The latest statistics from HMRC show the inflows to venture capital trusts (VCTs) have more than doubled since 2009/10. At the end of last year, HMRC published details of how much money was raised by VCTs in 2018/19. At £716m, the figure was the highest since 2005/06, when a temporarily higher rate of tax relief was on offer. The increased popularity of VCTs in recent years is at least partly due to the restrictions on pensions, such as the tapered annual allowance rules. The

What is left to help first time buyers take their first step on the property ladder? At the start of December, the Help-to-Buy ISA was withdrawn for new investments. Its disappearance means that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is now the only ISA plan that offers incentives for those savings towards their first home. However, anyone who started a Help-to-Buy ISA before 1 December can continue to contribute up to £200 a month and has until 1 December 2030 to claim their Help-to-Buy bo