18 Dec 2025 Wrap it up locally! Last minute Christmas shopping sorted at The Maltings
With Christmas just days away, the pressure is on, and it’s officially too late to rely on posted gifts arriving in time. The good news...
With Christmas just days away, the pressure is on, and it’s officially too late to rely on posted gifts arriving in time. The good news...
If there’s one thing St Albans does well, it’s kindness. You can feel it everywhere at this time of year – decorated postboxes, sparkly lights everywhere, packed-out community events, and the way people quietly look for ways to make December a little softer for those who need it. And when...
Understanding the implications of the Chancellor’s Budget now could be the difference between missed opportunities and maximising your financial strategy, explains Lumin managing director Martin Cotter. After weeks of rumour, kite-flying, intense lobbying and U-turns, the one indisputable fact about the Autumn Budget is that it has now been delivered and...
If there’s one thing St Albans does brilliantly, it’s community. We’re a city full of people who care – about each other, about local causes, and about the independent businesses that give our neighbourhoods personality and heart.And today (December 6), we get to celebrate all of that together with Small...
The Residential Nil Rate Band, or RNRB, is an allowance that was introduced because rising property prices meant more families were being dragged into paying inheritance tax. The RNRB helps protect family homes and gives people a bit more flexibility when planning what they want to leave behind. For many families, it...
We know, we know – it’s only just December. The decorations are still in boxes, and Jez is still insisting there’s no Christmas music on the playlist until at least the second (third?) week of the month. But not everyone leaves their gift shopping to the last minute (ahem –...
There’s a silent threat creeping into the estates of more UK families than ever before – the looming 40% Inheritance Tax (IHT). Lumin Wealth’s Managing Director, Martin Cotter, explains more. The 40 per cent figure for inheritance tax is not an immediate pressure, which is why it’s often overlooked by many...
We’ve tried to come up with a vision related link to the radio – but sometimes even we’re stumped. Answers on a postcard (or in person) to 63 The Quadrant please…Anyway, if you’ve had the radio on recently, you may well have heard the new advert for Essilor’s Varilux XR...
With the arrival of autumn comes growing anticipation around the Chancellor’s upcoming Budget and the potential tax changes it may bring. Lumin Wealth’s Managing Director, Martin Cotter, explains more. This year, speculation is particularly widespread, with reports focusing on potential tax increases affecting wealthier households, including changes to Capital Gains Tax...
A little refresher… It’s pretty widely known that the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (LTA 1954) grants “security of tenure” to commercial tenants – i.e. commercial tenants (with a few exceptions) have the right to renew their leases when the contractual lease term comes to an end. However, landlords and tenants can...
Contribute
You can help keep quality local journalism alive by making a one-off donation or set up a regular direct debit. Any contributions will help ensure the long-term future of the St Albans Times.
