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The average house price in September rose 9.5% year-on-year, a slight dip from the sky-high figures in July and August. This is the first time annual house price growth has been in single digits since October 2021. The average house price is now £272,259. In another...

Mortgages became headline news in October – and not a headline many people wanted to read. Despite the doom and gloom of the current mortgage market, it is still possible to make a positive decision. Rates rise The political turmoil recently initially sent interest...

If you have a dog, you’ll know that they can be cute, loving… and a whole heap of trouble! Aviva1 recently backed this up when it revealed some of the company’s more noteworthy pet-related claims.   From the pooch who turned on a tap and flooded his owners’...

By choosing to live just outside highly sought-after locations, analysis has shown that homebuyers could benefit from savings of up to 55%1, without forsaking their preferred location. Average savings come in at around 34% when locating five or ten minutes from a...

Are you worried about your finances? If so, you’re certainly not alone. According to a recent survey, 90% of households are worried about rising prices1. Financial worries can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. In fact, nearly one in five people say they have...

Income protection insurance can be a cost-effective way of protecting yourself financially if you are unable to work due to illness or injury.    What many people don’t realise is that taking out an income protection policy can have benefits beyond the financial....

Job interview, driving test, family life… the list of life’s stresses is, unfortunately, long and varied. New research has revealed, however, that buying a home comes out on top.   Can’t Buy Me Stress 37% of recent UK homebuyers said that buying a house was one...

Nobody wants to think something bad happening to them. Perhaps it’s why so many people shy away from protection insurance – after all, it’s all too easy to think ‘it’ll never happen to me’.   Unfortunately, ‘it’ can and does happen, whether ‘it’ be injury,...

 Amid the backdrop of war in Ukraine and the spiralling cost of living, unpredictability is at the forefront of many people’s lives right now. The outlook for the housing and mortgage markets is no less uncertain.   Taking a step back, however, it is possible to...

Mortgage lending has soared to record levels, according to latest data from the Bank of England1, which reveals that gross advances in Q1 totalled £83.3bn, which represents a 26.5% increase on the same quarter in 2020 and the highest level since Q4 2007. Impact of the...

Saving for a deposit has been cited as a major barrier to purchasing a home by 59% of people, according to the latest survey from the Building Societies Association (BSA)1.   Climbing from 54% in December last year and just 40% last June, raising a deposit is...

Do you think you know how much your home is really worth? Would you be surprised if it was worth much more or much less?   Many homeowners’ estimates don’t live up to reality, with 45% of respondents to a recent survey1 undervaluing their property and 25%...

Engaging with your home insurance requirements can be challenging but running the risk of not tuning in and getting the most suitable cover - and the right level of cover - could be financially devastating if an unwelcome event were to occur.  Although home insurance...

Many people find that the language of protection insurance isn’t particularly user-friendly, with confusing terminology often becoming a barrier to finding the right insurance. We believe that nobody should be prevented from protecting themselves and their loved ones...

Despite a better understanding of the limitations of state health and welfare support than men, women are less likely to engage with group protection benefits. Its a phenomenon that Legal & General1 have termed the ‘gender paradox’. Despite knowing that state...

Saving for a deposit has been cited as a major barrier to purchasing a home by 59% of people, according to the latest survey from the Building Societies Association (BSA)1. Climbing from 54% in December last year and just 40% last June, raising a deposit is currently...

There's a widespread belief that insurance is extremely expensive – but it doesn’t have to be.  Perhaps the myth comes from the fact that many celebrities have insured parts of their body for astronomical sums? For example:  Julia Roberts’s smile is reportedly insured...

Do you think you know how much your home is really worth? Would you be surprised if it was worth much more or much less?    Many homeowners’ estimates don’t live up to reality, with 45% of respondents to a recent survey1 undervaluing their property and 25%...

Each year, we spend thousands on insurance, from our health and homes to our holidays, pets and cars. What would happen to that money spent on safeguarding if the insurer were to fail? For peace of mind, the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS) advises three...