Marketing
March 2020
Covid-19 sent world markets into freefall, but China is already back to work. Depressed stock market valuations will cause worry, but many predict recovery over the next 12 months - this could be ...
Read MoreFebruary 2020
Rising Wages exceed Inflation and ‘The Budget’
Average wages adjusted for inflation finally exceed pre-crisis levels for the 1st time since 2008. Looking ahead to the budget on March 11th, Simon will attempt the tricky task of budget foreca...
Read MoreWhy should you use an Independent Financial Adviser?
IFAs offer an unbiased view of your present financial position and your objectives. Most importantly they’ll help you chart the best route between the two - hopefully avoiding any bear traps! Wi...
Read MoreCommercial Property purchase in Pensions
Self invested personal pensions (SIPPs) and small self administered schemes (SSAS) are often best used as vehicles for the purchase of commercial property which renders the property freed from cre...
Read MoreJanuary 2020
BREXIT happens at 11.00 pm Friday night. Will anyone notice? Reflections on the most momentous day in Britain in a generation. Join Simon on Money Talk at 1pm this Friday! #MTRadioUK www.cha...
Read MoreSalary Diversion and The Gig Economy
This week Money Talk explores salary diversion; a means of increasing the value of pension contributions funded by HMRC. There are other ways that the tax man can help investors and those making c...
Read MoreThis week Money Talk host Simon Webster explores the ways in which you can plan your finances to kick start the new year with an organised and effective financial plan. Whether this be through ...
Read MoreFirstly, Happy New Year from the team at Money Talk! We hope you had a relaxing Christmas break ready for this new year. This week Money Talk has a look at the seasonal news. From the raging bu...
Read MoreDecember 2019
2019 Election Results Show - there could only ever be one subject for Money Talk this Friday and by the time we go live we should know the winners & losers and be able to predict what the next...
Read MoreNovember 2019
Labour pledges that no one earning less than £80,000 will pay more tax but those who run their own businesses, those with savings and those with buy to lets will ALL pay more tax under Labour - A...
Read MoreLast week Simon looked at some of the issues confronting business start ups. This week he will consider how you take your business to the next level, what business structure you should use and why...
Read MoreBusiness Start Ups and Development
There is much conflicting advice on how to set up and develop a business - what is right for you? Simon Webster has been advising business owners for over 40 years - tune into Money Talk on Fri...
Read MoreAre Low Interest Rates Costing You Money?
Your mortgage may already feel cheap but too many are missing out on potentially huge savings. Current low interest rates mean monthly mortgage payments are as low as they have ever been in abs...
Read MoreOctober 2019
Hello…hello…sorry I can’t hear you… The UK has some of the worst mobile phone coverage in the developed world - 66% coverage by landmass. Finally something is happening to address the p...
Read MoreThe calamitous fall from grace of once elite fund manager Neil Woodford reminds us all of the old adage: “investments may fall in value as well as rise…” But if a superstar fund manager can ...
Read MoreWhat Happens to Your Stuff When You Die? Making a will is one of those things none of us want to do. But none of us live forever and dying without a will has some pretty awful consequences – ...
Read MoreHedging your financial “bets” in an increasingly uncertain world
Hedging your financial “bets” in an increasingly uncertain world. The imminence BREXIT or not is starting to be felt by UK PLC: Productivity down House Price growth down UK Constructio...
Read MoreWe’ve frequently heard that for many simply talking about money is socially taboo but new research shows that words such as pension, investment and FTSE actually provoke a physical, stress react...
Read MoreSeptember 2019
Wine, the most popular alcoholic drink among women in the UK, has seen more than double the tax rises over the past decade compared to beer – the most popular alcohol drink among men. A 39% ris...
Read MoreMoney Talk presents an interview with English language specialist and TV’s Countdown word expert, Susie Dent. It seems the charity Guide Dogs has been struggling to recruit describers for the 36...
Read MoreBrexit. Amidst the chaos, wage growth stays strong as unemployment falls and the employment rate remains at a record high. While the politicians fight amongst themselves, business continues to pro...
Read MoreAugust 2019
‘PPI – The end of an era’ and ‘Business Relief’
PPI - The end of an era? Midnight 29th August marks the deadline for claiming on mis-sold PPI. A total of £340.4m was paid out in compensation in June 2019 bringing the total paid out since Janu...
Read More10% of historic state pension forecasts were wrong! So, what should you do? The new state pension for someone with a full National Insurance history is £168.50 per week or £8,762. If both par...
Read More‘Equitable Life downfall’ and Nationwide-‘a nation of procrastinators’
Household name Equitable Life got itself into serious trouble in 2000 in promising unsustainable annuity rates to policyholders. For several years policyholders have battled to get their money ...
Read MoreProperty Ownership – First time buyers
Landlords ask “is it worth the hassle?” Those in need of accommodation ask and rent or buy? For much of the last century the saying was, “an Englishman’s home is his castle". But proper...
Read MoreJuly 2019
Boris has been branded all show and no substance. Will he surprise us or confirm his critics’ fears? What next for the UK? Simon Webster discusses this on Money Talk this Friday at 13.00! #MT...
Read MoreIt now costs £75,436 for a couple to raise a child to age 18. Due to the high costs of childcare, doing it on your own costs more, £102,627. These figures come from the child poverty action grou...
Read MoreFinancial Planning for Parents
It now costs £75,436 for a couple to raise a child to age 18. Due to the high costs of childcare, doing it on your own costs more, £102,627. These figures come from the child poverty action grou...
Read MoreOn death, the full value of an individual’s estate is assessed for Inheritance tax and is charged at 40% on everything in excess of the nil rate band – currently at £325,000. But note pension...
Read MoreJune 2019
Debt – When to get into it and how to get out of it!
Debt is probably the biggest single stressor in modern life. We are all bombarded with powerful messages urging us to buy the latest and best – after all it’s only a few quid a month and you...
Read MoreMoney talk on Friday - Equity Release unpacked… Finding enough money to live on is a big issue for all approaching retirement. While the state pension has much improved in recent years, many ...
Read MoreWe all make mistakes. One only has to look at Neil Woodford’s Equity Income fund, his flagship, which has crashed in value by over 35% in the last two years. A fund which returned a stellar 17.0...
Read MoreMay 2019
Research shows that 7 million business hours a week are wasted queuing at banks and up to a whopping £39 million is lost in small change largely due to human error when counting. Although nearly ...
Read More‘Building a diverse portfolio’ and ‘Tracing a lost pension’
Time, patience and making informed decisions. 3 key factors that determine the success of a portfolio. Diversity thus spreading investment risk is also particularly important. Diversification of a...
Read MoreAn eclectic mix on Money Talk this week as Simon Webster is joined by Head of Insights at Tech Nation, Dr George Windsor, to discuss how the UK now ranks 4th in the world in fast growth investment...
Read MoreCash is the life blood of all business so the availability of funds to fuel expansion, purchase assets or merely support cash flow during a lull is often the difference between success and failure...
Read MoreApril 2019
HMRC celebrated record Inheritance Tax receipts of £5.4 billion in the 2018/19 tax year, a 3.1% increase on last year. The upward trend is set to continue! Planning is essential to ensure that...
Read MoreFri 26 Apr
Tax planning for the 2019/20 tax year
As we enter another new tax year, now is the time to plan ahead and tweak your financial arrangements for maximum returns. The pension lifetime allowance has increased to £1,055,000; an increa...
Read MoreFri 12 Apr
If I had my way, I would write the word ‘insure’ upon the door of every cottage and upon the blotting book of every public man, because I am convinced, for sacrifices so small, families and es...
Read MoreWed 03 Apr
March 2019
The triple lock has significantly improved the lot of those in receipt of state pension, but an aging population has forced the government to push back the age from which we can expect to receive ...
Read MoreFri 29 Mar
Consequences of the Brexit mess
Following a second massive BREXIT humiliation, May’s government staggers on under ever increasing pressure. With just three weeks to go until the legal date of BREXIT, the whole country waits wi...
Read MoreThu 14 Mar
Money Talk Taboo plus What to expect from the Chancellor’s Spring Statement
Renowned Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Patron of the charity, Relate, Professor Tanya Byron and Catherine Kehoe from Lloyds Bank will join us in the studio. They’ll be discussing why money...
Read MoreTue 05 Mar
January 2019
This week’s program will cover How to so organise your affairs that you enter 2019 organised, in control and confident about the future! Whether this be through the use of a budget planner or...
Read MoreWed 09 Jan
December 2018
Although we usually associate Christmas with precious family time and offering gifts to loved ones, we all tend to over consume and for many Christmas is overshadowed by debt and financial worries...
Read MoreTue 04 Dec
November 2018
This week’s program focuses on stress. Money worries are a major stressor and a major contributor to poor mental wellbeing. The NHS website has a whole section on coping with money worries; whil...
Read MoreWed 28 Nov
As I write this blog Money Talk will be focusing on Inheritance Tax - once described by Roy Jenkins as a voluntary levy paid by those who distrust their heirs more than they dislike the Inland Rev...
Read MoreThe internet has already revolutionised shopping and it continues to revolutionise communications – both business and personal. BT has not installed any new Integrated Services Digital Networ...
Read MoreMon 05 Nov
October 2018
The Budget: “Great giveaway or kick in the teeth for the poor?” Spreadsheet Phil finally loosened the purse strings in the first Monday budget since 1962. Will his budget measures give the ...
Read MoreTue 30 Oct
An offer you can't refuse? The vast majority live from paycheque to paycheque. But what happens if that cheque stops? What happens if you’re sick, injured or dead? Who pays the rent? Who pays...
Read MoreWed 24 Oct
Wise investing in a crazy world….
The pervasive influence of Trump, BREXIT and state sponsored murder - not forgetting state sponsored cyber terrorism – all combine to continue one of the longest periods of global market uncerta...
Read MoreWed 17 Oct
Investors have used SIPPs to buy esoteric assets that have turned out to be worthless. There is a court case on the subject running even now. SIPPs are allowed to hold a wide range of different in...
Read MoreThu 11 Oct
Children’s Financial Education
Money Talk presenter Simon Webster would argue that the ultimate purpose of education is to prepare our children for the world of work. Only a few can leave school to work in PR, in media, or “c...
Read MoreSeptember 2018
The Tobacco industry and Strategies for first-time buyers
Does the tobacco industry have a future? And if it does should it? With many actively avoiding investing in the tobacco companies what is holding up their share price? Philip Morris the tobacco ...
Read MoreIs “an Englishman’s Home Still His Castle”?
Yet another set of recently published numbers suggests that it is now taking 3 or 4 times longer to save for a deposit to buy a house than it did in the 80’s! What can be done? If you want to get...
Read MoreAugust 2018
Artificial Intelligence Stole My Job
We may soon be hearing that line a lot as the Bank of England warns that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will soon put millions out of work. Their Economists envisage a Fourth Industrial Revolution w...
Read MorePension scams and how to avoid them
With 253 fraud victims reported to Action Fraud during 2017 and £23 million lost, pension scam artists continue to steal money by luring people by offering unrealistic returns on their pension sa...
Read MoreOn 2 August 2018 the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England unanimously voted to increase interest rates by 0.25% for the second time in 9 months following their historic collapse ...
Read MoreJuly 2018
The 5 technology giants: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (parent Alphabet) collectively known as the FAANGS, now have individual annual turnover greater than many countries! Together, ...
Read MoreCashflow planning - the best kept secret in financial planning? “Is it a truth universally acknowledged that those in possession of a good fortune must be in want of financial advice?” T...
Read MoreThe resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson have placed huge pressure on Teresa May over Brexit. Make no mistake this is a full-blown crisis impacting every man, woman and child in the count...
Read MoreAn estimated 12,000 branch-based jobs are at risk due to bank closures around the country. With mobile banking being adopted more than ever before, the relevance of branches is starting to be questi...
Read MoreJune 2018
Home ownership hopes collapsing?
Stepping onto the first rung of property ladder has become an ever-greater challenge. As a result, the younger generation now asks, “is the dream of owning any home over?” Ever increasing hous...
Read More16 million people in the UK are balancing on a knife edge, literally just one pay cheque away from financial disaster – with insufficient savings if they lose their job. It’s the middle age...
Read MoreThe banks are sometimes accused of “offering business customers an umbrella when the sun is shining but taking it away as soon as it starts to rain.” This week Simon unpicks the vexed issue of...
Read MoreMay 2018
The gender pay gap follows women into retirement
Research from Prudential shows that the average woman can expect a pension income £4,900 per annum lower than the average man – for life! Thus while the average man expects £21,800 the average...
Read MoreEquity release or mired in debt?
We are all living longer which means our money needs to stretch even further…and what happens when it starts to run out? If you have been lucky enough to own a property in the UK any time in ...
Read MoreGDPR is effective from 25th May 2018. We’ve all sorted our marketing – haven’t you? But what about your staff? We’ve all been bombarded with emails begging us to opt in and hopefully we’...
Read MoreApril 2018
Mythbusting- Common Law marriage
This week Money Talk hosts Helen Noble, a mediator and collaborative lawyer with solicitors Rix and Kay… She’ll unpack the urban myth that is “Common Law” marriage. There is really no such...
Read MoreHow to avoid personal liability from business errors
Simon’s guest this week is Dan Sherlock, commercial lawyer with Rix & Kay Solicitors and together they will be discussing the limitation of personal liability for those running an incorporat...
Read MoreMany people are sitting on a fortune and just don’t know it. The cash equivalent transfer value of many final salary pensions (the cash a final salary pension scheme gives you to go aw...
Read MoreTax Strategy for the New Tax Year
Every March, radio shows and newspapers give top tips for last minute tax planning, but that’s it, they’re last minute! Far better to set a tax strategy for the year ahead so that you can impl...
Read MoreMarch 2018
The end of the tax year is nearly upon us. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to start thinking about making the most of your money! Some of the things you could consider are: • Us...
Read MoreLocal businesses enjoy a revival
Local businesses are enjoying a revival, thanks to social media. The popularity of small businesses is on the rise as more of us are reconnecting with our local establishments. The latest resea...
Read MoreWho pays when something goes wrong?
Society has come to expect a pay-out should something go wrong. Why is it always somebody’s fault? Last year the NHS paid out nearly £1.6 billion in compensation for medical negligence. How ...
Read MoreFebruary 2018
Home ownership is at a thirty-year low and housing continues to eat up a growing proportion of household income. Owning a home by the age of 25 has become an unachievable dream for many over the l...
Read MoreEvolving laws on Britain’s roads
Britain's roads are a hazardous place and the laws ruling them are ever evolving. This Friday on Money Talk, Simon is joined by David Barton, a solicitor specialising in motoring law. David ...
Read MoreHas the Stock Market Bubble Burst?
This week America sneezed, so the rest of the world caught a cold. The Dow dropped by more than 1,175 - its biggest one-day points fall in its history – and European, UK and Asian markets all sa...
Read MoreCrypto currencies and other scams
When we last talked about Bitcoin it had just hit a peak value of $17,000 USD. Today it’s fallen through $10,000 USD so all those people who did not buy it on our advice can be extremely gratefu...
Read MoreJanuary 2018
As the deadline for online tax returns looms, for many panic may be setting in! Some may not even know that they need to submit a tax return. Here are some of the reasons you’ll need to sen...
Read MoreBusiness ownership: the key to success
Failure to manage its business properly just brought down Carillion, it has previously brought down Lloyds Bank – only saved by a tax payer bailout, Northern Rock, HMV, Blockbuster, Kodak, Borde...
Read MoreNew year, new you! It's the mantra we hear repeated January after January, year after year. Yet financial fitness is overlooked at the best of times, and around the festive season our bank acco...
Read MoreDecember 2017
2017 - a year that has been absolutely packed full of both highs and lows. This Friday Simon will be reflecting on the good, the bad, and the bits in-between. For a one hour summary of the y...
Read MoreData Protection – knowing where you stand
With the New Year comes new regulation impacting every business in the land - including yours! General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) aims to return control of personal data to the individ...
Read MoreAll things Christmas with Money Talk live on Friday. A great Christmas need not cost the earth; how to stay safe on winter roads with Rachael Hogg from Auto Trader. Simon will also investigate...
Read MoreNovember 2017
Tax Breaks for the Wealthy or Investing in Enterprise? EIS Unpacked…
One of the few big things “Spreadsheet Phil” did in his 2017 budget was double the “EIS tax allowance” from £1m to £2m (as long as at least £1m was invested in knowledge intensive compa...
Read MorePhil Hammond’s last budget was a disaster. Will this one be his last - or will he fare better this time? 300,000 new homes a year is apparently his new target. They’ve released 230,000 this...
Read MoreVital tax planning tips for all
The hyper efficient Hong Kong Tax code is the world’s shortest at 276 pages long. Meanwhile the UK tax code is the world’s longest at 17,000 pages. HMRC would have us believe that “tax doe...
Read MoreHanging on to your drivers licence this Christmas
Navigating Britain's roads can be a hazard at the best of times, particularly in the lead up to the festive season. The situation could only be made more complicated should you be found to have...
Read MoreOctober 2017
Business finance has been harder to come by since the 2008 crash. While the high street banks tell us they are doing much more to help small business, many such business owners still cite “raisi...
Read MoreIn 2016 there were 106,959 opposite sex divorces and 112 divorces of same sex couples. Interestingly these numbers are down from their 2005 peak. There seem to be no official statistics on cohabit...
Read MoreNearly two thirds of UK SMEs (small & medium sized enterprises) don’t understand how invoice finance works, despite their financial directors and CFOs considering restricted cash flow a bar...
Read MoreThe Conservative Party Conference 2017
Conference Season Episode Two: The Tories The Tory party has the biggest peacetime challenge of any government in history - negotiating the UK out of the Eu. Anyone who thinks this is straight ...
Read MoreSeptember 2017
The Labour Party Conference 2017
What should we make of the Labour party conference? Will they win the next election? Where do they stand on BREXIT? Is this the end of Private Finance Initiative (PFI)? What about student ...
Read MoreAre you prepared for retirement? When it comes to planning for later life, doing nothing is not an option! Whatever your situation, saving for the latter years of your life is crucial. However,...
Read MoreAugust 2017
Convenience costing motorists cash
You're skidding?! Motorists lose almost £1,000 selling their cars through car buying websites BMW's & SUV's lose out the most Cars registered post 2014 lost £1,548 on average More t...
Read MoreOver 700,000 small & micro employers will be looking to auto-enrol in the the next 6 months, accordingly to The Pension Regulator. The automatic enrolment legislation imposes duties on empl...
Read MoreTax Credits – does your business qualify?
Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) are receiving tax credits from the government for research and development (R&D) projects. SME’s can see a return of up to 25% of re...
Read MoreJuly 2017
The UK’s vanishing Bank & Building Society branches
• 84% OF BRITS STILL BANK OVER THE COUNTER • ONE IN 10 WHO BANK IN BRANCH CITE SKETCHY BROADBAND OR NO INTERNET BANKING ACCESS AT ALL • 31% BELIEVE THEY COULD SUFFER FINANCIAL EXCLUSION IF...
Read MoreDo you know what car to buy next? Hybrid, petrol, diesel or full electric? Would it be best to lease, buy, or HP your next car or van? Should you go through your bank, or use a specialist as...
Read MoreInterest rates: historic lows – Student debt: historic highs
With the lowest interest rates in living memory, the last ten years have been great for borrowers but awful for savers – and it’s not changing any time soon! Meanwhile students in England a...
Read MoreJune 2017
Final salary pensions – opportunity or unexploded bomb?
It’s taken some time, but George Osborne’s pension freedoms are finally coming into play. These freedoms have captured the attention of many, and subsequently Final Salary Pension transfers are ...
Read MoreParaphrasing Churchill “Capitalism is the world’s worst economic system – except for all the rest.” ..and therein lies the dilemma. Socialism failed in Russia and in Cuba. It was only whe...
Read MoreFriday is set to bring a clearer picture of who will be taking us into the UK's exit from Europe. But who will be leading the way? Simon will be discussing the results of the election this F...
Read MoreMay 2017
More people than ever before are transferring their secure Final Salary pensions into potentially high risk personal pensions, opening the door to a future mis-buying scandal. In days gone by fina...
Read MoreUncovering the truth in an era of fake news. U Turn if u May? Corbyn’s policy platform. The National Debt. This Friday Simon examines the issues and as a lifelong Tory voter he is not happy! ...
Read MoreProductivity can make or break a business. But how can business owners ensure that they are getting the most out of their staff? This week Money Talk is hosted by Jo Dodds who will be joined b...
Read MoreFirst credit card companies were ordered to clean up their act - now car loans are coming under the spotlight as the financial regulator launches a new investigation into car finance. With 90% of ne...
Read MoreApril 2017
BRITISH FIRMS HAVE £500BN LOCKED UP IN EXCESS WORKING CAPITAL CASH TIED UP SHOWS BUSINESSES UNDER HISTORIC PRESSURE LATE PAYMENTS AND STOCKPILING AHEAD OF PRICE HIKES CAUSING A HUGE FINANC...
Read MoreWithout the right foundations many new business fail...so what is the key to building a successful business? This week on Money Talk Simon is joined by special guest Denise Wilton, founder of Mark...
Read MoreIn Money Talk this week Simon and Jo will tackle the thorny issue of credit card debt. In an overdue but welcome move the UK Financial Services Regulator proposes compelling card issuers to provide ...
Read MoreMarch 2017
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way
Money Talk this week features solicitor Keith Betts. We will be exploring the reasons why pretty much everyone should make a will and the consequences of dying without one. We’ll be looking a...
Read MoreThis week Money Talk will live up to it's name. With so much happening in the financial world, Simon will be tackling: The fallout from Article 50 Scottish devolution The Trump Effect ...
Read MoreShould you join the local chamber of commerce?
The short answer is YES! Jo James Chief Executive of Kent Invicta Chamber joins Simon this week. They’ll be discussing importance of the work the Chamber does behind the scenes on behalf of busin...
Read MoreThe chancellor has a difficult balancing act to perform in this week’s budget. UK Plc is still in massive debt and is still spending more than it receives in tax. Meanwhile vital public services...
Read MoreHuman capital – the value of people
~ Money Talk this week focuses on human resources. Identifying vacancies/opportunities, constructing a job description and person profile, advertising, shortlisting, selecting, on boarding, traini...
Read MoreFebruary 2017
There were over 130,000 divorces in the UK in 2013. So more than half a million adults and their children went through what is often described as the most stressful event in life in a single year. C...
Read MorePolitical & economic upheaval – a week in review
Continued political and economic uncertainty leave much to ponder this week: Will rising inflation trigger early interest rate rises? Will the Uber led GIG economy crash due to changes in em...
Read MoreThe rights of public sector pension scheme members with partners (rather than spouses) have been significantly improved following a ruling by the UK Supreme Court. Denise Brewster lost her long-t...
Read MoreJanuary 2017
Mergers & Acquisitions – Pure Science or Dark Art?
Companies spend more than $2 trillion on acquisitions every year, yet according to the Harvard Business review the M&A failure rate is between 70% and 90%. Why do so many go wrong. Money Talk ...
Read MoreCybercrime – crime involving computers and probably the internet and identity theft are now a far greater threat than “old fashioned” mugging and robbery. These days everybody knows someone...
Read MoreGreedy lenders defy regulator at borrower’s expense
If you are being penalised by your existing lender what can you do? Homeowners are still being forced to undergo strenuous credit-checking if they wish to move their mortgage from one property to a...
Read MoreDecember 2016
This week Simon will be reviewing the year gone by (the good, the bad, & the ugly!). On top of this we will be revisiting some of our favourite past shows! Tune in from 1pm this Friday the...
Read MoreCredit and store cards: the good, the bad and the ugly
Convenient or dangerous? A help or a hindrance? Credit & store cards can be viewed entirely differently depending on who you ask. For the most part, whether a credit/store card is beneficia...
Read MoreFinancial survival at Christmas
At Christmas family budgets always come under huge pressure. The cost of food, hosting and visiting, plus gifts & toys for the kids are fed by the natural desire to give the family t...
Read MoreEmployment law in an uncertain world
The job security of millions is threatened by BREXIT. Many of the UK’s employment protections emanate from Brussels. The terms of our departure and the attitude of future UK governments will hav...
Read MoreNovember 2016
How will the Autumn statement affect you?
Tax, benefits & housing - just a few of the areas affected by this year's Autumn statement But as always, the real question is what affect this is going to have on real, day-to-day life, partic...
Read MoreHow a small family business is moving on after Brexit In the wake of Brexit, one key issue has reached the headlines time & time again: 'What impact will this have upon Britain's interna...
Read MoreOctober 2016
Growing Pains: Living in an expanding Britain
A third runway at Heathrow has been approved, following a government cabinet meeting on Tuesday. In a post-Brexit UK, many people are singing the praises of this decision. Supporters have already a...
Read MoreIt is widely accepted that education opens many doorways in life. However, in a society that prides itself on it's education system there seems to be a general lack of resource and knowledg...
Read MoreAnd what does this actually mean? It has been three months since Britain voted to leave the EU, and much has happened in the UK since then. Little, however, seems to have been decided around the...
Read MoreSeptember 2016
Labour's latest proposal has outlined plans to implement a £10 living wage by 2020. But how feasible an option would this be? McDonnell has said that "Under the next Labour government, everyo...
Read MoreMillennials: Coming of Age in an Economic Crisis
Younger generations are facing a more challenging financial outlook as they plan for the future. Since 2015 then there have been a number of improvements for the family purse. Both m...
Read MoreWhat savings options are out there for Britain's young? Following on from last week's show this week Jo & Penny will be investigating this. Tune in from 1pm on Channel Radio this Friday ...
Read MoreAugust 2016
The Debt Crisis in Britain’s Young
Accordingly to recent studies a third of Britain's under 24s are over £3000 in debt. The study conducted for the Money Advice Trust by YouGov found that credit cards, over drafts, short-term loans...
Read MoreSomething is rotten in the state of UK pensions
Just about everything that could have gone wrong with the UK pensions system has gone wrong over the past 20 years, and there is no end in sight. The rot began with former Chancellor Gordon Bro...
Read MoreMother's earning power falls behind their male counterparts upon their return to work, says a recent UK survey carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Figures have long suggested that wo...
Read MoreBritain is in a savings crisis... On the 4th of August the Bank of England cut interest rates to a new record low of 0.25%. While this is great news for borrowers, this cut is looking t...
Read MoreThe World of Residential Mortgages
Buying a house is considered to be one of the most stressful times in one's life. So who are the people who choose to be involved in this process every day of their lives? This week on Money...
Read MoreUK state Pension provision is already amongst the poorest in the civilised world. In an attempt to improve the situation a triple-lock on state pension was introduced to guarantee that it will incr...
Read MoreJuly 2016
Britain’s Position in a Changing World
Following on from last week's show, this week Simon, Penny & Marcus will be discussing Britain's position in an ever changing world. From youth employment to coalition parties, American...
Read MoreThis week on MoneyTalk Simon and Penny will be joined by special guest Marcus Chrysostomou, owner of South East based Equilibrium PR. Together they will be discussing the latest news in the po...
Read MoreApproximately a third of the population voted for BREXIT which of course means that two thirds did not. How democratic is that? The stock market is up, the pound may have plummeted but is now e...
Read MoreUnintended Consequences of the Brexit
Britain currently appears to be very different country to that which it was prior to the 24th of June. Our political parties are in upheaval, we are untangling ourselves from a long term relationship ...
Read MoreTue 05 Jul
June 2016
The Challenges Facing First Time Buyers
Despite the considerable ‘hoorah’ around the new Help to Buy scheme implemented by the government, a recent study carried out by the BBC has shown that the average price of a starter home exce...
Read MoreWhat happens next? Today millions of people around the UK will be placing their vote for what they believe is the right way forward for the United Kingdom. Will we be staying in the EU? Or ste...
Read MoreBHS & Sports Direct VS National Living Wage & Auto-Enrolment Are we any closer to building a just society? Philip Green and Mike Ashley have made huge personal fortunes from British bus...
Read MoreMay 2016
Do you have the money for the lifestyle you desire? Many older people find that their pensions will not stretch to the lifestyle that they want - they are income poor. Meanwhile, they find thems...
Read MoreThe Future of Buy-to-Let Property Investment – Safe as Houses?
Careful structuring of your Buy-to-Let portfolio is now more important than ever £50,000 it in a building society, will be lucky to earn 2% or £1,000. That same £50,000 as a deposit on a £200...
Read MoreYou know what you want to do, but how are you going to get there? Having touched on the subject of planning for retirement in the last show, this Friday (the 20th of May) Simon & Jo will be ...
Read MoreApril 2016
Do you have a plan? As you get older you may find yourself thinking about things that may have hardly crossed your mind previously. In fact, many of these thoughts boil down to just the one...
Read MoreThe Behavioural Biases of Investors
Are your investments being held back by hidden prejudices? Investing your hard-earned savings can often be a nerve-racking experience. A recent study carried out by Schroders has identified that...
Read MoreFollowing the revelation that David Cameron received a £200,000 gift from his mother, Inheritance Tax is once again in the political spotlight. But what is Inheritance Tax, and how could it...
Read MoreWhat is all the hype around tax evasion? Hiding your identity is not necessarily illegal - neither is hiding your money. However in most places in the world doing either to evade tax is. On this...
Read MoreMarch 2016
Receive a bonus of up to £1000 a year from the government! In the 2016 Budget George Osborne announced that from April 2017, if you are between the ages of 18 and 40, you will be eligible to op...
Read MoreWho pays for austerity? The 2016 Budget is now a battle over the government’s approach to the vulnerable. It initially appeared to be a ‘non-event’. But the real question now is: “were Ge...
Read MoreHow will the 2016 Budget affect you? Due to be unveiled by George Osborne tomorrow (Wednesday the 16th of March), the 2016 Budget is will set the tone for the upcoming financial year. This week ...
Read MoreIn a time of record-low interest rates how are you making the most of your savings? When considering this an ISA (Independent Saving Account) seems like the obvious choice. However, due to...
Read MoreFebruary 2016
Ever dreamed of starting up your own business? This week on MoneyTalk Simon will be joined by fellow entrepreneur (and new co-host) Jo Dodds to discuss how they each found themselves creating a...
Read MoreUsing a SIPP to purchase a property is highly tax efficient. This week on Money Talk... Write a cheque from your personal or business bank account to purchase a property and it's purely a bal...
Read MoreThe Time Bomb That Is Interest-Only Mortgages
Why are nearly one million people on the verge of having their houses repossessed? Money Talk investigates... In the 1980’s and 90’s interest-only loans combined with an endowment policy...
Read MoreThis coming Friday on Money Talk Simon will be looking at the the ins and outs of Year End Tax Planning. As the end of financial year looms (April 5th), it is worth investigating whether or not you ...
Read MoreIn today's world it is often easy to remove oneself from where our money is being invested. Entrusting your hard earned cash with banks, pension funds and financial advisers (often without question) ...
Read MoreJanuary 2016
Investing Your Money in Stormy Times
Falling oil prices and fears about China have recently turned many people's minds to the Global Financial Market. Although things may have stabilised over recent years, some fear we are on the ve...
Read MoreOn this Friday Money Talk will be joined by guest speaker Keith Betts from Robson & Co Hythe. Simon & Keith will be looking at a variety of topics that Keith deals with in his line...
Read More2016 Self-Assessment Tax Return
Over four million taxpayers still need to submit their self-assessment tax return before midnight on January 31st. In this week’s show we will be covering the whos and whys of self-assessment, ...
Read MoreNew Year, New You! But how many of us actually stick with our New Year's resolutions? Take control this year and make the time to review your budget, making sure you will continue to make ends...
Read MoreDecember 2015
The Change in US Interest Rates
Now that the Fed has raised rates – finally some might say - Money Talk is looking into whether or not a 0.25% rise in rates really matters... An interest rate increase anywhere means: B...
Read MoreAugust 2013
Simon was asked to write a piece for Kent Profile Magazine about successful Ashford businesses. So while this is history about the firm – we never forget that we got here by putting ou...
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Social media marketing: making it work for you
Social media is a powerful tool readily available at our fingertips. However for many small business owners, the idea of utilising social media for marketing purposes can be a daunting one. ...
Read MoreTue 17 Oct