The law in England and Wales is moving a step closer to treating married and unmarried couples in a similar way.(1) “Over 3.5 million couples live together without getting married or entering a civil partnership, a number that has more than doubled over the past three decades. Despite this, cohabiting couples and their children have very limited financial protections should a relationship end.” So says the foreword to A fairer end to relationships, a 100-page paper from the M

The House of Commons Treasury Committee has published a critical report on the operation of student loans.(1) Earlier this year the Department for Education (DfE) announced a 6% interest cap on Plan 2 student loans for one year from September 2026.(2) The DfE press release claimed that the measure would “…protect students and graduates in England and Wales from the potential of inflation pressures due to the situation in the Middle East”, but the true impact of the change wil

The government has published a consultation document on the replacement for the Lifetime ISA (LISA). (1) The Lifetime ISA (LISA) was unveiled in the March 2016 Budget to no great fanfare. It was widely criticised at the time for attempting to address two different issues: Saving for the purchase of a first home – a relatively short-term goal. Building funds for retirement – a long-term goal, as the maximum age to start a LISA is 39 and the minimum age to draw retirement benef

Talk of a wealth tax has returned as another difficult Autumn Budget looms. (1) In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was much talk of a wealth tax to fill the hole that had been created in the government’s coffers. At the end of 2020, a Wealth Tax Commission,(2) independent of the government, published a report drawing on extensive tax, legal and economic research. The Commission deliberately avoided making any specific recommendations, but the variant that received th

HMRC has published fresh information on the mechanics of collecting inheritance tax (IHT) on pensions.(1) In the October 2024 Budget, the Chancellor announced that most pension death benefits would become potentially liable for IHT from 6 April 2027. However, it was not until March 2026 that the relevant primary legislation was passed into law. Even that is not the end of the story, as HMRC now must pass regulations to make the new rules work, then consult on and produce “det

One element of the Chancellor’s ‘Great British Summer Saving’ package was an increase in tax-free mileage rates.(1) There is a curious divide in the way in which HMRC deals with cars used by employees for business: Company cars: These days, few employers that provide company cars also supply ‘free fuel’ (petrol or diesel) to their employees.(2) The simple reason is that the income tax and national insurance (NI) levied on the benefit is excessive. In most instances, both the