UK Pre-Budget 2004 - Personal finance
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Delay for pension assistance scheme
The launch of an assistance scheme for people who have lost pensions through company insolvencies is to be delayed by six months, Malcolm Wicks, pensions minister, said.
Tax-avoidance package to hit City bonuses
This year's City bonus season is set to be a fraught affair after the chancellor effectively closed down the most attractive ways for employers to reward workers.
Savings accounts extension among few surprises
Gordon Brown’s pre-budget report speech was short both in length and on measures to make people richer, despite it probably being his last report before a general election.
Brown unveils major improvements in childcare
Gordon Brown tried to enhance his reputation as Britain's family-friendly chancellor by announcing an increase in the length of paid maternity leave from six to nine months from 2007.
Families to benefit from help with costs of childcare
Families on incomes of up to £59,000 will benefit from more generous tax credits for childcare, under a 10-year strategy designed to create an extra 1m childcare places.
Consultation on child trust fund top-up welcomed
The savings industry and child poverty campaigners welcomed the government’s decision to seek views on the value of the top-up payment for its flagship Child Trust Fund.
Low earners promised basic banking
Gordon Brown pledged to invest £120m to tackle financial exclusion in the UK and promised to halve the number of people who do not have access to banking facilities.
US lessons in crackdown on inheritance tax
The Inland Revenue should learn from methods used in the US to crack down on avoidance of inheritance tax, the National Audit Office said on Thursday.
Property industry shrugs off lack of action on REITS
The property industry put on a brave face after Gordon Brown failed to outline any plans for new real estate investment trusts (Reits).
