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ISI Seal Household money, plainly checked Saturday Letter
A man in his late fifties makes notes in a notebook while on a phone call at a dining table by a bay window.
Pensions & retirement
What a free Pension Wise appointment covers, and what it leaves to you
Tax
Why the January tax bill can be bigger than last year’s tax
Money & family
What happens to a joint bank account when one of you dies
A couple in their late sixties sit at a kitchen table in morning light, looking over household paperwork with a pot of tea.
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This State Pension increase affects millions in Britain. Here is what changes in April

The government has confirmed a 3.9% rise in the full new and basic State Pension from April 2027. What that means in pounds depends on which State Pension a person receives and their own record.

ISI Seal Editorial · 5 November 2026 · 7 min read
Figures checked for this issue
£268,275
The usual lifetime cap on tax-free cash from pensions
Lump Sum Allowance, 2026/27
72%
Share of gas and electricity meters in Great Britain that were smart or advanced
DESNZ, end of June 2026
£3,000
Gifts each person can make every tax year outside inheritance tax
Annual exemption, GOV.UK
28 days
Time to use a Tell Us Once reference number after registering a death
GOV.UK

Pensions & retirement

All articles ›
A couple in their late sixties sit at a kitchen table in morning light, looking over household paperwork with a pot of tea.
This State Pension increase affects millions in Britain. Here is what changes in April
7 min read
 A man in his late fifties makes notes in a notebook while on a phone call at a dining table by a bay window.
What a free Pension Wise appointment covers, and what it leaves to you
6 min read
 A bearded man of about sixty reads printed pages at a pine kitchen table with a mug of tea.
What really happens when you move a workplace pension, and the checks that come first
6 min read

Workplace and personal pensions, from finding an old pot to moving one safely and getting free guidance before you take any money.

Go to Pensions & retirement ›

Tax

All articles ›
A woman around fifty sorts paper receipts into a box file at a small desk lit by a lamp on a winter afternoon.
Why the January tax bill can be bigger than last year’s tax
6 min read
 A couple in their early sixties sit on a wooden garden bench with mugs of tea, talking in an autumn garden.
How the tax-free quarter of a pension works, and how the rest is taxed
6 min read
 A woman in her sixties hands a present wrapped in brown paper to her teenage granddaughter on a sofa.
The everyday gifts that inheritance tax leaves alone from the start
6 min read

Self Assessment dates, the tax on pension withdrawals and the everyday gift exemptions, explained with worked examples and links to HMRC.

Go to Tax ›

The Saturday Letter

Every Saturday morning: what is worth knowing about pensions, tax, home bills and family money, in a few minutes.

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Home & energy

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A woman in her fifties talks with an energy engineer in the hallway of a terraced house beside an open cupboard under the stairs.
What changes when a smart meter is fitted, and what stays exactly the same
6 min read
 A woman in her sixties stands at the front door of her red-brick house, talking with a visitor on the step.
The free register that tells your energy and water companies you may need extra help
6 min read
 A man around sixty stands on the front path of his semi-detached house, looking up at the roof.
Why a home insurance renewal can no longer cost more than a new customer pays
5 min read

Smart meters, extra support from energy and water companies and the rules on home insurance renewals: how they work and what to check.

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Money & family

All articles ›
A woman in her late sixties and her adult son talk at a kitchen table over cups of tea.
What happens to a joint bank account when one of you dies
6 min read
 A man in his early sixties tries on a pair of glasses in front of a mirror in an optician’s shop while the optician looks on.
Who gets a free NHS eye test, and what an optical voucher pays towards
5 min read
 A brother and sister in their late fifties in winter coats walk down the steps of a Victorian town hall.
The service that tells most of government about a death in one go
5 min read

Joint accounts, NHS eye care costs and the paperwork after a death: the practical money side of family life.

Go to Money & family ›