Welcome to AKG

We are delighted to announce the publication of AKG’s 2018 Pension Freedoms Paper, Grasping the nettle: Working together to achieve better retirement outcomes. Download your complimentary copy at akg.co.uk/downloads.

Without exception, the pension freedoms changes caught people by surprise. The changes have also coincided with a wider period of regulatory and political change and challenge. So, what we have seen initially is three years of adjustment to the new freedoms with further work to be done in 2018/19 and beyond.

As someone that carries out assessment of a broad range of companies across the financial services industry, including the monitoring of evolving business strategies, AKG has been in a great position to watch the post-pension freedoms market unfold. We have always felt that pension freedoms presented both challenge and opportunity for a broad range of market players and stakeholders.

Some of the key objectives for this AKG paper are as follows:

• to build on the successful framework established with our original publication in this area
• to discuss the direction of travel in the market, including provider and solutions landscape
• to look at challenges and opportunities, old and new, for a range of market stakeholders and participants
• to illustrate through market research, the thoughts, behaviours, requirements etc. of consumers and advisers
• to be practical and do some myth-busting where possible
• to establish a discussion platform with our partners for the paper, and with other key market stakeholders, whereby relevant discussion and debate can be further progressed during 2018/19.

AKG felt once again that it was crucial to underpin thinking for the paper with original market research findings. Three separate, but complementary, research exercises have been carried out to meet this requirement and findings from each of these adviser and consumer studies are illustrated and discussed within the paper and will continue to inform associated debate and discussion moving forward.

AKG has worked with two official partners in the production of this white paper - Prudential and Standard Life. Both partners have been given the opportunity to provide their input and opinion on some of the key issues and themes established within the paper.

We hope that you enjoy reading the paper. If you have any queries about the content or would like to discuss the pension freedoms market with us in more detail please do get in touch.

30 May 2018

AKG has been analysing and assessing the with profits funds managed by UK life offices for over 20 years. Each year, our work in this area culminates in the publication of AKG’s comprehensive, well known and respected UK Life Office With Profits Reports, the most recent edition of which was published in December 2017.

As a result of this work, AKG is well positioned to reflect on this market and in particular to continue to highlight pertinent aspects for consideration by advisers and paraplanners. And as an independent analyst and commentator in this market we also wanted to make a high-level AKG with profits market update more widely available to interested parties. This led to the publication of our first AKG With Profits Market Briefing in March 2017.

We are now pleased to be able to follow up this activity with the publication of the 2018 AKG With Profits Market Briefing.

This AKG With Profits Market Briefing illustrates some of the key statistics, developments and trends observed in our 2017 UK Life Office With Profits Reports.

The briefing is available to download, free of charge, at www.akg.co.uk/downloads.

11 April 2018

AKG is delighted to announce the launch of its 2017 UK Life Office With Profits Reports.

Who are the reports designed for and why?

These reports are designed to assist advisers and providers in assessing the relative merits of specific with profits funds. The aim is to provide comprehensive, structured and consistent information, accompanied by AKG's key analytical assessments of with profits financial strength, future performance and transparency.

What is the size of the with profits market?

The amount of with profits business in-force remains considerable (with profits technical provisions totalling over £274 billion at the end of 2016).

What funds and firms are covered?

The reports contain analysis and assessments of 185 sub-funds within 72 funds within 26 firms that will be active in the UK market at the end of December 2017 (from 25 different groups). The reports cover providers whose with profits funds exceed £110m, supplemented by smaller companies and friendly societies operating in the intermediary market.

What is included in the reports?

Each individual report provides information on the structure and operation of a provider's with profits fund(s). It also highlights the various risks borne by with profits policyholders and concludes with AKG's long established Ratings for With Profits Financial Strength, With Profits Future Performance, and With Profits Transparency. A number of comparative industry-wide tables are also included, covering a range of key metrics. This year, for the first time, the tables feature industry-wide data from the Solvency and Financial Condition Reports that have been introduced under the new Solvency II regulatory regime.

Can I see the table of contents?

Of course you can, please click here to get a copy of the table of contents.

How much do the reports cost?

£2,150 plus VAT.

How can I purchase a copy of the reports?

The reports can be purchased and downloaded directly from here.

Alternatively you can purchase by email to akg@akg.co.uk and payment can be settled by invoice.

And if you have any questions…

…please get in touch with us.

21 December 2017