Business
Don’t wait for Jeremy Hunt! Here’s how you can ease your personal tax burden today | Personal Finance | Finance

Hunt is partly to blame for the rocketing tax burden that saw the Treasury pocket an extra £10.5billion between April and June, on receipts totalling £189billion. This could add up to an extra £40billion over the current financial year, money that is needed to shrink the deficit but could also be used to boost the economy by lowering today’s punitive tax rates.
Even if Hunt does offer a tax cut it is likely to be peanuts while the burden may rise as the population ages. Labour may also hike taxes if it wins the next election, despite denials.
So don’t wait for the politicians. Here are some forgotten allowances that could help you shave some hundreds or even thousands of pounds off your annual bill, and make your life a little less taxing.
Taxpayers have a double reason to make full use of their tax-free £20,000 Isa allowance this year.
First, Hunt slashed the annual allowance for investment dividends generated outside of an Isa from £2,000 to just £1,000 from April. It will fall to just £500 next year, with any dividends above that heavily taxed.
Yet there is no tax to pay on the dividend income from shares or investment funds held inside an Isa.
Second, rising savings rates mean that millions now risk exceeding their personal savings allowance and paying income tax on their interest for the first time in years, said Laura Suter, head of personal finance at AJ Bell.
All the interest from a cash Isa is free of income tax for life. “Savers have woken up to the danger and put more than £9billion into cash Isas in the first three months of this tax year, the highest since Isas were launched in 1999.”
Savers with income below the £12,570 personal allowance get a further tax break called the “starting rate for savers” allowing them to earn an extra £5,000 of tax-free savings interest.
The rules are complex, as for every £1 of income you earn over £12,570 you lose £1 of the allowance, but Suter said: “It is particularly handy for retirees with decent savings where one partner only gets the state pension.”
The government offers a useful tax break for married couples and civil partners called the marriage allowance. This applies where one partner earns more than the £50,270 higher rate tax threshold, and the other earns less than £12,570.
Effectively, the lower earner hands over their personal allowance to their partner, in a move that saves up to £252 in the current tax year.
Suter said couples can backdate any claims for up to four years, if eligible in that time, and get a total of £1,256. Claim online via Gov.uk but beware scam websites.
Everyone can earn up to £1,000 a year tax free from side hustles separate from their main job under the trading allowance, Suter said. “It is great for people doing a bit of work on the side, for example babysitting, selling items online, renting out their driveway, dog-walking or even selling jam at the local market.”
Those earning less than £1,000 do not usually need to fill out a tax return, but should keep paperwork just in case. “If you earn more than £1,000 you still get the tax break but need to declare the extra income.”
The Government allows anyone who takes in a lodger under the Rent-a-Room scheme to earn £7,500 a year before paying tax. “The room, or multiple rooms, must be in your home rather than a separate flat, and must be furnished,” Suter said.
If you own the property jointly with someone and split the income you only get half the relief per person, or £3,750 each.
READ MORE: Inflation set to RISE in new blow for mortgage rates, house prices and tax cuts
Families can claim up to £2,000 a year for children under 11 towards nursery, childminder or holiday club costs. This rises to £4,000 for disabled children until they turn 16.
First, open a tax-free childcare account. The government will add £2 for every £8 you pay in, and parents pay the nursery direct.
To qualify, both parents must be earning minimum wage for at least 16 hours a week, but earn less than £100,000 each.
Parents can claim this on top of the 30-hours of free childcare, if eligible. Register via your Government gateway account.
The income tax freeze is probably the most punishing stealth tax of all, with few options to fight back either.
One option is to make more bigger contributions to a personal pension, and claim tax relief at either 20, 40 or 45 per cent.
Workers could take advantage of a company salary sacrifice scheme, if it offers one, said Becky O’Connor, director of public affairs at PensionBee. “This is where your employer agrees to pay some of your salary as pension, giving income tax and National Insurance savings.”
HMRC is taking more money than ever from both inheritance tax and capital gains tax, but again, careful planning may reduce your exposure. Don’t hang around for Hunt to help cut your tax bill, because he probably won’t. So take action yourself today.
Business
Crypto Fraud? Billionaire Justin Sun Sues Trump Family’s Crypto Venture, Alleges Token Seizure


A legal dispute has erupted around a crypto venture linked to the family of Donald Trump, with billionaire entrepreneur Justin Sun accusing the firm of serious misconduct, including “extortion”, BBC reported.
According to a lawsuit filed in a San Francisco federal court, Sun has alleged that World Liberty, a cryptocurrency project co-founded by Trump and his son Eric Trump, engaged in an “illegal scheme” to seize his holdings of WLFI tokens.
He claims the company froze his assets, revoked his governance voting rights, and threatened to permanently destroy his tokens.
“They wrongfully froze all of my tokens, stripped me of my right to vote on governance proposals, and have threatened to permanently destroy my tokens by ‘burning’ them — all without any proper justification,” Sun said in a social media post announcing the lawsuit.
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Despite being a vocal supporter of Trump and a major backer of the venture, Sun alleged that certain individuals involved in World Liberty were exploiting the Trump brand “to profit through fraud.”
He further claimed that promises made to early investors — including the ability to freely trade tokens — were “false and misleading.”
World Liberty has denied all allegations, countering that Sun is “playing the victim while making baseless allegations to cover up his own misconduct.”
The controversy comes amid a sharp decline in WLFI’s value, which has dropped from 31 cents in September to under 8 cents.
Concerns have also surfaced among investors about the firm’s financial practices, including borrowing against token valuations.
ALSO READ : ‘No Cash Or Crypto Paid To Iran’: India Clarifies Stance On Vessel Passage In Strait Of Hormuz
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Are Akshay Kumar, Rana Daggubati Set To Star In Chandoo Mondeti’s Historical Thriller? What We Know


Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and Telugu icon Rana Daggubati are reportedly set to reunite for a grand historical thriller. The pan-India film, which is generating massive excitement across the industry, is reportedly made on a big budget. Fans of both stars are awaiting official confirmation, as the film is expected to be a major cinematic event.
The film will be directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the talented Telugu filmmaker who was hailed for his work in the blockbuster Karthikeya 2. With this historical thriller, Mondeti is said to be stepping up with his visionary narrative.
Moreover, for Mondeti, this film is expected to bring together Bollywood and Telugu cinemas. The project is being produced by Karan Johar under his banner Dharma Productions, ensuring a grand, pan-India presentation.
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Story
As per reports, the film is a historical thriller set against the mystical and culturally rich backdrop of Ujjain, an ancient city that has spiritual and historical significance. The story is expected to blend together ancient mysteries, drama, and intense action, showcasing Mondeti’s signature style of mystery thrillers and mythology. While the exact plot details are not revealed yet, the film is described as a grand-scale production with storytelling like Karthikeya 2.
Star Cast And Reunion Buzz
Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati are reportedly back in lead roles. The two stars previously worked in films like Baby (2015) and Housefull 4 (2019). Akshay is known for his versatility and powerful screen presence. Meanwhile, Rana is also known for his prominent acting skills in projects across Bollywood and Telugu cinema.
Moreover, as per reports from 123Telugu, a top actor is also said to have a cameo in the film. Details are kept under wraps, further igniting excitement among fans of both industries. With two renowned actors from different film industries, the film is expected to perform exceptionally well by bringing together a massive pan-Indian audience.
Akshay Kumar is currently enjoying the success of Bhooth Bangla at the box office. Within four days of its theatrical release, the horror-comedy had crossed a worldwide gross collection of Rs 100 crore.
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Rana was recently seen in Kaantha alongside Dulquer Salmaan, which was set in 1950s Madras. The actor is also speculated to join the cast of Rishab Shetty’s film Jai Hanuman.
Pinkvilla, however, reported that this news about the two big acting superstars isn’t true. The report said a representative from Akshay Kumar’s camp said that the rumours very “not true” and they are “fake”.
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Assocham Sees India Scaling 7% Growth Despite $90-100 Brent

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India’s economy has the potential to grow more than 7% per year despite crude oil costing $90-100 per barrel, according to a ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) statement on Wednesday.
India resilience to high energy costs have spiked notably across the years, with the country absorbing severe oil shocks with its growth staying strong, it said.
According to the industry body’s analysis, India has shown that it has the ability to manage high energy prices without making compromises with the trajectory of its economic growth.
“Data analysed for the period 2000-01 to 2025-26 shows that India recorded some of its strongest growth years at moderate to high crude oil price levels,” it said.
In 2022-23, growth was 7.6%, even with oil prices (Indian crude basket) at $93 per barrel (annual average), whereas in 2023-24, growth remained at 7.2% (new series) with oil prices at $82 per barrel, Assocham said.
It further said that despite oil prices above $100 per barrel during 2011-14, GDP growth remained at 5.2-6.4%.
During the period under analysis, the sharpest contraction of (-) 5.78% occurred in 2020-21, when prices were among the lowest in the last two decades (under $45/bbl), driven entirely by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“India’s growth story is largely driven by its consumption segment, which in turn bolsters the supply side through factory expansion, the deployment of more workers, and higher income levels, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and strengthening the resilience of the economy,” said Nirmal Kumar Minda, President of Assocham.
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Assocham expects India’s GDP growth to stay above 7% in 2026-27, driven by robust consumption, steady exports, and rising capital investment, Minda said.
Meanwhile, according to the first advanced estimates of Gross Domestic Product released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in January, the Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.4% in the current fiscal, maintaining its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy despite punitive US tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
The economy had grown at 6.5% in the previous fiscal.
However, Moody’s Ratings earlier this month slashed India’s economic growth estimates for the current fiscal to 6% from 6.8% earlier, saying the ongoing conflict in West Asia will moderate growth momentum and raise inflation risks.
Last month, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projected India’s GDP growth to moderate to 6.1% in the current fiscal from 7.6% growth recorded in 2025-26.
Domestic rating agency Icra expects the growth to moderate to 6.5% in FY27, owing to the adverse impact of elevated energy prices and concerns around energy availability amid the West Asia conflict.
(With PTI Inputs)
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