Moneyextra Financial Advice & Tax News

Watch out, there's PPI about

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:24 GMT

People arranging a personal loan over the telephone or internet should watch out as they may unknowingly buy expensive payment protection insurance. So claims Which? Magazine. When the consumer a

Stamp duty damages pensions

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:24 GMT

Stamp duty on share transactions is damaging the economy, eroding pensions and savings and hitting investment according to new Oxera research. "Stamp duty: its impact and the benefits of its abol

Insurance - Halifax 'beats and freezes'

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:24 GMT

Halifax Home Insurance has announced the launch of a 'beat and freeze' insurance offer. There are two main elements to the deal - the first being that Halifax will aim to beat any competitor's

How higher interest rates will affect your wallet or purse

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

Personal loan rates stayed highly competitive after the last base rate rise. In fact, at the very sharp end, lenders only responded to the previous 0.25% increase by putting their rates up by around 0

Bonding with Chelsea0

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

Chelsea Building Society has launched a new 1 year Fixed Rate Option bond - effective from May 12th 2007. And paying 6.20% gross pa, 4.96% net pa. Corresponding monthly rates are 6.03% and 4.82%.

Get fixing with Abbey

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

Abbey has announced the introduction of a tranche of fixed term savings bonds. Fixed Rate Bond, Retirement Income Bond and Children's Savings Bond all require a £1 minimum opening balance, with 1, 2

More businesses eligible for 'simpler' VAT

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

More businesses across the UK can, from this month, benefit from easier ways to deal with VAT, following changes to one of the schemes aimed at helping small and medium-sized firms to better manage th

Halifax launches new-look One Card

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

Halifax has launched a new-look One Card - the card giving a 0% anniversary offer. The new-look card offers 0% for 9 months on both balance transfers (3% balance transfer fee) and purchases, plu

HIPs limping to the finishing line

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:23 GMT

Home Information Packs (HIPs) are now just weeks away from becoming law in England and Wales. When HIPs started out life as Seller's Packs in Labour's 1997 Manifesto, their entire objective was to 'sp

Know your protection policy?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Think you know protection? Well think again, according to LifeSearch. It names the Top Ten rare and unique policy benefits that most consumers don't know exist. Most people know the main type

Home prices rise despite HIPs 'panic'

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

House prices gained further momentum in April despite increased supply triggered by the forthcoming introduction of HIPS (Home Information Packs), says RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyo

Energy supplier - Time for that switch?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

According to research commissioned by consumer advocate Which?, almost 50% of households have never switched suppliers, despite media coverage of the benefits to be gained from switching. Of those who

Get fixing with Scarborough

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Scarborough Building Society's new offshore subsidiary, SCIL, has launched a limited edition 1 Year Fixed Interest Bond paying 6.12%. The bond is available for a minimum investment of £5,000 (m

Â£100 billion and counting

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

British shoppers have spent £100 billion online in the 12 years it has been possible to do so, according to IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group). Meanwhile, online sales worth £3.465 billion

The way we pay

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Over the last ten years there has been a major shift in the pattern of cash acquisition in the UK, according to a new report by APACS, the UK payments association. 'The Way We Pay 2007: UK Ca

Oversupply risk for London homes market

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Whilst a very limited supply of unsold new homes in inner London has pushed prices to new levels, the recently published London Residential Development Survey from property consultants, Savills, sugge

Prudential cuts lifetime mortgage rate

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Prudential has decreased the rate on its Lifetime Mortgage from 6.38% monthly, 6.57% AER, 6.80% APR, to 6.17% monthly, 6.35% AER, 6.60% APR - effective immediately. A lifetime mortgage allows you t

Capital One launches new credit card

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:22 GMT

Capital One has launched a new credit card with 0% on both balance transfers and purchases, until May 1st 2008. After this date holders of the new Platinum card will pay a 9.9% APR typical variable r

Investment returns an absolute washout?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

Standard & Poor's Funds Services, the qualitative fund management ratings provider, has revealed that none of the funds in its current survey of the absolute funds sector, met their own investment

Home equity DIY style

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

According to research by Halifax, more than half the population has undertaken some form of home improvements over the past 12 months, which is an increase of 12% on last year's figures. The main

Stamp duty - A costly barrier to FTBs

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

With last week's base rate rise stretching affordability, potential homeowners will have a hard time climbing onto the ladder unless the Government reviews Stamp Duty. Indeed, new research by Bradford

Firms agree on how PPI is sold

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

Major finance firms have agreed to change the way they sell payment protection insurance (PPI) over the internet, following action by City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Payment p

House prices - Rate rises begin to bite

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

Latest data from property website, Rightmove, shows the average property asking price nationally rose by just 0.3% in July - the lowest monthly rise this year. And giving an annual rate of 10.3% (

Couple wins landmark tax case

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:21 GMT

The House of Lords has ruled in favour of a husband and wife business partnership - and against HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) - in what amounts to a landmark tax case. At issue was HMRC's con

Skipton gives help with HIPs

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:28:20 GMT

With three working days to go until the August 1st deadline, sellers of four or more bedroomed properties requiring a Home Information Pack (HIP), are being offered a helping hand by Skipton Building