![Rise in NI contributions would penalise the young – Financial Times](https://www.paulsweeting.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/FT_logo-500x675.png)
Rise in NI contributions would penalise the young – Financial Times
A recent report from the Government Actuary's Department suggested that National Insurance contributions would need to rise significantly to cover the increased cost of state pensions. This would be unfair - in essence, it would mean taxing a generation...
![A late Christmas present for ERM students](https://www.paulsweeting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/front-image2-500x675.png)
A late Christmas present for ERM students
As you might have seen, I've finally updated my website, www.paulsweeting.com. This is where I will be adding blog posts on various topics, but there is also something new: an education section allowing students of ST9 - the enterprise risk management...
![The reluctant leader](https://www.paulsweeting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hokusai_leader-500x675.png)
The reluctant leader
This summer I took over as head of actuarial science at the University of Kent. I have to admit, part of me was not looking forward to this. I returned to full-time academia to teach and to carry out research, not to get involved in management and...
![Money Box Live: the Cost of Means Testing – BBC Radio 4](https://www.paulsweeting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/moneybox_live-500x675.png)
Money Box Live: the Cost of Means Testing – BBC Radio 4
Many of our welfare benefits are means tested, you're able to claim them only when your income and capital (your means) fall below a certain limit. This financial test aims to ensure that public funds are given to those who need it most and it's been argued that the...
![The (un)importance of cash flows](https://www.paulsweeting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/pexels-photo-355288_crop-500x675.png)
The (un)importance of cash flows
I'm seeing a lot of discussion on defined benefit cash flows at the moment. Some of the commentary on the importance of cash flows is sensible; some is questionable; and some is plain wrong. What do we mean by cash flows? When talking about cash flows for a defined...