Learn before you compare
Plain-English guides to alternative investments, investor eligibility, and how to compare providers — no advice, just the facts you need to ask better questions.
Is Gold a Good Investment in the UK?
Gold has no yield, no earnings and no guaranteed price. Its case rests on scarcity and diversification, and the tax treatment of coins, bars and ETFs is different enough to change your answer.
FeaturedPrivate Equity Investment Funds Explained
Capital calls, the J-curve, and 2-and-20 fees: the mechanics behind a private equity fund, and why the structure itself explains most of the risk.
FeaturedHow to Compare Alternative Investment Providers in the UK
Before choosing an alternative investment introducer, check their regulatory status, fees, minimums and which investor category you need to self-certify as.
FeaturedCommercial Property Investment UK: A Guide for Investors
Commercial property spans offices, shops, warehouses and mixed-use buildings, and can be accessed directly, through funds and REITs, or via syndicated deals and bonds. Here is how it all fits together.
FeaturedWhat Are Alternative Investments? A Beginner's Guide
A plain-English introduction to what counts as an alternative investment, why investors consider them, and the risks and rules that apply in the UK.
FeaturedProperty Bonds UK: How Property Bond Investments Work
Everything you need to know about UK property bonds in one place: how the structure works, what rates and terms to expect, the risks worth understanding, and how to weigh up a specific opportunity.
Are Gold Coins a Good Investment?
UK legal-tender bullion coins carry a real tax advantage most gold does not. Here is what that means in practice, and where coins fall short.
31 August 2026 Gold InvestmentsAre Gold Sovereigns a Good Investment?
The Sovereign is UK legal tender, which makes it Capital Gains Tax exempt for UK residents. Here is what else determines whether it is worth buying.
31 August 2026 Gold InvestmentsAre Gold Britannia Coins a Good Investment?
The Britannia is 24-carat gold and UK legal tender, sharing the Sovereign's tax advantages with higher purity and a larger standard size.
31 August 2026 Gold InvestmentsBest Gold Coins to Buy for Investment in the UK
There is no single best gold coin, only coins suited to different priorities. Here is how to actually compare them.
31 August 2026 Gold InvestmentsGold Sovereigns vs Britannias for Investment
Both are UK legal tender and both are CGT-exempt for UK residents. The real difference is purity, size and cost per coin.
31 August 2026 Gold InvestmentsGold Bars vs Gold Coins for Investment
Bars and coins are both VAT-exempt, but only UK legal-tender coins are CGT-exempt. That single difference usually decides which is right for you.
31 August 2026 Private EquityWhat Is Private Equity Co-Investment?
Investing directly alongside a fund into a single deal, often on reduced fees. Here is how it actually works and who can access it.
31 August 2026 Private EquityPrivate Equity Investment Due Diligence Checklist
No daily price, no continuous disclosure, and fund terms that materially change your return. Here is what to check before you commit.
31 August 2026 Private EquityPrivate Equity Investment Trusts Explained
The one form of private equity exposure retail investors can access without certification: listed, FCA-regulated, and ISA/SIPP eligible.
31 August 2026 Private EquityWhat Is a Secondary Investment in Private Equity?
Buying into a fund that already holds identifiable companies, often at a discount to NAV, instead of committing to a new blind pool.
31 August 2026 Whisky Cask InvestmentWhisky Cask Investment UK: Returns, Risks and What to Check
A consumer-protection focused look at whisky cask investment: what the return claims leave out, documented cases of firms failing, and what to verify first.
29 August 2026 Whisky Cask InvestmentWhisky Investment UK: How Whisky Cask Investing Works
A clear, neutral guide to how whisky cask investment works in the UK, from bonded warehouse storage and duty rules to how a cask is eventually sold.
28 August 2026 Getting StartedAre Alternative Investments Safe? Understanding the Risks
A candid look at the real risks behind alternative investments: illiquidity, capital loss, valuation uncertainty, and what FSCS and FCA status actually mean in practice.
27 August 2026 Commercial PropertyHow to Invest in Commercial Property in the UK
There is more than one way into UK commercial property. This guide walks through direct purchase, REITs, unlisted funds, and syndicated deals or bonds, with a straight comparison of capital, liquidity and control.
26 August 2026 Commercial PropertyIs Commercial Property a Good Investment in the UK?
Commercial property offers longer leases and diversification from residential property, but also carries sector-specific risks, illiquidity and a well-documented history of fund suspensions. Here is a fair answer, not a sales pitch.
22 August 2026 Getting StartedBest Fixed Income Investments UK: What Should You Compare?
A practical framework for comparing UK fixed income options on risk, security, liquidity and tax, rather than a list of headline rates.
20 August 2026 Getting StartedFixed Income Investments UK: What Are the Options?
A clear overview of where UK fixed income options sit on the risk and yield spectrum, from gilts and savings bonds through to private credit and property-secured lending.
19 August 2026 Private EquityPrivate Equity vs Real Estate: Which Is Right for You?
Private equity and real estate are both popular alternative investments, but they generate returns, lock up your money, and suit investors in very different ways.
18 August 2026 Investor EligibilityHow to Become a Sophisticated Investor in the UK
There's no formal application process for becoming a sophisticated investor in the UK. Here is the practical, step-by-step reality: working out which criterion you meet, gathering evidence, and what the declaration actually does.
15 August 2026 Investor EligibilityWhat Is an Accredited Investor in the UK?
"Accredited investor" is an American legal term with no direct UK equivalent. Here is what it means in the US, and which UK categories actually cover the same ground.
13 August 2026 Investor EligibilityWhat Is a High Net Worth Investor?
The exact income and net asset thresholds behind the UK's high net worth investor category, and how it differs from being a sophisticated investor.
12 August 2026 Investor EligibilityWhat Is a Self-Certified Sophisticated Investor?
A plain-English look at the UK's self-certified sophisticated investor category: the four legal criteria, and why signing the statement is a real declaration, not a formality.
11 August 2026 Investor EligibilityWhat Is a Sophisticated Investor in the UK?
"Sophisticated investor" actually covers two distinct legal routes under UK financial promotion rules, not one. Here is how the self-certified and certified routes differ, and how both compare to high net worth investor status.
8 August 2026 Getting StartedBest Alternative Investments UK: What to Compare?
There's no single best alternative investment. This guide sets out the dimensions worth comparing, from minimum investment to liquidity and volatility, before you compare individual providers.
6 August 2026 Getting StartedAlternative Investments UK: What Options Are Available?
A guide to the main categories of alternative investment on offer in the UK today, covering private equity, property, credit and collectibles, with links to dig deeper into each one.
1 August 2026 Property BondsProperty Bond Rates UK: What Determines the Return?
What actually decides a property bond's rate of return, from security ranking and LTV to issuer track record, and why a standout rate deserves scrutiny.
30 July 2026 Property BondsProperty Bonds Explained: Returns, Security and Risks
A three-part breakdown of how property bond returns work, what "secured" actually means in practice, and the realistic risk spectrum behind the rate.
28 July 2026 Property BondsBest Property Bonds UK: What Should Investors Compare?
There is no single "best" property bond in the UK, only bonds that are better or worse structured. Here is exactly what to compare before choosing one.
23 July 2026 Property BondsAre Property Bonds a Good Investment?
Property bonds offer fixed, asset-backed income, but illiquidity, no FSCS protection and concentrated issuer risk mean they are not right for everyone. Here is a balanced view.
21 July 2026 Property BondsHow Does a Property Bond Work?
From certification through to maturity, or default, here is exactly what happens at each stage of a property bond investment, including how the fixed and floating charges that secure it actually work.
16 July 2026 Property BondsProperty Investment Bonds Explained
If you already understand the basics of property bonds, here's how they actually compare to other fixed income and property investments, and where they tend to fit in a wider portfolio.
14 July 2026 Property BondsWhat Are Property Bonds and How Do They Work?
Property bonds let you lend money to a property company for a fixed rate of return, secured against real assets. Here's how the structure actually works, and how it differs from buying property outright.
7 July 2026