investments and financial advice

You can put individual stocks into ISA accounts through Stockbrokers to shelter dividends and gains from tax. Putting your first investment of each year into an ISA makes the most of your tax-free allowance.
Husband & wife can each shelter £7,000 (2002/3) into tax-free Maxi ISAs each year.
You may be able to transfer shares from your employer's share scheme into a Stocks & Shares or Maxi ISA account.
In addition to the above limits, the capital (but not the interest) from maturing TESSA accounts can be invested into some ISA accounts called TESSA-only ISAs ('TOISAs').
If your spouse has a lower marginal tax rate, consider investing more in his/her name or transferring some assets between you. This will remove the income taxed at the higher rate and leave it taxable at a lower rate or possibly not taxed at all if there are unused personal allowances to set against the income. (For year ended 2003 both spouses can earn £4,615 before paying Income Tax.).
Make the most of your pension allowances: Funds within Personal Pension Plans grow virtually tax free and you can claim income tax relief on your personal contributions at your highest marginal rate of tax.
If you have a spare room you can rent it out and earn up to £4,250 p.a. tax-free (2002/3) under the rent-a-room relief.
If you're paying 40% Income Tax but not using your CGT allowance, consider switching from income to capital growth by buying Zero Dividend shares or Growth Funds.
If you have a significant income tax liability within the last three years take a close look at Film Partnerships.
Use non-income producing bonds issued by insurance companies to counter the effect of the age allowance trap.
Higher rate tax payers may wish to consider VCT and EIS investments.

Income Tax Tips