Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Friday 17 October 2025. To get this in your inbox every morning click here.
The potential in servicing US clients
US nationals living in the UK represent a large pool of potential clients for financial advisers, writes Ben Lester, head of distribution at Morningstar Wealth.
According to Global Citizen Solutions data, 166,000 American nationals live in the United Kingdom, and that number is growing, he says.
This represents an opportunity – and being able to cater for US citizens can be a useful arrow in your quiver, and it doesn’t take too much extra preparation either.
Firms investing in pension engagement outperform peers
UK businesses that actively engage employees with their pensions are seeing stronger financial performance, according to new research from Scottish Widows.
The Retirement Realities: Unlocking the Workplace Benefits report found that two-thirds (64%) of businesses that take an active role in pension education reported “very good” financial performance.
By contrast, where firms do not promote pension engagement, only 18% rated their financial performance as “very good”.
LifeSearch partners with All in Place to boost SME protection advice
LifeSearch has partnered with All in Place to help accountancy firms embed protection advice into their SME client services.
The collaboration will allow accountants to offer clients seamless access to life insurance and business protection solutions, backed by LifeSearch’s fee-free expertise.
The move enhances accountants’ advisory capabilities and broadens the value of their service propositions.
Quote Of The Day
The Treasury may have floated ideas to test the waters, but the response is always the same: public outcry. It’s almost as though the government relishes the uncertainty
– Penny Cogher, pensions partner at Irwin Mitchell, on the government’s reluctance to commit to giving answers before the Budget
Stat Attack
When it comes to inheriting a large sum of money, Brits will prioritise security over growth, a new survey from high-interest savings platform Flagstone reveals.
While many may dream of using a windfall to grow their wealth, the reality is that a large proportion of the population favours more cautious options.
It shows:
24%
of Brits say buying property would be their top priority if they inherited a large sum of money.
22%
would use their inheritance to pay off debts, reflecting the UK’s high levels of personal borrowing.
14%
say they’d prioritise saving their inheritance in a bank account rather than investing it.
21%
say they would avoid investing their inheritance altogether, showing a preference for security over growth.
50%
of over-55s say they would save and avoid taking financial risks, making them the most cautious age group.
38%
of 25–34-year-olds are comfortable taking financial risks to grow their wealth, the most open of any generation.
68%
of Brits would seek professional financial advice after receiving an inheritance.
80% vs 54%
younger people (25–34) are far more likely to seek financial advice than those over 55.
Source: Flagstone
In Other News
Fidelity International has announces the launch of its Fidelity Global Equity Research Enhanced PAB UCITS ETF listing today on the Deutsche Börse Xetra.
It forms part of its expanded Research Enhanced ETF range, marking Fidelity’s first equity Research Enhanced ETF within the Paris-Aligned Benchmark (PAB) framework.
Fidelity’s Research Enhanced ETF range offers a transparent, cost-effective means of accessing the fundamental analysis and forward-looking sustainability assessments of Fidelity’s extensive global research platform, all within a risk-manged framework.
The range, covering both equity and fixed income strategies, is divided into two sub-ranges with differing sustainability criteria.
The core Research Enhanced ETFs are designed to achieve a better ESG score than the Benchmark, while the Research Enhanced PAB ETFs are aligned to the Paris Agreement long-term global warming objectives by restricting the carbon emission exposure of their portfolios.
The new ETF will invest in global equities and aims to achieve income and capital growth while aligning with the Paris Agreement long-term global warming objectives by restricting the carbon emission exposure of its portfolio.
US bank stocks plunge as investors grow uneasy about mounting risks (Reuters)
Crispin Odey polls former staff to canvass support ahead of libel case (Financial Times)
Dollar set for worst week since June on Fed bets, bank woes (Bloomberg)
Did You See?
Advisers are “virtually unanimous” that tax rises are on their way, according to new research from investment manager Downing.
Downing’s survey of UK financial advisers and wealth managers found that 99% expect taxes to rise in next month’s Budget but are split on which will increase.
Nearly seven out of ten (69%) predict an increase in employee National Insurance, while around two-thirds (64%) expect to see a rise in Corporation Tax.
About six out of ten (57%) expect VAT rates to rise, while less than two out of five (38%) believe the chancellor will increase income tax rates.
The study from Downing, which manages a suite of estate planning solutions catering for differing client needs, found around a fifth (18%) expect rises in inheritance tax (IHT) while just 8% believe stamp duty on property will be increased.
