R J Financial Planning Ltd - Senior Partner Practice of St. James's Place

01/06/2026

⛑️ Financial Health Report: Financial resilience falls but a plan can boost confidence.

⏱️ 4 Minutes
👀 At a glance

Those who actively engage with their finances experience better outcomes when it comes to their money. The research shows that taking a long-term approach, through planning and investing, tends to lead to higher levels of wealth and financial resilience.

SJP Approved 06/05/2026

Households are feeling less resilient and finances have worsened over the past 12 months, against a backdrop of continued cost of living pressures and global turmoil. These are the findings of St. James's Place’s fifth Financial Health Report, published today, 14 May.

27/05/2026

👀 WeekWatch
In 6 minutes

📈 Stock Take
Last week was a busy time for markets.

💷 Wealth Check
The Pensions Commission has warned that 15 million people across the UK are not saving enough for retirement.

🚀 In The Picture
SpaceX’s pending IPO(Initial Public Offering) is expected to be the largest in history.

SJP Approved 26/05/2026

In the US, markets delivered further gains. The S&P 500 rose for the eighth consecutive week. By style, small-cap and value outperformed growth and large-cap.

23/05/2026

Good luck and a huge thank you to Richard Jones as he takes on an incredible cycling challenge this July 🚴‍♂️💙

Richard will be riding 380km over three days, starting from Greenwich Park in London on the 2nd of July to Ghent in Belgium as part of the SJP Via Roma G2G Charity Tour. With long days in the saddle, tough climbs and iconic routes along the way, this is no small feat.

Even more amazing, for every pound Richard raises, RJ Financial Planning will match it up to £1,500, with funds being split between two fantastic local charities, The Paul Sartori Foundation and Cardigan Cancer Care.

We are so grateful for Richard’s commitment, determination, and support for such important causes.

If you can, please show your support and help him along the way:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/rich-jones-5

Wishing you the very best of luck, Richard, diolch o galon i ti am bopeth 💙

20/05/2026

When key person cover becomes personal for business owners

At a glance

A personal experience brought the value of key person and critical illness cover into sharp focus.

SJP Approved 13/05/2026

What happens to a business when a key person can’t work? In this article, Richard Murray of business consultancy Elephant’s Child shares a personal experience that highlights why key person and critical illness cover matters for business owners — not just financially, but operationally and emo...

18/05/2026

👀 Week Watch
in 6 minutes

📈 Stock Take
UK government bond yields continued rising last week.

💷 Wealth Check
FCA to review investment firms’ support of bereaved customers

🖼️ In The Picture
St. James's Place has published its fifth Financial Health Report, carried out by Opinium.

SJP Approved 18/05/2026

UK government bond yields continued rising last week, as UK government leadership challenges and international questions increasingly weighed on investor minds.

13/05/2026

11/05/2026

👀 Week Watch
In 6 Minutes

📈 Stock Take
Local elections and government borrowing

💷 Wealth Check
Affordability for homebuyers at most stretched since 2008

🖼️ In The Picture
UK intermediate and long-term gilt yields are all at, or near, multi-year highs.

SJP Approved 11/05/2026

Following bruising local election results, media reports have been awash with gossip around the prime minister Keir Starmer’s future. Judging by the UK bond market, however, lenders appear to prefer the stability of continuity over the uncertainty of a leadership challenge – at least for now.

06/05/2026

👀 Week Watch
in 6 minutes

🙌🏻 Last month's highlights
- The best monthly performance for US shares since 2020.
- Upbeat earnings and intact AI investment thesis supported sentiment.
- Investors continue to look through the energy and associated costs of the Iran war.

📈 Stock Take
Tech drives US shares to new highs.

💷 Wealth Check
Pension Schemes Bill receives royal assent after months of wrangling.

🖼️ In The Picture
During periods of economic uncertainty, central banks tend to keep borrowing costs higher to control rising inflation. Take the Russia-Ukraine conflict, for example, which led to a spike in inflation and led the Bank of England (BoE) to increase the base rate to 5.25%.

SJP Approved 05/05/2026

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended the week at record highs. Despite a spike in energy prices, market sentiment remained upbeat, supported by a strong corporate earnings season and positive AI newsflow.

05/05/2026

🏡 Fixed rate or tracker?
Choosing the right mortgage in uncertain times

👀 At a glance
- Fixed rates appeal to buyers who need the certainty of knowing what they will be paying every month.

- The rate on a tracker mortgage is directly linked to any changes in the Bank of England base rate. This means the mortgage rate may go up and down during the term.

- Comparing multiple lenders and deals and acting early can improve your chances of accessing a competitive mortgage rate.

The Bank of England (BoE) held the base rate at 3.75% this week.

SJP Approved 01/05/2026

But market expectations are now that the base rate will rise during 2026. This is because inflation is likely to go up due to increased oil prices caused by the prolonged conflict in Iran. The Bank of England uses interest rates as a tool to control rising inflation.

29/04/2026

🚴🏻‍♂️9 Weeks to go!

⏱️ Count down is on for Richard’s challenge.

Help Rich Jones raise money to support St. James's Place Charitable Foundation