The first weeks of September were busy for the government, announcing a new health and social care levy on national insurance contributions, suspending the pension triple lock for next year and adding an Autumn Budget and Spending Review to our calendars for 27 October. As part of a broader approach on how the country will deal with the fall-out of the pandemic these measures will have far-reaching consequences when they come into force next year.

In the meantime, the pandemic has also had an effect not only working lives but also retirement patterns. The numbers of older people remaining in work has been increasing. Many reaching retirement age are choosing, where possible, to remain in work part time rather than make the dramatic shift from full time to leisure. In our feature in the latest edition of our newsletters, we focus on the ‘new retirement’, phasing the end of work and managing the costs of retirement. The new Health and Social Care Levy Bill, now making its way through parliament, will add a further tax on those working in retirement which will also now have to be taken into account.

Other stories for this edition include:

  • Income protection – a simple safety net Unexpected life events are exactly that: unexpected. While having a rainy day fund remains important, what the past two years have shown us is that a back-up plan, such as protection policies, brings additional security if you are suddenly unable to work.
  • The return of inflation? The jump in inflation in the first seven months of 2021 has left some economists feeling anxious about a potential return to a wage/price increase spiral. Whether this is a short-term reaction to the pandemic or a longer term problem, it could have a knock-on effect on the value of your holdings.
  • No fault divorce From April 2022 divorce law in England and Wales is changing. Couples looking to separate will be able to cite irretrievable breakdown, and if only one partner is seeking divorce, the other will not be able to contest it. Reaching a mutually acceptable financial settlement may not be so simple, so taking advice is important.

We are happy to talk you through any of the issues addressed in our newsletter. Our next edition will be with you in the Spring

Autumn 2021 Newsletter PDF Version