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The State Pension age is being reviewed early in the UK and will be determined by two key factors.The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) normally conducts a review of the State Pension age every six years, but it launched an early review last year following concerns that adults aren't saving enough into private pensions for their retirement. According to DWP analysis, around 15 million people are undersaving for retirement, particularly the self-employed, low-paid, and some ethnic minorities. The DWP warned that pensioners will be £800 poorer by 2050, and the findings prompted an early review of the UK retirement age, despite the previous one having only been completed in 2023.The Government Actuary has now been commissioned to prepare a report on the State Pension age as part of th...

An expert has issued a warning to travellers (Image: Drazen_ via Getty Images)Rail travellers are being advised against purchasing certain tickets ahead as regulations are being made stricter. Mark Smith, who formerly headed the Department for Transport's (DfT) train fares and ticketing division, has accused the Government of "approving a reduction in consumer protection for its own financial benefit".Off-Peak and Anytime tickets bought from the beginning of next month will only qualify for refunds until 11.59pm on the day preceding their validity for travel, barring service disruptions. Retailers will additionally review claims from ticket-holders prevented from travelling due to exceptional circumstances such as medical emergencies.Presently, no justification is required to secure a r...

Plum increases interest on Cash ISA to 4.42% and earns ‘excellent’ rating (Image: Getty)Smart money app Plum has increased its interest rate on its Cash ISA to an impressive 4.42%, making it one of the most competitive on the market. A personal finance expert has highlighted the account as one of the most attractive at the moment, giving it an "excellent" rating. Many savers are busy looking for the best Cash ISA rates right now, as Rachel Reeves announced plans to cut the tax-free limit from £20,000 per year to just £12,000 per year in April 2027 for savers aged under 65.Finance experts have suggested that savers make the most of the higher annual allowance while it lasts and shop around for the best rates. Commenting on Plum's new deal, Caitlyn Eastell, personal finance analyst at Mon...

HMRC is slapping people with charges of up to £125 from Tuesday due to another key tax deadline.HM Revenue and Customs sets the self-assessment tax return deadline at January 31 every year.This is the deadline by which any tax must be paid, and applies to anyone who has extra income they need to declare to the taxman, including those working self-employed, those with savings interest, income from side hustles, those who need to repay the Higher Income Child Benefit charge and various other reasons.While HMRC will contact some people and ask them to register for self-assessment tax, it’s ultimately your responsibility to know that you need to register and pay, and those who failed to register or failed to pay by January 31 now face another harsher deadline on Tuesday, March 3.As of Tuesd...

Savers have just weeks left to make the most of tax-free interest on savings before the start of the new tax year on April 6.Despite the changes announced for Cash ISAs for 2027, the limits for the coming tax year remain unchanged. It means that adult savers can put up to £20,000 into a Cash ISA within the current tax year, and savings will be free of income tax and capital gains. But savers only have until April 5 to capitalise on this year's allowance, so if you haven’t opened a Cash ISA yet, it’s well worth considering before the new tax year starts.According to MoneySavingExpert (MSE), Trading 212 is currently the top-paying Cash ISA for new customers, offering up to 4.43% AER. This includes an underlying 3.6% AER variable rate plus a 12-month 0.83% AER fixed bonus, but the top rate...

Blue Badge holders can save an average of £126 on train travel per year after a new rule came into effect from March 1, 2026. The Disabled Persons Railcard previously covered anyone with epilepsy, hearing or visual impairments, or who claimed certain benefits.However, the eligibility criteria for the railcard have been expanded, with Blue Badge holders now qualifying for the support. Among those newly eligible to obtain the card also include disabled persons' bus pass holders, people unable to drive on medical grounds, and people unable to speak.The Railcard can knock hundreds of pounds off travel, with holders able to secure 33% off train journeys across Great Britain. Despite the extra benefits, the Rail Delivery Group has stressed there are no plans to increase Railcard costs.It mean...

Need to know: Nationwide reports 9% surge in customer gambling spendingNationwide Building Society has reported a 9% surge in customer gambling spending in January compared to the same month last year, with transactions rising 7%.The building society's data reveals the top 10% of gambling spenders part with an average of £745 monthly.A survey of 2,000 gamblers found two-thirds expect to bet more in 2026 due to major sporting events. However, 19% remain unaware that banks offer gambling blocks on accounts.Kathryn Townsend, head of customer vulnerability for Nationwide, said: "With a year of major sporting events ahead, we're concerned that more people could find themselves gambling more than they can afford."Nationwide has built in a 72-hour cooling-off period for its gambling block feat...

The Government recently said there would be no compensation for the WASPI women (Image: Getty)A retirement expert has said there are some key lessons that everyone should take from the WASPI controversy (Women Against State Pension Inequality). The debate has lasted for over a decade over the DWP's communication of changes to the state pension age, when it rose for women from 60 to 65 and then 66.The campaigners say this generation of 1950s-born women not properly informed of the change, with many having to suddenly change their retirement plans when they found out. Despite the Government's own Ombudsman saying there was 'maladministration' and there should be payouts, Labour announced in December 2025 there would bo no DWP compensation.In announcing the decision, Work and Pensions Secr...

Mr Beauchamp also warned of uncertainty as Trump's attacks on Iran could continue for the next month, potentially sending oil prices skyrocketing.He said: "While we have seen a significant surge in oil prices since markets opened last night, the gains appear contained for now as we wait to see if shipping through Hormuz can continue at lower levels or will be blocked entirely."Oil and gas infrastructure in the region has not yet been extensively targeted, keeping oil well south of the $100 barrel range that many expected as a result of the weekend. It is a similar story in stock markets. There have been losses, but investors have had one eye on the possibility of war for weeks."But with Trump saying the campaign could run for four weeks, there is plenty of scope for more downside should...

L’antiquaire Jean-Marie Rossi chez lui, à Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine), en juin 2010. ERIC JANSEN Sotheby’s disperse les 10 et 11 mars une partie de la collection de Jean-Marie Rossi, célèbre antiquaire parisien décédé en 2021, soit quelque 399 lots estimés entre 6 et 9 millions d’euros. Dans les années 1970-1980, au moment où le marché du mobilier du XVIIIe siècle battait son plein, il avait pour clients les grandes fortunes John Paul Getty, Agnelli, Gunter Sachs ou Hubert de Givenchy. Lire plus tard Ténor de sa profession, il ne rentrait pas pour autant dans le moule. « Il faisait acheter du mobilier du XVIIIe siècle le jour, et le soir il découvrait l’art contemporain », raconte ...