6
March 2025
Hansard Global
plc
Results for the six months
ended 31 December 2024
Hansard Global plc ("Hansard" or
"the Group"), the specialist long-term savings provider,
issues its results for the six months
ended 31 December 2024. All figures refer
to the six months ended 31 December 2024 ("H1 2025") and all
comparisons are with the
six months ended 31 December 2023 ("H1 2024"), except where
indicated.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
|
H1 2025
|
H1
2024
|
New business sales
(PVNBP1)
New business sales
(APE2)
IFRS profit before tax
|
£49.1m
£7.3m
£0.5m
|
£36.2m
£5.5m
£4.1m
|
IFRS fees and
commissions
|
£23.7m
|
£23.9m
|
IFRS administrative and other
expenses
|
£18.4m
|
£14.7m
|
IFRS basic earnings per
share
|
0.3p
|
2.9p
|
Interim dividend - to be paid on 24 April 2025
|
1.8p
|
1.8p
|
|
|
At
|
31
December
2024
|
30
June
2024
|
Assets under
Administration
|
£1.2b
|
£1.2b
|
Value of In-Force
|
£108.3m
|
£110.8m
|
1
Present Value of New Business Premiums
2
Annual Premium Equivalent
Thomas Morfett, Group Chief Executive Officer,
commented:
"The Hansard Group has begun to
deliver growth in new business flows after several years of laying
the groundwork for the future through its Japanese license and new
IT system.
We are pleased to now be able to
launch new, competitive, and innovative products quickly. Our plan
is to make the evolution of our proposition a continuous feature of
our business model moving forward.
There are early signs that our
recently launched products and fund range are appealing to clients
and advisors.
Nevertheless, as we navigate
continuing regulatory changes and a challenging financial
landscape, we anticipate that it will take time for the growth in
new business to translate into improvements in income and
profitability.
I am confident that we have the
right people and culture in place to deliver long-term, sustainable
success for the business and all its stakeholders."
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
· New business sales grew by 36% year-on-year to £49.1m in
PVNBP terms, whilst IFRS profit before tax decreased by 88% to
£0.5m in H1 2025.
· The 36% sales growth comprised 18% half-year-on-half-year in
the six months to 31 December 2024 and the previously reported 15%
growth half-year-on-half-year in the six months to 30 June
2024.
· Sales growth was driven by the successful launch of a new
single premium product earlier in the calendar year, which
delivered a 123% increase in single premium sales.
· Regular premium sales experienced a 22% decline, highlighting
the challenges of an aging regular premium product. In response,
the Group introduced a new, competitive regular premium offering in
December.
· IFRS profit before tax decreased due to currency movements,
strategic investment, new IT system depreciation costs, and
litigation costs.
· Profits have also been impacted by declining sales in recent
years. The Group's investment in strategic initiatives is now
generating sales momentum but this will take time to translate into
higher profits given the long-term nature of our
products.
· Fees and commissions remained stable at £23.7m in H1
2025.
· Investment and other income decreased by 22% to £2.4m in H1
2025 due to adverse currency movements and lower interest rate
returns.
· Expenses increased by 25% to £18.4m in H1 2025, primarily due
to the costs of robustly defending historic litigation claims
against the Group. Total writs reduced marginally to £20.0m, with a
reducing volume of new writs received in the period.
· Expenses also increased due to our continuing investment in
strategic initiatives to improve future performance, and
depreciation of our new IT system.
· Assets under administration remained steady at £1.2 billion
at 31 December 2024.
· The value of the in-force book fell by 2% to £108.3m between
30 June 2024 and 31 December 2024.
· The Board has declared an interim dividend of 1.8p per share,
consistent with previous years.
STRATEGIC & OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
·
Our new IT system has enabled the Group to
refresh its entire product range and launch a new fund range
quickly. We aim to roll out further proposition improvements on a
continuous and frequent basis.
·
The Group continues to develop a distribution
opportunity in Japan following the registration of two new products
in that market. Although the speed of delivery to market is slower
than anticipated, constructive progress is being made.
·
The combination of future sales growth and
utilisation of our new IT system is expected to help realise
economies of scale in due course.
NEW BUSINESS
New business flows for the
half-year are summarised as follows:
|
|
H1
2025
|
H1
2024
|
%
|
Basis
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Change
|
Present Value of New Business
Premiums
|
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
35.6%
|
Annualised Premium
Equivalent
|
|
7.3
|
5.5
|
32.7%
|
New business flows based on PVNBP
are broken down as follows:
|
|
H1
2025
|
H1
2024
|
%
|
PVNBP by product type
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
change
|
Regular premium
|
|
17.2
|
21.9
|
(21.5%)
|
Single premium
|
|
31.9
|
14.3
|
123.1%
|
Total
|
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
35.6%
|
|
|
H1
2025
|
H1
2024
|
%
|
PVNBP by geographical area
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Change
|
Middle East &
Africa
|
|
18.7
|
16.2
|
15.4%
|
Latin America
|
|
17.8
|
10.6
|
67.9%
|
Rest of World
|
|
10.0
|
6.5
|
53.8%
|
Far East
|
|
2.6
|
2.9
|
(10.3%)
|
Total
|
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
35.6%
|
Assets under Administration ("AUA")
The composition and value of AuA
is based upon the assets selected by or on behalf of contract
holders to meet their savings and investment needs. Reflecting the
wide geographical spread of the Group's customer base, most premium
contributions and AuA are designated in currencies other than
sterling. Over 60% of Group AuA are denominated in US
dollars.
The total of such assets is
affected by the level of new premium contributions received from
new and existing policy contracts, the amount of assets withdrawn
by contract holders, charges and the effect of investment market
and currency movements. These factors ultimately affect the level
of fund-based income earned by the Group. Net withdrawals are
typically experienced in Hansard Europe dac ("Hansard Europe") as
it closed to new business in 2013.
The following analysis shows the
components of the movement in AuA:
|
|
H1
2025
|
H1
2024
|
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
Assets under Administration at 30 June
Regular premiums
|
|
1,150.9
33.6
|
1,101.5
38.8
|
Single premiums
|
|
31.3
|
13.8
|
Withdrawals and charges
|
|
(90.5)
|
(87.6)
|
Market and currency
movements
|
|
27.7
|
39.5
|
Change in period
|
|
2.1
|
4.5
|
Assets under Administration at 31 December
|
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AuA is split as follows between
Hansard International (incorporating business reinsured from
Hansard Worldwide) and Hansard Europe:
|
|
|
|
H1
2025
|
H1
2024
|
|
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Hansard International
|
|
|
|
1,097.5
|
1,044.5
|
Hansard Europe
|
|
|
|
55.5
|
61.5
|
Assets under Administration at 31 December
|
|
|
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
Outlook
Looking ahead, there are early
indications that our new product range will continue to drive sales
and foster long-term growth for the business.
However, it will take time for
improved sales to fully translate into increased profits and we
anticipate profit pressures over the next two years as we continue
to invest in strategic initiatives, defend historic litigation
claims, depreciate our IT system and meet continuing regulatory
changes.
The improved sales momentum from
our new products, investment in Japan, and utilisation of our new
technology platform are expected to deliver profit growth
thereafter.
NOTICE OF TRADING UPDATE
A trading update in respect of our
financial year ending 30 June 2025 is expected to be published on
25 September 2025.
For further information:
Hansard Global
plc
+44 (0) 1624 688 000
Thomas Morfett, Group Chief
Executive Officer
Ollie Byrne, Chief Financial
Officer
Email:
investor-relations@hansard.com
Camarco
LLP
+44 (0) 7990 653 341
Ben Woodford, Aoife
Mclarnon
Notes to editors:
·
Hansard Global plc is the holding company of the
Hansard Group of companies. The Company was listed on the London
Stock Exchange in December 2006. The Group is a specialist
long-term savings provider, based in the Isle of Man.
·
The Group offers a range of flexible and
tax-efficient investment products within a life assurance policy
wrapper, designed to appeal to affluent, international
investors.
·
The Group utilises a controlled cost distribution
model via a network of independent financial advisors and the
retail operations of certain financial institutions who provide
access to their clients in more than 170 countries. The Group's
distribution model is supported by Hansard OnLine, a multi-language
internet platform, and is scalable.
·
The principal geographic markets in which the
Group currently services contract holders and financial advisors
are the Middle East & Africa, the Far East and Latin
America. These markets are served by
Hansard International Limited and Hansard Worldwide
Limited.
·
Hansard Europe dac previously operated in Europe
but closed to new business with effect from 30 June
2013.
·
The Group's objective is to grow by attracting
new business and positioning itself to adapt rapidly to market
trends and conditions. The scalability and flexibility of the
Group's operations allow it to enter or develop new geographic
markets and exploit growth opportunities within existing markets
without the need for significant further investment.
Forward-looking statements:
This announcement may contain
certain forward-looking statements with respect to certain of
Hansard Global plc's plans and its current goals and expectations
relating to future financial condition, performance and results. By
their nature forward-looking statements involve risk and
uncertainties because they relate to future events and
circumstances which are beyond Hansard Global plc's control. As a
result, Hansard Global plc's actual future condition, performance
and results may differ materially from the plans, goals and
expectations set out in Hansard Global plc's forward-looking
statements. Hansard Global plc does not undertake to update
forward-looking statements contained in this announcement or any
other forward-looking statement it may make. No statement in this
announcement is intended to be a profit forecast or be relied upon
as a guide for future performance.
This announcement contains inside
information which is disclosed in accordance with the Market Abuse
Regime.
Legal Entity Identifier:
213800ZJ9F2EA3Q24K05
Hansard Global plc
Interim Report and Accounts for the period ended 31 December
2024
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
I am pleased to present Hansard
Global plc's ("Hansard" or "Group") financial results for the first
six months of our 2025 financial year ("H1 2025").
Financial
objectives
Hansard's financial
objectives are measured primarily in terms of its income
generation, expense management, solvency management, and generation
of cash to pay dividends. In the short term the Group is balancing
its net profit result with dividend expectations, while maintaining
its strategic solvency target. In the medium term it is seeking to
reduce its cost base and increase new business sales by offering a
new product range, whilst, in the longer term, it is aiming to
increase its scale organically and leverage its relatively fixed
cost base to deliver a geared increase in
profitability.
Financial
performance
IFRS profit before tax decreased
by 88% to £0.5m in H1 2025 due to currency movements, strategic
investment, new system costs, and litigation costs.
New business grew by 36% to £49.1m
in H1 2025 in PVNBP terms from £36.2m in H1 2024, driven by the
successful launch of a new single premium product earlier in the
calendar year. The Group launched a new, competitive regular
premium offering in December.
It will take time for improved
sales to fully translate into increased profits and we anticipate
profit pressures over the next two years as we continue to invest
in strategic initiatives, defend historic litigation claims,
depreciate our new IT system and meet continuing regulatory
changes.
The Group's new IT system has
enabled the Group to refresh its entire product range and launch a
new fund range quickly. We aim to roll out further proposition
improvements on a continuous and frequent basis. The new system
provides the Group with a solid base from which to leverage its
relatively fixed cost base.
During the year, the Group has
continued to develop its distribution opportunity in Japan
following the registration of two new products for that market.
Although the speed of delivery to market is slower than
anticipated, constructive progress is being made.
The Group remains sufficiently
capitalised to meet its regulatory requirements.
Looking ahead, there are early
indications that our new product range will continue to drive sales
and foster long-term growth for the business.
Dividend
declaration
The Board has declared an interim
dividend of 1.8p per share, consistent with previous years. This
will be paid on 24 April 2025 with an ex-dividend date of 13 March
2025.
Board
changes
Jose Ribeiro, Independent
Non-executive Director, stepped down from the Board on 31 December
2024. On behalf of the Board, I extend our great gratitude to Jose
for his valuable contribution.
We are pleased to announce that
Lynzi Harrison joined the Board as an Independent Non-executive
Director on 11 December 2024. With over 25 years of industry
experience, Lynzi will serve on the Audit and Risk, Remuneration,
and Nomination Committees. We are delighted to welcome Lynzi to the
Board.
Additionally, Noel Harwerth, OBE,
succeeded Jose as Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Senior
Independent Director on 1 January 2025.
Philip Kay
Chair
5
March 2025
INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT
REPORT OF THE GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Thomas morfett
The Hansard Group has begun to
deliver growth in new business flows after several years of laying
the groundwork for the future by developing its Japanese license
and new IT system.
We are pleased to now be able to
launch new, competitive, and innovative products quickly. Our plan
is to make the evolution of our proposition a continuous feature of
our business model moving forward.
There are early signs that our
recently launched products and fund range are appealing to clients
and advisors.
Nevertheless, as we navigate
continuing regulatory changes and a challenging financial
landscape, we anticipate that it will take time for the growth in
new business to translate into improvements in income and
profitability.
I am confident that we have the
right people and culture in place to deliver long-term, sustainable
success for the business and our stakeholders.
Strategy
The Group provides regular and
single premium savings products to expatriate and local clients
around the world seeking access to a range
of international investments from a safe-haven
jurisdiction.
We continue to pursue our strategy
of growing our business organically through Independent Financial
Advisor ("IFA") client relationships and the pursuit of targeted
opportunities to improve our scale.
Our strategic focus for the second
half of this financial year is to:
· Launch our two new locally licenced investment products in
Japan.
· Leverage and extend our new product and funds propositions
globally; and
· Further embed our new IT system in order to roll out
proposition improvements on a continuous basis.
New business
Overall new business grew by 36%
to £49.1m in H1 2025 in PVNBP terms ("Present Value of New Business
Premiums") compared to £36.2m in H1 2024. Growth of 33% was
achieved in APE terms ("Annual Premium Equivalent").
New business growth was driven by
the successful launch of a new single premium product earlier in
the calendar year, which delivered a 123% increase in single
premium sales.
Regular premium sales experienced
a 22% decline, highlighting the challenges of an aging regular
premium product. In response, the Group introduced a new,
competitive regular premium offering in December.
Financial results
IFRS profit before tax decreased
by 88% to £0.5m in H1 2025 compared to H1 2024, due to adverse
currency movements, legal costs of defending historic litigation
claims, and continued investment in strategic initiatives. It will
take time for improved sales to translate into higher profits given
the long-term nature of our products.
Fees and commissions remained
stable at £23.7m in H1 2025.
Investment and other income
decreased by 22% to £2.4m in H1 2025 due to adverse currency
movements.
Expenses increased by 25% from
£14.7m in H1 2024 to £18.4m in H1 2025 due to the legal costs of
defending historic litigation claims, continuing investment in
strategic initiatives to improve future performance, and
depreciation of the new IT system.
A summary of the results for H1
2025 are as follows:
|
H1 2025
|
H1 2024
|
IFRS profit before tax
|
£0.5m
|
£4.1m
|
IFRS basic earnings per
share
|
0.3p
|
3.0p
|
Interim dividend - to be paid on
24 April 2025
|
1.8p
|
1.8p
|
Assets under administration
increased marginally to £1.2 billion as at 31 December
2024.
The value of the in-force book
remained steady at £108.3m as at 31 December 2024.
|
|
|
As at
|
31 December
2024
|
30 June
2024
|
Assets under
Administration
|
£1,153.0m
|
£1,150.9m
|
Value of In-Force (regulatory
basis)
|
£108.3m
|
£110.8m
|
Details of the results for the
period are contained in the Business and Financial
Review.
Capitalisation and solvency
The Group remains sufficiently
capitalised to meet the requirements of regulators, contract
holders, intermediaries, and other stakeholders. On a risk-based
capital basis, total Group Free Assets in excess of the Solvency
Capital Requirements of the Group were £34.3m (June 2024: £39.4m),
a solvency coverage of 143% (June 2024: 149%).
The Group's shareholders' equity
is held in a wide range of deposit institutions and highly rated
money market liquidity funds.
Our people
Our people continue to be crucial
to the success of the Group and demonstrate a continued commitment,
and resilience in managing both our on-going day-to-day operations
and our key strategic projects.
We maintain a commitment to the
highest levels of service and quality in relation to servicing
contract holders and intermediaries, and we continue to receive
external recognition by our peers. We recently won two awards at
the 2024 Investment International awards - Excellence in Fintech,
and Excellence in Client Service - Asia.
Regulatory environment
The pace, scale, and complexity of
regulatory change continues to evolve, and the Group devotes
significant resources to meeting these developments.
Hansard Europe dac ("Hansard Europe")
Hansard Europe was closed to new
business in 2013, and the Group's objective is to run the business
off in an efficient and well managed manner. It is well capitalised with net assets
of £12.1m as at 31 December 2024 (30 June
2024: £12.1m).
We continue to robustly defend
historic litigation arising out of circumstances where
policyholders consider that the performance of an asset linked to a
particular contract is not satisfactory. As outlined more fully in
section 11 of the Business and Financial Review, total writs were
£20.0m as at 31 December 2024 (30 June 2024: £20.2m).
Thomas Morfett
Chief Executive Officer
5
March 2025
BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL REVIEW
1. BUSINESS
MODEL
Hansard is a specialist long-term
savings provider that has been providing innovative financial
solutions for international clients since 1987. We focus on helping
our customers with savings and investment products in secure life
assurance wrappers to meet their long-term savings and investment
objectives.
We administer assets in excess of
£1 billion for just under 40,000 client accounts around the
world.
We believe that the following
areas are fundamental for the continued success of the
Group:
· Proposition enhancement, product improvement and
diversification of our distribution channels to enable generation
of significant flows of new business from identified target
markets.
· Leveraging our new IT system to drive business
efficiency.
· Proactively managing our cash flows through the cycle to fund
the appropriate balance of investment in new business and
dividends.
· Managing and mitigating our exposure to business
risks.
· Positioning ourselves to incorporate increasing levels of
regulation into our business model.
The Company's head office is in
Douglas, Isle of Man, and its principal subsidiaries operate from
the Isle of Man, The Bahamas and the Republic of
Ireland.
Hansard International is
authorised by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority and has
a branch in Malaysia, authorised by the Labuan Financial Services
Authority, to support business flows from Asian growth economies.
It also has a branch in Japan to support
its Japanese proposition, which is authorised by the Japanese
Financial Services Agency. Through its
relationship with a local insurer in the UAE, Hansard International
reinsures business written in the UAE
Hansard Worldwide writes
international and expatriate business around the world and is
underwritten by Hansard International Limited. Hansard Worldwide is
authorised by the Insurance Commission of The Bahamas.
Hansard Europe is authorised by
the Central Bank of Ireland and ceased accepting new business with
effect from 30 June 2013.
Our products are designed to
appeal to affluent international investors, institutions, and
wealth-management groups. They are distributed exclusively through
independent financial advisers (IFAs) and the retail operations of
financial institutions.
Our network of Regional Sales
Managers provides local language-based support services to
independent financial advisors in key territories around the world,
supported by our multi-language online platform, Hansard
OnLine.
2. VISION AND
STRATEGY
Our vision for the Hansard Group
is:
"To share success with our clients by providing simple,
understandable and innovative financial
solutions".
To deliver this vision, client
outcomes will be the central focus within our business and
consequently we will seek to evolve all aspects of our products,
processes and distribution in order to constantly
improve.
Our talented people are the
foundation of our business. We have created an empowering culture,
which values innovation, quality, integrity and respect.
Our strategy to improve, grow and
future-proof our business will be delivered through three key areas
of strategic focus:
i.
Improve our business: We will continue to improve customer
outcomes by introducing
new and innovative products and services,
focusing on the quality of our IFAs with whom we work with and
continuing to drive up the engagement of our people within our
business.
ii.
Grow our business: In recent years we
established a new life company in The Bahamas, and we have recently
signed a distribution agreement with Guardian to access the
Japanese domestic market. We will continue to seek out
opportunities for additional distribution channels in other
targeted jurisdictions in the future.
iii.
Future-proof our business: We actively consider
new and innovative technologies, propositions, and business
models. It remains critical to support the online and digital
needs of our clients alongside improving organisational efficiency
and scalability.
3. HANSARD
ONLINE
Hansard is a regular recipient of numerous awards that recognise our reputation for innovation, via the
provision of market-leading online platforms that are used daily by
its IFAs ('Hansard OnLine') and their clients ('Online Accounts')
around the globe. Hansard OnLine and
Online Accounts enable us to build on an award-winning, online
proposition, and is central to the development and quick deployment
of new, future products.
Online Accounts
Thousands of Hansard clients
access their own personal, secure online account every year. Online
accounts are mobile friendly and have the capability to provide
these clients with a wealth of policy information, 24/7. In
addition to other functionality and benefits, clients
can:
·
Track the performance of their policy online,
with policy valuations and contribution details at the touch of a
button.
·
Access their online account with our new-look
mobile and tablet friendly platform, enabling access on the go,
wherever they are in the world.
·
Access their online account 24/7, safe in the
knowledge that their details are secure and protected.
·
Access a wealth of fund performance information,
facilitating better informed investment decisions in the future;
and
·
Stay informed in a language that they understand,
with Online Accounts being available in over 13 different
languages.
Cyber security
Hansard has continued to invest in
its cyber security infrastructure with the implementation of a
Security Operations Centre, operating at an ISO27001 (Information
Technology Security Standard) standard, to provide further enhanced
surveillance of our systems and external threats.
4.
New
business
PROPOSITION
The Group's proposition is to
develop and enhance relationships with contract holders and
intermediaries through the use of our people, products and
technology in a way that meets shared objectives.
The results of activities in each
region in H1 2025 are reported in the table below.
New business performance for the six months ended 31
December 2024
New business for H1 2025 was
£49.1m on a PVNBP basis, up 36% from £36.2m in H1 2024 and
continuing the upward trend from the second half of
2024.
New business levels for H1 2025
are summarised as follows:
|
Six months
ended
|
Year
ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Present Value of New Business
Premiums
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
77.8
|
Annualised Premium
Equivalent
|
7.3
|
5.5
|
10.4
|
The following tables show the
breakdown of new business calculated on the basis of
PVNBP:
|
Six months ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
|
2024
|
By type of contract
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
£m
|
Regular premium
|
17.2
|
21.9
|
|
44.2
|
Single premium
|
31.9
|
14.3
|
|
33.6
|
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
|
77.8
|
|
Six months ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
|
2024
|
By geographical area
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
£m
|
Middle East and Africa
|
18.7
|
16.2
|
|
32.4
|
Latin America
|
17.8
|
10.6
|
|
24.3
|
Rest of World
|
10.0
|
6.5
|
|
16.4
|
Far East
|
2.6
|
2.9
|
|
4.7
|
Total
|
49.1
|
36.2
|
|
77.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our new single premium portfolio
bond launched last financial year continues to be a successful
offering for our clients and advisers, helping to drive the
increase in new business on a PVNBP basis. We have refreshed our
single and regular premium propositions, and we expect these to
contribute to growth as we move forwards.
We continue to work with key IFAs
to leverage existing and new opportunities. We are exploring new
relationships to further expand our network of
distributors.
Our sales team remains well
positioned to drive IFA and product initiatives to increase new
business in future, including the development and launch of new
products for key target markets, updates and improvements to
existing products and continuation of system developments to
support our service and overall proposition.
Premium currencies remained
relatively consistent year on year, with the predominant currency
being US Dollars.
5. IFRS RESULTS FOR THE
SIX MONTHS ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
The Group administers, and earns
fees from, a portfolio of unit-linked investment contracts
distributed to contract holders around the world.
The nature of the Group's products
means that new business flows have a
limited immediate impact on current earnings reported under IFRS,
as initial fees and acquisition costs from the contracts sold are
mostly deferred and amortised over the life of the contract. The
benefit of sales to fee income levels are felt in future financial
periods, noting also that our newer products have a longer earning
period than our older products.
The Group also continues to invest
strategically for the future, particularly in relation to new
markets and new licensing opportunities.
Results under IFRS
Consolidated profit before
taxation for the period was £0.5m (H1 2024: £4.1m). The
decrease on the prior year period is driven by adverse currency
movements, legal costs of defending historic litigation claims,
continued investment in strategic initiatives, and depreciation of
the new IT system.
The following is a summary of key
items to allow readers to better understand the results of the
period.
Abridged income STATEMENT
The condensed consolidated
statement of comprehensive income which is presented within these
half-year results reflects the financial results of the Group's
activities during the period under IFRS. However, this statement,
as a result of its method of presentation, incorporates a number of
features that might affect a clearer understanding of the results
of the Group's underlying transactions. This relates principally
to:
· Investment gains attributable to contract holder assets were
£29.8m (H1 2024: £41.7m). These assets are selected by the contract
holder or an authorised intermediary, and the contract holder bears
the investment risk; these gains are
therefore also reflected within 'Change in provisions for
investment contract liabilities'.
· Third party fund management fees collected and paid onwards
by the Group to third parties having a relationship with the
underlying contract. In H1 2025 these were £2.5m (H1 2024: £2.5m).
These are reflected on a gross basis in both income and expenses
under IFRS.
An abridged consolidated income
statement is presented below, excluding the items of income and
expenditure indicated above.
|
Six months
ended
|
Year
ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Fees and commissions
|
21.3
|
21.5
|
43.7
|
Investment and other
income
|
2.4
|
3.1
|
5.9
|
|
23.7
|
24.6
|
49.6
|
Origination costs
|
(7.3)
|
(8.3)
|
(16.1)
|
Administrative and other expenses
attributable to the
|
|
|
|
Group
|
(14.0)
|
(11.4)
|
(25.0)
|
Operating profit for the period
before litigation and non-recurring expense items
|
2.4
|
4.9
|
8.5
|
Net litigation and non-recurring
expense items
|
(1.9)
|
(0.8)
|
(3.2)
|
Profit for the period before taxation
|
0.5
|
4.1
|
5.3
|
Taxation
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
Profit for the period after taxation
|
0.4
|
4.0
|
5.2
|
Fees and commissions
Fees and commissions attributable
to Group operations for H1 2025 were £21.3m (H1 2024: £21.5m).
A summary of fees and commissions attributable to Group
activities is set out below:
|
Six months
Ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Contract fee income
|
14.0
|
15.2
|
30.6
|
Fund management fees
|
4.7
|
3.9
|
8.3
|
Commissions receivable
|
2.6
|
2.4
|
4.8
|
|
21.3
|
21.5
|
43.7
|
Included in contract fee income is
£7.8m (H1 2024: £9.1m) representing the amounts prepaid in previous
years and amortised to the income statement, as can be seen in
section 7 in the reconciliation of deferred income.
Net fund management fees, together
with commissions receivable, totalling £7.3m (H1 2024: £6.3m), are
related to the value of contract holder Assets under Administration
("AuA") but also have elements amortised from previous periods.
Investment and other income
|
Six months
Ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Bank interest, interest on bonds
and other income receivable
|
2.8
|
2.7
|
5.5
|
Foreign exchange (losses) / gains
on revaluation
|
|
|
|
of net operating assets
|
(0.4)
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
|
2.4
|
3.1
|
5.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Group's own liquid assets are
held predominantly in sterling and invested in highly rated money
market funds and bank deposits.
Further information about the
Group's foreign currency exposures is disclosed in note 4.1 to
these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Origination costs
Under IFRS, new business commissions paid, together with the directly
attributable incremental costs incurred on the issue of a contract,
are deferred, and amortised over the life of that contract to match
the longer-term income streams expected to accrue from it.
Typical terms range between 8 and 16 years,
depending on the nature of the product. Other elements of the
Group's new business costs, which reflect investment in
distribution resources in line with our strategy, are expensed as
incurred.
This accounting policy reflects
that the Group will continue to earn income over the long-term from
contracts issued in a given financial year.
Origination costs in the period
were:
|
Six months
Ended
|
Year
ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Origination costs - deferred to
match future
|
|
|
|
income streams
|
4.4
|
3.7
|
8.2
|
Origination costs - expensed as
incurred
|
0.9
|
1.2
|
2.1
|
Investment in new business in
period
|
5.3
|
4.9
|
10.3
|
Net amortisation of deferred
origination costs
|
2.0
|
3.4
|
5.8
|
|
7.3
|
8.3
|
16.1
|
Reflecting the long-term nature of
the Group's income streams, amounts totaling £6.5m (H1 2024: £7.1m)
have been expensed to match contract fee income of £7.8m (H1 2024:
£9.1m) earned in H1 2025 from contracts issued in previous
financial years. This reflects the profitability of the existing
book.
Summarised origination costs for
the period were:
|
Six
months
Ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Amortisation of deferred
origination costs
|
6.5
|
7.1
|
13.9
|
Other origination costs incurred
during the period
|
0.8
|
1.2
|
2.2
|
|
7.3
|
8.3
|
16.1
|
Administrative and other expenses
We continue to manage our expense
base robustly to control administrative expenses while investing
strategically in our Japanese proposition and other product
developments.
A summary of administrative and
other expenses attributable to the Group is set out
below:
|
Six
months
Ended
|
Year
Ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Salaries and other employment
costs
|
6.6
|
5.5
|
11.3
|
Other administrative
expenses
|
5.9
|
4.1
|
7.8
|
Professional fees, including
audit
|
0.9
|
0.8
|
3.2
|
Recurring administrative and other expenses
|
13.4
|
10.4
|
22.3
|
Investment in strategic
initiatives
|
0.6
|
1.0
|
2.7
|
Administrative and other expenses,
excl. litigation and non-recurring expense
items
|
14.0
|
11.4
|
25.0
|
Net litigation defence and
settlement costs
|
1.5
|
0.7
|
2.5
|
Provision for doubtful
debts
|
0.4
|
0.1
|
0.7
|
Total administrative and other
expenses
|
15.9
|
12.2
|
28.2
|
Salaries and other employment costs
have increased by £1.1m over the comparative
period to £6.6m as previously capitalised staff costs incurred
during the implementation of our new IT system are expensed through
profit and loss following implementation of the system on 1 March
2024. Average Group headcount for H1 2025 was 175 compared to 182
for the full 2024 financial year. Headcount at 31 December
2024 was 173.
Other administrative expenses have increased by £1.8m to £5.9m against the comparative
period. This includes an increase of £0.9m in depreciation, and
£0.8m in respect of ongoing development and licence costs of
the new IT system.
Professional fees including audit (excluding litigation defence costs) have increased by £0.1m
to £0.9m against the comparative period, with inflationary
pressures well controlled.
Investment in strategic initiatives
of £0.6m represents internal and external costs
to generate opportunities for growth. This includes the costs of
our head office strategy team, support costs for our
new IT system and
development costs associated with our Japanese
proposition.
Litigation defence and settlement costs represent
those costs incurred in defending claims against Hansard Europe of
£1.5m for the period, compared with £0.7m in H1 2024. The provision
for claim settlements was increased by £0.1m.
Provision for doubtful debts reflects the provision for balances considered unlikely to be
recoverable.
6. CASH FLOW
ANALYSIS
The sale of the Group's products
typically produces an initial cash strain as a result of the
commission and other costs incurred at inception of a contract.
The following summarises the
Group's own cash flows in the period:
|
|
Six months
Ended
|
Year ended
|
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Net cash (deficit) / surplus from
operating activities
|
|
(0.8)
|
10.5
|
10.9
|
Interest received
|
|
2.5
|
2.2
|
4.2
|
Net cash inflow from
operations
|
|
1.7
|
12.7
|
15.1
|
Net cash investment in new
business
|
|
(4.3)
|
(3.3)
|
(8.1)
|
Purchase of software, computer
equipment and property
|
|
-
|
(2.4)
|
(3.9)
|
Net cash investment in bond
portfolio
|
|
(4.0)
|
(5.0)
|
-
|
Cashflows from investing
activities
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Corporation tax paid
|
|
-
|
-
|
(0.1)
|
Net cash (outflow) / inflow before
dividends
|
|
(6.6)
|
2.0
|
3.0
|
Dividends paid
|
|
(3.7)
|
(3.6)
|
(6.1)
|
Net cash outflow after dividends
|
|
(10.3)
|
(1.6)
|
(3.1)
|
Initial new business cash strain
is shown within "net cash investment in new business" and varies
depending on the level and type of new business written. The Group
also invested £4.0m of shareholder funds into a USD bond portfolio
as part of its Treasury management activity. These factors,
together with the payment of our final dividend
for 2024 led to a net cash outflow of £10.3m (H1 2024: £1.6m
outflow) in the Group's own cash resources since 1 July
2024. The Group continues to maintain
significant cash reserves to cover short-term outflows during this
period of strategic investment.
|
|
Six months
ended
|
Year
ended
|
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Net cash outflow after
dividends
|
(10.3)
|
(1.6)
|
(3.1)
|
Increase in amounts due to
contract holders
|
6.8
|
2.6
|
2.7
|
Net Group cash
movements
|
(3.5)
|
1.0
|
(0.4)
|
Group cash - opening
position
|
65.0
|
65.4
|
65.4
|
Effect of exchange rate
movements
|
(0.2)
|
0.1
|
-
|
Group cash - closing position
|
61.3
|
66.5
|
65.0
|
Bank deposits and money market funds
The Group holds its liquid assets
in highly rated money market liquidity funds and with a wide range
of deposit institutions to diversify counterparty risk. Deposits
totalling £15.0m (2024: £20.7m) have original maturity dates
typically greater than 3 months and are therefore excluded from the
definition of "cash and cash equivalents" under IFRS and are
instead included within 'Deposits and money market funds' in the
consolidated balance sheet. The following table summarises the
total cash and deposits at the balance sheet date.
The following table summarises the
total shareholder cash and deposits at the balance sheet
date.
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Money market funds
|
|
45.7
|
34.7
|
47.3
|
Short-term deposits with credit
institutions
|
|
0.6
|
11.1
|
0.6
|
Cash and cash equivalents under
IFRS
|
|
46.3
|
45.8
|
47.9
|
Longer-term deposits with credit
institutions
|
15.0
|
20.7
|
17.1
|
Group cash and deposits
|
|
61.3
|
66.5
|
65.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.
Abridged
consolidated balance sheet
The condensed consolidated balance
sheet presented under IFRS reflects the financial position of the
Group as at 31 December 2024. As a result of its method of
presentation, the consolidated balance sheet incorporates the
financial assets held to back the Group's liability to contract
holders and incorporates the net liability to those contract
holders of £1,153.0m (31 December 2023: £1,106.0m). Additionally,
that portion of the Group's capital that is held in bank deposits
is disclosed in "cash and cash equivalents" based on original
maturity terms, as noted above.
The abridged consolidated balance
sheet presented below, adjusted for those differences in
disclosure, allows a better understanding of the Group's own
capital position.
As at
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred origination
costs
|
|
110.0
|
114.5
|
112.1
|
Other assets
|
|
46.5
|
30.0
|
38.7
|
Bank deposits and money market
funds
|
|
61.3
|
66.5
|
65.0
|
|
|
217.8
|
211.0
|
215.8
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred income
|
|
139.0
|
142.2
|
140.2
|
Other payables
|
|
61.2
|
46.8
|
54.7
|
|
|
200.2
|
189.0
|
195.0
|
Net assets
|
|
17.6
|
22.0
|
20.8
|
Shareholders' equity
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital and
reserves
|
|
17.6
|
22.0
|
20.8
|
Deferred origination costs
The deferral of origination
costs ("DOC") reflects that the Group will
earn fees over the long term from contracts issued in a given
financial year. These costs are
recoverable out of future net income from the relevant contract and
are charged to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
on a straight-line basis over the life of each contract.
The table below shows lower
origination costs deferred during the period as a result of lower
levels of new business sold compared to last year.
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
At beginning of financial
year
|
112.1
|
117.8
|
117.8
|
Origination costs deferred during
the period
|
4.4
|
3.8
|
8.2
|
Origination costs amortised during
the period
|
(6.5)
|
(7.1)
|
(13.9)
|
|
110.0
|
114.5
|
112.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred income
The treatment of deferred income
ensures that contract fees are taken to the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income in equal instalments over the longer-term,
reflecting the services to be provided over the period of the
contract. This is consistent with the treatment of deferred
origination costs. Deferred income at the balance sheet date is the
unamortised balance of accumulated initial amounts received on new
business.
The proportion of income deferred
in any one year is dependent upon the mix and volume of new
business flows in previous years. The
Group's focus on regular premium business
means that these fees are received over the initial period of the
contract, rather than being received up front, as is often the case
with single premium contracts.
The majority of initial fees
collected during the year relates to charges taken from contracts
issued in prior financial years demonstrating the cash generative
nature of the business. Regular premium contracts issued in this
financial year will generate the majority of their initial fees
over the next 18 months on average.
The movement in value of deferred
income over the financial year is summarised below
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
At beginning of financial
year
|
140.2
|
144.8
|
144.8
|
Initial fees collected in the
period and deferred
|
6.6
|
6.5
|
12.7
|
Income amortised during the period
to fee income
|
(7.8)
|
(9.1)
|
(17.3)
|
|
139.0
|
142.2
|
140.2
|
8. Assets under
administration ("AuA")
In the following paragraphs, "AuA"
refers to net assets held to cover financial liabilities as
analysed in note 13 to the condensed consolidated financial
statements presented under IFRS. Such assets are selected by
or on behalf of contract holders to meet their investment
needs.
The Group receives investment
inflows to its AuA from single and regular premium contracts which
are offset by charges, withdrawals,
premium holidays affecting regular premium policies and by market
valuation movements.
The majority of premium
contributions and AuA are designated in currencies other than
sterling, reflecting the wide geographical spread of those contract
holders. The currency denomination of AuA
at 31 December 2024 is similar to that of 31 December 2023 and
consists of approximately 74% denominated in US dollars, 19% in
sterling and 6% denominated in euro as reflected in note 4.1 to the
condensed consolidated financial statements.
Certain collective investment
schemes linked to customers' contracts can from time to time become
illiquid, suspended or be put into liquidation. In such
cases, the Directors are required to
exercise their judgement in relation to the fair value of these
assets. The cumulative impact on the balance sheet is not
material.
The following table summarises
Group AuA movements for H1 2025:
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Deposits to investment contracts -
regular premiums
|
33.6
|
38.8
|
74.4
|
Deposits to investment contracts -
single premiums
|
31.3
|
13.8
|
33.9
|
Withdrawals from contracts and
charges
|
(90.5)
|
(87.6)
|
(173.6)
|
Effect of market and currency
movements
|
27.7
|
39.5
|
114.7
|
Movement in period
|
2.1
|
4.5
|
49.4
|
Opening balance
|
1,150.9
|
1,101.5
|
1,101.5
|
Closing balance
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
1,150.9
|
Group AuA increased to £1,153.0m
during H1 2025, an increase of £2.1m from
the position at 30 June 2024. Since 31
December 2023, AuA have increased £47.0m (4.2%) reflecting the move
in global stock markets over the period.
The analysis of AuA held by each
Group subsidiary to cover financial liabilities is as
follows:
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Hansard International
|
1,097.5
|
1,044.5
|
1,091.6
|
Hansard Europe
|
55.5
|
61.5
|
59.3
|
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
1,150.9
|
Premiums acquired by Hansard
Worldwide are reinsured to Hansard International and therefore are
included within Hansard International's total AuA.
Since it closed to new business in
2013, Hansard Europe's AuA has been declining broadly in line with
expectations as withdrawals are made or contracts
mature.
9. CAPITALISATION AND
SOLVENCY
The Group's life insurance
subsidiaries continue to be well capitalised with free assets in
excess of the regulatory requirements in each relevant
jurisdiction. There has been no material change in the Group's
management of capital during the period.
Solvency capital is a combination
of future margins, where permitted by regulation, and capital.
Where future margins are denominated in non-sterling currencies, it
is vulnerable to the weakening of those currencies relative to
sterling. All of the Group's excess capital is invested in a wide
range of deposit institutions, highly rated money market liquidity
funds, and high-quality corporate bonds, predominantly in sterling.
This approach protects the Group's capital base from stock market
falls.
The in-force portfolio has no
material investment options or guarantees that could cause capital
strain and the Group retains very little of the mortality risk that
it has accepted (the balance being reinsured with premium
reinsurers). There is no longevity risk exposure.
Policy on capital maintenance
It is the Group's policy to
maintain a strong capital base in order to:
· satisfy the requirements of its contract holders, creditors
and regulators;
· maintain financial strength to support new business growth
and create shareholder value;
· match the profile of its assets and liabilities, taking
account of the risks inherent in the business;
· generate operating cash flows; and
· fund
dividend requirements.
Within the Group each subsidiary
company manages its own capital. Capital generated in excess of
planned requirements is returned to the Company by way of
dividends. Group capital requirements are monitored by the Board.
The capital held within Hansard Europe is considered not to
be available for dividend to Hansard Global plc until such time as
the legal cases referred to in section 11 below are substantially
resolved.
10.
DIVIDENDS
A final dividend of 2.65p per
share in relation to the previous financial year was paid in
November 2024. This amounted to £3.7m. A portion of the dividend is
paid in US dollars which gives rise to the variance against the
prior year when translated to pounds sterling.
The Board has considered the
results for H1 2025, the Group's continued cash flow generation and
its future expectations and has resolved to pay an interim dividend
of 1.8p per share (H1 2024: 1.8p). This dividend will be paid on 24
April 2025.
The Board has considered the
impact of the dividend on the negative consolidated retained
earnings of £2.7m as at 31 December. Dividends are paid from
Hansard's parent company retained earnings, and not from
consolidated Group retained earnings. As at 31 December Hansard's
parent company retained earnings were £13.1m and as such the
ability to pay dividends is not constrained.
11. complaints and
litigation
Financial services institutions
can be drawn into disputes in cases where the performance of assets
selected directly by or on behalf of contract holders through their
advisors fails to meet their expectations. This is particularly
relevant in the case of more complex products distributed
throughout Europe prior to 2014.
Even though the Group has never
given any investment advice, as this is left to the contract holder
directly or through an agent, advisor or an entity appointed at
their request or preference, the Group has been subject to a number
of complaints in relation to the performance of assets linked to
contracts. Most of the cases have arisen in Italy, with a smaller
number in Belgium and Germany.
As at 30 June 2024, the Group had
been served with writs with a net cumulative exposure totalling
€23.8m, or £20.2m in sterling terms (30 June 2023: €26.1m / £22.4m)
arising from contract holder complaints and other asset
performance-related issues. The corresponding figure as at 31
December 2024 was €24.1m or £20.0m (31 December 2023: €25.2m or
£22.0m). Between 31 December 2024 and the date of this report there
have been no material changes.
Our policy is to maintain
contingent liabilities even where we win cases in the court of
first instance if such cases have been subsequently appealed.
This includes our largest single case in Belgium.
We have previously noted that we
expect a number of our claims to ultimately be covered by our Group
insurance cover. During the period to 31 December 2024, we
recorded £0.5m in insurance recoveries in relation to litigation
expenses (31 December 2023: £0.7m). We expect such
reimbursement to continue during the course of those
claims.
While it is not possible to
forecast or determine the final result of such litigation, based on
the pleadings and advice received from the Group's legal
representatives and experience with cases previously successfully
defended, we believe we have a strong chance of success in
defending these claims. Other than smaller cases where, based on
past experience, it is expected a settlement might be reached, the
writs have therefore been treated as contingent liabilities and are
disclosed in note 21 to the consolidated financial
statements. Where there is an established pattern of
settlement for a grouping of claims, a provision has been made for
the remaining exposures and included in note 20 'Provisions', to
the extent that they can be reliably estimated.
12. Net asset value per
shaRE
The net asset value per share on
an IFRS basis at 31 December 2024 is 12.8p
(31 December 2023: 16.2p) based on the net
assets in the consolidated balance sheet divided by the number of
shares in issue, being 137,557,079 ordinary shares (31 December
2023: 137,557,079).
13. Risk Management and
internal control
The Group continues to operate a
comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management Framework, reflective of
the Board's focus on effective risk management as an integral
element of corporate success. The ERM Framework sets out the
governance arrangements, principles, guidelines, practices and
standards for risk management and internal control, which
cumulatively ensure that the business is robustly prepared to
identify, understand, and navigate the uncertainties and risks
which it may encounter, and which can either pose threats or offer
opportunities. The ERM Framework ensures that all such threats and
opportunities, whether actual or emerging, are identified,
assessed, monitored, managed, and reported using structured,
consistent, and comprehensive methodologies, which seek to embed
risk management within strategic decision-making and business
planning activities and continuously shape organisational values
and culture. The maturity of the ERM Framework and its capacity to
respond quickly to emerging risks and adapt to changes arising via
the internal or external environment, ensure that risk management
and internal control remain central to the Board's oversight,
direction and control of the Group, compelling informed decision
making and sound business practices.
Approach
Having regard to the Financial
Reporting Council's 'Guidance on Risk Management, Internal Control
and Related Financial and Business Reporting', the ERM Framework
encompasses the policies, processes, tasks, cultural attributes,
behaviours, reporting conventions, and other aspects of the Group's
environment, which cumulatively:
· Support the Board's determination of the nature and extent of
the Group's principal risks and the boundaries of risk appetite
governing the pursuit and achievement of strategic
objectives.
· Inform the Board's understanding and assessment of existing,
evolving, and emerging risks, together with combinations of those
risks in the form of plausible stresses and scenarios, which have
the potential to threaten the Company's business model, future
performance, solvency, liquidity, operational resilience,
regulatory standing, or reputation. This includes analysis of the
likelihood, impact, and time horizon over which such risks, or
combinations of risks, might emerge or crystallise and determining
how such risks should be managed or mitigated to reduce their
likelihood or impact.
· Facilitate the effective and efficient operation of the Group
and its subsidiary entities by enabling a consolidated and
comprehensive approach to the management of risks across the Group,
with specific attention to aggregate impacts and effects, enabling
appropriate responses to significant business, operational,
financial, compliance and other risks to business objectives, so
safeguarding the assets of the Group.
· Help
to ensure the quality of internal and external reporting. This
requires the maintenance of proper records and processes that
generate a flow of timely, relevant, and reliable information from
within and outside the Group, enabling the Board to form their own
view on the effectiveness of risk management and internal control
arrangements through the regular provision of relevant information
and assurances.
· Seek
to ensure continuous compliance with applicable laws and
regulations as well as with internal policies governing the conduct
of business; and
· Drive the cultural tone and expectations of the Board in
respect of governance, risk management and internal control
arrangements and the delegation of associated authorities and
accountabilities.
The ERM Framework has been
designed to be appropriate to the nature, scale, and complexity of
the Group's business at both corporate and subsidiary level. The
ERM Framework components are reviewed on at least an annual basis
and refined, if necessary, to ensure they remain fit for purpose in
substance and form and continue to support the Directors'
assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the Group's risk
management and internal control systems. Such assessment depends
upon the Board maintaining a thorough understanding of the Group's
risk profile, including the types, characteristics,
interdependencies, sources, and potential impact of both existing
and emerging risks on an individual and aggregate basis.
Risk governance arrangements
The Board retains ultimate
responsibility for the ERM Framework and its effective operation,
and the Directors are responsible for determining, evaluating, and
controlling the nature and extent of the risks which the Board is
willing to accept across the spectrum of risk disciplines. The
Board has formally delegated certain responsibilities in respect of
internal controls and risk management to the Audit and Risk
Committee. These responsibilities are defined within the
Committee's terms of reference and provide for a range of important
oversight and scrutiny protocols including:
·
Continuous review of the Group's internal
financial controls (being the systems established to identify,
assess, manage, and monitor financial risks) and other internal
control and risk management systems relating to financial
reporting.
·
Robust assessment of the emerging and principal
risks facing the Group, identified, and reported via established
ERM Framework components, and the provision of comfort to the Board
that risks are being managed and controlled within the Board's
overall risk appetite.
· Independent evaluation of the ERM Framework to confirm that
it remains adequate, effective, and proportionate to the nature, scale and complexity of the
risks inherent in the business.
During the period to 31 December
2024 the Group Risk Forum ("GRF") has continued to champion
the embedding of risk ownership, ensuring
responsibilities and accountabilities for risk management and
risk-based decision making are transparent and proactively owned at
all business levels. The value of effective, dynamic interfaces
between the governance, risk management and internal control
conventions of the ERM Framework and those constituting the Group
and subsidiary Own Risk and Solvency Assessment ("ORSA") cycles
remains a core focus for the GRF.
The Group ORSA report reflects the
cycle of ongoing activities and arrangements which enable the Board
and the Executive Committee
to properly assess and understand at a practical
level the short and long-term risks facing the Group and the
capital required to cover those risks, under both normal and
stressed conditions. The 2024 ORSA cycles concluded during the
reporting period, and these considered the major sources of risk
that the Group, or the subsidiary entities, may face under the
principal and subordinate risk designations of the ERM Framework.
Both internal and external risks were considered, together with
emerging risks and any risks associated with the Group's systems of
governance. The ORSA included capital, performance and strategic
information, providing management with key information for decision
making.
The disciplines of the ERM
Framework seek to coordinate risk management in respect of the
Group as a whole, including for the purpose of ensuring compliance
with capital adequacy requirements, liquidity adequacy requirements
and regulatory capital requirements, in line with the Isle of Man
Financial Services Authority Risk-Based Capital Regime.
Governance, risk management and
internal control protocols remain structured upon a 'three lines'
model, which determines how specific duties and responsibilities
are assigned and coordinated. First line management are responsible
for identifying risks, executing effective controls, and escalating
risk issues and events to the Group's Control Functions. The Group
Risk and Compliance Functions (Second line) oversee and work in
collaboration with the First Line, ensuring that the business is
conducted in a manner consistent with rules, limits, and risk
appetite constraints. The Group Internal Audit Department (Third
line) provides independent assurance services to the Board and the
Executive Committee on the adequacy and effectiveness of the
Group's governance, risk management and internal control
arrangements.
The ERM Framework seeks to add
value through embedding risk management and effective internal
control systems as continuous and developing processes within
strategy setting, programme level functions and day-to-day
operating activities. The ERM Framework also acknowledges the
significance of organisational culture and values in relation to
risk management and their impact on the overall effectiveness of
the internal control framework.
Emerging Risks
The ERM Framework promotes the
pursuit of its overarching performance, information, and compliance
objectives through focus on five interrelated elements, which
enable the management of risk at strategic, programme and
operational level to be integrated, so that layers of activity
support each other. The five interrelated elements are defined
as:
· Management oversight and the control culture.
· Risk
recognition and assessment.
· Control activities and segregation of duties.
· Information and communication.
· Monitoring activities and correcting deficiencies.
In addition to existing risks the
ERM conventions, which support delivery of the elements listed
above, target emerging and evolving risks using both top-down and
bottom-up bases. The top-down aspect involves the Board regularly
analysing and evaluating the nature and extent of the risks to
which the Group is or may be exposed, even where these may be
difficult to assess and quantify. The bottom-up approach involves
the identification, review and continuous monitoring of risk issues
and emerging risks at functional and divisional levels, with
analysis and formal reporting to the Group Risk Forum on a
quarterly basis. This allows actions to be developed or adapted on
a timely basis and enables onward analytical reporting to the
Board. These arrangements ensure that the Board remains aware of
potential changes in risk profile on a forward-looking basis and
sensitive to the materiality of potential impacts.
Stress and scenario testing is
used to explore, assess, and quantify emerging risks as well as to
analyse and assess any changes in existing aspects of the 'Risk
Universe', which are monitored via the ERM Framework. Such
assessment and analyses use both quantitative tests and qualitative
assessments to consider reasonably plausible risk events, including
those stresses and scenarios that could lead to failure of the
business, approximated to the range of impact types which can be
envisaged. The results of the stress and scenario testing are
considered and explored by the Group Risk Forum, the Audit and Risk
Committee and the Board, as necessary and
appropriate.
The system of internal control is
designed to understand, mitigate, and manage, rather than eliminate
risk of failure to achieve business objectives, and seeks to
provide reasonable, rather than absolute, assurance against
material misstatement or loss.
Review of Risk Management and Internal Control
Systems
The results of the risk management
processes combine to facilitate identification of the principal
business, financial, operational and compliance risks and any
associated key risks at a subordinate level. Established reporting
cycles enable the Board to maintain oversight of the quality and
value of risk management and internal control activities throughout
the year and ensure that the entirety of the governance, risk
management and internal control frameworks, which constitute the
ERM Framework, are operating effectively and as intended. These
processes have been in place throughout the year under review and
up to the date of this report.
Independently of its quarterly and
ad hoc risk reporting arrangements the
Board has conducted its annual review of the effectiveness of the
Company's risk management and internal control systems including
financial, operational and compliance controls. This review is
undertaken in collaboration with the Audit and Risk Committee and
is based upon analysis and evaluation of:
· Attestation reporting from the key subsidiary companies of
the Group as to the effective functioning
of the risk management and internal control frameworks and the
ongoing identification and evaluation of risk within each
subsidiary.
· Formal declarations from Executive Managers, via quarterly
risk and control self-assessments, that risks falling
under their respective span of control are being managed and
assessed appropriately and key controls are working effectively and
as intended. Reporting must include progress updates on the timely
and effective delivery of Management Actions to address any
identified control weaknesses, in accordance with the commitments
recorded in the Group Risk Management Platform. The cumulative
results of cyclical risk reporting by senior and executive
management via the GRF, having regard to the 'five pillar'
structure of the ERM Framework, which drives analytical reporting
to the Audit and Risk Committee. Independent assurance work by the Group Internal Audit
Department to identify any areas for enhancements to internal
controls and work with management to define associated action plans
to deliver them.
The Board has determined that
there were no areas for enhancement which constituted a significant
weakness for the year under review and the Directors are satisfied
that the Group's governance, risk management and internal control
systems are operating effectively and as
intended.
Financial Reporting Process
Integral to ERM monitoring and
reporting arrangements are the conventions which ensure that the
Board maintains a continuous understanding of the financial impacts
of the Group failing to meet its objectives, due to crystallisation
of an actual or emerging risk, or via the stress and scenario
events, which the Board considers to be reasonably plausible. This
includes those stresses and scenarios that could lead to a failure
of the business. Planning and sensitivity analyses incorporate
Board approval of forecast financial and other information. The
Board receives regular representations from Senior Executives in
this regard.
Performance against targets is
reported to the Board quarterly through a review of Group and
subsidiary companies' results based on accounting policies that are
applied consistently throughout the Group. Financial and
management information is prepared quarterly by the Chief Financial
Officer ("CFO") and presented to the Board and the Audit and Risk
Committee. The members of the Audit and Risk Committee review the
interim financial statements for the half year ending 31 December
and the full financial year and engage with the CFO to discuss and
challenge the presentation and disclosures therein. Once the draft
document is approved by the Audit and Risk Committee, it is
reviewed by the Board before final approval by the
Board.
Outsourcing
The majority of investment dealing
and custody processes in relation to contract holder assets are
outsourced under a formal contract to Capital International Limited
(CIL, https://www.capital-iom.com), a company authorised by the
Isle of Man Financial Services Authority and a member of the London
Stock Exchange. The contract is managed by a dedicated Relationship
Manager against a documented Service Level Agreement, which
includes Key Performance Indicators. CIL is required to confirm
quarterly that no material control weaknesses have been identified
in their operations; this is overseen via service delivery
monitoring performed by the Relationship Manager. Each year
CIL are required to confirm and evidence the adequacy and
effectiveness of their internal control framework through a formal
Assurance Report on Internal Controls, with an external independent
review performed in in 2023 and 2024.
Our core policy administration
platform is provided as a "Software As A Service" solution by
Majesco (www.majesco.com). This covers all policy and advisor
administration as well as the provision of the Hansard Client and
Advisor online portals which support self-service administration.
Monthly service meetings are held with Majesco with a formal annual
review undertaken. Majesco also participates in scheduled
security tests and simulations. The Majesco system code is
held in escrow with the NCC Group, which supports contingency
planning in the event of a failure of a provider.
Manx Telecom
(wwww.manxtelecom.com) provides our hosting services and core internet
connectivity, which supports several core infrastructure elements
such as our virtual desktops and servers. Manx Telecom data
centres operate to Tier 3 standard and are ISO 27001
accredited. Monthly service meetings are held with Manx
Telecom with a formal annual review undertaken. Manx Telecom
is an active participant in scheduled security tests and
simulations.
Risks Relating to the Group's Financial and Other
Exposures
Hansard's business model involves
the controlled acceptance and management of risk exposures. Under
the terms of the unit-linked investment contracts issued by the
Group, the contract holder bears the investment risk on the assets
in the unit-linked funds, as the policy benefits are directly
linked to the value of the assets in the funds. These assets are
administered in a manner consistent with the expectations of the
contract holders. The Group maintains a precise match between the
investment assets held and the contract holder liabilities, and so
the market risk and credit risk lie with contract
holders.
The Group's exposure on this
unit-linked business is limited to the extent that income arising
from asset management charges and commissions is generally based on
the value of assets in the funds, and any sustained falls in value
will reduce earnings. In addition, there are certain financial
risks (credit, market, and liquidity risks) in relation to the
investment of shareholders' funds. The Group's exposure to
financial risks is explained in note 3 to the consolidated
financial statements.
The Board believes that the
principal risks facing the Group's earnings and financial position
are those risks which are inherent to the Group's business model
and operating environment. The regulatory landscape continues to
evolve at both a local and international level and the risk
management and internal control frameworks of the Group must remain
responsive to developments which may change the nature, impact or
likelihood of such risks, or the time horizon within which they
might crystallise.
Principal Risks
The following table sets out the
principal inherent risks that may impact the Group's strategic
objectives, profitability, capital position or resilience and
provides an overview of how such risks are managed or mitigated.
The Board robustly reviews and considers its principal risks on at
least a quarterly basis and for the period ended 31 December 2024
has continued to consider specifically the likelihood, impacts and
timescales within which such risks might crystallise, together with
assessment of contingent uncertainties and any emerging risks. No
emerging risks have been identified during the reporting period,
which require disclosure additional to the principal risks
described below.
Risk |
Risk Factors and
Management |
Distribution Risk:
Arising from poor planning, execution or governance of
distribution strategy, or the emergence of events or conditions
which obstruct the achievement of business plan targets, including
market changes, technological advancement, loss of key intermediary
relationships or competitor activity.
|
The business environment in which
the international insurance industry operates is subject to
continuous change and development as new market and competitor
forces come into effect, regulatory landscapes evolve, and
technological advancements are realised. Any failure by the Group
to ensure that distribution strategy is well planned, governed and
executed can be expected to undermine competitive advantage in
commercially significant jurisdictions, or market segments, or the
Group's efforts to build and sustain successful distribution
relationships.
How we manage the risk:
· Robust governance, risk management and internal control
practices underpin the development and formalisation of
distribution strategy. Strategy revisions
are designed to add additional scale to the business, on a more
diversified basis, through organic growth at acceptable levels of
risk and profitability.
· Key
Risk Indicators provide for continuous monitoring of marketplaces,
competitor activity and consumer sentiment by the Group Risk Forum
and the early identification of emerging risks or threats.
Reporting protocols enable the rapid escalation of any adverse
trends to the Audit and Risk Committee.
· Stress and scenario modelling considers the consequences of
production falling materially above or below forecast new business
levels. This allows the Board to ensure that forecasting and
planning activities are sufficiently robust and well
targeted.
· Continuous investment in and development of
technology. During the reporting period we
have continued to maintain close contact with our distribution
partners as new technological solutions were deployed.
· Investment in new markets and expansion of existing markets,
developing new key distributor relationships and new product
development for specific markets and globally.
|
Market Risk:
Arising from major market stresses or fluctuations in market
variables, resulting in a fall in equity or other asset values,
currency volatilities or a combined scenario
manifesting.
|
Market risk remains an inherent
element of the Group's unit linked business and is continuously
assessed and monitored via the ERM Framework. This monitoring
recognises the international nature of the Group's operations and
the challenges which might emerge from a significant adverse
currency movement over a sustained period. Key risk indicators also
assess the potential for balance sheet and profit reduction impacts
to emerge from a drop in equities, and the potential contagion
effects for the broader risk portfolio. Such contagion might
include deferred impacts to profit through reduced sales activity,
concentration risks on fund holdings / underlying assets, and
reduced incomes through increased lapse rates.
Simultaneously the Board
recognises that socioeconomic vulnerabilities and prevailing
uncertainties associated with economic volatility might curb
consumer appetite for the selection and purchase of financial
services products and the period over which business is retained.
In addition, the Group operates internationally and earns income in
a range of different currencies, with the majority of premiums
denominated in USD, whilst the vast majority of its operational
cost base is denominated in GBP. A significant adverse currency
movement over a sustained period remains a principal risk to the
Group.
How we manage the risk:
· The
Board recognises that market volatilities and currency movements
are unpredictable and driven by a diverse range of factors and
these risks are inherent in the provision of investment-linked
products. KRIs are established to monitor evolving and emerging
indicators of adverse experience to enable the triggering of
management actions at the earliest opportunity.
· The
currencies of assets and liabilities are matched within set
tolerances and certain expenses are invoiced in US Dollars to match
against US Dollar income streams.
· Business plans are modelled across a broad range of market
and economic scenarios and take account of alternative commercial
outlooks within overall business strategy. This promotes a greater
understanding of market and currency risk, the limits of the
Group's resilience and the range of possible mitigating
options.
· Stress testing performed during the year ended 30 June 2024
assessed the impacts of reasonably plausible market risk events and
scenarios, including those resulting from macroeconomic challenges
driven by geopolitical instabilities, inflationary outlooks,
uncertainties in commodity price and currency
volatilities.
· The
long-term nature of the Group's products serves to smooth short
term currency fluctuations. However, longer term trends are
monitored and considered in pricing models.
|
Credit Risk:
Arising from the failure or default of a counterparty such
that the Group does not receive cash flows or assets to which it is
entitled.
|
In dealing with third party
financial institutions, including banking, money
market and settlement, custody, reinsurers and other
counterparties, the Group is exposed to the risk of financial loss
and potential disruption of core business functional and
operational processes.
Financial loss can also arise when
the funds in which contract holders are invested become illiquid,
resulting in past and future fee income not being received.
The failure of Independent Financial Advisors ("IFAs") can also
result in loss where unearned commissions can be due back to the
Group.
How we manage the risk:
· The
Group seeks to limit exposure to loss or detriment via counterparty
failure through robust selection criteria, minimum rating agency
limits, pre-defined risk-based limits on concentrations of
exposures and continuous review of positions to identify, evaluate,
restrict, and monitor various forms of exposure on an individual
and aggregate basis. These include robust selection criteria in
respect of intermediaries with whom we establish Terms of Business
and ongoing monitoring in accordance with key risk indicators and
appetite tolerance limits.
· During the reporting period we have continued to closely
monitor geopolitical developments and potential disruptions to
international payment systems and capital markets arising from the
extensive sanctions in force in the context of the Russia-Ukraine
conflict.
|
Liquidity and Cashflow Risk:
Arising from a failure to maintain adequate levels of
liquidity and cashflow to meet financial obligations under both
planned and stressed conditions.
|
If the Group does not have
sufficient levels of liquid assets and cashflow to support business
activities or settle its obligations as they fall due, the Group
may be in default of its obligations and may incur significant
sanction, loss, or cost to rectify the position.
How we manage the risk:
· Shareholder and policyholder cash assets are invested in a
prudent manner, in accordance with set criteria, designed to
mitigate liquidity and cashflow risk, including high quality Money
Market Funds, Fixed Deposits and Corporate Bonds.
· The
Treasury Working Group, which reports to the Investment Committee,
oversees the day-to-day investment of balances. The Investment
Committee and Audit and Risk Committee are responsible for setting
the criteria used.
|
Legal and Regulatory Risk:
Arising from changes in the regulatory landscape, which
adversely impact the Group's business model, or from a failure by
the Group, or one of its subsidiary entities, to meet its legal,
regulatory or contractual obligations, resulting in the risk of
loss or the imposition of penalties, damages or
fines
|
The scale and pace of change in
regulatory and supervisory environments and expectations continue
to require efficient and effective ways to evidence and demonstrate
how legal and regulatory obligations are met, whilst compliance
analytics and high-quality data driven insights are becoming
increasingly important.
The direction of regulatory travel
demands continued investment in the capacity, competence, and
capability of resourcing across all business areas, having regard
to the extent of risk interdependencies and the embedding of
personal accountability regimes. The
impacts associated with crystallisation of a significant legal or
compliance failing, including sanctions or judgments against
Hansard entities, financial penalties, public disclosures,
reputational damage, restrictions on activities and other forms of
intervention, have been escalated by sea-changes in political
landscapes and shifting supervisory attitudes to regulatory
effectiveness.
The interpretation or application
of regulation over time may impact market accessibility, broker
relationships and / or competitive viability. If the Group fails to
monitor the legal and regulatory environment or adequately
integrate the management of associated obligations within
strategic, business model or business planning processes there may
be material risk to the achievement of strategic objectives both in
the short and longer term.
How we manage the risk:
· Robust strategic planning processes informed by analytical
review of the external environment and consideration of associated
risk in the short and longer term.
· Continuous monitoring and review of developments in
international law and regulation and proactive management of how
such developments might shape jurisdictional specific
reaction.
· Active and transparent engagement with regulatory authorities
and industry bodies on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including
active engagement in and responding to regulatory consultation
exercises.
· Maintenance of robust governance, risk management and
internal control arrangements to ensure that legal and regulatory
obligations are substantively met on a continuing basis.
· Active engagement with professional advisors to address
specific risks and issues that arise.
|
Financial Crime Risk:
Arising from any failure to evidence and demonstrate the
establishment, implementation and maintenance of effective
governance, risk management and internal control arrangements for
the prevention and detection of illicit economic activity,
including money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation
financing, sanctions evasion, bribery, corruption, and fraud, or to
ensure the arrangements are operating effectively and as intended
on a continuing basis.
|
The Board recognises that
financial crime takes on many forms, allowing criminal actors and
organised crime gangs alike to infiltrate economic and financial
systems, with additional challenges presented by geoeconomic
uncertainties and geopolitical instabilities. The breadth of
financial crime affirms the ubiquity of this risk with inherent
links to violent crime and the ability to significantly undermine
jurisdictional social and economic structures. The rapid innovation
of digital technologies is increasingly enabling financial crimes
to be carried out remotely, presenting additional complexities to
prevention and detection and highlighting its transnational
impacts.
Within this context regulators are
taking, and expecting from firms, an increasingly holistic approach
to mitigating financial crime risks with robust and effective
systems and controls established to detect and prevent all forms of
illicit economic activity. It is imperative that these arrangements
are fit for purpose in terms of both design and implementation and
are capable of adapting to emerging and evolving financial crime
risks.
How we manage the risk:
· Rigorous governance, risk management and internal control
arrangements to prevent and detect illicit economic activity with
the capability to identify and respond to any emerging risks or
threats.
· Rapid, scalable, and effective sanctions screening mechanisms
to ensure robust, effective, and compliant understanding of the
landscape on a continuing basis.
· Implementation of scrutiny and oversight controls across all
three lines of defence to ensure governance layers proactively
target both the design and effective operation of the risk
management and internal control frameworks.
· Highly experienced technical resource dedicated to respective
compliance deliveries.
|
Culture and Conduct Risk:
Arising from any failure of governance, risk management and
internal control arrangements, via corporate or individual
actions.
|
Organisational culture remains
under scrutiny by the Board as a fundamental driver of corporate
success, prudential soundness, and compliant conduct. Any failure
to adequately assess, monitor, manage and mitigate risks to the
delivery of fair customer outcomes, or to market integrity, can be
expected to result in material detriment to the achievement of
strategic objectives and incur regulatory censure, financial
penalty, contract holder litigation and / or material reputational
damage.
Clear and heightened regulatory
expectations of individual and corporate accountability continue to
connect governance, risk, and compliance obligations directly to
cultural imperatives and the responsibilities assigned to
individual Senior Managers.
How we manage the risk:
· Programme level initiatives to address and support cultural
change and development have remained in active progress during the
reporting period with the results of investment in culture
diagnostics informing business decision-making and tactical
solutions to drive cultural change, where needed.
· Iterative enhancements to the Group's ERM Framework continue
to drive and deliver the integration of conduct risk management at
both a cultural and practical level.
· Business activities designed to manage the volume and
velocity of regulatory change include a core focus on ensuring
compliance with conduct risk obligations, managing conflicts of
interest, preventing market abuse, and building robust governance
arrangements around new product development and product suitability
processes.
· Forward looking risk indicators and executive leadership in
respect of understanding and addressing the drivers of conduct risk
focus on all core areas with assessment at strategic, functional,
and operational levels.
· The
Group maintains regular dialogue with its regulatory authorities
and with its external advisors in relation to developments in the
regulatory environments in which we operate.
|
Operational Resilience Risk:
Arising from any exposure to risk events with the capacity to
cause operational failures or wide scale disruptions in financial
markets, whether directly or via a third party.
|
The ability to maintain critical
services or operations during periods of disruption is receiving
increasing levels of regulatory scrutiny with concurrent growth in
the formalisation of regulatory expectation. 'Resilience
Principles' build on the real-world tests presented by the Covid-19
pandemic and the near-term threat of disruption of key global
infrastructure in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine
conflict. Resilience risk and associated regulatory expectations
directly extend to threats originating via third parties, including
external providers, supply chains networks and outsourcing
architectures intended to leverage economies of scale, gain access
to specialist expertise, or deliver advanced technologies
supporting innovative services.
Global supervisory attention is
focussed on regulating for resilience by ensuring that strategies
such as grounding resilience analyses in key delivery requirements,
appreciating the potential for systemic vulnerabilities and
embracing a diversity of approaches combine to strengthen the
ability of financial services firms to withstand operational risk
related events.
How we manage the risk:
· ERM
conventions guide the identification and assessment of events or
scenarios presenting risk to operational resilience - typically
pandemics, cyber incidents, technology failures or natural
disasters - as well as supply chain disruption impacts to critical
processes, business continuity and good governance.
· Impact tolerances, together with mapping and testing allow
the identification of services which could cause harm, if disrupted
and identify any areas of vulnerability.
· Stress testing, continuity planning, and recovery and
resolution strategies provide for continuous review of the adequacy
and effectiveness with which the business can respond to and
recover from disruptions.
|
Cyber and Information Security Risk:
Arising from the increased digitalisation of business
activities and growing dependence upon technology in the context of
exposure to elevated and more pernicious forms of digital and cyber
risk.
|
The nature and complexity of cyber
threats and cyber risk present the single most significant risk to
financial services firms. The mounting sophistication and
persistence of cybercrime and the growing adoption of highly
advanced, nation-state type tools by cyber criminals, underscore
the challenges in understanding and anticipating the nature of
cyber threats and cyber risks. Over the longer-term, technological
advances, including advances in generative AI, can be expected to
enable a wide range of state and non-state agents to access
information which will allow new tools of disruption to be
conceptualised and developed.
Organised crime continues to
exploit weaknesses in cyber defences whilst new technological
capabilities and use of third-party platforms add to the complexity
of understanding the complete reach of cyber and information
security exposures. Geopolitical tensions and the rapid escalation of conflict combined with
technological advances in generative AI and the leveraging of
misinformation and disinformation will continue to provoke
unprecedented cyber risks for Western governments and
corporations.
Building resilience to
continuously evolving cyber risk remains a priority for all
stakeholders focussed on three core areas - cyber risk
identification, cyber risk governance and cyber risk
resilience In the event of any material
failure in core business systems, or business processes, or if the
Group fails to take adequate and appropriate measures to protect
its systems and data from the inherent risk of attack, disruption
and / or unauthorised access by internal or external parties, this
could result in confidential data being exposed and / or systems
interruption. A significant cybercrime event could result in
reputational damage, regulatory censure, and financial
loss.
How we manage the risk:
· Continuous focus on the maintenance of a robust, secure, and
resilient IT environment that protects customer and corporate data
as a core element of our operational resilience mapping.
· Control techniques deployed to evaluate the security of
systems and proactively address emerging threats both internally
within the organisation and externally, through regular engagement
with internet and technology providers and through industry
forums.
· Maintenance of detailed and robust Business Continuity and
Disaster Recovery Plans, including full data replication at an
independent recovery centre, which can be invoked when
required.
· Frequent and robust testing of business continuity and
disaster recovery arrangements.
· Periodic independent third-party systems penetration testing
and review of controls.
· Horizon scanning to identify and assess supervisory
initiatives advocating and promoting good practice in cyber
resilience and associated industry developments.
|
Corporate Sustainability Risk:
Arising from the risk of failing to integrate environmental,
social and governance considerations into the Group's strategic and
business planning activities, or to proactively review, understand
and act on the challenges and opportunities
presented.
|
The importance of integration of
sustainability issues into the Group's core strategies and business
plans is recognised by the Board, requiring value-driven, adaptive
practices. These practices must continuously enhance the Group's
corporate governance arrangements, as sustainability related issues
evolve, and demonstrate to clients, investors, regulators, and
wider stakeholder groups that sustainability and resilience risks
and opportunities are understood.
How we manage the risk:
· Actively building sustainability considerations into strategy
development and business planning processes through structured
analysis, formal assessment mechanisms and cross-functional
collaboration.
· Factoring emerging sustainability risk issues into key
decision-making and understanding the impacts for the tools and
methodologies currently used to manage risk, including governance
structures, risk ownership, risk and control self-assessment
principles, regulatory developments, third party service provisions
and effective reporting.
· Development of adaptation plans, which embrace
forward-looking analysis and support strategic decision-making,
with consideration of relevant business planning, operations,
underwriting and investment activities to contribute to a
sustainable transition to net-zero targets and provide effective
mitigation of climate change related risks.
· Detailed analysis of climate and other ESG risks, which could
cause macroeconomic stresses in future, including impacts to
markets, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates.
· Developing and updating relevant components in relation to
the sustainability risk domain, including policies, procedures,
risk indicators, management data and stress testing.
· 'In
flight' initiatives addressing cultural alignment and structural
resilience encompass core ESG considerations.
|
Employee Engagement and Talent Risk:
Arising from any failure to drive and support the right
corporate culture and attract, develop, engage and retain key
personnel.
|
'Talent risk' continues to grow in
prominence on the operational risk agenda at industry level with
persistent challenges linked to attracting and retaining employees
across all financial services sectors. The Group's strategy has
core dependencies on attracting and retaining experienced and
high-performing management and employees and building a strong and
sustainable culture, driven by our purpose, our leadership, our
performance management regime and our governance principles and
objectives. The knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours of our
employees, and the success with which these attributes shape and
define our culture, are central to our success.
How we manage the risk:
· Significant investment in initiatives to address and support
cultural change and development, shape strategy and inform tactical
solutions.
· Continuation of our 'Culture Programme' with clearly defined
areas of focus under three core pillars, those being:
- High Performance
Culture
- Learning
Culture
- Environment &
Wellbeing
These remain in active progress
led by the Executive Committee with oversight by the
Board.
|
By
order of the Board
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas Morfett
|
Ollie Byrne
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5
March 2025
|
|
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income
|
|
|
|
|
Year
|
|
|
|
Six months ended
|
ended
|
|
|
|
31
December
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
|
Notes
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Fees and commissions
|
6
|
23.7
|
23.9
|
48.8
|
Investment and other operating
income
|
|
29.8
|
44.3
|
119.5
|
Other operating income
|
|
-
|
0.6
|
0.8
|
|
|
53.5
|
68.8
|
169.1
|
Change in provisions for
investment contract liabilities
|
|
(27.3)
|
(41.7)
|
(114.4)
|
Origination costs
|
|
(7.3)
|
(8.3)
|
(16.1)
|
Administrative and other
expenses
|
7
|
(18.4)
|
(14.7)
|
(33.3)
|
|
|
(53.0)
|
(64.7)
|
(163.8)
|
Profit on ordinary activities before
taxation
|
|
0.5
|
4.1
|
5.3
|
Taxation on profit on ordinary
activities
|
8
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
Profit and total comprehensive income for
|
|
|
|
|
the period after taxation
|
|
0.4
|
4.0
|
5.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six months
ended
|
ended
|
|
|
|
31
December
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
|
Note
|
(p)
|
(p)
|
(p)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
9
|
0.3
|
2.9
|
3.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
9
|
0.3
|
2.9
|
3.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The notes on pages 30
to 49 form an integral part of these condensed
consolidated financial statements.
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in
Equity
|
|
|
|
Share
|
Other
|
Retained
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
reserves
|
earnings
|
Total
|
|
Note
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders' equity at 1 July
2023
|
|
68.8
|
(48.5)
|
1.5
|
21.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit and total comprehensive
income
|
|
|
|
|
|
for the period after
taxation
|
|
-
|
-
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
Transactions with owners
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
(3.6)
|
(3.6)
|
Reserve for own shares within
EBT
|
|
-
|
(0.2)
|
-
|
(0.2)
|
Shareholders' equity at 31 December 2023
|
68.8
|
(48.7)
|
1.9
|
22.0
|
|
|
Share
|
Other
|
Retained
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
reserves
|
earnings
|
Total
|
|
Note
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders' equity at 1 July
2024
|
|
68.8
|
(48.6)
|
0.6
|
20.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit and total comprehensive
income
|
|
|
|
|
|
for the period after
taxation
|
|
-
|
-
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
Transactions with owners
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
(3.7)
|
(3.7)
|
Reserve for own shares within
EBT
|
|
-
|
0.1
|
-
|
0.1
|
Shareholders' equity at 31 December 2024
|
68.8
|
(48.5)
|
(2.7)
|
17.6
|
The notes on pages 30
to 49 form an integral part of these condensed
consolidated financial statements.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
|
|
|
|
31
December
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
Notes
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Intangible assets
|
11
|
22.4
|
22.3
|
23.2
|
Property, plant and
equipment
|
11
|
2.8
|
2.6
|
2.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred origination
costs
|
12
|
110.0
|
114.5
|
112.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial investments
|
|
|
|
|
Measured at fair value:
|
|
|
|
|
Equity
securities
|
|
72.4
|
58.5
|
78.9
|
Collective investment schemes
|
|
941.4
|
923.6
|
937.5
|
Fixed
income securities
|
|
84.2
|
66.9
|
70.6
|
|
|
1,098.0
|
1,049.0
|
1,087.0
|
Measured at amortised
cost:
|
|
|
|
|
Deposits
and money market funds
|
|
81.2
|
84.5
|
88.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other receivables
|
|
10.1
|
5.0
|
6.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
|
46.3
|
45.8
|
47.9
|
Total assets
|
|
1,370.8
|
1,323.7
|
1,367.3
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Financial liabilities under
investment contracts
|
13
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
1,150.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred income
|
14
|
139.0
|
142.2
|
140.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amounts due to investment contract
holders
|
|
46.1
|
39.2
|
39.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other payables
|
15
|
14.5
|
14.2
|
15.6
|
Provisions
|
16
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
0.5
|
Total liabilities
|
|
1,353.2
|
1,301.7
|
1,346.5
|
Net assets
|
|
17.6
|
22.0
|
20.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders' equity
|
|
|
|
|
Called up share capital
|
17
|
68.8
|
68.8
|
68.8
|
Other reserves
|
18
|
(48.5)
|
(48.7)
|
(48.6)
|
Retained earnings
|
|
(2.7)
|
1.9
|
0.6
|
Total shareholders' equity
|
|
17.6
|
22.0
|
20.8
|
The notes on pages 30
to 49 form an integral part of
these condensed consolidated financial
statements.
The condensed consolidated financial statements on
pages 26 to 29 were
approved by the Board on 5 March 2025 and signed on its behalf
by:
Thomas
Morfett
Ollie Byrne
Chief Executive
Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Condensed Consolidated Cash Flow Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
|
|
|
31
December
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flow from operating activities
|
|
|
|
Profit before tax for the
period
|
0.5
|
4.1
|
5.3
|
Adjustments for:
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
|
1.0
|
0.2
|
1.0
|
Dividends receivable
|
(2.8)
|
(2.6)
|
(5.4)
|
Dividends received
|
2.8
|
2.6
|
5.4
|
Interest receivable
|
(2.7)
|
(2.2)
|
(4.7)
|
Interest received
|
2.4
|
2.2
|
4.2
|
Movement in Share Based Payment
reserve
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
-
|
Foreign exchange losses /
(gains)
|
0.1
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
|
|
|
|
(Increase) in debtors
|
(3.4)
|
(0.1)
|
(0.9)
|
Decrease in deferred origination
costs
|
2.1
|
3.4
|
5.8
|
(Decrease) in deferred
income
|
(1.2)
|
(2.6)
|
(4.5)
|
Increase in creditors
|
5.8
|
3.1
|
4.9
|
Decrease / (increase) in financial
investments
|
1.9
|
(12.5)
|
(54.2)
|
Increase in financial
liabilities
|
0.2
|
4.4
|
49.4
|
Cash flow from operations
|
6.6
|
(0.1)
|
6.3
|
Corporation tax paid
|
-
|
-
|
(0.1)
|
Net cash from operations after taxation
|
6.6
|
(0.1)
|
6.2
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from investing activities
|
|
|
|
Investment in intangible assets
and property, plant & equipment
|
-
|
(2.4)
|
(3.7)
|
Proceeds from sale of
investments
|
-
|
-
|
(0.2)
|
Purchase of investments
|
(4.0)
|
-
|
-
|
Purchase of own shares
|
(0.2)
|
(0.3)
|
(0.2)
|
Cash flows used in investing activities
|
(4.2)
|
(2.7)
|
(4.1)
|
Cash flows from financing activities
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid
|
(3.7)
|
(3.6)
|
(6.1)
|
Principal elements of lease
liabilities
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
(0.2)
|
Cash flows used in financing activities
|
(3.8)
|
(3.7)
|
(6.3)
|
Net (decrease) in cash and cash
|
|
|
|
Equivalents
|
(1.4)
|
(6.5)
|
(4.2)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at
beginning of period
|
47.9
|
52.2
|
52.2
|
Effect of exchange rate
changes
|
(0.2)
|
0.1
|
(0.1)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
|
46.3
|
45.8
|
47.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The notes on pages 30 to 49 form an
integral part of these condensed consolidated financial
statements.
Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements
1
General information
Hansard Global plc ("the Company")
is a limited liability company, incorporated in the Isle of Man
under the Isle of Man Companies Act 1931 - 2004, whose shares are
publicly traded. The principal activity of the Company is to act as
the holding company of the Hansard Group ("the Group") of
companies. The activities of the principal operating wholly owned
subsidiaries include the transaction of life assurance business and
related activities. Hansard Europe was closed to new business with
effect from 30 June 2013. The principal subsidiaries of the company
are as follows:
Company
name
Incorporated
Activity
Hansard International
Limited
Isle of
Man
Life Assurance
Hansard Worldwide
Limited
The
Bahamas
Life Assurance
Hansard Europe Designated Activity
Company
Ireland
Life Assurance
Hansard Administration Services
Limited
Isle of
Man
Administration Services
Hansard Development Services
Limited
Isle of
Man
Marketing and
Development Services
The registered office of the
Company is 55 Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99
1QL.
The Company has its primary
listing on the London Stock Exchange.
These condensed consolidated
interim financial statements are unaudited and do not include all
of the information required for a complete set of financial
statements prepared in accordance with IFRS Standards and the Isle
of Man Companies Acts 1931 - 2004. Selected explanatory notes are
included to explain events and transactions that are significant to
an understanding of the changes in the Group's financial position
and performance since the last annual financial
statements. The condensed
consolidated interim financial statements were approved by the
Board of Directors on 5 March 2025.
The Board of Directors approved
the Group's statutory financial statements for the year ended 30
June 2024 on 25 September 2024. The report of the independent
auditor on those financial statements was unmodified and did not
contain an emphasis of matter paragraph.
2 Basis
of presentation
The consolidated financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with
with the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the
Financial Conduct Authority ("DTR") and with IAS 34 "Interim
Financial Reporting" as adopted by the United Kingdom
("UK"). The financial statements have been
prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the
revaluation of financial investments and financial liabilities at
fair value through profit or loss. The Group has applied all
International Financial Reporting Standards adopted by the United
Kingdom and effective at 31 December 2024.
The Group underwrites an
immaterial amount of insurance business. Management has undertaken
an assessment of the impact of accounting for this business as
investment business rather than insurance business and concluded
that this would not have a material impact on the financial
statements. This assessment has been refreshed to consider the
impact of IFRS 17 in conjunction with new products that have been
brought to market, and management have not changed their conclusion
that accounting for the business as investment business would not
have a material impact on the financial statements. Management will
keep this assessment under review and should the outcome change in
future the Group accounting treatment will be reassessed.
As a result, IFRS17 has not been applied to these
financial statements.
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make
judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application
of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the
date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenue and expenses during the reporting year. The estimates and
associated assumptions are based on historical experience and
various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the
circumstances. Actual results may differ from these
estimates.
The estimates and underlying
assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to
accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the
estimate is revised if the revision affects only that year or in
the year of the revision and future years if the revision affects
both current and future years.
The areas involving a higher
degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and
estimates are significant to the consolidated financial statements,
are disclosed in note 2.
Except where otherwise stated, the
financial statements are presented in pounds sterling, the
functional currency of the Company, rounded to the nearest one
hundred thousand pounds.
The following new standards,
amendments and interpretations are in issue but not yet effective
and have not been early adopted by the Group and are not expected
to have a significant impact;
· Amendments to the classification and measurement of financial
instruments (amendments to IFRS 7 and IFRS 9) - effective from 1
January 2026
· Presentation and disclosure in financial statements (IFRS18)
- effective from 1 January 2027
· Subsidiaries without public accountability (IFRS 19) -
effective from 1 January 2027
IFRS 18 will replace IAS 1
Presentation of Financial Statements and applies for annual
reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027 and
introduces a number of new reporting requirements. The Group is
still in the process of assessing the impact of the new standard,
particularly with respect to the structure of the Group's statement
of comprehensive income, the statement of cash flows and the
additional disclosures required for management defined performance
measures. The Group is also assessing the impact on how information
is grouped in the financial statements, including for items
currently labelled as 'other".
There are no other standards,
amendments or interpretations to existing standards that are not
yet effective, that would have a material impact on the Group's
reported results.
Going Concern
As shown within the Business and
Financial Review, the Group's capital position is sufficient and in
excess of regulatory requirements. The long-term nature of the
Group's business results in considerable recurring cash inflows
arising from existing business. The Directors believe that the
Group is well placed to manage its business risks
successfully.
The Directors are satisfied that
the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue to
operate as a going concern for the foreseeable future and have
prepared the condensed consolidated financial statements on that
basis. The Directors are cognisant of the reduction in profit
before tax recorded in the period and are satisfied that this
represents a short-term decline as set out in the Future Prospects
section of the 2024 Group report.
In making this statement, the
Directors have reviewed financial forecasts that show the Group
continuing to generate profit over the next 12 months and that the
Group has sufficient cash reserves to enable it to meet its
obligations as they fall due. Through the ORSA process, the
Directors have reviewed a number of scenarios prepared by the
Actuarial function that demonstrate resilience to a number of key
stresses, and whilst reverse stress scenarios show multiple adverse events coming together result in solvency coverage falling below
regulatory
minimums, these are considered highly remote.
Recovery actions are available to the Group in the event that the
strategic solvency target is breached.
Although the Directors expect the
acquisition of new business will continue to be challenging, the
Group has seen a continued increase in PVNBP as set out in the
Business and Financial Review. The impact of this however is
not immediate to the Group's profit and cash flows and therefore
allows for longer term adjustments to operations and the cost
base. Long periods of lower new business or indeed lower AuA
would be addressed by reducing the cost base and where necessary,
the dividend paid.
The following factors are
considered as supportive to the Group's resilience to business and
external environment challenges:
· The
Group's business model focuses on long term savings products, a
majority of which are regular premium paying products which
continue to receive cash inflows regardless of the amount of new
business sold.
· The
Group earns approximately a third of its revenues from asset-based
income which is not immediately dependent on sourcing new
business. Initial fees in respect of new
business are broadly offset by initial commissions, limiting the
impact of any reduction in new business.
· New
business channels are geographically dispersed and therefore less
exposed to specific regional challenges.
· The
largest expense associated with new business is commission
expenditure which reduces directly in line with reduced
sales.
· The
Group has, and continues to the date of this report to have, a
strong capital position with significant levels of liquidity and
cash (as outlined in the Business and Financial Review).
·
The business continues to demonstrate operational
resilience in being able to operate remotely from its offices where
required without any material impact to processing and servicing
levels.
· The
Group places the majority its shareholder assets into conservative,
highly-liquid, highly rated bank deposits and money market
funds. These are typically not subject to price fluctuation
and protect the Group's assets against potential market
volatility.
· The
Group has no borrowing.
3
Principal
accounting policies
As required by the Disclosure and
Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and IAS 34,
this condensed set of consolidated financial statements has been
prepared applying the accounting policies and standards that were
applied, and the critical accounting estimates and judgements in
applying them, in the preparation of the Group's published
consolidated financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2024.
The published consolidated financial statements for the year ended
30 June 2024 can be accessed on the Company's website:
www.hansard.com.
4
Financial risk management
Risk management objectives and risk
policies
The Group's objective in the
management of financial risk is to minimise, where practicable, its
exposure to such risk, except when necessary to support other
objectives. The Group seeks to manage risk
through the operation of unit-linked business whereby the contract
holder bears the financial risk. In addition, shareholder assets
are invested in highly rated investments.
Overall responsibility for the
management of the Group's exposure to risk is vested in the Board.
To support it in this role, an Enterprise Risk Management ("ERM")
framework is in place comprising risk identification, risk
assessment, control and reporting processes. Information concerning the operation of the ERM framework to
manage financial and other risks is contained within the Report and
Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2024, and particularly in note
3 thereto, "Financial Risk Management".
The main
significant financial risks to which the Group is exposed are set
out below. For each category of risk, the Group determines its risk
appetite and sets its investment, treasury, and associated policies
accordingly.
4.1 Market risk
This is the risk that the fair
value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate
because of changes in market prices, analysed between price,
interest rate and currency risk. The Group adopts a risk averse
approach to market risk, with a stated policy of not actively
pursuing or accepting market risk except where necessary to support
other objectives. However, the Group accepts the risk that the fall
in equity or other asset values, whether as a result of price falls
or strengthening of sterling against the currencies in which
contract holder assets are denominated, will reduce the level of
annual management charge income derived from such contract holder
assets and the risk of lower future profits.
Sensitivity analysis to market risk
The Group's business is
unit-linked and the direct associated market risk is therefore
borne by contract holders (although there is a secondary impact as
shareholder income is dependent upon the fair value of contract
holder assets). Other financial assets and
liabilities held outside of contract holder unitised funds
primarily consist of units in money market funds, cash and cash
equivalents, and other assets and liabilities. Cash held in
unitised money market funds and at bank is valued at par and is
unaffected by movements in interest rates. Other assets and
liabilities are similarly unaffected by market
movements.
As a result of these combined
factors, the Group's financial assets and liabilities held outside
unitised funds are not materially subject to market risk, and
movements at the reporting date in interest rates and equity values
have an immaterial impact on the Group's profit after tax and
equity. Future revenues from annual management charges may be
affected by movements in interest rates, foreign currencies and
equity values. The Group does not control the asset selection
strategy as assets are chosen by the contract holders.
(a) Price risk
Unit linked funds are exposed to
securities price risk as the investments held are subject to prices
in the future which are uncertain. The fair value of financial
assets (designated at fair value through profit or loss) exposed to
price risk as at 31 December 2024 was £1,096.2m (31 December 2023:
£1,049.0m). In the event that investment income is affected by
price risk then there will be an equal and opposite impact on the
value of the changes in provisions for investment contract
liabilities in the same accounting period. The impact on the profit
or loss before taxation in a given financial year is
negligible.
An overall change in the market
value of the unit-linked funds would affect the annual management
charges accruing to the Group since these charges, which are
typically 1% per annum, are based on the market value of contract
holder assets under administration. The approximate annual impact
on the Group's profits and equity of a 10% change in fund values,
either as a result of price, interest rate or currency
fluctuations, is £1.5m (H1 2024: £1.5m).
(b) Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk
that the Group is exposed to lower returns or loss as a direct or
indirect result of fluctuations in the value of, or income from,
specific assets arising from changes in underlying interest
rates.
The Group is primarily exposed to
interest rate risk on the balances that it holds with credit
institutions and in money market funds.
Taking into account the proportion
of Group funds held on longer-term, fixed-rate deposits, a change
of 1% p.a. in interest rates will result in an increase or decrease
of approximately £0.6m (H1 2024: £0.6m) in the Group's annual
investment income and equity.
A summary of the Group's liquid
assets at the balance sheet date is set out in note 4.2.
(c) Currency risk
Currency risk is the risk that the
Group is exposed to higher or lower returns as a direct or indirect
result of fluctuations in the value of, or income from, specific
assets and liabilities arising from changes in underlying exchange
rates.
(c) (i) Group foreign currency exposures
The Group is exposed to currency
risk on the foreign currency denominated bank balances, contract
fees receivable and other liquid assets that it holds to the extent
that they do not match liabilities in those currencies. The impact
of currency risk is minimised by frequent repatriation of excess
foreign currency funds to sterling. The Group does not hedge
foreign currency cash flows as a matter of course but may take
advantage of historically strong or weak sterling exchange rates to
do so where appropriate.
At the balance sheet date, the
Group had exposures in the following currencies:
|
31
December
|
|
2024
|
2024
|
2024
|
2023
|
2023
|
2023
|
|
|
US$m
|
€m
|
¥m
|
US$m
|
€m
|
¥m
|
|
Gross assets
|
28.4
|
14.7
|
438.4
|
20.8
|
13.2
|
286.9
|
|
Matching currency
liabilities
|
(25.2)
|
(15.4)
|
(571.9)
|
(21.1)
|
(11.9)
|
(386.2)
|
|
Uncovered currency
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exposures
|
3.2
|
(0.7)
|
(133.5)
|
(0.3)
|
1.3
|
(99.3)
|
|
Sterling equivalent of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
exposures (£m)
|
2.5
|
(0.6)
|
(0.7)
|
(0.2)
|
1.2
|
(0.6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The approximate effect of a 5%
change in the value of US dollars to sterling is £0.1m (H1 2024:
less than £0.1m); in the value of the euro to sterling is less than
£0.1m (H1 2024: £0.1m); and in the value of the yen to sterling is
less than £0.1m (H1 2024: less than £0.1m).
(c) (ii) Financial
investments by currency
Certain fees and commissions are
earned in currencies other than sterling, based on the value of
financial investments held in those currencies from time to
time. The sensitivity of the Group to the
currency risk inherent in investments held to cover financial
liabilities under investment contracts is
incorporated within the analysis set out in (a) above.
At the balance sheet date, the
analysis of financial investments by currency denomination is as
follows; US dollars: 74% (31
December 2023: 71%); sterling: 19%
(31 December 2023: 19%); euro: 6% (31
December 2023: 8%); other: 1%
(31 December 2023: 2%).
4.2 Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that the
Group is exposed to lower returns or loss if another party fails to
perform its financial obligations to the Group. The Group has
adopted a risk averse approach to such risk and has a stated policy
of not actively pursuing or accepting credit risk except when
necessary to support other objectives.
The clearing and custody
operations for the Group's security transactions are mainly
concentrated with one broker, namely Capital International Limited,
a member of the London Stock Exchange. At the balance sheet date,
substantially all contract holder cash and cash equivalents,
balances due from broker and financial investments are placed in
custody with Capital International Limited. These operations are
detailed in a formal contract that incorporates notice periods and
a full exit management plan. Delivery of services under the
contract is monitored by a dedicated relationship manager against a
documented Service Level Agreement and Key Performance
Indicators.
The Group has an exposure to
credit risk in relation to its deposits with credit institutions
and its investments in unitised money market funds. To manage these
risks; deposits are made, in accordance with established policy,
with credit institutions having a short-term rating of at least F1
or P1 from Fitch IBCA and Moody's respectively and a long-term
rating of at least A or A3 respectively. Investments in unitised
money market funds are made only where such fund is AAA rated.
Additionally maximum counterparty exposure limits are set both at
an individual subsidiary company level and on a Group-wide
basis.
These assets are considered to
have a high degree of credit worthiness and no assets of a lower
credit worthiness are held. The following table sets out
information about the credit quality of the Group's deposits with
credit institutions and its investments in unitised money market
funds.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Deposits with credit institutions
and investments in unitised money market funds
|
(Based on Standards & Poor's ratings)
|
|
|
|
AAA
|
28.6
|
24.2
|
29.3
|
AA- to AA+
|
1.6
|
3.7
|
1.6
|
A- to A+
BBB to BBB-
|
14.0
-
|
17.9
-
|
16.1
-
|
Total deposits
|
44.2
|
45.8
|
47.0
|
AA- to AA+
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
-
|
A- To A+
|
16.8
|
20.4
|
18.0
|
BBB to BBB-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Cash at bank
|
17.1
|
20.7
|
18.0
|
Group cash and deposits
|
61.3
|
66.5
|
65.0
|
Credit risk for financial assets held at amortised cost is
recognised using an expected credit loss model. The model splits financial assets into those which are
performing, underperforming and non-performing based on changes in
credit quality since initial recognition. At initial recognition
financial assets are considered to be performing. They become
underperforming where there has been a significant increase in
credit risk since initial recognition, and non-performing when
there is objective evidence of impairment. Twelve months of
expected credit losses are recognised in the statement of
comprehensive income and netted against the financial asset in the
statement of financial position for all performing financial
assets, with lifetime expected credit losses recognised for
underperforming and non-performing financial
assets.
Trade receivables are designated
as having no significant financing component. The Group applies the
IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses for
trade receivables by using a lifetime expected loss
allowance.
Expected credit losses are based
on the historic levels of loss experienced for the relevant
financial assets, with due consideration given to forward looking
information. The group expected credit loss charged in the period
is less than £0.1m (H1 2024: less than £0.1m).
There have been no changes in the
assets in the period ended 31 December 2024 attributable to changes
in credit risk (31 December 2023: nil).
At the balance sheet date, an
analysis of the Group's shareholder cash balances was as
follows:
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Longer term deposits with credit
institutions
|
15.0
|
20.7
|
17.1
|
Cash and cash equivalents under
IFRS
|
46.3
|
45.8
|
47.9
|
|
61.3
|
66.5
|
65.0
|
4.3 Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that
the Group, though solvent, does not have sufficient financial
resources to enable it to meet its obligations as they fall due, or
can only secure them at excessive cost.
The Group's objective is to ensure
that it has sufficient liquidity over short (up to one year) and
medium-term time horizons to meet the needs of the business. This
includes liquidity to cover, amongst other things, new business
costs, planned strategic activities, servicing of equity capital as
well as working capital to fund day-to-day cash flow
requirements.
Liquidity risk is principally
managed in the following ways:
· Assets of a suitable marketability are held to meet contract
holder liabilities as they fall due.
· Forecasts are prepared regularly to predict required
liquidity levels over both the short and medium term.
The Group's exposure to liquidity
risk is considered to be low since it maintains a high level of
liquid assets to meet its liabilities.
4.4 Insurance risk
Insurance risk is the risk of loss
arising from actual experience being different than that assumed
when an insurance product was designed and priced. For the Group,
the key insurance risks are lapse risk, expense risk and mortality
risk. However, the size of insurance risk is not deemed to be
materially significant. From an accounting perspective all
contracts have been classified as investment contracts.
4.4.1 Lapse risk
A key risk for investment
contracts is policyholder behaviour risk - in particular the risk
that contracts are surrendered, or significant cash withdrawals are
made before sufficient fees have been collected to cover up-front
commissions paid by the Group. The risk is mitigated by charging
penalties on the early surrender of contracts.
4.5 Fair value of financial assets and
liabilities
The Group closely monitors the
valuation of assets in markets that have become less liquid.
Determining whether a market is active requires the exercise of
judgement and is determined based upon the facts and circumstances
of the market for the instrument being measured. Where the
Directors determine that there is no active market for a particular
financial instrument, for example where a particular collective
investment scheme is suspended from trading, fair value is assessed
using valuation techniques based on available, relevant information
and an appraisal of all associated risks. When a collective
investment scheme recommences regular trading, the value would be
transferred back to Level 1. This process requires the exercise of
significant judgement on the part of the Directors.
Due to the linked nature of the
contracts administered by the Group's undertakings, any change in
the value of financial assets held to cover financial liabilities
under those contracts will result in an equal and opposite change
in the value of contract liabilities. The separate effect on
financial assets and financial liabilities is included in
investment income and investment contract benefits, respectively,
in the condensed consolidated statement of comprehensive
income.
IFRS 13 requires the Group to
classify fair value measurements into a fair value hierarchy by
reference to the observability and significance of the inputs used
in measuring that fair value. The hierarchy is as
follows:
· Level 1: fair value is determined using quoted prices
(unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets.
· Level 2: fair value is determined using inputs other than
quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the
asset either directly (i.e., as prices) or indirectly (i.e.,
derived from prices).
· Level 3: fair value is determined using inputs for the asset
that are not based on observable market data (unobservable
inputs).
The following tables analyse the
Group's financial assets and liabilities at fair value through
profit or loss, at 31 December 2024:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit
or loss
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Equity securities
|
71.6
|
-
|
0.8
|
72.4
|
Collective investment
schemes
|
924.1
|
13.0
|
4.3
|
941.4
|
Fixed income securities, bonds and
structured notes
|
5.5
|
11.4
|
67.3
|
84.2
|
Total financial assets at fair value through profit and
loss
|
1,001.2
|
24.4
|
72.4
|
1,098.0
|
All other financial assets and
liabilities are designated as held at amortised cost which
approximates to fair value.
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Deposits and money market
funds
|
81.2
|
|
|
81.2
|
Total financial assets at fair
value through
profit or loss
|
1,082.4
|
24.4
|
72.4
|
1,179.2
|
Financial liabilities at fair
value
|
|
|
|
|
through profit or loss
|
-
|
1,153.0
|
-
|
1,153.0
|
Financial liabilities at fair value
through profit or loss are classified as level 2 on the basis that
they relate to policies investing in financial assets at fair value
through profit or loss.
The following tables analyse the
Group's financial assets and liabilities at fair value through
profit or loss, at 30 June 2024:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit
or loss
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Equity securities
|
75.7
|
3.2
|
-
|
78.9
|
Collective investment
schemes
|
917.8
|
16.7
|
3.0
|
937.5
|
Fixed income securities, bonds and
structured notes
|
0.8
|
11.0
|
58.8
|
70.6
|
Total financial assets at fair value through profit and
loss
|
994.3
|
30.9
|
61.8
|
1,087.0
|
All other financial assets and
liabilities are designated as held at amortised cost which
approximates to fair value.
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Deposit and money
market funds
|
88.2
|
-
|
-
|
88.2
|
Total financial assets at fair
value through profit or loss
|
1,082.5
|
30.9
|
61.8
|
1,175.2
|
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or
loss
|
-
|
1,150.9
|
-
|
1,150.9
|
Valuation techniques and significant unobservable
inputs
The following tables show the
valuation techniques used in measuring Level 2 and Level 3 fair
values for financial instruments in the statement of financial
position, as well as the significant unobservable inputs
used.
Type
|
Valuation technique
|
Significant unobservable input
|
Sensitivity to changes in unobservable
inputs
|
Suspended assets
£4.3m (30 June 2024:
£3.0m)
|
Latest available information
including or such as net asset values (NAV) or other communication
received
|
Discount factor (5%) and
NAV.
|
If the NAV was higher/lower, the
fair value would be higher/lower.
If the discount factor was
higher/lower, the fair value would be lower/higher.
|
Bonds and structured
notes
Level 2: £11.4m (30 June 2024:
£11.0m)
Level 3: £67.0m (30 June 2024: £58.8m)
|
Market comparison / discounted
cash flow: The fair value is estimated considering:
(i) current or recent quoted
prices for identical securities in markets that are not active;
and
(ii) a net present value
calculated using discount rates which are determined with reference
to observable market transactions in instruments with substantially
the same terms and characteristics including credit quality, the
remaining term to repayments of the principal and the currency in
which the payments are made.
|
Level 2: Not applicable
Level 3: Underlying
volatility.
|
Level 2: Not applicable
Level 3: Significant increases /
decreases in this input in isolation would result in higher or
lower fair value.
|
Level 3 sensitivity to changes in unobservable
measurements
For financial assets assessed as
Level 3, based on its review of the prices used, the Company
believes that any reasonable change to the unobservable inputs used
to measure fair value would not result in a significantly higher or
lower fair value measurement at year end, and therefore would not
have a material impact on its reported results.
Significant unobservable inputs
are developed as follows:
Underlying Volatility
In the absence of implied
volatility until the maturity and moneyness of the instrument, the
best estimate is the use of extrapolated implied volatility or
historical volatility. The inputs used are derived against other
independent valuation sources and the reasonableness of the
assumptions is evaluated as part of the process.
A reconciliation between opening and
closing balances of Level 3 assets is presented in the table
below:
|
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
2024
£m
|
2023
£m
|
2024
£m
|
|
Opening balance
|
|
61.8
|
57.4
|
57.4
|
|
Unrealised gains /
(losses)
|
|
3.5
|
(5.6)
|
(2.3)
|
|
Transfers into level 3
|
|
1.5
|
0.1
|
1.1
|
|
Transfers out of level
3
|
|
(0.9)
|
-
|
-
|
|
Purchases
|
|
6.5
|
9.3
|
5.6
|
|
Closing balance
|
|
72.4
|
61.2
|
61.8
|
During the period under review,
£1.5m of assets were transferred into Level 3, reflecting that the
value of these assets was no longer based on observable market data
or inputs. Separately £0.9m of assets were transferred out of Level
3 where they were again able to be valued based on observable
market data or inputs. Unrealised losses include additional
fair value impairments to a range of assets in liquidation which
have resulted in £nil of bad debt provisions being made to fees and
other receivables as shown in note 7.
Within Investment and other
operating income, the Group has recognised gains of £3.2m
attributable to Level 3 assets noted above. These assets are
classed as financial investments held to cover liabilities under
investment contracts (note 13).
5
Segmental information
Disclosure of operating segments
in these condensed consolidated financial statements is consistent
with reports provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker
("CODM") which, in the case of the Group, has been identified as
the Executive Committee of Hansard Global plc.
In the opinion of the CODM, the
Group operates in a single reportable segment, that of the
distribution and servicing of long-term investment products. New
business development, distribution and associated activities in
relation to the Republic of Ireland ceased with effect from 30 June
2013. All other activities of the Group are continuing.
The Group's Executive Committee
uses two principal measures when appraising the performance of the
business: net issued compensation credit ("NICC") (weighted where
appropriate by product line) and expenses. NICC is a measure of the
value of new in-force business and top-ups on existing single
premium contracts. NICC is the total amount of basic initial commission payable to
intermediaries for business sold in a period and
is calculated on each piece of new
business. It excludes override commission
paid to intermediaries over and above the basic level of
commission.
The following table analyses NICC
geographically and reconciles NICC to direct origination costs
during the period as set out in section 5 of the Business and
Financial Review.
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2023
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Middle East and Africa
|
1.9
|
1.1
|
1.7
|
Latin America
|
1.3
|
0.9
|
2.1
|
Rest of World
|
-
|
0.4
|
1.7
|
Far East
|
0.2
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
Net issued compensation
credit
|
3.4
|
2.5
|
5.6
|
Other commission costs paid to third
parties
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
3.2
|
Enhanced unit
allocations
|
0.2
|
0.4
|
0.9
|
Direct origination costs during the period
|
5.1
|
4.4
|
9.7
|
Revenues and expenses allocated to
geographical locations contained in sections 5.1 to 5.4 below,
reflect the revenues and expenses generated in or incurred by the
legal entities in those locations.
5.1 Geographical analysis of fees and commissions by
origin
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Isle of Man
|
22.4
|
22.9
|
46.0
|
Republic of Ireland
|
1.0
|
0.7
|
2.2
|
The Bahamas *
|
0.3
|
0.3
|
0.6
|
|
23.7
|
23.9
|
48.8
|
* Hansard
Worldwide, which is based in the Bahamas, fully reinsures its
business to Hansard International. All external fees
and commissions for Hansard Worldwide are therefore presented
within the Isle of Man category. Fees shown in respect of Hansard
Worldwide represent fees received from Hansard
International.
5.2 Geographical analysis of profit / (loss) before
taxation
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Isle of Man
|
1.1
|
4.3
|
6.5
|
Republic of Ireland
|
(0.8)
|
(0.4)
|
(1.6)
|
The Bahamas
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.4
|
|
0.5
|
4.1
|
5.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.3 Geographical analysis of gross assets
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Isle of Man *
|
1,290.4
|
1,235.7
|
1,283.1
|
Republic of Ireland
|
78.4
|
85.7
|
82.5
|
The Bahamas
|
2.0
|
2.3
|
1.7
|
|
1,370.8
|
1,323.7
|
1,367.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Includes assets held in
the Isle of Man in connection with policies written in The Bahamas.
As at 31 December 2024 these amounted to £278.2m (31 December 2023:
£203.2m).
5.4 Geographical analysis of gross
liabilities
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Isle of Man
|
1,007.0
|
1,024.0
|
1,033.8
|
Republic of Ireland
|
67.1
|
72.4
|
70.2
|
The Bahamas
|
279.1
|
205.3
|
242.5
|
|
1,353.2
|
1,301.7
|
1,346.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 Fees
and commissions
Fees are charged to the contract
holders of investment contracts for contract administration
services, investment management services, payment of benefits and
other services related to the administration of investment
contracts. Fees may be chargeable on either a fixed fee basis, a
fee per transaction or as a percentage of assets under
administration. Fees are recognised as revenue as the services are
provided. Initial fees that exceed the level of recurring fees and
relate to the future provision of services are deferred in the
balance sheet and amortised on a straight-line basis over the life
of the relevant contract. These fees are accounted for on the issue
of a contract and on receipt of incremental premiums on existing
single premium contracts.
Regular fees charged to contracts
are recognised on a straight-line basis over the period in which
the service is provided. Transactional fees are recorded when the
required action is complete.
Commissions receivable arise
principally from fund houses with which investments are held.
Commissions are recognised on an accruals basis in accordance with
the relevant agreement.
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Contract fee income
|
14.0
|
15.2
|
30.6
|
Fund management fees
|
7.2
|
6.3
|
13.4
|
Commission receivable
|
2.5
|
2.4
|
4.8
|
|
23.7
|
23.9
|
48.8
|
7
Administrative
and other expenses
Included in Administrative and
other expenses are the following:
|
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Auditors' remuneration
|
|
|
|
- Fees payable to the
Company's auditor for the audit of the Company's annual
accounts
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.8
|
- Fees payable for the audit
of the Company's subsidiaries pursuant to legislation
|
0.2
|
0.3
|
0.1
|
- Other services provided to
the Group
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Employee costs
|
6.6
|
5.5
|
11.5
|
Directors' fees
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.4
|
Fund management fees
|
2.5
|
2.5
|
5.1
|
Renewal and other
commission
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.9
|
Professional and other
fees
|
1.7
|
1.8
|
4.8
|
Litigation defence and settlement
costs
|
1.5
|
0.7
|
2.2
|
Credit loss allowance
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
-
|
Licences and maintenance
fees
|
2.7
|
1.9
|
4.1
|
Insurance costs
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
0.9
|
Depreciation of property, plant
and equipment
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.5
|
Amortisation of intangible
assets
|
0.8
|
-
|
0.5
|
Communications
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.2
|
8
Taxation
Taxation is based on profit and
income for the period as determined with reference to the relevant
tax legislation in the countries in which the Company and its
subsidiaries operate. Tax payable is calculated using tax rates
that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance
sheet date. Tax is recognised in the consolidated statement of
comprehensive income except to the extent that it relates to items
recognised in equity. Tax on items relating to equity is recognised
in equity.
The corporation tax expense for
the Group for H1 2025 was £0.1m on a rounded basis (H1 2024:
£0.1m). Corporation tax is charged on any profits arising at the
following rates depending on location of the company or
branch:
Isle of
Man
0% (2023: 0%)
Republic of Ireland
12.5% (2023: 12.5%)
Japan
23.2% (2023: 23.2%)
Labuan
24% (2023: 24%)
The
Bahamas
0% (2023: 0%)
No deferred tax asset is currently
being recorded in relation to losses arising in Hansard
Europe.
There is no material difference
between the current tax charge in the consolidated statement of
comprehensive income and the current tax charge that would result
from applying standard rates of tax to the profit before
tax.
The OECD's Pillar II global
minimum tax, based on the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) Model
Rules, is not expected to have an impact on the Group, as the
Group's total revenue is less than €750m.
9
Earnings per share
|
|
Six months
ended
|
Year ended
|
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
Profit after tax (£m)
|
|
0.4
|
4.0
|
5.2
|
Weighted average number of shares
in issue (millions)
|
137.6
|
137.6
|
137.6
|
Earnings per share in pence
|
0.3p
|
2.9p
|
3.8p
|
The Directors believe that there
is no material difference between the weighted average number of
shares in issue for the purposes of calculating either basic or
diluted earnings per share. Earnings under either measure are 0.3
pence per share (H1 2024: 2.9p).
10
Dividends
Interim dividends payable to
shareholders are recognised in the year in which the dividends are
paid. Final dividends payable are recognised as liabilities when
approved by the shareholders at the annual general
meeting.
The following dividends have been paid by the
Group during the period:
|
Six months ended 31
December
|
Year ended
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
Per share
|
Total
|
Per share
|
Total
|
Per share
|
Total
|
|
p
|
£m
|
p
|
£m
|
p
|
£m
|
Final dividend paid
|
2.65
|
3.70
|
2.65
|
3.60
|
2.65
|
3.60
|
Interim dividend paid
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1.80
|
2.50
|
|
2.65
|
3.70
|
2.65
|
3.60
|
4.45
|
6.10
|
The Board have resolved to pay an
interim dividend of 1.8p per share. This amounts to £2.5m and will
be paid on 24 April 2025 to shareholders on the register at 13
March 2025.
11 Intangible
assets and property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
The historical cost of computer
software is the purchase cost and the direct cost of internal
development. Computer software is recognised as an intangible
asset.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Intangible assets
|
22.4
|
22.3
|
23.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
The intangible asset relates to
capitalised costs associated with the development of a replacement
policy administration system. The system went live in early March
2024, at which point amortisation has commenced over its estimated
Useful Economic Life.
Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment
includes both tangible fixed assets and 'right of use assets'
recognised in accordance with IFRS 16.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Property, plant and
equipment
|
0.7
|
0.3
|
0.5
|
Right of use assets
|
2.1
|
2.3
|
2.1
|
|
2.8
|
2.6
|
2.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
IFRS 16 - Leases
During the period to 31 December
2024, there were no changes to lease terms for any of the Group's
Leases recognised under IFRS 16 and the Group did not enter into
any new leases or lease extensions. The weighted average borrowing
rate applied to the lease liabilities at 31 December 2024 was 7.0%
(31 December 2023: 7.0%).
The recognition of the
right-of-use asset represents an increase in the property, plant
and equipment figure of £2.1m (31 December 2023: £2.3m).
Lease liabilities relating to the right-of-use
asset are included within other payables. The interest recognised on the lease liabilities in respect
of the right of use asset was £0.1m (31 December 2023: less than
£0.1m).
During the year ended 30 June
2021, the Group entered into a sub-lease for part of a building
that is reported as a right-of-use asset. The group has classified
the sub-lease as an operating lease, as it does not transfer
substantially all of the risks and rewards incidental to the
ownership of the sub-let asset. During the period ending 31
December 2024, the Group recognised rental income of less than
£0.1m (31 Dec 2023: less than £0.1m).
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
Right of use asset recognised
b/f
|
|
2.1
|
2.4
|
2.4
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
|
0.1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
(0.1)
|
(0.1)
|
(0.3)
|
|
Net book value of right of use asset
c/f
|
|
2.1
|
2.3
|
2.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lease liability recognised
b/f
|
|
2.7
|
2.9
|
2.9
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
|
0.1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Lease payments made during the
period
|
|
(0.2)
|
(0.2)
|
(0.4)
|
|
Interest on leases
|
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.2
|
|
Lease liability recognised
c/f
|
|
2.7
|
2.8
|
2.7
|
|
Of which are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
lease liabilities
|
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
|
Non-current
lease liabilities
|
|
2.5
|
2.6
|
2.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 Deferred
origination costs
Amortisation of deferred
origination costs is charged within the origination costs line in
the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
Formal reviews to assess the
recoverability of deferred origination costs on investment
contracts are carried out at each balance sheet date to determine
whether there is any indication of impairment. If there is any
indication of irrecoverability or impairment, the asset's
recoverable amount is estimated. Impairment losses are reversed
through the consolidated statement of comprehensive income if there
is a change in the estimates used to determine the recoverable
amount. Such losses are reversed only to the extent that the
asset's carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that
would have been determined, net of amortisation where applicable,
if no impairment loss had been recognised.
The movement in value over the
period under review is summarised below.
|
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
At beginning of financial
year
|
|
112.1
|
117.8
|
117.8
|
Origination costs incurred during
the period
|
|
4.4
|
3.8
|
8.2
|
Origination costs amortised during
the period
|
(6.5)
|
(7.1)
|
(13.9)
|
|
110.0
|
114.5
|
112.1
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
Carrying value
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Expected to be amortised within
one year
|
11.6
|
16.6
|
11.6
|
Expected to be amortised after one
year
|
98.4
|
97.9
|
100.5
|
|
110.0
|
114.5
|
112.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 Financial
investments held to cover liabilities under investment
contracts
The Group classifies its financial
assets into the following categories: financial investments and
trade receivables. Financial investments consist of units in
collective investment schemes, equity securities, fixed income
securities and deposits with credit institutions. Collective
investment schemes, equity securities and fixed income securities
are designated at fair value through profit or loss. Deposits with
credit institutions are designated at amortised cost.
The decision by the Group to
designate its financial investments at fair value through profit or
loss reflects the fact that the investment portfolio is managed,
and its performance evaluated, on a fair value basis.
The Group recognises purchases and
sales of investments on trade date. Investment transaction costs
are written off in administration expenses as incurred.
All gains and losses derived from
financial investments, realised or unrealised, are recognised
within investment income in the consolidated statement of
comprehensive income in the period in which they arise.
The value of financial assets at
fair value through profit or loss that are traded in active markets
(such as trading securities) is based on quoted market prices at
the balance sheet date. The quoted market price for financial
assets held by the Group is the current bid price. Investments in
funds are valued at the latest available net asset valuation
provided by the administrators or managers of the funds and
companies, unless the Directors are aware of good reasons why such
valuations would not be the most appropriate or indicative of fair
value. Where necessary, the Group uses other valuation methods to
arrive at the stated fair value of its financial assets, such as
recent arms' length transactions or reference to similar listed
investments.
Loans and receivables are
financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not
quoted on an active market. Loans and receivables consist,
primarily, of contract fees receivable, long-term cash deposits
(i.e., with an original maturity duration greater than three
months) and cash and cash equivalents.
The following investments, other
assets and liabilities are held to cover financial liabilities
under investment contracts. They are included within the relevant
headings on the condensed consolidated balance sheet.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Equity securities
|
72.4
|
58.5
|
78.9
|
Investment in collective
investment schemes
|
941.4
|
923.6
|
937.5
|
Fixed income securities, bonds and
structured notes
|
78.8
|
61.5
|
70.6
|
Deposits and money market
funds
|
64.4
|
63.8
|
64.3
|
Total assets
|
1,157.0
|
1,107.4
|
1,151.3
|
Other payables
|
(4.0)
|
(1.4)
|
(0.4)
|
Financial investments held to cover
liabilities
|
1,153.0
|
1,106.0
|
1,150.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The other receivables and other
payables' fair value approximates amortised cost.
14 Deferred
income
Fees charged for services related
to the management of investment contracts are recognised as revenue
as the services are provided. Initial fees which exceed the level
of recurring fees and relate to the future provision of services
are deferred. These are amortised over the anticipated period in
which services will be provided. The recognition of balances in the
deferred income reserve is based on actuarial assumptions around
future income over the life of each policy. These actuarial
assumptions are complex in nature and are subject to estimation
uncertainty. The actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly by
the Appointed Actuary.
The movement in value of deferred
income over the period is summarised below:
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
|
2024
£m
|
2023
£m
|
2024
£m
|
|
At beginning of financial
year
|
|
140.2
|
144.8
|
144.8
|
|
Income received and deferred
during the year
|
|
6.6
|
6.5
|
12.7
|
|
Income amortised and recognised in
contract fees during the year
|
(7.8)
|
(9.1)
|
(17.3)
|
|
|
139.0
|
142.2
|
140.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
Carrying value
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Expected to be amortised within
one year
|
15.4
|
18.7
|
15.0
|
Expected to be amortised after one
year
|
123.6
|
123.5
|
125.2
|
|
139.0
|
142.2
|
140.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 Other
payables
Other payables are initially
recognised at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised
cost. They are recognised at the point where service is received
but payment is due after the balance sheet date.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Commission payable
|
1.3
|
1.1
|
1.2
|
Other creditors and
accruals
|
10.5
|
10.3
|
11.7
|
Lease liabilities of
which:
|
|
|
|
Current lease
liabilities
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
Non-current lease
liabilities
|
2.5
|
2.6
|
2.5
|
|
14.5
|
14.2
|
15.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
16
Provisions
Provisions represent amounts to
settle a number of the claims referred to in Note 21 'Contingent
Liabilities' where it is economically beneficial to do so. Such
provisions are calculated where there is an established pattern of
settlement for that grouping of claims. The following table
reflects the movement in the provision during the period under
review.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Settlement provision at beginning
of financial year
|
0.5
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
Additional provisions made in the
period
|
0.2
|
-
|
0.4
|
Released from the provision for
settlement
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
-
|
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
0.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
Further information outlined
within IAS 37.85 is not disclosed on the basis that it may
prejudice the Company's position.
With the exception of the lease
liabilities shown in note 11, and the provisions referred to above,
all other payable balances, including amounts due to contract
holders, are deemed to be current. Due to the short-term nature of
these payables the carrying value is considered to reflect fair
value.
17 Called up share
capital
|
31 December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Authorised:
|
|
|
|
200,000,000 ordinary shares of
50p
|
100
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
Issued and fully paid:
|
|
|
|
137,557,079 ordinary shares of 50p
|
|
|
|
(30 June 2024: 137,557,079
ordinary shares)
|
68.8
|
68.8
|
68.8
|
18
Other
Reserves
Other reserves comprise the merger
reserve arising on the acquisition by the Company of its subsidiary
companies on 1 July 2005, the share premium account and the share
save reserve. The merger reserve represents the difference between
the par value of shares issued by the Company for the acquisition
of those companies, compared to the par value of the share capital
and the share premium of those companies at the date of
acquisition.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Merger Reserve
|
(48.5)
|
(48.5)
|
(48.5)
|
Share premium
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
Share Save Reserve
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
Reserve for own shares held within
EBT (note 19)
|
(0.2)
|
(0.4)
|
(0.3)
|
|
(48.5)
|
(48.7)
|
(48.6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Included within other reserves is
an amount representing 863,700 (2024: 1,182,101) ordinary shares
held by the Group's employee benefit trust ('EBT') which were
acquired at a cost of £0.6m (see note 19). The ordinary shares held
by the trustee of the Group's employee benefit trust are treated as
treasury shares in the consolidated balance sheet in accordance
with IAS 32 ''Financial Instruments: Presentation''.
This reserve arose when the Group
acquired equity share capital under its EBT, which is held in trust
by the trustee of the EBT. Treasury shares cease to be accounted
for as such when they are sold outside the Group, or the interest
is transferred in full to the employee pursuant to the terms of the
incentive plan.
19 Equity settled
share-based payments
The Company has established a
number of equity-based payment programmes for eligible employees.
The fair value of expected equity-settled share-based payments
under these programmes is calculated at date of grant using the
market value of the shares at the date granted and is amortised
over the vesting period on a straight-line basis through the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income. A corresponding
amount is credited to equity over the same period.
At each balance sheet date, the
Group reviews its estimate of the number of shares granted that are
expected to be exercised. The impact of any revision in the number
of shares granted is recognised in the consolidated statement of
comprehensive income so that the charge to the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income is based on the number shares
that actually vest. A corresponding adjustment is made to
equity.
The estimated fair value of the
schemes and the imputed cost for the period under review is not
material to these financial statements.
19.1
Incentive Plan Employee Benefit Trust
An Employee Benefit Trust was
established in February 2018 to hold shares awarded to employees as
an incentive on a deferred basis. Shares awarded under the scheme
are purchased by the Trust in the open market and held until
vesting. Awards made under the scheme would normally vest after
three years.
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
Share Awards
|
No. of
Shares
|
No. of
Shares
|
No. of
Shares
|
Outstanding at start of
period
|
926,000
|
601,684
|
601,684
|
Granted
Forfeited
|
296,729
-
|
463,823
-
|
463,823
(64,608)
|
Vested
|
(393,300)
|
(74,899)
|
(74,899)
|
Outstanding at end of
period
|
829,429
|
990,608
|
926,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Trust has been funded by way of
a loan, and as at 31 December 2024 the outstanding balance on the
loan was £554,000 (2023: £554,000).
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
Shares Held by the Trust
|
No. of
Shares
|
No. of
Shares
|
No. of
Shares
|
Outstanding at start of
period
|
1,257,000
|
557,000
|
557,000
|
Purchased
Forfeited
|
-
|
700,000
|
700,000
-
|
Vested
|
(393,300)
|
(74,899)
|
-
|
Outstanding at end of
period
|
863,700
|
1,182,101
|
1,257,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the period the expense
arising from share-based payment transactions was £148,000 (2023:
£82,000).
20 Related party
transactions
Intra-group transactions are
eliminated on consolidation and are not disclosed separately
here.
There have been no significant
related party transactions in the period, nor changes to related
parties. Related party transactions affecting the results of
previous periods and an understanding of the Group's financial
position at previous balance sheet dates are as disclosed in the
Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 30 June
2024.
Details of any share-based
transactions with employees during the period are set out in note
19.
21
Contingent
liabilities
21.1 Litigation
The Group does not and has never
given any investment advice. Investment decisions are taken either
by the contract holder directly or through a professional
intermediary appointed by the contract holder. Contract holders
bear the financial risk relating to the investments underpinning
their contracts, as the policy benefits are linked to the value of
the assets. Notwithstanding the above, financial services
institutions are frequently drawn into disputes in cases where the
value and performance of assets selected by or on behalf of
contract holders fails to meet their expectations. At the
balance sheet date, a number of fund structures remain affected by
liquidity or other issues that hinder their sales or redemptions on
normal terms with a consequent adverse impact on policy
transactions.
As reported previously, the Group
has been subject to a number of complaints in relation to the
selection and performance of assets linked to contracts. The
Group has been served with a number of writs arising from such
complaints and other asset-related issues. Most of the writs relate
to historic business written prior to the closure to new business
of Hansard Europe in 2013, with some relating to Hansard
International Limited. Most of the cases
have arisen in Italy, with a smaller number in Belgium and
Germany
As at 30 June 2024, the Group had
been served with cumulative writs with a net exposure totalling
€23.8m, or £20.2m in sterling terms (30 June 2023: €26.1m / £22.4m)
arising from contract holder complaints and other asset
performance-related issues. The
corresponding figure as at 31 December 2024 was €24.1m or £20.0m
(31 December 2023: €25.2m or £22.0m).
Our policy is to maintain
contingent liabilities even where we win cases in the court of
first instance if such cases have been subsequently
appealed.
We have previously noted that we
expect a number of our larger claims and litigation costs to
ultimately be covered by our Group insurance cover. During
the period to 31 December 2024, we recorded £0.5m in insurance
recoveries in relation to litigation expenses (31 December 2023:
£0.7m). We expect such reimbursement to continue during the course
of those claims.
While it
is not possible to forecast or determine the final results of
pending or threatened legal proceedings, based on the pleadings and
advice received from the Group's legal representatives, the
Directors believe that the Group has strong defences to such
claims. Notwithstanding this, there may be circumstances where in
order to avoid the expense and distraction of protracted litigation
the Board may consider it in the best interests of the Group and
its shareholders to reach a commercial resolution with regard to
certain of these claims. Where an established pattern of
settlement is established for any grouping of claims, a provision
for expected future settlements is made in line with IAS
37.
At this time, it is not possible
to make any further estimates of liability.
Between 31 December 2024 and the
date of this report, there have been no material
developments.
21.2 Isle of Man Policyholders
Compensation Scheme
The Group's principal subsidiary,
Hansard International, is a member of the Isle of Man
Policyholders' Compensation Scheme governed by the Life Assurance
(Compensation of Policyholders) Regulations 1991. The objective of
the Scheme is to provide compensation for policyholders should an
authorised insurer be unable to meet its liabilities to
policyholders. In the event of a levy being charged by the Scheme
members, Hansard International would be obliged to meet the
liability arising at the time. The maximum levy payable in
accordance with the regulations of the Scheme in respect of the
insolvency of the insurer is 2% of long-term business liabilities.
Hansard International's products include a clause in their terms
and conditions permitting it to recover any monies paid out under
the Scheme from contract holders.
22 Foreign exchange
rates
The closing exchange rates used by
the Group for the translation of balance sheet items to sterling
were as follows:
|
31
December
|
30 June
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
2024
|
US Dollar
|
1.25
|
1.27
|
1.26
|
Japanese Yen
|
197
|
180
|
203
|
Euro
|
1.20
|
1.15
|
1.18
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 Events after the
reporting period
This report for the period ended
31 December 2024 was approved for issue on 5 March 2024. No other
material events have occurred between the reporting date and the
issue date that require disclosure under IAS 10.