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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...

The number of equity release products on the market has reached a record high, with over 5001 products now available, resulting in greater choice and flexibility for consumers. The average interest rate for Q1 was 2.84%, which compares to an average rate of 4.16% in...

Many of us review our home and car insurance policies every year to see whether we can save money or to look for more suitable cover. Reviewing personal protection cover in this way is just as important, but because policies tend to last for several years, this can...

British homeowners could save an average of £169 a month by remortgaging to a fixed-rate deal at today’s low rates, according to research1. This figure equates to an annual saving of over £2,000, yet almost nine in 10 borrowers haven’t thought about switching...

The latest FCA Financial Lives Survey has revealed a significant protection gap, with 53% of people holding no protection insurance products at all1.    There are also large disparities between genders, with research consistently demonstrating that fewer women...

Five-year fixed rate mortgages have dropped to the lowest rates on record, handing a boost to people wanting to get a competitive deal, whether remortgaging or buying a home. This comes after rates on some two-year fixes dropped below 1% recently for the first time...

Life cover ‘myths’ prevent people from taking out much-needed insurance, according to research1.    A survey from a price comparison site revealed that 40% of adults with dependent children have not yet taken out life insurance. When asked why they had not taken...

A common misconception about protection insurance is that you don’t need it unless you have a mortgage and children.  So prevalent is this myth, in fact, that less than 20% of tenants have insurance in place (whether individually or through work) that would cover...

The number of people renting in the UK is growing all the time. Yet according to a report1, less than 10% of tenants have individual protection in place to cover their rent if they were unable to work due to illness.  This compares to 58% of mortgage holders who have...

During the pandemic, certain factors have heightened the vulnerabilities of women’s finances. It’s well known that women generally earn less than men, work in industries that tend to be more vulnerable in uncertain economic times and are usually the main carer for...

During the 2008 financial crisis, house prices plummeted as the market went into freefall. This time has been very different. Figures from Nationwide suggest house prices are up 13.4% year-on-year1, and there are a few reasons for this. The government’s Stamp Duty...

Lockdown has given many of us time to ponder the advantages and disadvantages of our properties.   According to research, a quarter (26%) of renters and homeowners now want different things from their property, with previously highly-valued characteristics...

With demand for homes so high, buy to let is a solid investment choice. However, the rental yield you can expect depends on location. Research from Seven Capital has revealed some top buy- to-let spots; Birmingham tops the list with an average rental yield of 5.4% and...

Nearly a third of advisers have reported increased demand for their services on the back of the pandemic, according to research1. A total of 39% say their clients have sought advice about income protection and 36% have seen higher demand for critical illness cover....

The built environment contributes around 40% of the UK’s total carbon emissions1, meaning energy efficiency is becoming an increasingly essential issue. Enter green mortgages: loans according to which a lender will offer buyers preferential rates and terms if the home...

Investing in a buy-to-let property delivers an average return of 5%, making it a solid choice for would-be investors. However, the returns you’ll get depend heavily on where you buy, research1 shows. Birmingham takes the top spot The study by Seven Capital examined a...