Andy Young Financial Planning

19/05/2026

Most employed people in the UK are automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, which means they benefit from a combined 8% contribution on their qualifying earnings: 4% from the employee, 3% from the employer, and 1% from the government through tax relief.

This structure gives employed workers an immediate boost to their retirement savings, because for every £4 they personally contribute, their employer and the government add another £4. In contrast, self‑employed individuals are not automatically enrolled into a pension and receive no contributions at all.

Without paying into a pension themselves, they miss out on what is effectively “free money” every year. Over time, this creates a significant gap in retirement savings, leaving self‑employed people financially worse off compared with those who benefit from auto‑enrolment.

Building a pension independently is therefore essential for anyone who is self‑employed to avoid falling behind.

14/05/2026

Income protection is one of the most overlooked forms of cover. If your income stopped tomorrow, how long would your savings realistically last? For most people, it’s not long at all — and that’s where income protection becomes invaluable.

Your income is the foundation that supports everything else: your mortgage or rent, your bills, your lifestyle, and your family’s security. Without it, every other financial plan becomes vulnerable. Income protection steps in when you can’t work due to illness or injury, replacing a large portion of your earnings so you can focus on recovery rather than worrying about money.

In short, protecting your income means protecting your home, your future, and your peace of mind.

14/05/2026

Had a great morning on Sunday supporting a great local charity 'The Olivier Fisher Special Care Baby Trust' with there 5k charity run with my Son Harry. Everything went smoothly, and whilst it was great to support the charity, it was also nice to spend some quality time with my Son

11/05/2026

Your retirement plan shouldn’t start with investments — it should start with protection. Before thinking about pensions or ISAs, make sure your income, family and business are secure. A strong foundation today gives you more freedom tomorrow.

06/05/2026

27/11/2025

09/07/2025

Whenever I meet with clients, we begin by exploring four essential financial considerations before diving deeper into their specific needs and investment strategy. These are:

- Capacity for Loss: Understanding how much financial loss you could realistically withstand without affecting your lifestyle or long-term plans.

- Time Horizon: Considering how long you plan to invest before you may need access to your funds.

- Risk Tolerance: Gauging how comfortable you are with fluctuations in the value of your investments.

- Emergency Fund: Ensuring you have sufficient liquid assets set aside for unexpected expenses or financial setbacks.

Each of these factors plays a crucial role in shaping a tailored and sustainable investment approach. The following slides provide further detail on each of these topics to help guide your decision-making.

13/05/2025

I often get asked, why do I need a Financial Plan for retirement, which I always answer the question with

📍 At what age do you want to retire?

The common answer is 60, but I'm probably going to have to work until I'm 65 or State Pension Age

For me the probably element, shouldn't be part of your thought process.

It should be, I want to retire at 60.

The next question, is are you on track to do this.

The majority of people, respond with, I have no idea.....

Building a Plan, that takes into consideration

📍 Your Goals for now
📍 But also in retirement

Will help you predict, your current but also future situation, highlighting any potential shortfalls, but also providing comfort that you are on track for your goals.

This can empower you to make informed decisions about your finances now, whilst covering your future needs.

This article provides more information on this topic and hopefully starts your thinking about your goals and plans.

A financial plan is the secret to a great retirement