How the alpha civil service pension scheme works in 2026/27 — accrual rate, contribution tiers, normal pension age and how it compares to a private-sector defined contribution pension.
Deferring the new State Pension increases your weekly amount by 1% for every 9 weeks — about 5.8% for a full year. Worked example on the 2026/27 full rate of £241.30 a week.
How pension sharing orders work in a UK divorce: the three main options — sharing, offsetting and earmarking — and how the Annual Allowance and pension tax rules apply after a split in 2026/27.
The generic '3-6 months of expenses' rule ignores your job security, dependants and debt. Here is how to calculate a number that actually fits your circumstances, and where to keep it.
How to check your National Insurance record for gaps and fill them with voluntary Class 3 contributions at £18.40 a week in 2026/27, with a worked example of the State Pension impact.
How grandparents can gift into a Junior ISA tax-efficiently, using the £3,000 annual exemption and normal expenditure out of income exemption, explained for 2026/27.
How FSCS protection works for joint savings accounts, why the effective limit doubles to £170,000, and how to structure larger balances safely across 2026/27.
Withdraw from a Lifetime ISA for anything other than a first home or after age 60, and you lose 25% of the withdrawal — not just the bonus. Here is exactly how the penalty works and when it applies.
The Lump Sum Allowance caps tax-free pension cash at £268,275 in 2026/27, replacing the old Lifetime Allowance mechanism. How it works, and the separate £1,073,100 Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance.
Once you flexibly access taxable pension income, the Money Purchase Annual Allowance cuts your future tax-relieved pension contributions from £60,000 to £10,000 a year in 2026/27. What triggers it and what doesn't.
The difference between the new State Pension (£241.30/week) and the old Basic State Pension (£184.90/week) in 2026/27 — who gets which, why the gap exists, and how top-ups like Additional State Pension fit in.
Comparing notice savings accounts against a laddered fixed-rate bond strategy for 2026/27, including access, rate risk and a worked example for £20,000 of savings.
