Supporting consumers and businesses 

UK Finance produces two podcast series to update members on the constantly evolving financial services landscape.  

Through interviews and educational sessions with leading experts, our Future of Finance series explores the dynamic regulatory landscape, rapid advances in technology, emerging trends and upcoming developments that influence the face of financial services in significant ways.  

This year, our Sanctions School podcast was in the top 10 per cent of most shared and most followed podcasts globally on Spotify. At its peak it reached number 17 in the UK Business category on Spotify and number 19 on Apple Podcasts. This podcast features experts and students discussing the world of sanctions and how they affect us all.  

Delivering a high growth economy 

In advance of the Autumn Statement, we submitted a range of ideas that we believe support the government’s aims of growing the economy. The renewed commitment to growth from the Chancellor, which included making full-expensing of investment permanent, was welcome and essential for businesses and people across the country. 

We were especially pleased to see the commitment to increase Local Housing Allowance, something UK Finance has long called for. Greater housebuilding and an extension of the mortgage guarantee scheme will help more homebuyers get on or move up the housing ladder.  

We also welcomed plans to introduce more flexibility and simplification of ISA rules. Other important measures included extension of the existing sunset clauses for the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Venture Capital Trusts, as called for through UK Finance’s Autumn Statement submission, and support for the Future of Payments Review, led by Joe Garner, which UK Finance collaborated closely on. The full response is on the UK Finance website. 

Preventing economic crime 

Take Five to Stop Fraud has launched a new campaign activity called ‘Family Fibs’. Targeting busy mums with high levels of influence in families, the campaign aims to raise awareness of fraud and how consumers can protect themselves using the Stop, Challenge, Protect messaging.  

Comedian Jen Brister explores the ‘scams’ parents pull on their kids every day, from telling them their noses will grow if they tell a lie, to convincing them their eyes will go square if they sit too close to the TV. These light-hearted fibs have been used to capture the attention of our target audience and link to the tactics criminals use to commit fraud – demonstrating that criminals will say anything to get people’s money and information. The campaign is live across website and social media channels Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Facebook and on the Mumsnet digital platform. 

Take Five to Stop Fraud also won Silver at the BIMA 2023 awards last week for our ‘Can You Spot Fraud?’ business advice quiz. The quiz provided SMEs with information and advice on how to spot fraud in the workplace. 

Transitioning to net zero 

We recently published Mobilising Capital for the Net Zero Transition paper setting out key asks of the banking and finance sector to support the transition to a decarbonised economy. This was covered in Reuters the Mail Online, and Sustainable Views. We were pleased to see some of our recommendations reflected in the Autumn Statement, including planning process reform and nearly £1 billion for key green industries. We continue to develop policy recommendations aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce their environmental impacts.  

In December, UK Finance will be representing the financial services sector at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, with our Chair Bob Wigley and Managing Director for Corporate Affairs and Strategic Policy, Sarah Boon, hosting a series of panels and networking events. 

Enabling digital innovation  

We launched our report on the Impact of AI in Financial Services: opportunities, risks and policy considerations which explores the state of play of Artificial Intelligence in the financial sector. The paper looks at where it is being deployed, where it shows promise for the future and how to make the most of the opportunities on offer. We also look at AI risks and mitigations as well as examining the policy landscape, including the state of regulation and options for resolving key policy questions that will need to be answered to ensure an approach that mitigates risks effectively, while enabling responsible innovation.  

We published on our website the key findings from two of our Digital Innovation panel sessions, the role of artificial intelligence and the development of the open data economy in the financial services sector.  

Upcoming events  

We are pleased to announce that due to high demand, we have released additional single tickets and tables for our Annual Mortgage Dinner. Join us on 12 December at the Hilton London Bankside. 

Find out more about the upcoming events and training we offer or subscribe to our monthly Training and Events newsletter.