Two scam businesses offering a ‘binary options’ trading platform to investors have been shut down by the Insolvency Service after investors lost over £750,000.

Wealth manager Sanlam UK, part of a South African-owned global financial services group, has completed its acquisition of financial adviser network Tavistock Financial from Tavistock Investments, adding 158 financial advisers to its staff plus 25 support staff.

UK investment and wealth management group Tilney has bolstered its London office with the appointment of Andrew Tompson, who joins the company as a Business Development Manager with a region focussed from London to the South Coast.

The number of people aged 85 and over is set to double over the next 25 years to 3.2m, according to ONS projections out today.

The DWP will fine pension schemes up to £50,000 if they fail to disclose their fees and charges from April, the DWP announced in a package of proposals today.

Acquisitive Chartered Financial Planning firm Fairstone has acquired Hase Osborne, another leading Chartered Financial Planning firm, for an undisclosed sum.

The FCA has today launched a campaign to urge the public to stop remaining silent when financial scams occur. It also urges the public to seek impartial advice before investing.

More than a third (36%) of advisers expect to direct more business to platforms over the next 12 months and more than a third say platforms make Financial Planning more “straightforward”, according to Aegon’s latest Adviser Attitudes Report.

According to new research 93% of the UK’s self-employed workers have no critical illness cover.

The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed that it will investigate a ‘cyber security’ break at data provider Equifax which hit nearly 700,000 UK consumers.