“Britain’s inflation pain is mostly self-inflicted and getting worse”

Jun 24, 2023 | Economy

An independent (financial adviser’s) view

“How do you build your business and increase your profits” was the subject of a webinar this week. Cutting costs and ‘becoming more efficient’ is not, it was confirmed, a long-term strategy. As a business, ‘you can’t save your way to prosperity’ and I’d strongly argue that 10 or more years of austerity have proven it’s the same for a country’s economy. Our rate of inflation makes Britain ‘an outlier, and not in a good way’. ‘Good’, I guess, might have been that we’d ‘taken back control’; but only Italy,  in a league of comparable nations, has underlying inflation as bad (but not quite as bad) as ours. There are no easy answers, despite what the ‘if it ain’t hurting’ brigade might tell you. Certainly not a Governor of the Bank of England on £500k a year once again telling those on the minimum wage to ‘exercise restraint when asking for higher pay’. One client told me this week that he was worried we might get a Labour government. Embrace to possibility, I’d say. 

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“Reeves backs down on plans to cut ISA limit”

“Reeves backs down on plans to cut ISA limit”

So it looks as though Cash ISAs are safe for the moment (FTM – is that a thing?) Rachel has apparently ‘bowed to pressure’ from the banks and building societies and decided not to reduce the allowance to £4,000 for cash and to keep the £20,000 parity with Stocks and Shares ISAs. Bowed also to common sense, I’d say.

“Two thirds of adults are worried about care costs in later life”

“Two thirds of adults are worried about care costs in later life”

A dichotomy/dilemma here. Two thirds of adults are probably right to be worried about the cost of care, which is huge and getting more so. Many of those currently worrying will have had first-hand experience with their own parents, which will have focused their minds on their own possible future.

“Why most won’t need to worry about IHT on pensions”

“Why most won’t need to worry about IHT on pensions”

Many a government has made the point that only a minority will be affected by this or that tax change or tinker. It is, however, both perception and aspiration which are important, and they are what makes IHT the ‘most hated’ of all taxes – along with all the others, of course.