Welcome to our latest issue of Pareto Matters. The ongoing news of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it is affecting everyone is a huge concern for us all. Understandably, people are worried about the general economic outlook and their own personal finances.

The Government has created new legal powers in the COVID-19 Bill, enabling it to offer whatever further financial support it thinks necessary to support businesses. On 17 March, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced an unprecedented package of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses, making available an initial £330 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of the country’s GDP. This was on top of a series of measures announced at Budget 2020.

During the challenging times of Covid-19, there has also been an increase in the number of fraudulent scams. Individuals are at increased risk of being exposed to financial scams – including those involving phishing emails and cold calls – in an attempt to obtain personal or sensitive information. Be extra vigilant and do not respond to any correspondence which you are unsure about.

Personal circumstances differ and not all of this information is applicable to every client and/or their business, this information is general in nature and should not be relied upon without seeking specific professional financial advice.

The financial conduct authority does not regulate tax advice, estate planning or will writing.

The content in this article is for your general information and use only and is not intended to address your particular requirements. Articles should not be relied upon in their entirety and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute, advice. Although endeavours have been made to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or company should act upon such information without receiving appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of their particular situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of any articles.

Thresholds, percentage rates and tax legislation may change in subsequent finance acts. Levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation are subject to change and their value depends on the individual circumstances of the investor. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Pareto Financial Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.