Mehak Bambrah- Financial Planner

16/07/2026

As we go through life, careers develop, families grow, children leave home, parents need support and retirement comes into view.

Every major life event creates new opportunities and new decisions.

Reviewing your financial plan regularly helps ensure it continues to reflect the life you're living today, not the one you were living five years ago.

08/07/2026

The latest Financial Health Report by St. James's Place found that 56% of women have taken a career break, compared with 38% of men.

Whether that's to raise children, care for loved ones or for other personal reasons, career breaks can have a significant impact on pensions, investments and long-term financial security.

As a female-led advice firm, we understand that financial journeys are rarely linear. We work with many women at key life stages, helping them navigate change with confidence and create financial plans that reflect both their ambitions and their responsibilities.

Reviewing your financial plan regularly can help ensure it still reflects your circumstances and future goals.

Source: Financial Health Report 2026: Women and Wealth, St. James's Place.

07/07/2026

WEEK WATCH: Savers warned of poor value in closed pension funds

Pension savers could be at risk of poor value and low growth if they hold funds in closed non-workplace pension products.

The industry regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority has warned pension firms to do more where they are holding savers funds in closed or legacy unit-linked pensions and savings or face regulatory action.*

The FCA said ‘complex charging structures, older product design and weakness in firms' data meant some pension savers are not getting as much value as they could’.

The findings came out of the FCA’s review of unit-linked pensions and savings – a market worth up to £1 trillion. These are pooled investments offered by insurance companies through life insurance-based pensions and savings products.

The regulator found that while many unit-linked products deliver fair value for savers, many with money in legacy pensions were receiving poorer value and are typically hit with ‘multiple layers of charges’.

Read more here:
https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/weekwatch-06-07-2026.html

*Source: Unit-linked pensions and savings: Multi-firm review of Consumer Duty price and value practices. Financial Conduct Authority. 2 July 2026.

WeekWatch - 06/07/2026

03/07/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions in later-life planning is that you can simply transfer your home or savings to family members to avoid paying care home fees.

Unfortunately, it isn't that straightforward.

When assessing care funding, your local authority will look at why assets were given away and whether you could reasonably have expected to need care at the time. If they conclude the gift was intended to reduce care costs, they can still include those assets in their financial assessment.

Helping children onto the property ladder or making gifts during your lifetime can be sensible financial planning, but timing and intention matter.

Understanding the rules before making significant financial decisions can help avoid unnecessary complications later.

Read our latest article to learn more:
https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/can-i-gift-assets-to-avoid-paying-care-home-fees.html

01/07/2026

WEEK WATCH: ISAs
The government has confirmed a 22% charge will be applied to the interest on cash held in investment ISAs from April 2027.

It follows widespread rumours that such a charge would be levied, as the government looks to stop people holding large sums in cash in equity ISAs once cash ISA limits are cut.

Meanwhile, the government has announced plans for a new, simpler first-time buyer (FTB) ISA to replace the lifetime ISA (LISA).

The new savings product, which will be available to anyone over 18, is expected to launch early next year. It will be possible to save in cash or in stocks and shares with a bonus paid at the point the saver accesses the money to buy a first home.

Unlike the LISA, there is no maximum age limit for the new FTB ISA, and there is no retirement savings feature. There also won’t be a penalty fee for withdrawing money.

Read more here:
https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/weekwatch-29-06-2026.html

The tax treatment of ISAs may be subject to changes in legislation in the future.
Please note that cash ISAs and lifetime ISAs are not available through St. James's Place.

25/06/2026

Financial vulnerability isn't always about income or wealth.

Sometimes it's about confidence.

For people with limited financial knowledge, low confidence around money, poor digital skills or language barriers, managing finances can feel daunting and overwhelming.

Good financial planning isn't simply about numbers. It's about helping people understand their options, make informed decisions and feel more confident about their future.

Clarity often leads to confidence.

23/06/2026

After weeks of speculation and growing pressure, Keir Starmer announced his resignation as prime minister on 22 June. It comes after just under two years in office and means the UK will soon have its fifth prime minister in as many years. However, the next steps remain unclear. Even in the event of a smooth ‘coronation’ to a successor, the process could take several weeks.

Immediately after the announcement, the UK market took Starmer’s resignation largely in its stride, although the pound weakened in anticipation of his resignation. The FTSE was very marginally down while gilts held steady in the hours after the news was released on Monday morning. However, a big question, not least for markets, will be who becomes the next chancellor if, as expected, Rachel Reeves is moved from her current position.

Hetal Mehta, St. James's Place’s Chief Economist, says: “Given the current situation, policy uncertainty – especially regarding the fiscal stance – could remain elevated for months, i.e, until the next Budget."

“Without cuts to day-to-day spending and welfare, any attempts to boost investment or reduce the real terms spending cuts some government departments are facing, would require tax increases.”

Read more here:
https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/weekwatch-22-06-2026.html

21/06/2026

👔 Happy Father's Day
Some of life's greatest lessons don't come from textbooks, they come from our parents.

Patience, resilience, generosity and planning for the future are values many of us first learned from our fathers and father figures.

Today we're celebrating all the dads and grandads who continue to inspire the next generation.

Wishing you all a very Happy Father's Day.

17/06/2026

⚽ There's something special about the opening game of a major tournament.

England face Croatia tonight to begin their World Cup campaign and we'll be joining the rest of the country in getting behind the team.

Here's hoping for an exciting tournament, plenty of memorable moments and a successful start this evening.

Good luck, England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

16/06/2026

Week Watch: To the moon (and Mars) 🚀

While the Iran deal will likely dominate headlines over the coming days, last week the big story was the record-breaking initial public offering (IPO) of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The IPO shattered previous records. Shares opened at $150 on Friday, rising to $160 by the end of the day, valuing the company at over $2 trillion. This leaves the company as one of the largest in the world by market cap, above giants like Saudi Aramco, Meta, and Musk’s other business, Tesla.

This had a knock-on effect for the rest of the market, as investors sold off other shares to make room in portfolios for SpaceX.

Its value is a sign that investors have faith that the company will meet at least some of its ambitious targets. These include putting data centres in orbit and people on Mars. As a loss-making business, investors will be hoping these will help it report profits to justify such lofty prices. Regardless, the news on Friday meant that Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire.

SpaceX won’t be the only IPO game in town for long. AI giants Anthropic and OpenAI are due to list later this year. Both are likely to receive valuations in the hundreds of billions, as things stand.

Read more in this week's Week Watch:
https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/weekwatch-15-06-2026.html

WeekWatch - 15/06/2026