The Week in Numbers
5 – Number of organisations that should merge to become a single trade body, according to a review chaired by former Ofcom chief Ed Richards. The list includes the CML and the BBA
£3.7m – Amount in Hargreaves Lansdown shares sold by investment marketing director Ian Hunter
99 – Number of companies that have defaulted on their debt this year, according to Standard & Poor’s. Global defaults are at their second-highest level in a decade
£4tn – Amount the Government plans to spend over the course of this Parliament
3 mins – Average time spent by consumers on the Pension Wise website
7 years – Length of time but-to-let lender CHL Mortgages has been out of the market. It is understood it will start lending again early next year
20,000 – Number of RBS branch staff who will have their cash bonuses scrapped under plans to reduce misspelling risks
£119.30 – New weekly state pension following a 2.9% increase
Quote of the week: “Issuing new staging dates to people who have already had them would cause mayhem” – Former pensions minister Steve Webb on the risks of delaying auto-enrolment for small firms.
