Do you work in financial services? Do the words ‘inheritance’ and ‘tax’ still look like just words to you?
Well buckle in because chances are by the end of this newsletter, where I actually limited the amount of IHT stories, you’ll be screaming for HMRC to just take it all and leave you alone.
But believe it or not, there have been other things going on this week. Here’s a few below:
LANG CAT & CLIENT MENTIONS
Platform innovation: Terry Huddart on Scottish Widows’ trading journey
“Safe to say the platform has likely found its forever home, so Phil and Kirsty will be delighted,” writes oor Terry.
Source: Professional Adviser
‘Is it worth £6,000?’ Planners weigh up compliance consultants’ value
SOTAN gets a mention in this one where clients go “Compliance? Blaaaah.”
Source: Citywire NMA
HR Magazine – How to refresh pension communications
Well, we’ve made it to the heights of HR Magazine, or more accurately PR director Nicola Cannings has.
Source: HR Magazine
Comparing adviser attitudes across South Africa and the UK
Bossman continues to find himself in the South African adviser discourse.
Source: FA News
As advisers are zigging to AI, how do you zag?
Differentiation and highlighting the strengths of the non-tech elements of advice in the age of AI.
Source: Professional Adviser
Simpler pension transfers average 10.8 days, says Origo
Simpler pension transfers took an average of 10.8 days to complete between July 2024 and June 2025, down from 11 days at the end of March.
Source: Money Marketing
Could applying IHT on pensions pre-55 change savings behaviour? – FTAdviser
Nucleus technical manager Julia Peake points out what she sees as troubling contradictions and complications.
Source: FT Adviser
Joshun Sandhu: Powering innovation through partnership – Corporate Adviser
Pension providers are now looking beyond LTAFs when it comes to innovative private market investments says Mobius Life’s Joshun Sandhu.
Source: Corporate Adviser
ADVISERS
Tatton, Inflexion and Hogarth back new consolidator with £115m
Although it owns IFA support services provider Paradigm, this marks the first time Tatton has invested in an advice group.
Source: Citywire WM
PLATFORMS
Aviva profits rise 22% as more use adviser platform – FTAdviser
Aviva saw increased platform flows of 28 per cent in the first half of 2025 with higher adviser retention.
Source: FT Adviser
INVESTING
ESG Accord: The Financial Lives Survey is a wake-up call | Money Marketing
The Financial Lives survey shows there’s a consumer demand for sustainable investing says the ESG Accord.
Source: Money Marketing
Retail investors fight for right to bet on natural disasters
Asset managers specialising in catastrophe bonds are fighting a threat to curb retail access to the fast‑growing market, as surging sales of the bonds give small investors a way to bet on the likelihood of big natural disasters.
Source: FT
AI
How AI could create the first one-person unicorn
By one-person unicorn, they mean an unlisted firm worth more than $1bn. A Silicon Valley ambition of ambitions if ever I’ve seen one.
Source: The Economist
Leader: How AI tools are changing the advice discovery journey | Money Marketing
Advisers urged to be up to date in their directories as search engines employ more AI based searches.
Source: Money Marketing
Man develops rare condition after ChatGPT query over stopping eating salt | ChatGPT | The Guardian
A US medical journal has warned against using ChatGPT for health information after a man developed a rare condition following an interaction with the chatbot about removing table salt from his diet.
Source: The Guardian
PENSIONS & RETIREMENT
Petition launched to stop IHT on pensions – FTAdviser
John Rawles didn’t like that.
Source: FT Adviser
Caitlin Southall: Vulnerable customers have been forgotten in the IHT mess | Money Marketing
Another person in financial services hitches their support to the ‘IHT changes are evil’ bandwagon, but with a fresh angle considering the potential discord between the changes and vulnerability.
Source: Money Marketing
Google searches for IHT advice surge – FTAdviser
Well, there’ll be no shortage of articles when consumers go looking for them.
Source: FT Adviser
The Pensions Commission: Key principles for progress
Kathryn Fleming says Commission must consider three core principles to test adequacy.
Source: Professional Pensions
TRADE & ECONOMY
Oasis and the ‘lipstick effect’ raised spending in July
The lipstick effect is defined by Investopedia as “when consumers still spend money on small indulgences during recessions, economic downturns or when they personally have little cash.” Possibly because they spent all their money on Oasis tickets.
Source: The Times
CRAZY CAT STORIES
Cat behaviourist explains reason cats ‘hate’ closed doors and what to do instead – The Mirror
All the important questions getting dealt with
Source: The Mirror
OUTSIDE THE TRADE
David Lammy broke law while fishing with JD Vance | The National
Eejit.
Source: The National
Sean McKinven is PR account executive at the lang cat
