The biggest change to Self Assessment in a generation is no longer a future proposal. It is here.
The biggest change is that Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) comes under full FCA regulation from 15 July 2026. Until now, many of the most popular "pay in 3" and short-term interest-free products have operated outside the normal consumer credit rules.
The arrival of new regulations for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) lending raises an interesting question. Is this simply a modern version of the hire purchase agreements that helped generations of families furnish their homes and buy essential goods? Or has technology made borrowing so easy that people are taking on debts they might otherwise have avoided? The answer may be a little of both.
The Scottish Government is collecting more income tax than ever before. At first sight, that appears to be good news for Scotland's public finances.
For many people, especially those who have spent a lifetime working and saving, cash feels like the safest place for their money. You can see it.
I recently volunteered to teach some lessons in finance to pupils at a primary school. Over six sessions, I spoke to a group of ten and eleven-year-olds about things like value, savings, cost and risk.
Ask ten people what makes a fair financial system and you are likely to receive ten different answers. Some will say low taxes.
For many people, choosing a savings account comes down to one question. "Which bank is paying the highest interest rate?" That is understandable.
For many people approaching retirement, one question matters more than almost any other: "Will I have enough money to live on?" The answer varies enormously. Some retirees have a secure income, a paid-off home and savings built up over many years.
For generations, many people banked with the same institution for life. You opened your first account there, arranged your mortgage there and perhaps even knew the branch manager by name.
For years, most of us did our banking in one place. Our wages went into one current account, our savings sat in the same bank, the mortgage was arranged there and, if we were lucky, we even had a friendly branch manager who knew our name.
When people talk about wealth in Britain today, the conversation often focuses on property. A home bought decades ago may now be worth many times what was originally paid.
Britain's housing debate today often appears to be about house prices, mortgages and affordability. But behind the headlines is a much bigger story.
For generations, rural Scotland was built around families who stayed close to where they were born. People grew up, found work locally, bought or rented a home nearby and raised their own families in the same communities.
When today's young adults talk about the difficulty of buying a home, an often-heard response is: "People managed before. They just saved up and bought a house." There is some truth in that.
For much of the last century, each generation has generally become wealthier than the one before it. People bought homes when prices were much lower, built up pensions, saved money and in some cases accumulated land, businesses or investments.
For generations, buying a first home was seen as one of the great milestones of adult life. A young person found a job, saved a deposit, took out a mortgage and eventually became a homeowner.
For much of the twentieth century, saving money was not just a personal activity. It was often something communities did together.
Support available to those most at risk from drop in pig prices. A new £2 million support scheme for Scotland’s independent pig producers has been launched to help with the significant market challenges facing the sector.
When people talk about building wealth, the conversation often focuses on big things. Buying a house, Investing in shares, Building a pension, Receiving an inheritance.