Joe Wright

Senior Money Writer at The Telegraph

Senior money writer @Telegraph

Articles

The little-known alternative to trusts that could help you dodge inheritance tax

2 days ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Day-to-day management of the company remains in the hands of its directors, while children and other family members can become shareholders. When setting up one of these companies, it's important to bear in mind that ultimate control will lie with shareholders, who will have the power to take key decisions such as winding up the company.
the ultimate commuter town that never was

5 days ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Just a fraction of the thousands of homes promised have materialised after 30 yearsOn paper, Ebbsfleet should have been a huge success story: thousands of affordable homes built on a high-speed rail link into central London. But 30 years after the grand plan for 43,000 homes in north Kent was hatched, just 10pc have been built. Its huge train station, which Eurostar abandoned, is the 308th busiest in the country - little more than a ghost town even in peak commuting times.
Electric car tax trick costs Treasury £48m

5 days ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at Cinch, said: "Such a big increase in renewals shows just how many EV drivers might have got themselves another year of road tax-free motoring."Those who sidestepped the bill were able to renew regardless of how many months were left on their previous year of car tax. An EV owner due to renew in May, for example, was able to do so free of charge before April, prolonging their tax bill until 2026.
Porsche halts sale of EV over battery fire fears

6 days ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

A Porsche spokesman said: "Enhanced battery monitoring software is anticipated to become available for first generation Taycan models towards the end of June. With its imminent arrival, we've advised our retail partners not to sell a small, specific batch of first generation Taycan models until the software update is live."A slump in salesIn September 2023, a £200,000 Taycan was reported to have burst into flames in the middle of a busy street in the city of Chongqing, south-western China.
Second home owners on Spanish island to be banned from having two cars

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Majorca is mulling a ban on second home owners from having more than one car to cut over-tourism and traffic on the island. The crackdown comes amid a series of measures across Spain aimed at curbing the number of foreigners buying up holiday homes. Council leaders in Majorca - the Balearic island which has proved a magnet for British retirees since the 1960s - want to enforce car restrictions from next year.
Wealthy setting up investment companies to swerve inheritance tax bills

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

FICs 'very attractive' to large estatesIn contrast, there is no cap on the amount of wealth that can be transferred via FIC shares. The nil-band rate is £325,000 for personal estate. For couples, this is £650,000 - with an additional allowance for homeowners pushing this to £1m if their children inherit their main property. David Denton, of wealth manager Quilter Cheviot, said the absence of a cap makes FICs "very attractive" to those with large estates.
Fury as farmers told inheritance tax raid will 'fund mental health hubs'

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Sarah Bool, South Northamptonshire Conservative MP, told Tuesday's hearing that farmers are struggling with their mental health as a result. Addressing Mr Reed, she said: "I'm staggered by what you've said because the mental health strain is unbearable. "I've heard farmers telling me about family members planning things they shouldn't be doing to get away from this.
Rayner told to build disabled parking-sized homes to hit housing target

2 weeks ago | ca.finance.yahoo.com | Joe Wright

Labour has been urged to slash minimum living space requirements to help it achieve its housing targets. One-bed flats only need to be around the size of a disabled parking bay, according to think tank Centre for Cities. Current regulations stipulate that developers must build to a minimum floorspace of 37 square metres (398 sq ft) for flats lived in by one person.
Rayner told to build disabled parking-sized homes to hit housing target

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

Mr Wojtulewicz also had concerns about apartment "overcrowding" should minimum floorspace requirements be lowered. "I'm not sure people will live in them for the rest of their lives - they're more of a transitional property type.
Angela Rayner's housing blitz in doubt as new-build sales plunge

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Joe Wright

The average UK house price has remained relatively steady in the past year, climbing just 1.6pc according to Zoopla's latest figures. Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, admitted last year that delivering the manifesto pledge of building 300,000 homes a year is "more difficult than expected", but remained "convinced" it is achievable. Ms Rayner, the Housing Secretary, has overhauled the National Planning Policy Framework to increase local authority housing targets and build on the green belt.