Laura Miller

Aberystwyth

Journalist and Editor at Freelance

Freelance journalist & editor. Times, ITN, Wired etc. Ex-staff at Telegraph & FT Group. Mainly finance. Story? Work? 📩 [email protected]

Articles

NFU Mutual and M&S among most trusted insurers as big brands beat smaller rivals

3 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

Household names have secured the top spots in the nation’s hearts as the most trusted insurers, new research found, with lesser known challengers failing to convince the public. Home, travel, car and pet insurers were weighed and measured by consumer rights group Fairer Finance, and ranked according to how much faith people had in them.
HMRC opens 1,000 more inheritance tax probes - what to do if it happens to you

3 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

HMRC issued a third more enquiries about inheritance tax last year in a bid to crack down on evasion, according to new data, but most cases were closed with no further action required. There were 4,171 inheritance tax (IHT) enquiries in 2024/25, up from 3,028 in 2023/24, figures obtained from HMRC by accountancy firm Price Bailey found – an increase of 38%.
How to manage a windfall: what to do with a £10,000 lump sum

4 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

A financial windfall, whether expected or out of the blue, comes with a choice – do you save, spend or invest it? What you decide could be the difference between doubling your money or missing out on thousands of pounds. In what is being called the Great Wealth Transfer, an estimated £5.5 trillion of UK assets is predicted to be passed down between 2022 and 2050, the largest flow of generational capital ever seen.
The £8,000 cost of not shopping around for an annuity

4 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

Retirees buying an annuity are often missing out on thousands of pounds by sticking with their current pension provider instead of shopping around for the best rates, exclusive data for MoneyWeek shows. Annuities are making a comeback with another post-pension freedoms record for sales last year, according to the Association of British Insurers – which reported 1,700 annuities were sold every week, up by a quarter on 2023.
The UK regions where family businesses will be hit hardest by inheritance tax changes

4 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

Every region of the UK and sector of the economy will be affected by the government’s decision to change inheritance tax rules according to new research – but particular areas and industries will be harder hit. From 6 April 2026, the full 100% inheritance tax relief for business property relief (BPR) and agricultural property relief (APR) will be limited to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property. Assets exceeding this threshold will only receive 50% relief.
Parents forced to borrow as much as £22k to cover private school fees

5 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

Parents have been borrowing more to pay for independent school fees as they look to spread the cost of private school fees. Parents were borrowing even before the introduction of VAT this year, which has put more pressure on household finances. The average for parents through School Fee Plan – a finance provider for school fees – rose 11% last year to £21,735. This is 19% higher than two years ago. The total lent last year was around 15% higher than in 2022 and 5% higher compared to 2023.
Savers rush into cash ISAs amid fears of cuts to allowance

5 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

Savers paid another £14 billion into cash ISAs in April, according to Bank of England data, the highest amount since the savings products were launched in 1999. Easy access cash ISAs have been the biggest beneficiaries of this rush, with savers attracted by the high headline rates and the bonus rates on offer. The best cash ISAs are currently returning inflation-busting rates of up to 5.46%. However, the Bank of England's interest rate cut means rates on savings accounts could soon drop.
Nationwide: Annual house prices nudge higher after post-stamp duty change slump

5 days ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

House prices edged higher in the year to May, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index, beating back previous figures that showed a slowdown. The annual rate of house price growth increased marginally in May to 3.5%, compared to 3.4% in April. The April figures were a significant drop from the 3.9% growth seen in March. House prices were up 0.5% month on month, the May data showed, versus a 0.6% fall in April.
Family must pay £176k inheritance tax bill due to common gifting error – how you can avoid it

1 week ago | moneyweek.com | Laura Miller

A family has been ordered to pay £176,000 in inheritance tax by the court after wrongly interpreting gifting rules, which they thought would mean they avoided a bill after their father died. The recent case successfully brought by HMRC involved the estate of Mohammed Chugtai who had given away one of his properties and placed it in a trust, in a bid to try to lower the inheritance tax (IHT) payable by his family.
How much more you would need to save if UK state pension age hit 70

1 week ago | msn.com | Laura Miller

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