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Vinted, eBay, and Airbnb have reported seller data to HMRC since 2024 — but being reported and owing tax are two different things. Here's the actual £1,000 trading allowance rule, when to register, and the Making Tax Digital change arriving in April 2026.
Marcus Elliot8 min readSeptember 14, 2026
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Maya Thornton · 7 min read
Nadia Calloway · 7 min read
Nadia Calloway · 7 min read
Maya Thornton · 7 min read
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James CallowayThe legal minimum is 5% — but the average first-time buyer in England puts down £63,855. Here's why the gap is so wide, how long it actually takes to save by region, and what gifted deposits and family springboard mortgages really involve.
September 21, 20267 min read
James CallowayEveryone expected mortgage rates to fall in 2026 — instead the average 2-year fixed jumped from 4.84% to 5.7%. Here's why rates reversed, what it means for the 1.8 million fixed deals ending this year, and how to check your real number.
September 21, 20266 min read
Sophie BennettONS data puts median UK household wealth at £502,500 by your late 60s versus £15,200 in your early 20s — but most of that gap is pension compounding and mortgage paydown, not a savings sprint. Here's what the numbers actually mean.
September 21, 20267 min read
James CallowayDo nothing when your fixed deal ends and you'll roll onto a 7.13% Standard Variable Rate — roughly £230 a month more on a £250,000 mortgage. But remortgaging isn't automatically the right call for everyone. Here's when it pays off, and when a product transfer, or simply waiting, wins instead.
September 21, 20267 min read
James CallowayNationally, renting and buying have basically converged. In London, buying still costs roughly £865 a month more and 12–13 times more upfront — here's why the gap hasn't closed, and how long you'd need to stay for it to be worth it.
September 21, 20267 min read
James CallowayAverage rent and the average first-time buyer mortgage payment now sit within £25 of each other. Once insurance, maintenance, and upfront costs are added, the real comparison — and the break-even point — looks very different.
September 21, 20267 min read
Marcus Elliot£192.86 a month and £237.90 a month look close. On a £10,000 loan, one of them costs £2,702 more overall. We calculated the real total repayable across best, average, and poor-credit rates — the monthly payment isn't the number that matters.
September 18, 20266 min read
Marcus ElliotThe advertised APR on a personal loan only has to apply to 51% of approved applicants — up to 49% can legally be offered a worse rate. Here's how Tesco Bank, Zopa, Sainsbury's Bank, and M&S Bank actually compare, and how to check your real rate safely.
September 18, 20267 min read
