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Insurer Zurich has given BlackRock the mandate to passively manage some of its funds sold through Allied Dunbar and Eagle Star brands in a move that aims to create stability for investors.

The government will start to make payments to those Equitable Life policy holders who purchased their policies before 1992 and are still alive, in December.

Almost half of financial advisers have turned away clients this year because they felt their services were too expensive for them, according to research commissioned by the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA).

The financial services industry needs a simplified regime within which it can "talk the consumer language", in order to attract people shut out by the retreat of bank advice, BlackRock has suggested.

The government will boost ISA, Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund (CTF) annual subscription limits in line with the consumer price index.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has started a thematic review into firms' non-advised investment sales and delivery of 'simplified' advice.

The Money Advice Service (MAS) has started to develop "more targeted advice provision" and will soon be providing value for money, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said in a report, out today.

Adviser network Openwork's chairwoman Kate Avery is to step down at the end of the year after more than four years in office.

The lack of advice tools to help create suitable options for clients in the de-cummulation phase is threatening to create problems and could "permanently destroy wealth", a consultancy has warned.