Aegon boosted by auto-enrolment and platform sales

Assets on its At Retirement Choices platform passed the £1bn mark last month. Earnings continue to be affected by losses at its distribution units - previously consisting of national IFAs Positive Solutions and Origen - which recorded a 2013 year-to-date loss of £2m, the same as last year. Aegon has since offloaded Positive Solutions to Intrinsic, and the group said this had already reduced its expenses considerably. Its net income rose to £88m, thanks to a one-time tax benefit caused by the reduction in the corporate tax rate from 23% to 20%.