Link Group: 'UK recession is already underway'

Up to 51% of dividends could be cut

Almost half of UK companies have already scrapped £23.8bn in dividend payouts, while a further £23.9bn are at risk, according to the latest Dividend Monitor from Link Group.

The best case scenario for 2020 sees dividends fall by 27%, while the worst case sees a cut of 51%, demonstrating once again the weight of the pandemic's impact on markets. As records continue to tumble, dividends could well be on track, already recording the second consecutive quarterly decline, an event last seen in the Global Financial Crisis, as underlying dividends dropped by 0.7% to £17.4bn. Link Group: UK dividends set new record in 2019 Headline dividends fell sharper than predicted, dropping 11% to £17.5bn including the "unusually low" figure for special dividends, just £1...