David Lammy told MPs yesterday that he was introducing a “groundbreaking law to ensure that victims and survivors never again have to wait decades for truth and justice” For decades, survivors of state failure—whether Hillsborough, Grenfell, the Post Office Horizon scandal, or pension fraud—have shared a common burden: being lied to, silenced, and abandoned by … Continue reading The Hillsborough Law: What It Means for Survivors and Citizen Investigators
Month: September 2025
Plans are useless. Planning is indispensable — and life planning is the same
Why the GAME Plan’s cycle matters more than the myth of arrival Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said, “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” He wasn’t dismissing planning — he was pointing to a truth we often miss: a fixed plan can break when reality changes, but the practice of planning builds the muscle we … Continue reading Plans are useless. Planning is indispensable — and life planning is the same
Captured Consultations: Why Pension Policy Ignores Human Capital
Government consultations are supposed to give voice to all stakeholders. In practice, however, they tilt heavily towards those with the deepest pockets. Market participants — asset managers, pension providers, and financial institutions — routinely spend client money lobbying for policy changes that serve their commercial interests. Consumers, meanwhile, are largely absent from the debate. Why? … Continue reading Captured Consultations: Why Pension Policy Ignores Human Capital
Spoofing Scams: How to Spot Them and Protect Yourself
Technology has given us convenience, but it has also given criminals new ways to trick us. One of the fastest-growing threats today is number spoofing – where fraudsters manipulate caller IDs or text sender details to impersonate trusted organisations like your bank, HMRC, or even the police. Which? recently highlighted that four in ten adults … Continue reading Spoofing Scams: How to Spot Them and Protect Yourself
Downsizing Protection: How Families Can Preserve the Residence Nil Rate Band
For many families, the family home is their largest asset. But what happens if that home is sold — perhaps to fund care fees in later life? Does the family lose valuable inheritance tax protection? Thankfully, the rules include something called downsizing protection that ensures families aren’t penalised for making difficult decisions. Understanding the Residence … Continue reading Downsizing Protection: How Families Can Preserve the Residence Nil Rate Band
Human Capital: The Hidden Multiplier of Wealth
One of the most powerful findings in modern economics is also one of the simplest: human capital amplifies everything. A landmark study by Erosa, Koreshkova, and Restuccia shows that differences in human capital explain far more of the world’s income inequality than raw productivity or financial resources alone. In fact, a modest 5-fold difference in … Continue reading Human Capital: The Hidden Multiplier of Wealth
🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)
By Steve Conley | Financial Life Coach | Academy of Life Planning As more tools like ChatGPT, Fathom, and other AI assistants become integrated into financial and legacy planning, clients are asking an important question: “Where does my data go—and is it safe?” In this short Q&A, I’ll walk you through exactly how client data … Continue reading 🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)
Who Owns “Financial Planning”? Lessons from the US, UK, and Canada
The meaning of financial planning has been contested for decades. Is it simply another name for regulated investment advice, or is it a broader discipline that integrates tax, estate, cashflow, and life strategies beyond product distribution? The regulatory landscape shows a consistent theme: financial planning is wider than investment intermediation, and it should not be … Continue reading Who Owns “Financial Planning”? Lessons from the US, UK, and Canada
🗣 Why Dissent Matters in Building True Consumer Protection
In a recent exchange about the make-up of consumer representation panels, one theme came through clearly: dissent is not welcome at the table. Applicants are advised to “toe the party line.” Those who might criticise are filtered out. The result? An echo chamber dressed up as governance. Peter Block, in Community: The Structure of Belonging, … Continue reading 🗣 Why Dissent Matters in Building True Consumer Protection
Weekend Essay: Angela Rayner and the Price of Not Seeking Advice
The resignation of Angela Rayner last week over a Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) dispute has been described as one of the most dramatic political falls in recent years. Once tipped as Labour’s future leader, Rayner now finds herself relegated to the back benches—her career blighted not by scandalous intent, but by a failure to … Continue reading Weekend Essay: Angela Rayner and the Price of Not Seeking Advice
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