Over a third (36%) of non-retired people in their 60s expect to work for longer because of the State Pension age rise. Nearly two in five (38%) 60-65-year-olds are working later in life to cover day-to-day bills. Over a third (37%) of working 60-65-year-olds say they are delaying retirement until they receive the State Pension. Standard Life think tank calls for better careers support and flexible working to help over 60s who need to work for longer, alongside tailored support for those most affected by rising State Pension age
Oil prices surge above $97, heading towards $100 a barrel as Middle East tensions escalate, with fresh fears over disruption to key energy routes including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. easyJet shares rise despite a sharp profit fall, as investors focus on resilient demand, the growth of easyJet Holidays and the potential for further takeover interest. No Burnham bounce for pub operators with Wetherspoon and Mitchells & Butlers facing margin pressure from higher costs, changing consumer habits and renewed oil price concerns. Wall Street is set to open lower as Alphabet’s AI spending plans reignite debate over whether the huge investment required to power the AI revolution will deliver returns quickly enough.
Standard Life has completed a £260 million bulk purchase annuity (BPA) transaction with residual risk cover with the ReAssure Staff Pension Scheme, securing the benefits of around 2,750 members.
UK defined benefit (DB) pension schemes maintained strong funding positions through June 2026, according to PwC UK's Pension Funding Index, while growing regulatory clarity around surplus extraction is increasing confidence among trustees and sponsors to run on schemes and release surplus.
Investment markets bounced back last quarter, but what may this mean for the months ahead? In this edition of Investment Insights, Mercer New Zealand’s CIO Del Hart breaks down recent market performance, explains why SpaceX’s IPO matters, and highlights the key signals investors should be watching next.
AI can make fraudulent claims look more credible, especially when your teams are under pressure. How can going ‘back to basics’ help protect your retail, leisure or hospitality business? AI is amplifying existing risks, Willis’ Cyber in Focus 2026 report shows. In this insight, we look at how AI is heightening fraud and claims across the retail, leisure and hospitality industries and how you can get ahead of these AI-amplified risks to your revenue and reputation.
Mutual and cooperative insurers generated a record USD 1.61 trillion in premium income in 2024 and maintained a 26.1% share of the global insurance market, according to the latest Global Mutual Market Share (MMS) report published today by the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF).
The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI), the UK's leading independent authority on pensions and retirement policy, has published a new report today finding that no single Automatic Enrolment (AE) thresholds reform can fully protect low earners from pensions inadequacy or financial vulnerability in working life.
The Aon UK DC Pension Tracker rose over the first quarter of 2026, with all savers expected to see an increase in their expected future living standard in retirement. Despite an increase in expected future living standards this quarter, June’s increase to the Pensions UK Retirement Living Standards (which will be reflected next quarter) reflects an increase in required income to support lifestyles at retirement. Sample savers have been ‘re-set’ to their original ages and fund values for 2026. The impact of April’s increase in the state pension and June’s update to the Retirement Living Standards will be reflected in the next quarter’s update.
43% of people say an inheritance is essential to their financial security, but most (60%) don’t know how much they will get. 20% don’t plan to discuss their plans with their children. 13% would challenge a will if they felt it was unfair
Pensions dashboard readiness ranked as the leading challenge facing DB scheme trustees over the next 12 months, cited by 38% of trustees in new research by TPT Retirement Solutions. Fastest-rising priority remains endgame planning, with 31% citing it as a major challenge, compared to 16% in 2024. Managing liquidity, collateral or cashflow needs, member communications and market volatility also ranked high on the trustee agenda. The findings indicate that trustees are balancing an ever-expanding set of operational, governance, investment and strategic priorities.
Standard Life and Schroders comment on UK CPI falling from 2.8% to 2.6% in June, providing welcome relief for households and a favourable economic boost for Andy Burnham’s new administration. However, the slowdown may be temporary with inflation at risk of increasing as a result of higher energy bills, global uncertainty, and the new government’s future spending decisions.
UK inflation eased to 2.6% in June, helped by lower transport and fuel costs. Core inflation remained at 2.6%, highlighting persistent underlying price pressures. Services inflation eased only slightly and remains stickier than expected. Renewed conflict in the Middle East has sent Brent crude higher to around $93 a barrel, raising the risk of higher fuel and freight costs. The Bank of England is still expected to hold rates steady this month, but policymakers will be watching geopolitical risks closely. A £2 cap on bus fares is the latest reveal in the Burnham administration's cost of living package, but may end up being offset by higher energy prices.
This is our fourth full year of general insurance (GI) value measures data, covering January to December 2025. We publish this data each year to improve market transparency and give firms, consumer groups and other stakeholders a common set of indicators across a range of general insurance products. These indicators include claims frequency, claims acceptance rates, average claims payout, claims complaints rates and the proportion of premiums paid out in claims.
Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced the appointment of Brian Fomby as North America managing director of PathWise within its Strategy and Technology Group, effective July 27, 2026.
The gender pensions gap in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is real. But it's not simply a pensions problem. The gap we see at retirement reflects patterns built up over an entire working life. Pay plays a role, but it is only part of the picture. Working patterns, career breaks, caring responsibilities and levels of financial confidence all shape outcomes over time. If we want to close the pensions gap, we need to address the wider gender finance gap.
Around half (52%) of respondents were comfortable being an early adopter. 51% of companies with less than 250 employees say they expect to explore CDC within the next three years. This rises to over 80% among larger companies
HMRC’s latest Capital Gains Tax (CGT) data shows receipts of £192m for June 2026, compared to the £144m recorded in June 2025. This follows Receipts of £168 million in May 2026. The figures come after a record year for CGT receipts, which reached £22.2 billion in 2025/26, significantly surpassing the previous record of £16.9 billion in 2022/23 and the £13.7 billion recorded in 2024/25. At the Autumn Budget 2025, the OBR revised up its forecast for CGT receipts to £27.3 billion by 2029-30. Inheritance Tax receipts jump to £871m in June and remain elevated after fifth consecutive record year
Commenting, Charlotte Kennedy, Chartered Financial Planner at Rathbones, one of the UK's leading wealth and asset management groups, says: “Andy Burnham has started his premiership with a carrot: scrapping VAT on domestic electricity bills from October. But the saving will vary from household to household, depending on factors including energy use, tariffs, property type, energy efficiency and household size.
According to HMRC data, Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) receipts have continued to rise in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, bringing the three-month total (April-June) to £2.172 billion, exceeding last year’s £2.170 billion total across the same period by £2 million.
The Pension Scams Industry Group (PSIG), established in 2014 to help protect pension savers from fraud, deception and sharp practice, today responded to the Government’s consultation on changes to pension transfer regulations, welcoming proposals that aim to make legitimate transfers quicker while strengthening protections for savers against fraud.
M&G plc (“M&G”) today announces it has completed a £760 million Bulk Purchase Annuity (BPA) with the Smiths Industries Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), sponsored by FTSE 100 engineering firm Smiths Group. The transaction, which was completed in July 2026, secures the benefits of over 10,000 members and their dependants. This is the Scheme’s fifth and final buy-in, following four earlier pensioner buy-ins with two other insurers, and covers all remaining members including pensioners and deferred members.
Andy Burnham unveils his first significant cost-of-living intervention, scrapping VAT on household electricity bills from October as he begins to tackle pressure on household finances. Hopes of renewed Middle East negotiations help calm markets, with oil prices easing and European stocks set for a steadier open. Fresh US tariffs on Canadian goods reignite trade tensions, putting pressure on Toronto markets despite Ottawa's measured response. Former Defence Secretary John Healey's appointment as Chancellor is cautiously welcomed by investors, with shares in military contractors rising. It comes at a timely moment as a Russian warship carries out a live-firing exercise in international waters off the Plymouth coast.