China has said it successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean.

The ICMB was launched at 08:44 local time (04:44 GMT) on Wednesday and “fell into expected sea areas”, Beijing’s defence ministry said, adding that the test launch was “routine” and part of its “annual training”.

The type of missile and its flight path remained unclear, but Chinese state media said Beijing had “informed the countries concerned in advance”.

Analysts said Beijing’s description of the test as “routine” was surprising because the last such test happened in 1980.

China’s nuclear weapon tests usually take place domestically and it previously test-fired ICBMs west into the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang region.

So this is believed to be the first time since 1980 that it launched an ICBM into international waters.

“Unless I’m missing something, I think this is essentially the first time this has happened – and been announced as such – in a long time,” Ankit Panda, a nuclear weapons specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on X.

He added that Beijing’s description of the test as “routine” and “annual” was odd, “given that they don’t do this sort of thing either routinely or annually”.

Japan’s defence ministry said there has been no damage to its vessels as of early afternoon on Wednesday.

“We will continue to collect and analyse information on the movements of the Chinese military and will take all possible precautions in our vigilance and monitoring,” the ministry said, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

When China last did such a test – in May 1980 – the ICBM flew 9,070km and landed in the Pacific. That test involved 18 Chinese naval ships and is still considered one of China’s biggest naval missions.

“Timing is everything,” Drew Thompson, a visiting research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, wrote on X.

“[China’s] statement claims the launch does not target any country, but there are high-levels of tension between China and Japan, Philippines, and of course perpetual tension with Taiwan.”

“The launch is a powerful signal intended to intimidate everyone,” he added.

John Ridge, a US-based defence analyst, said China could have conducted the test as a form of “posturing or signalling to the United States”.

While the relationship between Beijing and Washington has improved in the past year, China’s increasing assertiveness in the region remains a sticking point.

Tensions have ramped up between China and the Philippines as their ships have repeatedly collided in disputed waters. Last month, Japan scrambled fighter jets after it accused a Chinese spy plane of breaching its air space, a move that it called “utterly unacceptable”.

Beijing’s claims over self-governed Taiwan have been another source of strain.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said earlier on Wednesday that China had been carrying out “intensive” missile firing and other drills recently. In the same statement, the ministry said it had detected 23 Chinese military aircraft operating around Taiwan on “long-range missions”.

Beijing routinely sends ships and aircraft into Taiwanese waters and airspace in what analysts say is a “greyzone warfare” tactic meant to normalise the incursions.

In July this year, China suspended its nuclear arms control talks with Washington, in retaliation for the US’ continued arms sales to Taiwan.

Last year, China replaced two leaders of the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force unit – the elite unit managing its nuclear arsenal – over corruption allegations.

In a report published last year, the Pentagon estimated that China has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads in its arsenal, of which approximately 350 are ICBMs.

The report also projected that China will reach over 1,000 warheads by 2030. Still, that is a fraction of the more than 5,000 warheads that the US and Russia each say they possess.

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Becoming a financial adviser was not a lifelong career wish for me.

Indeed — unlike those who dreamed of growing up to be a doctor or a sports star — few of us, I expect, aspired to be a financial planner!

Perhaps this is to be expected, given the relative profile of advisers. But this observation got me thinking about the visibility of our profession to young people, from the perspective of both the next generation of recruits as well as prospective clients.

On the recruitment side, we could do more to raise our profile within the wider sector. My first exposure to financial advice was through making some adviser contacts while on a ski season, which led me to pursue a career via some work experience. However, I get the sense there is a lack of visibility of what our industry is and does among people of my generation.

Younger clients respond well to having a peer at a similar life stage involved in their advice. We will need a new generation of young advisers to serve them

Maybe this low profile among younger adults is not surprising, given the lack of routes into wealth management. But, with the average adviser age pushing close to 60, it poses an existential challenge for our profession.

The requirement of further professional qualifications may be one deterrent, but the lack of opportunities for entry, via mentorship or training programmes, is significant. Here at Finura we are fortunate to offer apprentice and non-graduate roles, which are proving successful.

The traditional pathway can be overly complex and may limit opportunities for keen graduates to gain early client-facing experience. When I was seeking a graduate role, most recruiters advised that prior industry experience was required; the age-old conundrum.

To attract and retain top talent, we must create more effective avenues for early client exposure and career progression. Otherwise we risk losing talent to more visible industries, compounding the problems of an ageing cohort.

I get the sense there is a lack of visibility of what our industry is and does among people of my generation

Employers may fear that young advisers may not be taken seriously by clients, but this has not been my experience. Instead, firms should look at the future of financial advice and the types of client we are likely to serve. With the largest ever intergenerational wealth transfer on the horizon, and the alarming statistic that 92% of heirs change adviser once they receive an inheritance, advice firms should look to youth recruitment to capitalise on an advice proposition for the Millennial generation.

Younger clients tend to be more tech savvy and have often had exposure to DIY investing; they may feel they don’t need financial advice. But they respond well to having a peer at a similar life stage involved in their advice.

We will need a new generation of young advisers to serve them.

Samuel Allen is a chartered paraplanner at Finura

This article featured in the September 2024 edition of Money Marketing. 

If you would like to subscribe to the monthly magazine, please click here.

Women who say they had “intrusive” medical tests while working at Harrods are to make a complaint to the regulator about a doctor, says an ex-employee who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed.

The woman, known as Natacha, says the examinations carried out by Dr Ann Coxon were “wholly unnecessary”.

The doctor was one of at least two who are reported to have carried out the medical tests. Another, Wendy Snell, has since died.

Many of the women interviewed for the BBC documentary and podcast Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods said that when they had begun working for the London department store they had undergone medicals, including invasive sexual health tests.

They would be making a formal complaint to the General Medical Council (GMC).

Dr Coxon has been approached for comment.

Fayed, who died last year aged 94, was the owner of Harrods between 1985 and 2010.

He is accused of multiple rapes and sexual assaults by several women who worked for him – many of whom felt unable to report what had happened until recently.

Dozens more women have been in touch since the BBC programme aired last week.

Natacha, part of the Justice for Harrods survivors group, said Dr Coxon had questions to answer about the medical examinations that she carried out on behalf of Fayed.

“The examinations carried out by Dr Coxon were intrusive and wholly unnecessary,” Natacha said.

“They also resulted in many employees’, including my own, confidential medical information being inappropriately shared within Harrods. This should not have happened.”

She said the group would expect the regulator to investigate the allegations made in the BBC documentary.

A GMC spokesperson said the allegations relating to the medical staff were “deeply concerning”.

“If we identify any potential fitness to practise concerns about individual doctors, we will thoroughly examine all relevant information and take action as appropriate,” they added.

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PwC’s UK partners took home an average of £862,000 this year, a drop on the previous 12 months as sales growth at the Big Four firm slowed and rising costs dented profits.

Partners at the UK firm, which also encompasses its Middle East operations, received a 5 per cent pay cut on average as total revenue growth slowed to 9 per cent compared with 16 per cent in 2023 amid a more difficult economic backdrop.

The firm’s performance was bolstered by its business in the Middle East, which reported a 26 per cent surge in sales, compared with a rise of just 3 per cent in the UK.

Total profits for PwC UK also fell 14 per cent to £1.1bn during the year to June after staff costs swelled by nearly a fifth during the period. Total revenues for the year came in at £6.3bn.

PwC is the first of the Big Four to publish a breakdown of its UK results for the 2024 fiscal year. Rivals are also expected to report a slowdown in growth as a difficult economic environment prompted companies to cut spending.

Marco Amitrano, senior partner of the UK and Middle East firm, said: “We’ve achieved growth in a tough UK market while investing in the technology and skills that will help our clients evolve [and] improve how our people work . . . core services such as tax and audit have proven particularly resilient.”

THOUSANDS of people have just days left to apply for up to £400 free cash ahead of the winter.

The latest round of the Household Support Fund (HSF) is due to close on September 30, so if you’re eligible for help you need to make your application now.

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The HSF provides financial help to struggling households, and has been extended several times since it was first introduced by the Government in 2021.

The latest round saw £421million given to local councils to distribute to those most in need in their area.

The current round of funding is due to end on September 30 – but applications are still being accepted by some local authorities, so if you’re quick you can still get in.

Earlier this month, it was announced that funding would be extended for the sixth time.

The news means that thousands more will be able to access support when schemes reopen in October, with the new round of funding in place until April 2025. 

The support available through the HSF varies across the country and what you can access depends on where you live.

But funds could be paid out as a direct cash transfer or shopping vouchers.

The amount you receive is usually based on your financial circumstances and what benefits you receive.

For example, East Devon District Council is offering a one-off payment of £100 to households receiving full Housing Benefit or a full Council Tax reduction, with less than £3,000 in capital and someone living in the household who is disabled or a carer.

The cash is also available to care leavers in receipt of Council Tax relief or other benefits including discretionary Housing Benefit.

Meanwhile, Shropshire Council provided a one-off payment of £400 to households in receipt of Council Tax support with a dependant child.

Those eligible who have missed August’s payment run can still apply to have the funds added to their Council Tax account.

And Blackpool Council has already announced its support scheme will be extended until April 2025.

Households struggling with living costs could be able to access a £200 payment if there are one or two people living in their property, or £300 if three or more are resident.

To be eligible, applicants will need to be over the age of 16, experiencing financial hardship and responsible for paying energy bills.

Many councils have warned that funds many close early if all of the cash is allocated, and some have already stopped accepting new applicants.

But it’s always worth checking your local council and, if schemes are still open, it’s best to apply sooner rather than later before all the funding is gone.

Every council will receive funding from the HSF in the next round of support, so if you’re worried about making ends meet, keep checking your local council’s website for further details.

To find your local council, use the Government’s council locator tool.

What is the Household Support Fund?

The HSF was first set up in October 2021 and has now been extended six times.

Councils in England are now able to benefit from the latest round of funding which amounts to £421million.

Nationwide councils have received a portion of the cash to distribute to households in need.

But there is a postcode lottery to determine who qualifies and each local authority can set its own eligibility criteria.

Yet, if you have a limited amount of money or savings in the bank, or are deemed to be vulnerable or on benefits, you will probably qualify for help.

The HSF’s fifth round of funding will close on September 30, but the government has extended the scheme until April 2025 with the injection of a further £421million.

Applications may still be being accepted for the fifth round of funding, so it’s still worth checking with your local authority.

Councils will determine how the cash is distributed. For example, households in Leicestershire have been able to apply for a financial award of £300 per household, which was paid in the form of vouchers to support with gas, electricity and food.

The payment could be delivered as a Post Office voucher, which can be redeemed for cash to help with gas, electricity or water, or an e-voucher to help with food costs that can be converted to a gift card for major supermarkets.

Meanwhile, residents of Leeds could receive council tax support with those with dependent children able to claim up to £100, while those without children could receive £25.

You should get in touch with your local council to see if you might be eligible for help.

You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.

The help you can get varies, depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.

You may be able to receive free cash or vouchers to cover the cost of heating your home, or the weekly food grocery shop.

If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.

Additionally, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.

Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.

How do you apply?

To get the help, you’ll need to look it up with your council because local authorities are the ones responsible for distributing the funding.

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.

Once you’ve identified your local council, there should be information on how to apply for the funding online.

Every council has a separate application process, meaning specific details regarding how to apply depend on where you live.

The eligibility requirements to access the fund might vary in addition so it’s best to check with your local council for further details.

Some councils won’t need you to apply for help and will get in touch instead if you qualify.

If you can’t find any information on your council’s website, it’ s a good idea to call them and ask for further information.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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