while Heather Coulson, Mithesh Varsani and Mark Gillan will take on key roles in January 2025.

Coulson will lead implementation and portfolio management, Varsani will head investment solutionsvand Gillan will oversee operations.

Scottish Widows’ chief investment officer, Kevin Doran, highlighted the appointments as crucial for enhancing their ability to manage over £200bn in customer assets.

Victims to stage protest outside FCA’s headquarters

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Victims of financial misconduct and regulatory failures staged a protest on 26 September outside the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) headquarters in London.

Organised by the Transparency Task Force, the “Rally for Better Financial Regulation” highlighted concerns about the FCA’s lack of accountability and transparency. Protesters called for reforms, including improved governance, a civil duty of care and the right to compensation for regulatory failures.

The rally coincided with the FCA’s Annual Public Meeting, where the regulator faced criticism over unresolved financial scandals.

FCA clears chair of whistleblowing misconduct following internal review

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The FCA cleared its chair, Ashley Alder, of whistleblowing misconduct following an internal review.

Alder had faced criticism for revealing a whistleblower’s identity in emails to colleagues, breaching FCA policy. The whistleblower expressed outrage, calling it an “institutional betrayal.” The review, led by FCA director Richard Lloyd, acknowledged Alder did not fully follow protocol but acted reasonably by consulting senior staff.

Alder welcomed the findings, stating he aimed to address complex concerns raised by former employees appropriately.

Surge in people accessing pensions without advice

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The number of pension plans accessed for the first time surged by 19.7% in 2023/24, reaching 885,455, according to FCA data.

However, only 30% of these were accessed with regulated advice, down from 32.9% the previous year. This decline raises concerns about people managing pension withdrawals without professional guidance, potentially affecting their long-term financial stability. Economic pressures, including the cost-of-living crisis, are driving more people to access their pensions.

The FCA and government aim to improve the pensions system through ongoing reviews and reforms.

Premier Miton hires ex-Quilter director as COO

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Premier Miton has appointed Nicola Stronach as its new chief operating officer (COO). Stronach will oversee risk, operations, compliance, legal teams and regulatory relations.

She brings over 25 years of experience, having previously worked at Quilter, Credit Suisse, Old Mutual Global Investors and BNY Mellon. Stronach will play a key role in Premier Miton’s strategic direction, supporting UK distribution and international growth.

Premier Miton CEO Mike O’Shea praised her expertise, while Stronach expressed excitement about joining the firm during this pivotal period of expansion.

Annuity comparison quotes hit new highs in 2024

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In 2024, annuity demand hit record highs, with iPipeline reporting a 12% rise in annuity quotes during the first half of the year compared to 2023.

This follows a 60% year-on-year increase in 2023, with iPipeline’s platform now handling 25% of UK retirement market quotes. The surge reflects the growing importance of annuities in retirement planning, particularly amid higher interest rates.

Experts predict continued growth, especially for retirees seeking secure income, though interest-rate fluctuations and market volatility may affect future demand.

As government plans Budget tax raids, remember AIM is more than just an IHT play

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Labour’s potential removal of inheritance tax (IHT) relief on AIM shares could raise £1.1bn this year, but it risks harming UK small and medium-sized companies that drive growth and innovation.

AIM has contributed over £135bn to the UK economy in 29 years, with notable companies like Jet2 and YouGov starting there. Removing IHT benefits may lead to declining share prices, hurting businesses and investors.

While AIM remains a strong long-term investment, careful planning is needed to mitigate potential tax impacts.

Firms need help to better identify vulnerable customers

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Research by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) reveals many firms need help identifying vulnerable customers and complying with the FCA’s Consumer Duty reporting requirements.

The study, conducted with FWD Research, found that firms seek more guidance on vulnerability and reporting processes. The CII’s white paper offers recommendations, including integrating data into service improvements, fostering leadership interest in customer needs and enhancing understanding of vulnerability.

The CII aims to support firms in meeting regulatory standards and improving customer care.

Regulator keeps up momentum on ongoing advice services

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The FCA is actively investigating ongoing advice services in financial firms. In February, the regulator contacted 20 major firms to express concerns over clients being charged for services after advice is provided.

FCA executive director Sarah Pritchard indicated that follow-up work is ongoing, but a timeline for conclusions remains unclear. Both St James’s Place and Quilter have reported setting aside funds for potential client refunds and remedial costs linked to these ongoing service evaluations.

The FCA will communicate its expectations once the review is complete.

Transact adopts electronic Cash Isa transfer service

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Transact has become the first intermediary platform to implement an electronic Cash ISA transfer service through Pay.UK (BACS) and Equisoft, streamlining the transfer process.

This new service allows for seamless communication between Transact, banks and building societies, eliminating the need for paper transfers and reducing average transfer times from 42 days to just nine. With 72 banks and building societies adopting this service, it is expected to significantly enhance efficiency.

Transact aims to improve transfers further as investments in Cash ISAs surged by 50% last tax year.

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FCA reiterates intention to increase transparency

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Advisers tweak processes in light of retirement income review

The Financial Conduct Authority has said it will increase transparency on its enforcement work to build public confidence and “help consumers understand its actions”.

Speaking during a press conference following its annual public meeting yesterday (26 September), joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight Therese Chambers said: “Currently, we offer very little transparency in our enforcement work.

“If you attended the entire public meeting earlier, you may recall someone asking me about two firms.

“I was able to discuss one of them regarding our investigation, but I couldn’t confirm or deny whether the other firm was under investigation. Both cases involved consumer harm and concern.

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“This highlights why we believe increasing transparency would help consumers understand the regulator’s actions.

“It would also build public confidence in our markets, as strong regulatory systems foster trust, which benefits investors, consumers and institutions. Effective enforcement is essential for maintaining high regulatory standards.”

At the conclusion of the regulator’s annual public meeting yesterday, victims of financial services misconduct and regulatory failure staged a protest.

‘The Rally for Better Financial Regulation’ protest was organised by campaign group Transparency Task Force and sought to highlight consumers’ concerns about “a lack of proactivity, transparency and accountability”.

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In a speech earlier this week, Chambers said the FCA is accelerating its investigations and adopting a “laser focus” on cases it pursues.

This, she said, has been “widely welcomed”.

“But the lightning rod has clearly been proposals for greater transparency on who we are investigating and why,” she added.

“While consumer groups, whistleblowers and some other regulators welcomed the prospect of greater transparency, the companies we regulate were overwhelmingly against.”

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During the press conference, she said the regulator is considering relaxing restrictions on what it can disclose about its enforcement action “slightly”. “Not a drastic change, but a measured increase in transparency.”

She added that the proposal has generated “strong feedback”.

“We have reviewed over 130 written responses to our consultation paper, and it’s clear there are genuine concerns,” she said. “We need to continue refining our proposals and engage with stakeholders further.

“The main question is: how will this work in practice? That’s what our next round of engagement will focus on—understanding the practical implications if we choose to proceed with these changes.”

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Vitality launches digital health profile for members

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Vitality launches digital health profile for members

Vitality has launched a new digital health profile to help members better understand their overall health and the steps they can take to improve it.

The digital profile will replace Vitality’s current online Health Review. It has been built with an entirely new architecture, using a streamlined set of health questions.

Members will now be asked about their height, weight and waist measurements, and whether they smoke.

Other questions include long-term health conditions, current activity levels and mental wellbeing.

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These questions have been designed and reviewed by Vitality’s clinical, behavioural and data-science experts.

Once a member has set up their profile and completed the new streamlined health questionnaire, they can see their risk profile and the steps they can take to improve or maintain their overall health.

The health profile also employs a traffic light system to visually showcase which areas of a member’s health they could focus on changing to have the biggest positive impact.

With the ability to click on these areas within the health profile, members can understand their personal health risks in more detail and read advice on what they can do going forward.

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Katie Tryon, director of health strategy, Vitality said: “By better understanding the numbers and choices impacting our health and wellbeing, we can be in a far better position to understand the things we can do to positively impact it.

“Each of us is individual and by inputting into the Health Profile, we’re able to give each person recommendations on the changes that would be the most beneficial to their health.

“The updates we’ve made make it easier than ever before for our members to transform their health now and in the future.”

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You could lose £1MILLION if you don’t take 2 key actions now, National Lottery warns – as deadline to claim approaches

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You could lose £1MILLION if you don’t take 2 key actions now, National Lottery warns - as deadline to claim approaches

EXPERTS have warned lottery fans not to make one stupid mistake and lose out on a £1million cash prize.

On Tuesday, April 16, a lucky person hit the UK Millionaire Maker jackpot, scooping the life-changing sum.

The winner of a UK Millionaire Maker jackpot in April has just days to bag their winnings

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The winner of a UK Millionaire Maker jackpot in April has just days to bag their winningsCredit: Getty

The victor nabbed the winning stub in Rhondda Cynon Taf in south-east Wales.

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The winning code was XMXB32530, and they have until October 13 to cash their ticket.

“The big prizes below have either not been claimed, or have not yet been validated and paid,” the website warned.

“We hope a lucky player comes forward in time but if a valid claim is not received within 180 days (around 6 months) of the draw date, the prize and any interest earned on it will go to benefit National Lottery Projects across the UK.

“Any unclaimed prizes 6 months past the draw date will be automatically removed.”

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UK Millionaire Maker is a draw-based game which is automatically included on all EuroMillions tickets purchased in the UK, at no extra cost.

It is supplementary to the EuroMillions game, which is played across Europe, the UK Millionaire Maker works like a raffle in order to guarantee a winner in the UK.

National Lottery players generate £30m every week for National Lottery-funded projects.

This money helps fund projects across the nation, with over 670,000 grants – supporting projects both big and small – having been made across the UK to date.

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It comes after a mystery EuroMillions player known only as Mrs B pocketed a sizeable £1million win on the lottery game.

Court Drama: £3 Million Lottery Dispute

The lotto player, from Essex, has become a millionaire thanks to their big win on the EuroMillions Millionaire Maker draw on November 3.

Elsewhere, a grandad revealed how he was a lottery winner for a whole week before realising he’d actually landed a £76,000 jackpot.

Recently retired Colin, 59, says his cautious nature could have cost him the cash – but then he spotted a camera crew at his door.

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The grandad is among 10 neighbours on his Tyne and Wear street that scooped part of £1million through the People’s Postcode Lottery.

What are the rules surrounding Euromillions?

THE EuroMillions lottery is a popular transnational lottery played across several European countries.

Here are the key rules and features:

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Participating Countries: The EuroMillions lottery is available in nine European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Draws: Draws take place twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday evenings.

How to Play: Players choose five main numbers from 1 to 50. They also select two “Lucky Star” numbers from 1 to 12. Alternatively, players can opt for a “Lucky Dip” where numbers are randomly selected.

Winning Combinations: There are 13 prize tiers, ranging from matching just two main numbers to hitting the jackpot by matching all five main numbers and both Lucky Star numbers. The jackpot is won by matching all five main numbers and both Lucky Star numbers.

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Jackpot: The minimum guaranteed jackpot starts at €17 million. If the jackpot is not won, it rolls over to the next draw, increasing in value. The maximum jackpot cap is €240 million. Once the cap is reached, if there is no jackpot winner, additional prize money is distributed among winners in the next prize tier.

Ticket Purchase: Players must purchase tickets before the cut-off time, which is typically around 7:30 PM GMT on the day of the draw. Tickets can be bought from authorized retailers or online via official lottery websites.

Age Requirement: Players must be at least 18 years old in most participating countries (16 in the UK).

Taxes: Winnings are tax-free in some participating countries, but in others, they may be subject to taxes. For instance, in Portugal, Switzerland, and Spain, lottery winnings are taxed.

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Claiming Prizes: Prizes must be claimed within a specified period, which varies by country. For example, in the UK, winners have 180 days to claim their prize. Smaller prizes can usually be claimed at retail outlets, while larger prizes might require visiting a lottery headquarters or contacting the lottery operator.

Additional Games and Variants: Some countries offer additional games linked to the EuroMillions draw, such as the UK’s Millionaire Maker or France’s My Million, where additional codes are drawn to guarantee supplementary winners.

But Colin and partner Gwen say they could have missed out on the sweet £76,923 for being too cautious.

Elsewhere, one lottery expert reveals six numbers to always avoid if you want to win big.

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Lottery entrants may be surprised to hear that despite the numbers being picked at random, there are some which rank far lower than others.

Monisha and Shirley who run the account as well as the Make It Shine Money Podcast have suggested one strategy when deciding your numbers.

The self-proclaimed lottery expert then suggests people go and buy a ticket after watching the video.

Remember, you have to be in it to win it.

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GoldenTree strikes £351m deal to buy abrdn Property Income Trust

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GoldenTree strikes £351m deal to buy abrdn Property Income Trust

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Can I make money online?

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What is the Average Credit Score in the UK

 

What is Inbox dollars? 

Inbox dollars was established in 2000 to make extra money online. The platform is paid for consumer thoughts and reviews but does not sell your personal data. Through the platform members can take surveys, watch videos or simply search the web to earn money and redeem their rewards.  

Members must reside in the United States, and it is unfortunately not available to those outside the US.  

 

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Is it trustworthy? 

When it comes to online survey platforms, the main question is whether it can be trusted. Inbox Dollars is Better Business Bureau Accredited with over 150,000 members logging in everyday to earn more. Since 2000, the platform has given out over $80 million in rewards to their members.  

 

How to get started 

  • It is free to sign up with Inbox dollars, you just need to create an account which takes a few minutes.  
  • You must be 18 years old or over. 
  • You cannot have multiple accounts at the same mailing address or on the same device/IP address. 

 

Signing up – When you have created an account, you will be asked to fill out a general profile so that the platform can determine who you are and which demographic you place in. This is so they can match relevant surveys to you, this means the consumer insight is accurate, and you are more likely to be provided surveys on what interests you. 

Once you have done this you will be rewarded with a $1 signup bonus and then you can begin taking surveys.  

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How do I earn money with Inbox dollars? 

Each time you complete a survey, watch a video, play a game or make a genuine search you will be rewarded. When you use the Inbox Dollars search engine you can earn a scratch card, with 4 genuine searches you will receive a scratch card worth up to $10. The more you use the search engine the more you can win. This way, you can earn whilst doing something you were already going to do, taking no extra effort. 

 

How much can I make with Inbox Dollars? 

The average monthly earnings are reported at $50-300. Taking surveys online will not replace a reliable income but is a great way to earn some extra for those Christmas presents, saving for a new TV or having extra cash coming in. 

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Consistency is key with platforms like this as the more you complete the more you will be rewarded. 

 

 

Pros and Cons of Inbox Dollars 

Pros 

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  • Earn extra money in your own time, easy to fit in around other commitments. 
  • Users report there are lots of options of surveys, so you can complete a variety of tasks whenever you can. 

Cons 

  • Users report the long waiting time for rewards to enter their accounts. Surveys vary in the time it takes to credit your account so you could be waiting to see your earnings. Gift cards can take up to 10 days to be sent to you. You won’t see instant rewards with Inbox Dollars. 
  • If you don’t fit the required demographic or they have reached capacity you won’t be able to complete certain surveys. 
  • The minimum amount you can redeem is $15, so you must wait to build up before seeing your cash. 

 

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