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148.8m working days lost to sickness absence

Insurance experts Everywhen are warning that many households could face an immediate income shock if illness or injury strikes and the monthly pay cheque abruptly ends. Research from the Financial Conduct Authority shows that one in ten UK adults has no cash savings to fall back on, while the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that 148.8 million working days were lost to sickness or injury in 2025.
Posted on Friday Oct 9

A new retirement reality

A generational shift in many pension systems is transferring responsibility for retirement income, inheritance planning and later-life care from institutions to individuals. The shift is creating opportunities for insurers, banks and advisers – and a race to reach people before retirement, when they are making critical decisions about how to manage their savings, generate income and protect their wealth. The race is already reshaping the life insurance market: just three private equity-backed US companies completed more than 300 acquisitions between 2017 and 2025. Financial firms are investing heavily in technology and AI, but people still want human interaction when making high-stakes decisions
Posted on Thursday Oct 8

Fewer births reveal pressure on triple lock

In the middle of 2025, there were 69.5 million people in the UK – up just 0.3% in a year (source: Population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - Office for National Statistics) The number of births fell 9,700 in a year to 652,400 – this is significantly lower than the average since mid-1982 of 739,500. The average age in the UK was 40.9. There were 285 people of pensionable age for every 1,000 people of working age. Total population change, including migration, was 227,700 – well below the average since 1982 of 298,300. The figures suggest fewer working people are footing the bill for increasing numbers of pensioners, putting the sustainability of the triple lock into question
Posted on Thursday Oct 1

Employers step up health support as return to work rises

Over four in five employers say the Keep Britain Working Review to tackle economic inactivity has influenced their approach to supporting employees with health conditions or disabilities. Nearly nine in ten employers (87%) agree they have a responsibility to support employees with a health condition to remain in work rather than waiting until they need to take long-term sickness absence. Employer recognition of their role in supporting returns to work has increased from 82% to 87% since 2024. Demand for Government guidance on accessing support services has grown from 45% to 50%
Posted on Tuesday Sep 29

IPT receipts hit £4.49bn in August as Budget approaches

According to this morning’s HMRC data, Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) receipts have continued to rise in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, bringing the five-month total (April-August) to £4.49 billion, just scraping below last year’s total of £4.50 billion total across the same period by £11 million.
Posted on Tuesday Sep 22

Finance sector must improve support for mental health

Nearly half (49%) of UK adults have experienced mental health challenges, yet interacting with financial services providers such as insurers, banks and utility providers can still be a source of significant stress for many. That’s according to a new report from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA).
Posted on Monday Aug 17

Social care reform must focus on sustainable solutions

Responding to the speech on social care from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Tom Kenny, Chair of the Social Care Working Party at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, said:
Posted on Wednesday Jul 29

IPT receipts hit £2.172 bn in first three months of the year

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.
Posted on Tuesday Jul 21

A third of adults are unsure if the NHS can meet their needs

43% sought alternative care via at least one private healthcare service in the last six months. Half (49%) expect NHS waiting times to rise across the rest of the year. Nearly one in five (19%) funded this treatment through a credit card or personal loan
Posted on Monday Jun 29

Health innovations may trigger longevity challenge

9-in-10 (88%) trustees have not yet had the opportunity to decide about how new health innovations could affect scheme liabilities. Over two-thirds (69%) have not yet considered the impact of weight-loss drugs on longevity and benefit payments. Uncertainty over pace of future improvements raises questions over whether schemes may be underestimating future liabilities.
Posted on Tuesday Jun 23

IPT receipts hit 2.12bn in May

According to this morning’s HMRC data, Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) receipts stood at £2.12 billion in May 2026 in the second month of the financial year, falling very slightly from last year’s figure of £2.13 billion by just £9 million.

Posted on Friday Jun 19

Health shocks leave 1 in 4 unable to pay their mortgage

One in four (28%) homeowners have fallen into financial difficulty due to illness or injury. One in five (20%) borrowers have no savings safety net at all. Nearly one in 10 (9%) regret not having protection, while others admit they assumed they were covered
Posted on Wednesday Jun 17

More men must act earlier on cancer signs

Aviva paid out over £43m for prostate and testicular cancer claims across its individual critical illness and life insurance products in 2025. Awareness of prostate cancer symptoms remains low. Around one in three men check their body for new lumps/signs of change once a year or less
Posted on Monday Jun 15

Two thirds of a million turn to private healthcare in 2025

Total private health admissions – including self-pay – within touching distance of reaching 1 million per year. Growth in the private market continues despite progress in reducing NHS waiting lists for hospital treatment, as employers recognise the value of PMI in supporting workplace health
Posted on Wednesday Jun 10

Football’s Coming Home… on Crutches

With major drama building in football - from Thomas Tuchel’s upcoming England squad announcement to the relegation fight facing West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur on the Premier League’s final day - new figures from MetLife UK reveal the game is proving painful for amateur players across the UK.
Posted on Thursday May 21

Over 85 population expected to double in 25 years to 3.6m

The latest population projections published this morning by the ONS demonstrate the extent of the UK’s ageing society. In mid-2024 there were 1.75 million people aged 85 years and over, making up 2.5% of the population. By mid-2049, this is projected to have doubled to 3.6 million, representing 4.9% of the total UK population.
Posted on Tuesday Apr 28

Employer NI hike creates headwinds for group risk market

Growth within the UK group risk market slowed in 2025 as the employers’ National Insurance (NI) increase from April 2025 saw businesses look to prioritise cost containment over benefit expansion, according to Swiss Re’s annual Group Watch report.
Posted on Thursday Apr 23

IPT smashes last year's total by £157 million

According to this morning’s HMRC data, Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) receipts stood at £88 million in March 2026, bringing the full year total for the 2025/26 financial year to a record £9.04 billion, exceeding last year’s full year total of £8.88 billion by £157 million.
Posted on Thursday Apr 23

How the countrys health is recovering from Covid

Official figures showing life expectancy in England edging higher have been cautiously welcomed despite a fall in the amount of time people are expected to live in good health across all levels of income.
Posted on Thursday Apr 16

IPT soars to £8.95 bn on track for another record year

The latest HMRC figures today find that Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) has generated £8.95 billion in the last eleven months of the 2025/26 financial year (April–February), with £1.26 billion collected in February alone.
Posted on Friday Mar 20

CMI Model shows further rise in cohort life expectancy

The Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has released the latest annual update to the CMI Mortality Projections Model, CMI_2025. The CMI Model is used by UK pension schemes and insurance companies which need to make assumptions about future mortality rates.
Posted on Tuesday Mar 10

1 in 3 adults have done nothing to prepare for their death

83% say financial preparation matters, yet practical engagement remains low. A third of adults (32%) have made no end-of-life preparations.
Posted on Thursday Mar 5

Healthy life expectancy plummets

In 2022-24, men in the UK can expect to spend 60.7 years in "good" general health. This compares to 60.9 years for women. These are decreases of 1.8 and 2.5 years, respectively, compared with the last non-overlapping period 2019 to 2021. England continues to have the highest healthy life expectancy at birth for both men (60.9 years) and women (61.3 years). Scotland has the lowest for men (59.1 years) and Wales had the lowest for women (58.5 years).
Posted on Thursday Feb 19

Untapped demand for professional advice on later life care

Missed connection? Research shows untapped demand for professional advice on later-life care. Only one in nine over-45s organising care for a loved one had help from a financial adviser. But under 60% would arrange to meet an adviser to discuss their own funding options if referred
Posted on Monday Feb 16

Industry action urged as protection understanding lags

Almost a quarter of UK workers have a savings safety net of less than £500 and one in seven have nothing in savings at all, leaving them at high risk should they lose their income. However, nearly 20% of consumers drop out of protection buying journey and only 35% can correctly identify income protection products if described

Posted on Wednesday Feb 11