It’s been six months since lockdown was introduced in the UK in a bid to beat the virus and what a time it has been. I think back to my message just as we entered lockdown and where I imagined we would be six months on; there have been many lows, but an incredible amount of highs, and I think it is safe to say we will all take something positive away from 2020 and our shared experience.
We’ve seen incredible acts of kindness, communities pulling together, more time spent enjoying the simpler things in life, and I think we all have a shared sense of newly found gratitude and perspective.
Click here to watch this message from Rebecca.
Where are we now, six months on?
Although, just as we were all being encouraged to ease back into working and interacting socially, the most recent tightening to the rules in the UK has sparked concerns that things won’t return to ‘normal’ as soon as we’d hoped.
The most recent changes to the rules may have left you feeling a little anxious; it’s a reminder that the bug is still a concern despite attempts to control it. It’s only natural that over time, as we have become more used to this ‘new normal’ our levels of anxiety, and, in turn, vigilance may have relaxed.
We see these changes as a healthy reminder, as well as some much-needed clarification from the Government. Over time the rules have become blurred and overly complicated, so the simplicity is welcomed.
Where will we be in six months?
It’s impossible to predict. But I’m sure we all have a picture in our mind about how we’d like it to look.
As we enter the coming winter months, there are predictions we may enter a second lockdown, however, to prevent this from happening the Government have had to make some changes.
Whether a second lockdown happens or not, it may be a little while longer before a sense of normality resumes.
In the meantime, your main focus should be on keeping safe and well. If you do find yourself worrying about the future, it’s important to remember that we can only deal with what we know, and where we are today.
What does this mean for your investments?
With any economic uncertainty comes investment volatility.
We saw this at the very start of lockdown in March when we provided our insights for investors. Our sentiment has not changed.
Since then, markets have recovered, but unfortunately, it’s likely there will be a period of economic instability on the horizon for a little while longer.
We are regularly reviewing our overall investment strategy for our clients, and particularly our ‘house view’ on certain key planning issues. If our views change, we will be in touch to explain why, and what we recommend you do.
As with anything in life, we hope for the best but plan for all eventualities.
No matter what is happening in the world around us, whether it be market fluctuations or a second lockdown on the cards; your health, physical and mental, is priceless. Taking care of yourself and others around you is essential.
We are always here to support you and provide reassurance, so if you would like to discuss anything at all, financial planning or otherwise, please get in touch and speak to one of our financial planners.
