Most over 60s (74%) have made exciting plans for their retirement, from extended overseas holidays (26%), to home refurbishments (20%) and exploring new hobbies (16%), according to research from Age UK Enterprises, the commercial services arm of the charity Age UK. But that optimism is countered by a lack of confidence in how far their [...]

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Here Legal & General Investment Management's Economist James Carrick examines the UK labour market – and describes why it has been better than expected in recent months… "The jobs figures have been puzzling. Ordinarily a slowing economy leads to rising unemployment but official figures suggest something else is happening. "The cynic may just think that [...]

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Almost one in three UK households (31%) have less than £250 set aside as a financial safety net. The recommended minimum "salary cushion" is three months' average monthly take-home pay – £5756, according to HSBC. The survey shows that a fifth (19%) have no savings at all to fall back on and 12% have savings [...]

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A distinctly worse euro zone outlook is likely, according to the latest global forecasts by Cebr, the economics consultancy. The think tank now forecasts that the euro zone recession will continue through 2013 and only marginal growth is likely for 2014. Although UK growth is likely to be held back by the weakness in its [...]

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More than a third of people going through incapacity benefit reassessment have been found to be capable of some form of work, figures published show. Of the 139,200 people reassessed between December 2011 and February 2012, 36% were found fit for work and will get help to move into employment through Jobcentre Plus and the [...]

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UK retail sales values were down 0.1% on a like-for-like basis from October 2011 – when they were down 0.6% on the preceding year, according to the latest BRC-Retail Sales Monitor. On a total basis, sales were up 1.1%, against a 1.5% rise in October 2011. Excluding Easter, this was the lowest growth in total [...]

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The average 50-year-old has paid £190,400 in direct taxes by the time they celebrate their 50th birthday – equivalent to around three-and-a-half times more than they've invested in their pension, new analysis from MetLife shows. Its unique study of the finances of 50-year-olds shows they have an average of £54,300 saved in pension funds but [...]

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The Bank of England again kept its base rate on hold at 0.5% after the Monetary Policy Committee's November meeting. In addition, the size of the asset purchase facility (known as quantitative easing) was held constant at £375billion. The European Central Bank (ECB) also held rates steady, in this case at 0.75%. UK inflation has [...]

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The housing market continues to tread water, according to the latest Nationwide house price index. It reports a 0.6% rise in house prices in October, but this was after a 0.4% fall in September. House prices ended the month just 0.9% down on October last year. In the last six months, since May, Nationwide has [...]

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An Early Day Motion has been tabled by Respect MP George Galloway, calling for protection for tenants of landlords who are letting out their houses unlawfully. ‘Accidental landlords’ are often not aware that they must have the permission of their mortgage lenders and insurers before they let out their home. It means that if the [...]

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