Helen Nugent

Money digest: today’s need-to-know financial news | 7 March 2016

During a weekend when two stories dominated the financial news, the papers were awash with comment, opinion and analysis on pensions reform and Brexit.

In a climbdown on a radical pensions shake-up which, er, had yet to happen, the Chancellor dropped a plan to scrap up-front tax relief on pension contributions after coming under pressure from business groups and members of his own party. George Osborne’s u-turn was condemned by commentators who had been pushing for an overhaul of the pensions system but welcomed by middle class savers who feared they would lose out.

Meanwhile, Age UK warned that about 70,000 people in their 50s and 60s will miss out entirely on the new state pension – which comes into effect on April 6 – between now and 2030 because they do not have the minimum number of qualifying years of national insurance contributions.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in