This Week in UK Finance — 19 June 2026
Bank of England holds at 3.75% with two hawks voting to raise, CPI steady at 2.8% but services inflation surges to 3.7%, and HMRC launches 30,000 high street fraud raids.
Read the Roundup →Why Is My Cost of Living Higher Than Inflation?
Why your household rate differs from the headline CPI, who is hit hardest (it flips with the rate cycle), and how to find your own rate.
Check Your Household Rate →This Week in UK Finance — 12 June 2026
Energy bills jump 13% from 1 July as Ofgem raises the cap, the FCA proposes wider mortgage access for first-time buyers, and MPs demand a stamp duty overhaul by year-end.
Read the Roundup →Has Your Pay Kept Up With Inflation?
Which inflation measure to use for your pay (CPI, not RPI), how to work out your real-terms position, and whether a pay rise is really a cut.
Check Your Pay →Annual Allowance Charge: Scheme Pays Explained
Over your annual allowance? Cancel the charge with carry forward, or pay it - but mandatory Scheme Pays only works if your input tops the full £60,000, not your tapered allowance.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 5 June 2026
Summer VAT cut drops children's meals to 5% from 25 June, record PAYE receipts confirm fiscal drag is biting, GOV.UK Chat tackles tax questions, and stablecoins may shift to interest treatment.
Read the Roundup →This Week in UK Finance — 29 May 2026
Advisory fuel rates jump from 1 June, the £2m council tax surcharge consultation opens, HMRC warns on Bills of Exchange fraud, and kinship carers get a tax break.
Read the Roundup →Pension Annual Allowance: £60k Cap + Carry Forward
Save up to £60,000/year in pensions tax-free. Carry forward unused allowance from 3 prior years. High earners face a taper to £10,000. HMRC 2026/27 rules.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 22 May 2026
CPI drops to 2.8% easing rate-cut hopes, close company directors face new SA return boxes, CBAM consultation closes, and the overlap relief tool shuts 31 May.
Read the Roundup →Voluntary NI Contributions: Top Up Your State Pension
One missing NI year costs £957 to fill but adds up to £358/year to your State Pension — a 2.7-year breakeven. Check your record, then pay Class 3.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 15 May 2026
HMRC publishes its IHT-on-pensions technical note, the SNP returns for a fifth term, the FTT rules football referees self-employed, and BADR rises to 18%.
Read the Roundup →Pension Lump Sum Tax: the £268,275 Tax-Free Cap and Emergency Tax
25% of your pension pot is tax-free, capped at £268,275. But your first withdrawal is likely emergency-taxed. HMRC forms P55 and P53Z to reclaim.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 8 May 2026
HMRC opens mandatory tax adviser registration on 18 May, the salary-sacrifice NIC cap clears Royal Assent, and 5.76m higher-rate taxpayers reveal fiscal drag in action.
Read the Roundup →Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Who Must Comply, Deadlines and What to Do (2026/27)
MTD for Income Tax is now live. Quarterly deadlines, the £50,000 threshold rollout, penalty points, and what software you need.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 1 May 2026
BoE holds Bank Rate at 3.75% in an 8-1 split, HMRC warns landlords on hybrid LLP schemes, and cash ISAs hold above 4.5% post-pause.
Read the Roundup →The 7-Year Rule for Inheritance Tax: Gifts, Taper Relief and What Counts (2026/27)
Give away assets and survive 7 years to escape IHT entirely. Taper relief, annual exemptions, and why the 2027 pension rules make gifting more urgent.
Read the Rule →This Week in UK Finance — 24 April 2026
CPI jumps to 3.3% on fuel prices, mortgage lenders trim rates after March spike, and HMRC confirms SA109 filers are exempt from MTD until April 2027.
Read the Roundup →Employed and Self-Employed at the Same Time: UK Tax Guide 2026/27
How income tax and National Insurance work when you have a PAYE job and a side business. Covers the £1,000 trading allowance, NIC classes, and MTD rules.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 17 April 2026
MTD now live and HMRC clarifies exit rules, IHT farm relief cap in force, ISA alert for under-65s, and Employer Payment Summary due 19 April.
Read the Roundup →Optimal Director Salary & Dividend Strategy for 2026/27
The most tax-efficient salary is £12,570. Learn how to split salary and dividends, when Employment Allowance applies, and how to avoid the 35.75% higher rate.
Read the Strategy →This Week in UK Finance — 10 April 2026
First week of the new tax year: all April changes now live, Middle East conflict pushes energy costs higher, and the BoE rate decision looms on 30 April.
Read the Roundup →Capital Gains Tax on Shares: UK Rates, Rules & How to Calculate (2026/27)
CGT on shares is 18% or 24% with a £3,000 allowance. Learn how gains are calculated, when to report, and five ways to reduce your bill.
Read the Guide →This Week in UK Finance — 3 April 2026
The new tax year lands in 3 days — dividend tax rises, BADR jumps to 18%, employer NI hits 15%, and the ISA deadline is Sunday. Your weekly digest.
Read the Roundup →Bed and Spouse: Transfer Shares to Your Partner to Cut CGT
Sell shares and have your spouse rebuy them — no 30-day wait. Double your £3,000 CGT exemption and shift gains into a lower tax band.
Read the Rule →This Week in UK Finance — 28 March 2026
BoE holds at 3.75%, MTD sign-up closes in 4 days, ISA deadline in 8 days, and a wave of April tax changes lands next week. Your weekly digest.
Read the Roundup →The Power of Compound Interest: UK Guide with Calculator
How compounding builds wealth or multiplies debt. Interactive calculator (investment & debt modes), penny-doubling illustration, Rule of 72, and ISA tax shelter maths.
Read & Calculate →Dividend Tax Rates Are Rising from 6 April 2026
Basic rate rises to 10.75%, higher rate to 35.75%. What Ltd company directors should consider before the 5 April deadline.
Read Analysis →Bed and ISA: Move Shares Into Your ISA Before 5 April 2027
Sell shares in your taxable account and rebuy them inside an ISA immediately — no 30-day wait. Here's how the maths works.
Read the Rule →Inheritance Tax 2027: The Pension Pot Raid Explained
From April 2027, unused pension pots will be dragged into the Inheritance Tax net. Learn how the new rules affect your family's legacy.
Check Your Exposure →Scottish Budget 2026/27: The "Fiscal Drag" Reality
Analysis of the frozen Higher Rate threshold. See why earning £50k in Scotland now costs ~£1,500 more than in England.
Read Analysis →Property: The 60-Day Deadline for Capital Gains
Sold a rental or second home? You cannot wait for Self Assessment — discover exactly when and how to report gains to avoid penalties.
Read Reporting Rule →Investors: The "Bed & Breakfast" Anti-Avoidance Rule
Thinking of selling shares to use your allowance and buying them back? See why the "30-Day Rule" blocks this and how to harvest gains correctly.
Understand Matching →VAT: When does the "Rolling 12-Month" rule catch you?
The £90,000 threshold isn't based on the tax year — learn how to check your turnover window and avoid the immediate registration trap.
Check VAT Registration →Autumn Budget 2025: Impact on Investors
Analysis of the frozen Capital Gains Tax rates and new Dividend Allowances to help you adjust your portfolio strategy.
Read Analysis →Structure: Sole Trader vs Limited Company for 2026/27
We calculate the exact "Tipping Point" where incorporation becomes tax-efficient and expose the hidden admin costs of running a company.
Compare Structures →Allowable Expenses: What can I actually claim?
Stop guessing at the "Wholly and Exclusively" rule — get the definitive list of deductibles for home office, travel, and equipment.
View Expenses List →Payments on Account: Estimating Your Jan 31st Bill
A practical guide to predicting your Income Tax, Class 4 NI, and Student Loan liability so you aren't blindsided by the taxman.
Estimating Payments →