RESOURCE CENTRE
The Roberts Mackie Winstanley Resource Centre brings together a range of helpful resources that provide financial guidance and support. We hope you find these useful.
Financial factsheets
Investments
Investing for positive change
Spotting an investment scam
Building an investment portfolio
Investment choices
Invest your way out of inflation
Conscientious investor
How sustainable is your portfolio?
Retirement and pensions
Tracing old and lost pensions
Time to get your retirement plans in motion?
Chancellor retains State Pension triple lock
'Phased retirement'
Don't abandon pension contributions as prices rise
Passing wealth down through the generations
Pension saving revolution
Unretirement
Bridging the gender pensions gap
Retirement nest egg
Pension freedoms
How much do I need to save to retire?
Looking to build a bigger pension
Getting ready to retire
What do your retirement plans look like?
Significant impact on retirement prospects and planning
Planning for early retirement
Pensions and retirement still remain a taboo
Gender pension gap
How has COVID-19 affected retirement plans?
Time for pensions to contribute towards building a better world
Top pension tips if you’re about to retire
Plan the perfect retirement
Pension boost
Protect yourself from pension scams
Retirement planning journey
Live the life you want
The Golden Years?
Boost your pension savings
Minimum pension age to increase
Will your pension run out early?
Retirement options
Financial planning
Feeling the pinch
Millennials willing to forgo inheritance
Menopause in the workplace
Don't miss the ISA deadline
No 'one-size-fits-all' protection solution
Taxing times
Cost-of-living crisis
Inheritance Tax receipts reach £6.1bn
How to protect you and your family’s future
Millions of midlifers are propping up their families
How to cope with the rising cost of living
Protecting family wealth
Dealing with divorce
Future wealth
More Britons insure their homes than their lives
Passing on wealth to the next generation
Tax in uncertain times
‘Job for life’ a thing of the past
Cost-of-living crunch
‘Time is money’
Improving your financial health
Planning for the road ahead
Is freedom today hurting freedom tomorrow
Pandemic triggers shift to saving
How can I protect my money from inflation?
Festive gifts that teach children the value of money
The power of a plan
Intergenerational financial planning
Coping with life-changing events
Wealth preservation
Preparing for the unexpected
Build your own financial plan
Making inheritance gifts from surplus income
Creating wealth for children
Evolution of ESG investing
How to future-proof your finances as a parent
Plan for tomorrow, live for today
Protecting family wealth
Wealth preservation
Steps towards a better financial future
Time to look at the ‘big picture’?
A new tax year, a new start for your finances
Financial links
The following links will take you to other sites that are not connected to the regulated site of Roberts Mackie Winstanley. Neither Roberts Mackie Winstanley nor its representatives can be held responsible for the accuracy of the contents/information contained within the linked site(s) accessible from this page.
MoneyHelper
https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en
MoneyHelper provides free and impartial money and pensions guidance for people across the UK. MoneyHelper aims to ensure that everyone has free access to the information and guidance they need to make effective financial decisions over their lifetime. This service provides support and guides to help improve your finances, tools and calculators to help you keep track and plan ahead, and support in person, over the phone and online.
Pensions guidance: 0800 011 3797
Money guidance: 0800 138 7777
MoneyHelper brings together the support and services of three government-backed financial guidance providers: the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise.
Pension Wise
https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-wise
Pension Wise is a service from MoneyHelper, backed by HM government. Pension Wise offers free, impartial guidance to over 50s. Use this site if you need help understanding the options to take money from your defined contribution pension pots.
Citizens Advice
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Citizens Advice is an independent charity offering free confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, covering a range of areas including Debt, Money and Consumer rights.
DirectGov website: Check your State Pension
https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension
Find out how much State Pension you might receive and calculate your State Pension age.
The Pension Protection Fund
https://www.ppf.co.uk/
The Pension Protection Fund was established to pay compensation to members of certain occupational pension schemes in the event of the employer becoming insolvent.
FCA Firm Checker
https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/fca-firm-checker
The FCA Firm Checker tool was designed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to make it easier for consumers to check if a financial services firm is authorised by the FCA and has the appropriate FCA permissions to sell you products and services. If you want to search for an individual or find out whether a firm was previously authorised, you should use the Financial Services Register.
The Financial Services Register
https://register.fca.org.uk/s/
The Financial Services Register shows whether a firm you are using, or planning to use, is authorised or registered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and/or the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), or is exempt. You can search the Register for information on a firm, individual or financial services product by entering a name, reference number (FRN) or postcode.
The Financial Conduct Authority
https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers
Consumers can use the Financial Conduct Authority website to find out about their rights with regards banking, insurance, mortgages and financial advice. The site also includes some very useful information about the latest scams and how to avoid them, and how to complain about a firm.
The Financial Ombudsman Service
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is the official independent expert in settling complaints between consumers and financial businesses. The FOS deals with complaints against authorised firms that are still trading. If you make a complaint about our service and are not satisfied with our final response, you have the right to refer your complaint to the FOS, free of charge. Contact the FOS to register a complaint; call free on 0800 023 4567 or use the link for more information.
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme
https://www.fscs.org.uk
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is the UK’s compensation fund of last resort for customers of authorised financial services firms. It deals with claims against authorised firms (those regulated by the FCA or the PRA) that are unable, or likely to be unable, to pay claims against them. This will generally be because a firm has stopped trading and has insufficient assets to meet claims or is insolvent. This website tells you what the FSCS covers and the compensation limits that apply. The FSCS is an independent body, set up under the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). This service is free of charge.
UK Tax Calculators
https://www.uktaxcalculators.co.uk/
UK Tax Calculators provides tax calculators, including the payslip checker, and tax rate and allowance information for UK taxpayers.
HMRC
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs
Use the HMRC website to access information and publications on self-assessment, PAYE for employers, tax credits, national insurance, income tax, VAT, child benefit, paying HMRC, and tax agents and advisers.
Be a ‘ScamSmart’ investor
https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart
Avoid investment and pension scams by following, and keeping up to date with, the Financial Conduct Authority’s ‘ScamSmart’ advice.
FCA Warning List – investment scam checker
https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/warning-list
Check an investment or pension opportunity and avoid scams. This a list of firms that are not authorised or registered by the FCA.
Even if a firm isn’t on the Warning List, it might still be a scam – firms change names and details all the time. You should check the Financial Services Register to ensure you’re dealing with an authorised firm.
Virtually all financial services firms must be authorised by the FCA – if they’re not, it’s probably a scam. We’ve provided the link to the FCA’s Financial Services Register above, but you should always access the Register direct from the FCA’s website, not through any email or website link. Check if the firm’s FRN (the firm reference number) and contact details are the same as on the Financial Services Register. If there are no contact details on the Register or if the firm claims they’re out of date, call the FCA’s Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768.
Even if a firm is on the Register, you might have been contacted by a ‘clone firm’ pretending to be a genuine firm: Always contact the firm using the contact details on the Financial Services Register, not the details the firm gives you, check the firm’s details with directory enquiries or Companies House to make sure they’re the same.
Sign up for Scam alerts from Which?
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/scams
Which? provides advice if you’ve been scammed or come across a scam. You can also sign up to receive regular emails to alert you to the latest scams and providing practical advice to keep you safe.
The Little Guide to... preventing fraud and cyber crime
https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/campaigns/2019/little-guide-preventing-fraud/
The ‘Little Media’ series of booklets and guides is produced by the Metropolitan Police and we think they are a fantastic resource. Please keep yourself informed and avoid getting caught out.
