Workplace savings and pensions provider Scottish Widows has extended Origo’s Unipass Letter of Authority across its business to cut turnaround times and improve the quality of information.

The UK's investment gap grew by more than 30% between 2022 and 2024, with around 15m adults now holding more than £610bn of “possible investments” in cash, according to analysis of official data.

While more than a fifth, 21% of Financial Planning firms have embedded AI into their business, almost a quarter, 23%, have not yet started adopting the technology.

Pension and investment provider Aegon has launched a new app for workplace pension members, which it claimed will help people engage with their money and navigate key financial moments.

Fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated impersonation techniques to access savers' pensions, according to the Pensions Regulator.

Financial Planning and wealth management group AFH has recruited two senior staff from St James’s Place to drive new growth initiatives.

Two IFAs at national advice firm Continuum are planning to tackling a charity 240km alp cycling challenge to raise money for an African food charity.

St Albans-based Andrew Horne and Bournemouth-based Chris Miles hope to raise £2,000 through their efforts in Slovenia.

They will cycle across Slovenia’s Julian Alps from Ljubljana via Skofia Loka, Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled taking in altitudes of up to 1,200 metres.

They will be raising cash for the charity Eternal Flame, which supplies its Eco Cook Bag to people in Lesotho and Tanzania. The bag allows to food to be cooked at high temperatures ethically, safely  and economically.

Mr Horne, said: “The challenge is a significant one with the steep altitude being a real test of perseverance. This doesn’t compare, however, to the challenges faced by those communities that Eternal Flame assist.

“They are a wonderful charity whose work is truly transformational and as 2.3bn people cook over an open fire, they are saving lives, sight, and lungs, one bag at a time.”

Mr Horne is experienced in the charity saddle, having previously raised more than £3,000 for charity with a coast-to-coast cycle ride.

Martin Brown, managing partner at Continuum, said: “Andrew’s latest cycling challenge not only demonstrates his dedication to charitable giving, but also shows his discipline and dedication to meeting ambitious physical and mental goals.”

If anyone wants to sponsor the cycling advisers they can do so through Just Giving https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/eternalflame

Support services provider The Verve Group has launched a compliance “switching service” which it said aims to make changing providers easy.

The UK economy was flat in July with the Office for National Statistics reporting zero growth in GDP month on month in July, compared to 0.4% growth in June.

Fintech Origo has appointed Chartered Accountant Vivienne Sacco as chief finance officer.