WPI Economics

Outright homeowners' spending is the most sensitive to cost of living changes. The Trust for London Cost of Living Tracker (maintained by WPI) shows how different households are affected by price changes. London households living in homes owned outright have increased their spending by 31% since March 2020, compared to a 25.7% increase amongst mortgaged homeowners and 27.9% amongst renters. However, the spending habits of these groups are different, meaning that the rise in cost is likely to be felt very differently. For example, although the increase for private renters is less in total than for those who own their homes outright, a greater proportion of private renters' spending goes on essentials (food, energy and housing). If you're curious to learn more about how different groups in London are affected by inflation, visit the Cost of Living tracker here: shorturl.at/tdMKz #CostOfLiving #EconomicInsights #LondonEconomy #InflationImpact

Being part of #GenB means acting for change. At WPI Economics, we set out to do things differently, using data and insights to drive positive change. Becoming a B Corp was a natural step, ensuring our commitment to having a positive impact in society is embedded in everything we do. Achieving this is only possible with a happy, talented and dynamic team. We have strived to create an environment where people feel proud of the impact they make, allowing them to show up as the best version of themselves. Being a B Corp allows us be a part of a global network of business passionate about making a difference. We are proud to be part of the community! #BCorp #BCorpMonth

Following the ABI’s conference to mark its 40th anniversary last week, our Policy Director Joe Ahern shares his reflections on the new vision report launched on the day: #insurance #pensions #abiconf2025 #policy #reflections

We’re proud to be a Certified B Corporation™: a company that demonstrates positive social and environmental impact. This #BCorpMonth, we’re celebrating the impact our work has on our clients' behalf and for society more widely, from supporting the development of green skills strategies through to tackling deep poverty. We are proud to have scored highly in all three of our Impact Business Model areas: supporting purpose driven and underserved enterprises; serving those in need; and impact improvement. #BCorporationCertified #BCorporationProud #CertifiedBCorp

Yesterday, our Policy Director Joe Ahern joined The ABI at its #ABIConf25 to share the findings of our new research, supporting the creation of a ten-year vision for prosperous and secure households, businesses and communities. You can read the report in full here: https://lnkd.in/e7Jdh4fh If you would like to have a chat with Joe or one of our team about how we can help you with your thought leadership programme, please get in touch.

As The ABI marks 40 years as the voice of the insurance and long-term savings industry, I'm proud to share our latest report, 'A Ten-Year Vision for Prosperous and Secure Households, Communities and Businesses'.     Through all the monumental change of the past four decades, our world-leading sector continues steadfastly to provide a vital safety net offering peace of mind and security in retirement.    To explore how the industry can continue to play a vital role in driving growth and boosting resilience over the next ten years, we commissioned WPI Economics to speak to senior leaders across the industry, both inside and outside of the ABI’s membership, and capture consumer perspectives.    Based on these insights, five key priority areas have been identified where the industry, working with partners, has a central role to play and the actions it should take. The priority areas are:      🌍 Tackling changing risks    🌱 Building household financial resilience   📈 Supporting business and growth   👷 Future-proofing the UK’s workforce     📊 Leveraging technology and data for good      We are immensely proud of the ABI’s role in supporting this great industry to evolve, grow and thrive. We remain at the side of our members, ready to evolve and adapt to embrace the opportunities that change presents. https://lnkd.in/eMFs-A54

It’s been a fantastic afternoon full of insightful discussions at #ABIConf25. Our Director General, Hannah Gurga, chaired a panel which took us through the findings of our 10-year vision for prosperous and secure households, businesses and communities. The vision, which launched today, identifies the challenges and opportunities where the insurance and long-term savings industry can play a crucial role, such as tackling changing risks, building household financial resilience and futureproofing the UK’s workforce. She was joined by Joe Ahern, WPI Economics, Raluca Boroianu-Omura, NFU Mutual, Owen Morris, Aviva and Paul Schreier, Simplyhealth. Owen highlighted the role the industry and government must play in addressing climate change risks, identifying flooding as an urgent issue. In addition, Paul, discussed tackling the problem of people who are currently inactive in our economy, framing it in the context of the significant drop in equity per capita since 2007.   Continuing the focus on the future, our Director of Policy, Long Term Savings, Health & Protection, Yvonne Braun OBE, led a thoughtful plenary session on how the industry and government can enhance savings adequacy in our aging population. Clive Bolton, M&G plc, Paul Farmer, Age UK, and Michele Golunska, Aviva, and Professor Debora Price, outlined the need for a combination of financial education and sophisticated technology to help people live comfortably for the entire duration of their retirement. Moving into another empowering discussion, Louise Minchin, broadcaster and journalist, delved into how we, as an industry, can combat economic inactivity due to illness. Sacha Romanovitch OBE discussed the connection of financial wellbeing and mental health, highlighting how "taking people out the workplace takes them down a spiral." Building on this, Mark Till, Unum UK, discussed the importance of happiness at work, which he sees as being made up of “physical and mental security, paired with being engaged with your employer”. Going one step further, Angela Matthews, Business Disability Forum sees that, at a minimum, “employers have to provide somewhere safe.” Above that, it’s about employers understanding what the employee finds difficult and how they can make it easier. Our Director and General Counsel, Philippa Handyside, closed off the day with an inspiring discussion between changemakers who have taken on the status quo to build a better, fairer and more just society. Joeli Brearley, Audley English MBE, FRSA, AA Dipl, RIBA, Lee Castleton. OBE. and () Seema Misra ( OBE ) shared their own inspirational learnings on how to bring about action in the face of adversity. “Change is messy and complicated … and it’s never linear” explained Joeli, “you’ve got to be tenacious and you’ve got to be in it for the long haul… but you will get there!”

An insightful day at #ABIConf25 with our CEO, Mark Till, participating in a key panel discussing the crucial role insurers play in creating happier, healthier and more productive workforces 📈 A session delving into the root causes of economic inactivity due to ill health - exploring potential responses, and highlighting how insurers can be part of the solution to help the working world thrive throughout life’s moments 🌱 Mark also discussed insights from an independent report by WPI Economics commissioned by Unum UK titled ‘Health, Happiness and Productivity: Supporting the wellbeing of Britain’s workers and the growth of the economy’ which you can read in full here👇 https://lnkd.in/dzj9u7ge

Our Policy Director Joe Ahern joined The ABI this afternoon to talk about the findings of our latest research, which has supported the creation of a ten-year vision for prosperous and secure households, businesses and communities. You can read the report in full here: https://lnkd.in/e7Jdh4fh

This has been fascinating to work on with The ABI, exploring the role of the sector over the next decade. Our Policy Director Joe Ahern said: "The next 10 years will see a wave of economic, demographic, ecological, and technological forces combining to change the world we live in. One common thing these myriad changes bring is uncertainty – something the insurance and long-term savings industry has more expertise than many in managing. The task now is to apply this strength to get ahead in a decade that will change the fabric of the sector and the world it operates in. This report shows how vital the industry is and how it can best help society navigate these changes.” You can hear Joe talk more about these changes and challenges at The ABI’s conference today.