Former deputy chief whip Esther McVey MP has been appointed Work and Pensions Secretary, replacing David Gauke who is moving to the Ministry of Justice after less than seven six months in the job.

Ascot Lloyd and Bellpenny have become a single IFA company under the Ascot Lloyd name, dropping the Bellpenny brand and restricted advice at the same time.

The Department for Work and Pensions has re-appointed Mark Boyle for a second term as non-executive chair of The Pensions Regulator.

Guy Opperman MP, who was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary for Pensions and Financial Inclusion six months ago, has survived the latest parliamentary reshuffle.

Seven Investment Management is to launch a series of regional adviser roadshows entitled: 'The Retirement Challenge', visiting 12 locations throughout the UK in January and February.

The Government Actuary is suggesting a 5% rise in National Insurance by 2032 to prevent a deficit in the National Insurance Fund used to pay out state pensions, a possibility based on the latest Government Actuary Department projections.

Wealth Club, an investment service for HNWs, has acquired Clubfinance, an execution-only discount broker specialising in VCTs for an undisclosed sum.

When it comes to multi-tasking it seems that Chartered Financial Planner and entrepreneur Damien Rylett knows how to juggle things perfectly.

Bristol-based Financial Planning firm Paradigm Norton has merged with London-based Financial Planner The Red House to create a firm with 55 staff.

The latest research from the Association of Investment Companies, the trade body for investment trusts and investment companies, has revealed that purchases of investment companies by advisers and wealth managers on adviser platforms surged to a record level of £745m in the first nine months of 2017.