UK dividends soar to record high in 2017 - but beware '2018 hangover'

According to the latest quarterly survey from Link Asset Services (formerly Capita Asset Services), headline dividends were up from £85.4bn in 2016 to £94.4bn and underlying dividends, which exclude special dividends, were £87.7bn. However, On a constant-currency basis, underlying dividend growth was 7.9% for the full year. The firm had previously forecast headline dividends would be £94bn during the year, so payments beat these expectations.  The previous headline record was set in 2014 when £88.1bn was paid out. Some 13 sectors saw growth in dividends year-on-year including indus...