Financial Services Unplugged with Tom McPhail

What’s eating the platform sector?

'...the most bruising quarter we've ever seen for advised platforms', was how my colleague Rich described the latest update on platforms. So here we talk through what's going on...

How Pot for Life could change auto-enrolment

As part of the solution to the small pots problem, the DWP is interested in Pot for Life. This has worked well in Australia and could lead to Auto-enrolment 2.0. This episode looks at what it is, how it could work and some of the challenges that would need to be dealt with.

The Mansion House Reforms

A quick review of some of the highlights from the multiple policy papers on pension reform published by the government this week.

Impending pension announcements, the FCA retirement advice review and pension transfers

A quick roundup of expected pensions policy announcements, a run through of the FCA's retirement advice review and the ongoing problems with pension transfers

Investing in the Future: Boosting Savings and Prosperity for the UK (institute.global)

https://open.substack.com/pub/craigberry/p/is-it-time-to-let-the-pension-investment?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

https://open.substack.com/pub/craigberry/p/is-it-time-to-let-the-pension-investment-1f4?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web 

Labour, pensions, party conferences

What are Labour's plans for pensions and are we going to see a big bang scheme consolidation initiative? Tom Frackowiak from Cicero joins me to discuss these questions and also to talk about the alternative reality of political party conferences.

Radical simplification of ISAs

AJ Bell are lobbying for a radical simplification of ISAs. Tom Selby explains why, and how it could work. You can also read more about it here AJ Bell calls for ISA overhaul in radical simplification of UK savings system | AJ Bell

 

Life expectancy, Covid and what they mean for pensions

Stuart McDonald of LCP takes us on a brilliant canter through what's happening with life expectancy and longevity and the implications for pension provision.

Link to Stuart's report, referenced in the podcast: https://www.lcp.uk.com/pensions-benefits/publications/longevity-report-2023-a-new-era-for-longevity-insights-to-tailor-your-journey/

The Advice Gap

Mike Barrett and I explore the barriers to people getting more financial advice and we look at hybrid advice with Chet Velani of EV.

You can download Mike's report here ADVICE GAP REPORT - the lang cat (langcatfinancial.co.uk)

Making the most of Equity Release

The FCA is looking at Equity Release advice this year, as part of its retirement advice review. Jon Dunckley has written an independent review of the Equity Release market, looking at how the sector can evolve from here…

FCA consultations on SMCR and product disclosures

...in which my colleague Alison Gay explains why the FCA is consulting on SMCR; she also reveals a handy hack for consultation responses and we discuss PIMFAs recent suggestions for rethinking the disclosures regime.