https://ratioreport.com Plain-English personal finance for UK students and young adults. en-gb https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-does-lifetime-isa-work-for-uk-students/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-does-lifetime-isa-work-for-uk-students/ A Lifetime ISA (LISA) helps UK students get a free 25% government bonus towards a first home or retirement. Learn how it works for you. No jargon. Just the... Sat, 30 May 2026 15:18:41 GMT lifetime isa lisa savings first home student finance government bonus https://ratioreport.com/articles/are-premium-bonds-worth-it-for-young-savers/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/are-premium-bonds-worth-it-for-young-savers/ Premium Bonds offer tax-free prizes instead of interest, with a prize rate of 3.6%. They're safe and fun but most savers earn less than a top savings account Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT savings premium bonds young savers https://ratioreport.com/articles/best-cash-isa-rates-in-2026-how-to-find-a-good-deal/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/best-cash-isa-rates-in-2026-how-to-find-a-good-deal/ The best easy-access cash ISAs in 2026 pay up to around 4.75% tax-free. Here's how rates work, what to watch for, and how to find a competitive one. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas cash isa savings rates https://ratioreport.com/articles/best-student-bank-account-perks-in-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/best-student-bank-account-perks-in-2026/ Student accounts compete with interest-free overdrafts, free railcards and cash. NatWest, Santander and others all offer different deals. Here's how to pick. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT bank accounts students overdrafts https://ratioreport.com/articles/can-students-open-a-stocks-and-shares-isa/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/can-students-open-a-stocks-and-shares-isa/ Yes — any UK resident over 18 can open a stocks and shares ISA, including students. Here's how it works, the risks, and whether it's a smart move while Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas stocks and shares isa investing https://ratioreport.com/articles/can-you-get-student-finance-for-a-second-degree/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/can-you-get-student-finance-for-a-second-degree/ Funding a second degree is harder but not impossible. The UK's 'previous study' rules limit support, though exceptions exist for some subjects and Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans second degree student finance https://ratioreport.com/articles/cash-isa-vs-stocks-and-shares-isa-which-should-you-pick/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/cash-isa-vs-stocks-and-shares-isa-which-should-you-pick/ Cash ISAs are safe and predictable; stocks and shares ISAs offer higher potential returns with more risk. Here's how to choose the right one for your goals. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas cash isa stocks and shares isa https://ratioreport.com/articles/dividend-tax-is-rising-in-april-2026-what-to-know/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/dividend-tax-is-rising-in-april-2026-what-to-know/ From April 2026 dividend tax rates rose by two percentage points. Basic-rate investors now pay 10.75%. Here's what it means if you hold shares outside an ISA. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax dividends investing https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-need-contents-insurance-in-student-halls/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-need-contents-insurance-in-student-halls/ Student halls sometimes include basic contents cover, but it's often limited. With laptops and phones to protect, it's worth checking what you have and the Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT insurance students contents insurance https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-student-loan-on-a-part-time-job/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-student-loan-on-a-part-time-job/ You only repay your student loan if you earn over the threshold — £25,000 a year on Plan 5. Most part-time and term-time jobs fall well below this. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans part-time work repayments https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-tax-on-a-side-hustle-in-the-uk/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-tax-on-a-side-hustle-in-the-uk/ You can earn £1,000 a year from a side hustle tax-free thanks to the trading allowance. Above that, you must declare it to HMRC. Here's exactly how it works. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax side hustle self assessment https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-tax-on-money-your-parents-give-you/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/do-you-pay-tax-on-money-your-parents-give-you/ Cash gifts from parents are usually tax-free for you to receive. Inheritance tax may apply to the giver's estate in some cases. Here's how gifting rules work. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax gifts inheritance tax https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-isa-interest-count-towards-student-loan-repayments/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-isa-interest-count-towards-student-loan-repayments/ No — ISA interest is tax-free and invisible to the Student Loans Company, so it never increases your repayments. Here's why ISAs are smart for graduates. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas student loans graduates https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-klarna-affect-your-credit-score-in-the-uk/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-klarna-affect-your-credit-score-in-the-uk/ Klarna can now affect your credit score — since 2023 it reports payments to credit agencies. Missed payments hurt; on-time ones can help. Here's the full Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT bnpl klarna credit score https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-your-student-loan-affect-your-credit-score-in-the-uk/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/does-your-student-loan-affect-your-credit-score-in-the-uk/ Student loans don't appear on your UK credit file and won't hurt your credit score. But they can still affect a mortgage. Here's exactly how. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans credit score mortgages https://ratioreport.com/articles/fixed-vs-easy-access-savings-which-is-right-for-you/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/fixed-vs-easy-access-savings-which-is-right-for-you/ Easy-access accounts let you withdraw anytime; fixed accounts lock money away for a higher rate. Here's how to decide which suits your savings goals. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT savings fixed savings easy access https://ratioreport.com/articles/help-to-buy-isa-vs-lifetime-isa-which-is-better/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/help-to-buy-isa-vs-lifetime-isa-which-is-better/ Help to Buy ISAs are closed to new savers, leaving the Lifetime ISA as the main first-home option. Here's how they compare if you already hold a Help to Buy Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT lifetime isa help to buy isa first home https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-does-inflation-affect-your-savings/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-does-inflation-affect-your-savings/ Inflation erodes what your money can buy. With UK inflation at 2.8%, savings earning less than that lose value in real terms. Here's how to protect your cash. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT savings inflation money basics https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-can-you-put-in-an-isa-in-2026-27/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-can-you-put-in-an-isa-in-2026-27/ The ISA allowance for 2026/27 is £20,000, split however you like across cash, stocks and shares, lifetime and innovative finance ISAs. Here's how it works. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas isa allowance savings https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-should-you-have-in-an-emergency-fund/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-should-you-have-in-an-emergency-fund/ An emergency fund of three to six months' essential spending is the usual goal, but for students even £500 makes a difference. Here's how to build one from Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT budgeting emergency fund savings https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-student-maintenance-loan-can-you-get-in-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-student-maintenance-loan-can-you-get-in-2026/ Maintenance loans for 2026 reach up to £14,135 a year for students living away from home in London. How much you get depends on income and where you live. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans maintenance loan student finance https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-tax-do-you-pay-on-your-first-job-in-the-uk/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-much-tax-do-you-pay-on-your-first-job-in-the-uk/ You pay no income tax on the first £12,570 you earn a year, then 20% above that. National Insurance kicks in at the same threshold. Here's how your first Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax first job income tax https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-the-personal-allowance-works-in-2026-27/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-the-personal-allowance-works-in-2026-27/ The personal allowance is £12,570 — the amount you can earn before paying income tax. It's frozen until 2031, quietly pulling more people into tax. Here's how Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax personal allowance income tax https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-avoid-common-money-scams-targeting-students/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-avoid-common-money-scams-targeting-students/ Students are prime targets for money mule recruitment, fake job offers and rental fraud. Here's how the main scams work and the red flags that give them away. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT scams students fraud https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-budget-on-a-student-loan-that-doesn-t-cover-rent/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-budget-on-a-student-loan-that-doesn-t-cover-rent/ When your maintenance loan falls short of rent, the gap has to come from work, savings or family. Here's how to stretch a tight student budget and find extra Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT budgeting students maintenance loan https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-build-a-credit-score-from-nothing-as-a-student/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-build-a-credit-score-from-nothing-as-a-student/ Starting with no credit history? You can build a score with a credit-builder card, being on the electoral roll, and paying everything on time. Here's a simple Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT credit score students credit building https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-claim-a-tax-refund-as-a-student/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-claim-a-tax-refund-as-a-student/ Students who overpay tax — often through emergency tax codes or part-year work — can claim it back from HMRC. Here's how to check if you're owed and how to Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax tax refund students https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-start-investing-with-just-50-a-month/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-start-investing-with-just-50-a-month/ You can start investing from as little as £25-50 a month through low-cost platforms and funds. Here's a beginner's guide to getting going without needing a Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT investing beginners students https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-stop-impulse-spending-practical-tactics/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/how-to-stop-impulse-spending-practical-tactics/ Impulse spending drains budgets quietly. Removing saved card details, using a 24-hour rule, and unsubscribing from marketing emails all cut the urge. Here's Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT budgeting spending money management https://ratioreport.com/articles/is-a-lifetime-isa-or-a-pension-better-for-retirement/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/is-a-lifetime-isa-or-a-pension-better-for-retirement/ A LISA gives a 25% bonus and tax-free withdrawals; a pension offers tax relief and employer contributions. For most workers, the employer match makes pensions Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT lifetime isa pensions retirement https://ratioreport.com/articles/is-buy-now-pay-later-a-good-idea-the-honest-answer/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/is-buy-now-pay-later-a-good-idea-the-honest-answer/ BNPL can be useful for spreading costs interest-free, but it makes overspending easy and missed payments now hit your credit. Here's how to use it sensibly. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT bnpl budgeting debt https://ratioreport.com/articles/plan-2-vs-plan-5-student-loans-what-s-the-difference/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/plan-2-vs-plan-5-student-loans-what-s-the-difference/ Plan 2 and Plan 5 student loans differ on threshold, interest and write-off. Plan 5 has a lower threshold but cheaper interest. Here's how they compare. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans plan 2 plan 5 https://ratioreport.com/articles/plan-5-student-loan-repayments-what-changed-in-april-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/plan-5-student-loan-repayments-what-changed-in-april-2026/ Plan 5 repayments started in April 2026. You repay 9% of income over £25,000, with RPI-only interest. Here's what it means for your pay packet. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans plan 5 repayments https://ratioreport.com/articles/realistic-side-hustles-for-students-in-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/realistic-side-hustles-for-students-in-2026/ From tutoring to freelancing to reselling, plenty of side hustles fit around studying. Here are realistic options, what they pay, and the tax rules to know. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT side hustle students earning money https://ratioreport.com/articles/should-you-get-a-credit-card-as-a-student/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/should-you-get-a-credit-card-as-a-student/ A credit card can build your credit history if used carefully, but the high interest punishes anyone who carries a balance. Here's whether it's right for you. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT credit score credit cards students https://ratioreport.com/articles/should-you-pay-off-your-student-loan-early/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/should-you-pay-off-your-student-loan-early/ For most UK graduates, paying off your student loan early is a bad idea. It only makes sense for high earners who'll clear the balance anyway. Here's why. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans overpaying repayments https://ratioreport.com/articles/student-loan-interest-rates-explained-for-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/student-loan-interest-rates-explained-for-2026/ Student loan interest in 2026 is set by RPI inflation — 3.2% for Plan 5. But for most graduates the rate barely affects what you actually repay. Here's why. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans interest rates rpi https://ratioreport.com/articles/the-2027-cash-isa-change-what-it-means-for-your-savings/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/the-2027-cash-isa-change-what-it-means-for-your-savings/ From April 2027 the cash ISA limit drops to £12,000 a year for under-65s. Here's what's changing, why, and how to make the most of your allowance first. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas cash isa budget 2025 https://ratioreport.com/articles/the-50-30-20-budget-rule-explained-for-students/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/the-50-30-20-budget-rule-explained-for-students/ The 50/30/20 rule splits your money into needs, wants and savings. It's a simple framework — here's how to adapt it to a student budget that rarely fits the Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT budgeting students money management https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-happens-to-your-student-loan-if-you-drop-out/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-happens-to-your-student-loan-if-you-drop-out/ Dropping out doesn't wipe your student loan — you still repay what you borrowed. But you only pay once you earn over the threshold. Here's the full picture. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT student loans dropping out university https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-good-credit-score-in-the-uk/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-good-credit-score-in-the-uk/ There's no single UK credit score — each agency uses its own scale. What matters is the lender's view. Here's what the numbers mean and what actually affects Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT credit score credit report borrowing https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-lifetime-isa-and-is-it-worth-it-in-2026/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-lifetime-isa-and-is-it-worth-it-in-2026/ A Lifetime ISA gives you a 25% government bonus — up to £1,000 a year — towards a first home or retirement. Here's whether it's worth opening in 2026. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT lifetime isa isas first home https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-tax-code-and-how-do-you-check-yours/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-a-tax-code-and-how-do-you-check-yours/ Your tax code tells your employer how much tax-free pay you get. The standard 2026/27 code is 1257L. Here's how to read yours and spot if it's wrong. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax tax code payslip https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-an-isa-and-how-does-it-actually-work/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-an-isa-and-how-does-it-actually-work/ An ISA is a savings or investment account where you pay no tax on the interest or growth. Here's a plain-English guide to how ISAs work and the main types. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT isas savings beginners https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-compound-interest-and-why-should-you-care/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-compound-interest-and-why-should-you-care/ Compound interest is interest earned on your interest — the engine behind long-term wealth. Starting young is its superpower. Here's how it works with real Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT investing compound interest saving https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-national-insurance-and-why-do-you-pay-it/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-is-national-insurance-and-why-do-you-pay-it/ National Insurance is a tax on earnings that funds the state pension and benefits. Employees pay 8% on income over £12,570. Here's what it's for and how it Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax national insurance first job https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-s-the-difference-between-gross-and-net-pay/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-s-the-difference-between-gross-and-net-pay/ Gross pay is your salary before deductions; net pay is what actually lands in your account. Here's what comes out in between and how to read your payslip. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax payslip first job https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-s-the-difference-between-saving-and-investing/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-s-the-difference-between-saving-and-investing/ Saving keeps money safe for short-term needs; investing aims for growth over the long term with more risk. Knowing which to use when is key to handling your Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT investing saving beginners https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-to-do-if-you-re-struggling-with-debt-as-a-student/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/what-to-do-if-you-re-struggling-with-debt-as-a-student/ Struggling with debt feels isolating, but free help exists. Charities like StepChange and your university offer support. Here are the practical first steps to Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT debt students money help https://ratioreport.com/articles/when-do-you-have-to-register-for-self-assessment/ https://ratioreport.com/articles/when-do-you-have-to-register-for-self-assessment/ You need to register for Self Assessment if you earn over £1,000 from self-employment or have untaxed income. Here's who needs to file and the key deadlines. Sat, 30 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT tax self assessment side hustle