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Real lives,
real advice
St. James’s Place Annual Report and Accounts 2025
Real lives, real advice
In 2025 we shared fresh insight through
our second Real Life Advice report series,
which explores the when, what and how of
accessing financial advice, and the impact
it can have on people’s lives and personal
wellbeing. The report’s findings are brought
to life through the diverse experiences of our
clients and advisers.
Find out more about our research
sjp.co.uk/real-life-advice
Over a million clients trust us to help them navigate a complex
and turbulent world so they can enjoy life, feeling supported
at every stage. Our Partnership approach provides them with
personal advice to make the most of their options, backed by
scale and expertise to secure their goals.
About this report
This Annual Report and Accounts provides
information on our operating and financial
performance for 2025, and provides detail
on our strategy and corporate governance.
Throughout this report you will find
indicators to additional content, data
and insights, denoted by these icons:
Additional content in this report
Additional content from external sources
Reporting suite
Our wider reporting suite provides
additional information and disclosures,
including our sustainability report. These
are available online in the shareholders
section of our website.
Our reports, presentations and webcasts
sjp.co.uk/shareholders/reports-
presentations-webcasts
What we do
We’re the UK’s leading provider of advice-led wealth management.
We provide over one million clients with financial advice, long-
term investment products and investment management as part
of a single service.
Why we are here
Our purpose is to empower clients with invaluable advice to realise
bolder ambitions. Our client focus and collective, unwavering belief
in the value of advice is what drives everyone in the SJP community.
Our business model on page 08
How we deliver
We deliver invaluable advice to clients through our Partnership of
4,934 financial advisers, the largest network in the UK. They build
long-term, trusted relationships with clients, helping them to
navigate through every stage of their life journey.
Our strategy on page 15
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Contents
Chair’s report 04
Market overview 06
Business model 08
Our equity story 12
Chief Executive Officer’s report 13
Our strategy 15
Our stakeholder engagement 20
Section 172(1) statement 22
Chief Financial Officer’s report 23
Financial review 26
Risk and control management 33
Our responsible business 39
Non-financial and sustainability
information statement 52
Approval of the strategic report 53
Corporate governance report 55
Leadership and purpose in action 56
Our Board of Directors 56
Our governance framework 59
Decision-making within our framework 60
The operation and dynamics of our Board 61
Roles and responsibilities 61
Our Board in action 63
Composition, success and evaluation 65
Continued development of our Board 65
Report of the Group Nomination
and Governance Committee 68
Report of the Group Audit Committee 71
Report of the Group Risk Committee 80
Report of the Group Remuneration Committee 84
Directors’ report 121
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 126
Independent Auditors’ report to
the members of St. James’s Place plc 128
Consolidated financial statements prepared
under International Financial Reporting
Standards as adopted by the United Kingdom 135
Notes to the consolidated financial
statements under International
Financial Reporting Standards 139
Parent Company financial statements
under Financial Reporting Standard 101 194
Shareholder information 201
How to contact us and our advisers 202
Aligning our progress with
recognised frameworks 203
Full emissions disclosure 207
Glossary of alternative
performance measures 208
Supplementary information: Cash result 211
Glossary of terms 213
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
01
Strategic report
03
Gover nance
54
Financial statements
127
Other information
200
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Highlights of the year
Our business performance in 2025 has been strong from both an operational and a financial perspective. This is testament to the strength
of the relationships our advisers have with clients, the invaluable advice they provide, and the long-term nature of our client proposition.
£220.0bn
Funds under management (FUM)
Up 16% from £190.2 billion at
31 December 2024
Funds under management Clients Strategic progress
1,037,000
Number of clients
2024: 1 million+
Implemented our simple,
comparable charging structure,
with advisers and clients
successfully adapting to it
Good progress made with
our review of historic ongoing
service evidence and our cost
and efficiency programme
Launch of Polaris Multi-Index
fund range in October, which
grew to over £1 billion in funds
under management by the
end of the year
94.9%
Client FUM retention rate
1
2024: 94.5%
77%
Client advocacy
3
2024: 79%
Financials
£531.4m
IFRS profit after tax
2024: £398.4 million
£462.3m
Underlying cash result
2
Up 3% from £447.2 million in 2024
Employees
ESG ratings
90%
Core UK employee retention rate,
excluding redundancies
2024: 93%
1 Our client FUM retention rate is calculated allowing
for surrenders and part-surrenders. It excludes
regular income withdrawals and maturities.
2 The Underlying cash result is an alternative
performance measure (APM). The glossary of
alternative performance measures defines this
APM and explains why it is useful. The Underlying
cash result is reconciled to International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the financial review.
3 Client survey results from 19,300 responses
throughout 2025. See our responsible business
section for further information on the client survey.
4 As of June 2025, St. James’s Place Plc received an
ESG Risk Rating of 15.3 from Sustainalytics and was
assessed to be at low risk of experiencing material
financial impacts from ESG factors. See full
Sustainalytics disclaimer on page 204.
5 In 2026, St. James’s Place plc received a rating of AAA (on
a scale of AAA-CCC) in the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment.
See MSCI disclaimer statement on page 204.
12.4%
Net investment return as
percentage of opening FUM
2024: 10.5%
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
£154.0bn
£148.4bn
£168.2bn
£220.0bn
£190.2bn
Overall percentile
rank: 92%
ESG risk rating: Low
4
MSCI ESG rating: AAA
5
02
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
90%
78%
79%
77%
79%
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Find out more in our Real Life Advice
Report sjp.co.uk/real-life-advice
95%
of people receiving ongoing financial
advice say it helps them reach and
stay on track against their goals
Find out more about the value
of financial advice on page 09
Real advice
that enabled Adam
to stay ahead of
the game
18-year-old Adam Maca recognises that boxing isn’t a
long career. Long-term financial planning has helped
Adam understand and plan a financially secure
position for retirement.
Watch and read Adam’s and other stories
sjp.co.uk/client-stories
Strategic report
Chair’s report 04
Market overview 06
Business model 08
Our equity story 12
Chief Executive Officer’s report 13
Our strategy 15
Our stakeholder engagement 20
Section 172(1) statement 22
Chief Financial Officer’s report 23
Financial review 26
Risk and control management 33
Our responsible business 39
Non-financial and sustainability
information statement 52
Approval of the strategic report 53
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
03
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Financial statements
Other information
Chair’s report
Focused on delivery
We have made good progress
in 2025, repositioning the
business to maximise the
significant opportunity in the
wealth management market.
Our key focus has been on delivery of the
change programmes we outlined last year.
The Board’s oversight has been important
in ensuring alignment with the Group’s
objectives and stated purpose and making
sure we performed well for our stakeholders.
Our refreshed Executive team has completed
significant programmes of work, including
the successful implementation of our
simple, comparable charging structure
and our organisational redesign. These
and other projects have been completed
whilst maintaining sound underlying
business performance that demonstrates
the power of our proposition and the need
for financial advice.
The Board and governance
Helen Beck and Penny James joined the
Board during 2025, succeeding the chairs of
the Group Remuneration and Risk Committees
respectively. Both have brought experience
and diverse perspectives to the Board, gained
during their extensive executive and non-
executive careers. We have also seen the
membership of the Group Executive Committee
refreshed in the last 18 months. The Board has
welcomed the new executives and will be
closely overseeing both their performance
and the establishment of future succession
plans to ensure we build a strong pipeline of
potential future executives.
Rosemary Hilary retired from the Board at
the end of 2025, and I would like to express
the Board’s gratitude for her important
contribution over the last few years. I am
delighted to also welcome Evelyn Bourke,
who will be joining the Board on 1 March 2026.
More detail on succession planning and the
appointment process can be found in the
report of the Group Nomination and
Governance Committee.
The Board believes that a healthy culture,
underpinned by good governance, is
essential if SJP is to deliver the right outcomes
for stakeholders. Good governance is the
Board’s responsibility. We want to ensure a
performance-oriented culture, but also one
that involves transparency and accountability
throughout the business. During 2025, the
Board has strengthened our governance
framework by establishing clearer rules and
guidelines, and supporting employees to
understand and embrace the benefits
of effective governance.
“During the year the Board has played a
key oversight role in the delivery of change
at SJP, ensuring alignment with our
objectives and purpose.
Paul Manduca
Chair
04
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
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Other information
…aligned with our objectives and purpose
The Board’s priorities and our strategy
There have been significant government
and regulatory interventions in 2025 to
improve consumer access to retail investing
opportunities, and many of these developments
will start to be delivered publicly from 2026.
The Board believes that SJP has an important
role to play as the leading wealth manager
in the UK and we have proactively engaged
in programmes of work such as the Advice
Guidance Boundary Review, reform of risk
warnings, and the UK Retail Investment
Campaign. We are determined that even
those who do not receive or cannot afford
financial advice should be helped to make
better financial decisions, which will see them
become more financially resilient. However,
we still see a significant opportunity for more
people to receive financial advice to help
them navigate a complex world and plan
for their financial futures.
We believe that the refreshed strategy we
outlined last year will enable us to strengthen
our support to advisers and existing clients,
as well as helping us reach more people in
need of advice. Overseeing the delivery of
that strategy, as we move from the ‘Strengthen’
to the ‘Amplify’ phase, remains a key priority
and focus of the Board. See our ‘Strategy at a
glance’ summary on page 15 for further detail.
How we lead, govern and incentivise our
people directly impacts and influences
outcomes for our stakeholders, most notably
clients. Alongside the enhancement of our
governance framework there has been
considerable focus on our people. Listening
carefully to colleagues helps us gain a deeper
understanding of their working experience,
influencing our approach to areas such as
diversity, equity and inclusion. The perception
is often that the financial services sector lacks
diversity. We know there is much still to do,
but the make-ups of our Board and executive
team now better reflect our workforce, the
Partnership and our client base.
Shareholder returns
Shareholder returns proposed by the Board
for 2025 are in line with our current guidance
that the ordinary shareholder payout will be
set at 50% of the full-year Underlying cash
result. Alongside ordinary shareholder returns
we are returning amounts released from our
Ongoing Service Evidence provision during
the year.
In addition, I’m pleased that the Board has
been able to update our shareholder returns
guidance for the 2026 financial year and
beyond, a year earlier than originally planned.
From 2026, the Board intends to return 70%
of the full-year Underlying cash result to
shareholders.
Full details of shareholder returns for 2025,
2026 and beyond, can be found in the
Chief Financial Officer’s report.
Concluding remarks
I would like to express my thanks to the Board
and management for their continued support
and hard work during 2025. On behalf of the
Board, I would also like to express gratitude
to our advisers and employees for their
continued strong performance. Although
I have touched upon some of the key areas
of the Board’s activity in 2025 above, I would
also encourage you to read the corporate
governance report, which provides more
detail. I look forward to welcoming
shareholders to this year’s Annual General
Meeting, which will be held in Cirencester
on 30 April 2026.
Paul Manduca
Chair
24 February 2026
2025 key Board priorities
Launch of the Group’s simple,
comparable charging structure
Our organisational redesign
and broader cost and
efficiency programme
Ongoing Service Evidence
programme delivery
2026 key Board priorities
Strengthening our fundamentals
to prepare for the move to our
Amplify’ phase of strategy
Evolution of our Group culture,
becoming more performance-
focused
Oversight of client proposition
developments to further drive
good client outcomes
See the Corporate Governance Report on
page 55 for more insights into the Board’s
key highlights, activities and our
compliance with the UK Corporate
Governance Code 2024
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
05
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Other information
Market overview
UK consumers need help to make better financial decisions…
The UK wealth management market is large and growing…
There are three key gaps shaping the wealth management landscape.
Investment
gap
Too many UK consumers hold excessive
amounts of wealth in cash, rather than
investing for the long term. Barclays
estimates that there is over £600 billion
of excess cash which could be invested,
and this total is growing. It means
households miss out on the potential
for higher returns, and they are exposed
to greater inflation risk. This investment
gap is driven by:
A lack of understanding about the
need to take risk to achieve higher
returns
UK consumers exercising caution
when it comes to their finances.
Advice gap
During 2024 only 9% of UK adults received
regulated financial advice. There are many
more who would benefit from advice, but
are unable to access it. This advice gap is
exacerbated by a shortfall in the number
of financial advisers in the UK and
increasing demand for financial advice to
help consumers navigate a complex world,
characterised by:
Geopolitical and macroeconomic
uncertainty
The proliferation of investment
information available to consumers
Tax and pension planning complexity.
Retirement
savings gap
The long-term shift from defined
benefit pension schemes to defined
contribution schemes means that
many people are not setting aside
enough money for a comfortable
retirement. This is known as the
retirement savings gap, and it has
stark consequences. Per a recent
Scottish Widows report:
39% of people are on track for a less
than minimum lifestyle in retirement
27% are concerned they will need
to work for longer than they would
like to ensure they have sufficient
savings
15% do not expect ever to be able
to retire.
Growth
opportunities
The Government and FCA –
alongside the wider industry – are
committed to addressing these gaps
as policy priorities, adding stability
to the market.
£3.5tn
in invested assets
1
+ =
£2.1tn
in cash savings
1
£5.6tn
Total, expected to grow
c.6% annually to 2030
1
1 Invested assets includes bonds, equities, mutual funds, DC pensions
(in accumulation) and other invested assets. Cash savings includes time
deposits, sight deposits and NS&I accounts. Source: Global Data, ONS
Reports, Investment Association report, Statista, NS&I, Bank of England.
£614bn
of excess cash held
by UK consumers
2
9%
of UK adults received regulated
financial advice in the 12 months
to May 2024
3
39%
of people are on track for a less than
minimum lifestyle in retirement
4
2 Barclays, ‘UK investment gap swells
to over £610 billion’, 15 September 2025. 3 FCA’s ‘Financial Lives’ May 2024 survey. 4 Scottish Widows’ Retirement Report, 2025.
06
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
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Market overview
…creating growth opportunities for our advice-led business
We are the UK’s leading advice‑led
wealth manager with a trusted brand
The gaps in the landscape provide significant growth opportunities for our business
and we are capitalising on these opportunities.
Opportunity presented
by the investment gap
Redirecting even a portion of
over £600 billion of excess cash
into productive investments
represents a major opportunity
to help UK consumers make
better financial decisions,
and to grow our business.
How we’re addressing
the opportunity
Through the Partnership we are
educating and coaching clients
on the need to invest to grow their
wealth, and we provide an end-to-
end service to advise, manage, and
protect their wealth
Continuing to champion investing
through advertising, media
appearances and proprietary
research
Participating in the Investment
Association-led Retail Investment
Campaign, and the industry working
group on risk warnings prior to
making an investment.
Opportunity presented
by the advice gap
As the largest provider of advice-
led wealth management in the
UK with 4,934 advisers, we are
ideally placed to grow our client
base, providing financial advice
to help more people to secure
their financial futures.
How we’re addressing
the opportunity
We are providing superior support
to our 4,934 advisers to ensure they
can work as productively as possible,
enabling them to support more clients
Training the next generation of financial
advisers in the UK through our award-
winning Academy, the largest adviser
training programme in the country
Continuing to raise our profile and
champion financial advice
Supporting the FCA’s Advice Guidance
Boundary Review work, constructively
engaging in consultations on targeted
support to ensure it’s designed as a
useful tool to help consumers make
better financial decisions.
Opportunity presented
by the retirement
savings gap
Pensions are a core part of our
business, making up over 50% of
our funds under management.
Our advisers help clients to
understand what they have
saved, bring pension pots
together, and create a plan for
a sustainable retirement every
day, and so we are ideally placed
to help more people plan for a
comfortable retirement.
How we’re addressing
the opportunity
The investment and advice gaps
fuel the size of the retirement savings
gap, and so all measures set out
to enable us to capitalise on the
investment and advice gap
opportunities equally apply here.
Competition
Alongside the significant market
opportunities, we are aware of evolving
competitive dynamics. There are a wide
range of different options available to
consumers looking to manage their wealth,
from D2C platforms to banks keen to
expand their financial advice capabilities
to insurance companies. Digital-led offerings
are increasingly available, and AI usage to
help manage and plan financial affairs is
on the rise. These solutions can effectively
serve segments of the market, particularly
those with simpler financial affairs or those
with lower amounts of investable assets.
Our strength remains holistic financial advice
built on trusted, long-term relationships,
primarily helping those with more complex
or higher value financial affairs. The human
element is very important here, adding
material value to clients. We focus on
ensuring that our advisers have the digital
and AI tools needed to best serve their
clients, using technology to strengthen
relationships between advisers and clients
- not replace them.
The market is seeing increased consolidation
of independent financial advisers and
smaller advice firms, in part due to the
increased regulatory expectations for
advice firms which require significant time
and resource to meet. This increases barriers
to entry for new players, as does the fact
that holistic financial advice is people-led:
building a scale workforce of advisers
is challenging, underlining the value of
our Partnership.
+20%
Serving over 20% of UK
adults who receive advice
1
c.10%
Managing c.10% of all
advised invested wealth
2
1 FCA’s ‘Financial Lives’ May 2024 survey, SJP client data.
2 Global Data, ONS Reports, Investment Association
report, Statista, NS&I, Bank of England, SJP FUM data.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
07
Strategic report
Governance
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Clients
We empower clients
with invaluable
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bolder ambitions
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Business model
We have a distinct and successful business model
Our advice‑led wealth management business…
…and strategic focus…
Underpinned by a risk-aware culture, an effective control environment,
rigorous governance and a responsible business mindset
Our strategy provides a clear path
forward so we can drive great outcomes
for our clients and all our stakeholders.
It is underpinned by our purpose –
to empower clients with invaluable
advice to realise bolder ambitions
which is what drives everyone in
the SJP community. This strategy
is based on four pillars, and sees
us strengthen our fundamentals
and drive sustained growth.
Brilliant Basics
Differentiated
Client Proposition
Leading Adviser Offering
Performance Focused
Organisation
Read more about our strategy
on pages 15 to 19
Our clients
An end-to-end,
integrated proposition
focused on great
long-term outcomes
94.9%
FUM retention
rate in 2025
(2024: 94.5%)
Our Partnership
Superior support to build
great businesses over the
long term, and realise
their value
4,934
advisers
(2024: 4,920)
Our employees
Empowered and engaged
colleagues who build
responsible relationships
66%
employee
engagement
(2024: 72%)
1
Society
Create a positive and
lasting impact on the
world around us
£6.7m
raised in 2025 for
the St. James’s Place
Charitable Foundation
2
(2024: £9.0 million)
Our shareholders
Long-term sustainable
growth in funds under
management and
financial results
£462.3m
Underlying cash
result in 2025
(2024: £447.2m)
1 The metrics which contribute to the employee engagement
score have changed year on year.
2 With Company matching.
…creates benefits for our stakeholders
08
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
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Other information
The value of financial advice
Our advisers build long-term relationships with clients to understand
their needs and ambitions, providing them with invaluable advice and
building a holistic financial plan that keeps them on track for the future.
With ongoing advice, our advisers review clients’
financial plans and help them to:
Plan for what matters – whether that’s
a comfortable retirement, helping family,
or protection from the unexpected.
Make more of their money – by matching
clients’ investments to their goals.
Keep more of what they earn – by making full
use of financial products and tax allowances.
Stay on track – when markets wobble or
there’s Budget speculation, advisers remind
clients why they’re investing and stop them
making knee-jerk decisions. Our recent
Real Life Advice Report found that 95% of
individuals say that taking ongoing financial
advice helps them stay on track.
Research suggests that people who receive
financial advice are typically better off than
those who do not receive financial advice.
1
Financial advice supports financial wellbeing,
and peace of mind, and can help turn people
in the UK from savers into investors. This is
critical given the long-term outperformance
of risk-based investing compared to cash
and savings rates.
As well as measurable financial benefits,
advice also provides the reassurance of
knowing that your savings are working
hard for you and your loved ones.
How we are driving awareness of financial advice through
leading the conversation in UK wealth management
Promoting financial advice
Using our position as the UK’s leading advice-led
wealth manager, we champion financial advice
and the wide-ranging benefits it provides. The
more people understand the value of financial
advice, the more the advised wealth market
will grow, which is positive for the industry and
the UK economy as a whole.
During 2025 we shared fresh insights into the
benefits of financial advice through the second
iteration of our Real Life Advice Report. This
proprietary research explored topics including
the role of advice in providing confidence and
optimism in an uncertain world, and shaping
the financial relationships of the future.
Working with Government and regulators
By leveraging our expertise and building trusted
relationships with policy stakeholders, we give
SJP a voice at the table on issues that matter
to us and to society. This helps us to shape the
public policy agenda, mitigate risks, and drive
meaningful change to the benefit of wider society.
A top policy issue impacting the wealth
management sector is how best to address the
advice gap. We have played an integral role on
the Advice Guidance Boundary Review industry
working group, including participating in the
FCA-led targeted support sprint this year, and
we continue to engage constructively with
consultations as plans take shape.
We are strong advocates of financial advice… …and champion closing the investment, advice
and retirement savings gaps
40%
of consumers who don’t invest say a lack
of knowledge is a key barrier to investing
2
95%
of people say that taking financial advice
helps them stay on track
3
93%
of investors believe having a human to talk
to is extremely important
4
91%
of people say financial advice they
received was helpful in managing their
money
5
1 Examples include: Vanguard, Quantifying Adviser’s
Alpha in the UK: Putting a value on your value, June
2025; What it’s worth – revisiting the value of financial
advice, ILC, November 2019.
Business model
Financial advice
2 FCA, PS25/22.
3 Real Life Advice Report 2025.
4 Client Connect: The Vanguard Advice Survey 2025.
5 The Lang Cat, The Advice Gap 2025.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Core product range
Long-term investment products
Business model
We offer a broad range of long-term investment products designed to support our clients throughout their financial journey.
These enable our advisers to deliver comprehensive financial planning tailored to individual needs and life stages.
Discretionary fund
management (DFM)
For clients with more bespoke investment
needs, we offer discretionary fund
management services. These provide
a more personalised approach to
investment management. While DFM
assets are included in our FUM, they
are managed distinctly from our core
investment management approach.
Complementary
solutions
To ensure our advisers can deliver
truly holistic financial planning, we
also offer access to a curated range
of third-party products from outside
the SJP Group. These include:
Mortgages
Life insurance
Banking services
Specialist tax-advantaged
investments, such as Enterprise
Investment Schemes (EIS).
Investments in these third-party
products do not form part of our FUM,
but they play a vital role in helping
clients achieve their broader financial
objectives.
Pensions
Designed to help clients build savings
for retirement in a tax-efficient manner.
Investment bonds
A flexible investment option, often
used as part of tax planning strategies.
Individual Savings
Accounts (ISAs)
A simple and tax-efficient way to
invest, with easy access and transfer
options.
Most of these products are structured within tax-efficient wrappers, helping clients
make the most of available tax reliefs while growing their wealth. When clients invest in
these products, their assets become part of our funds under management (FUM), which
are managed through our distinctive investment management approach (outlined on
page 11).
Unit trusts
Typically used within stocks and
shares ISAs, or independently, for
clients seeking medium- to long-
term growth and income.
SJP advisers
Access to our core products is exclusively through SJP advisers. This ensures clients receive
expert financial planning advice and invest in solutions that align with their long-term financial goals.
10
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Long-term investment products Investment management
Business model
We build investment solutions. As the main driver of both opportunity and risk, asset allocation is the cornerstone of our process. We then select
who we consider to be the best investment managers from around the world, bringing together their expertise and our own to create our funds.
This creates our
range of solutions
Funds of funds
Polaris, Polaris Multi‑Index & InRetirement
Client investment is made into a single
fund which invests in other funds. These
are ready-made packages of our most
sophisticated investment thinking.
The funds are automatically rebalanced,
ensuring that asset allocations remain
aligned to the investment objective and
the risk profile remains consistent.
Individual funds
Building blocks
Client investment goes into individual funds
covering anything from UK stocks to global
smaller companies.
Some use one manager, others several
managers working together.
These can help target very specific
investment goals or markets – on their
own or as part of a portfolio.
We are
Builders of solutions
We offer diversified multi-asset funds and
portfolios. These are carefully constructed
with our disciplined asset allocation,
expert fund manager selection and
robust governance.
Experts selecting experts
Our reach and research mean we can
access a deep bank of world-class fund
managers – no matter where they
are based.
Focused on choice and value
Leveraging our position as one of the UK’s
largest wealth managers, we offer our
clients a range of competitively priced
investment options spanning regions,
asset classes, investment styles and
outcomes.
What we do…
We design portfolios suitable
for clients’ long-term objectives.
We decide which asset classes
to invest in over time.
We select the strategies and
managers to populate our portfolios.
We adhere to a strong, robust
and repeatable process.
Our core principles
All of our funds and solutions are built using a set of core principles.
These are the foundation of all our investment decisions.
Client focus
Meeting client goals is the
cornerstone of everything we do.
Diversification
Providing exposure to different
asset classes and strategies
improves portfolio outcomes.
Active views
Evidence-based, active decisions
can improve client outcomes.
Discipline
Understanding and managing
behaviour is critical to long-term
investment success.
Our portfolio construction
Top down
Asset allocation
Bottom up
Select
Monitor
Change
Opportunity – and risk – comes from what
we invest in and where we invest. Short-term
events and noise can distract. This is why
we take a longer view of markets, formed
by many factors, led by valuations.
We use external managers from around the
world. We have relationships with some 50
different fund groups based in the UK, Europe,
Asia and the US. We place a significant emphasis
on the investment philosophy, process, people
and culture of the firms we select.
Polaris 1 - 4
each outperformed
their IA sector
benchmark over
three years to
31 December 2025
£1bn+
FUM in Polaris
Multi‑Index
two months post
launch
1,000+
Third‑party
investment manager
meetings in 2025
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Our equity story
Why invest in SJP?
We are the UK’s leading provider of advice-led wealth management. We are continuously evolving to ensure we are best placed to capitalise on the
compelling market opportunity in our industry, as we look to help more people secure their long-term financial futures. We are positioning for further success.
Watch our video at sjp.co.uk/equity-story
Our ambitions
Leading adviser
advocacy
c.95% annual
client retention
Doubling the
Underlying cash result
between 2023 and 2030
Mid‑ to high‑single‑
digit annual FUM
growth
High‑performing,
empowered and
engaged colleagues
Established market leader of
advice‑led wealth management
operating in a structurally growing
market
The market is forecast to grow 6% per annum compound
to 2030, supported by a growing need for advice
We currently have a 10% market share of the £2.0 trillion
advised wealth market, and are well-positioned to
capture further growth as the trusted home of financial
advice
Highly cash‑generative,
compounding value creation via
disciplined capital allocation,
including reliable shareholder
returns
We are returning 50% of the Underlying post-tax cash
result to shareholders for 2025
We are increasing our ordinary shareholder returns
payout ratio to 70% of the Underlying cash result for
2026 and beyond
See the Chief Financial Officer’s report for more
information
Strong market position
underpinned our leading
professional advice network
the Partnership
The largest professional advice network in the UK
Comprised of nearly 5,000 advisers who collectively
service more than 1 million clients, predominantly in
the mass affluent and high-net-worth space
The trusted, long-term relationships between clients
and advisers mean we have an unbroken track record
of delivering net inflows through the cycle
Benefitting from scale advantage
and unparalleled insight into the
evolving needs of our client base
As the leading advice-led wealth manager in the UK
with a trusted and respected brand, we benefit from
scale advantage. This creates operating leverage
We have the scale and capability to work alongside
leading third-parties, including technology vendors
This is coupled with invaluable client insights gained
from working closely with the Partnership
Capital‑light asset gathering
model, ensuring sustainable
growth and capacity to invest
This enables us to invest in our strategy to drive future
growth, for example developing our adviser and client
offerings and our technology stack
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2025 has been a year of strong delivery and execution…
Chief Executive Officer’s report
2025 was a year defined by delivery.
We entered the year with clear
priorities and the conviction to
keep driving good outcomes for the
more than one million clients who
rely on our advice. We exit the year
stronger having delivered growth
in new business and funds under
management (FUM) alongside
making strategic progress. We
are well positioned to further
our leadership as the home of
financial advice.
Macroeconomic backdrop
2025 offered a more stable backdrop for UK
consumers, though challenges persisted.
Interest rates began to move lower, creating
a more supportive environment for long-term
planning. Equity markets reached all-time
highs, but volatility remained, influenced
by global trade tensions and uncertainty
around UK fiscal policy. With household
budgets still under pressure from elevated
living costs and the economic outlook
uncertain, consumer confidence has been
fragile. In this environment, many individuals
sought reassurance and clarity through
professional financial advice, reinforcing the
value of trusted relationships and disciplined
financial planning.
Operating performance
We achieved strong operating performance
in 2025. Gross inflows of £21.9 billion were 19%
higher than 2024, reflecting strong underlying
demand for financial advice and a healthy
level of engagement between our advisers
and clients. Retention improved to 94.9%,
despite being impacted in the latter part
of the year by heightened short-term
withdrawals linked to pre-Budget speculation
around pensions tax-free cash allowances.
Net inflows were £6.2 billion for the year,
representing 3.2% of opening FUM.
Investment outcomes
Our investment approach continued to deliver
for clients. In 2025, performance across our
range of funds represented an investment
return of 12% of opening FUM net of all charges.
High valuations and concentration risk,
especially in the US market, were a concern for
our Investment team in 2025 and they remain
so heading into 2026. Through the past year,
valuations led to significant differences in
performance between regions. Because
of these differences, active management
became especially valuable and our
investment team found good opportunities in
places offering better relative value such as
Japan, the UK, emerging markets, and Europe.
The past year marked the third anniversary
of our flagship £94 billion Polaris range, which
is a great example of our capability to deliver
at scale. From their launch to the end of 2025
the four risk-rated funds (1-4) have delivered
annualised returns of 8%, 10%, 12% and 14%,
respectively, net of fund charges. We’re
delighted at the positive impact these funds,
which are exclusively available to SJP clients,
have had on clients’ financial wellbeing.
Financial performance
A strong year for operating and investment
performance was mirrored by strong financial
results. Our Underlying cash result of
£462.3 million was 3% higher than we
achieved in 2024, reflecting growth in FUM
and new business alongside disciplined cost
control, partly offset by the short-term impact
of moving to our new charging structure.
The Board is pleased that the combination
of another strong financial outcome together
with good operational and strategic progress,
has enabled us to update shareholder returns
guidance a year earlier than originally planned.
For financial year 2026 and beyond, we
intend to increase total annual shareholder
distributions to 70% of the Underlying cash
result. This is expected to comprise both
ordinary dividends and share buy-backs.
More information is set out in the Chief
Financial Officer’s (CFO’s) report.
Championing financial advice
Many UK consumers are not taking enough
investment risk or setting aside enough for
a comfortable retirement, and nor are they
receiving the professional advice that would
support them with their finances. To put this
into some context, Barclays estimates that
there is £614 billion of excess cash held by UK
individuals while Scottish Widows estimates
that 39% of people are not on track for a
comfortable retirement. Yet only 9% of adults
in the UK are taking financial advice today.
These issues are widely recognised by the
government, regulators and the wealth
management industry. Helping people to
invest and grow their finances, represents
a major opportunity for our industry. As the
clear market leader, we have the scale,
expertise, experience and trusted brand
to lead real, positive change for the UK.
Our achievements in 2025 are a
testament to the enduring and growing
need for what we provide – trusted
financial advice - delivered through
our unique Partnership model.
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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…and we look to the future with confidence
Chief Executive Officer’s report
We are passionate advocates for holistic
financial advice and the wide-ranging benefits
it brings, although we recognise that it is not
available or appropriate for all. As a result,
we support other initiatives which aim to help
consumers make better financial decisions.
We have constructively engaged in consultations
and industry discussions on the targeted
support measures within the FCA’s Advice
Guidance Boundary Review, and we are pleased
to be part of the Investment Association-led
UK Retail Investment Campaign, which aims
to get consumers’ money working harder by
promoting the benefits of retail investing.
We are also continuing to use our voice
to share proprietary insights through our Real
Life Advice and Financial Health reports. These
help us drive positive debate around personal
finances, and the range of invaluable
solutions available to people today.
Strategic delivery – strengthening
our fundamentals
When I first set out our refreshed strategy in
July 2024, I committed to make SJP simpler,
more efficient, and more transparent. This was
about first strengthening our fundamentals so
that we could amplify our growth ambitions
from 2027 onwards. I am pleased to report
that we made substantial progress in 2025.
1. Delivering our new charging structure
Our simple, comparable charging structure
went live from 26 August 2025. This was a
significant change that was carefully planned
and successfully executed. We now operate
with a charging structure that makes it easier
for clients to understand our charges and
assess value across our holistic proposition.
We’re very pleased with how our business and
advisers have adapted to this new structure,
and we’re excited by the long-term
opportunity it brings as we attract new
advisers and clients to the business.
2. Delivering cost efficiencies and our
Ongoing Service Evidence (OSE) programme
We progressed our multi-year programme
to reshape our cost base for the future and
remain on track to remove around £100 million
from addressable costs by 2027. During 2025,
we completed the implementation of a new
organisational design, reduced our property
footprint and began optimising our
commercial relationships with suppliers. This
has enabled SJP to become more efficient
and better structured to deliver on our growth
ambitions, alongside creating capacity to
significantly increase investment spend.
During 2025 we also made good progress with
our OSE programme, which has resulted in two
releases from the associated provision - full
details are set out in the CFO’s report. With the
business deep into the operational phase of
this complex project, we remain confident
that we will complete the exercise in 2026.
3. Delivering a broader investment shelf
We capitalised on our new charging structure
being in place by launching the Polaris
Multi-Index range of funds in October. This
range of lower-cost multi-asset funds of
funds implements our active asset allocation
expertise through index-tracking funds. They
complement our existing range of solutions,
enhancing choice for clients across risk
profiles, and have been well received by
advisers and clients. FUM in Polaris Multi-Index
surpassed the £1 billion mark by the end of
the year, only two months after launch. By
broadening our investment product shelf
we’re helping advisers in their conversations
with existing and potential clients, deepening
the positive impact they can have.
2026 priorities
As we look ahead, our focus in 2026 is on
continuing to strengthen our fundamentals
so we are ready to execute the next phase
of our strategy with pace and confidence.
This means completing our major
transformation programmes, continuing
to simplify and standardise our processes,
improving administration and embedding
more automation. This will improve client
experiences and enhance efficiency for
our advisers. We will also embed a more
performance-focused culture.
Ensuring we continue to provide a leading
adviser offering, with advisers able to build
bigger, better businesses within the SJP
Partnership than outside of it will be a key
focus. We will be evolving the range of support
we offer our 4,934 advisers by extending our
investment into trialling additional technology
tools designed to streamline processes,
reduce administrative burden, and boost
day-to-day efficiency.
We already have a range of AI-enabled and
digital tools which we’ve introduced or piloted.
These include tools which respond to questions
on our advice framework and business
submission processes. We are also rolling out
tools to capture client-adviser conversations
and turn them into structured and compliant
ready-to-use reports. In 2026 we will continue
to build on this range. The goal is simple: to free
up more time for advisers to focus on what
they do best — building trust, deepening client
relationships, and delivering personalised,
high-quality advice. This will improve the
great service they already provide to clients
and enable them to reach more clients,
growing their businesses and growing our
business. We see technology strengthening
the human relationships between clients
and advisers, not replacing them.
We have a really privileged position here.
As the market leader, we have the scale and
capability to work alongside leading global
technology vendors as we leverage their
expertise. We are combining this with the
practical, end-user focused insight that only
we can get from working day in, day out with
nearly five thousand advisers across the UK.
While the ‘Amplify’ phase of our strategy
formally begins from 2027, we will selectively
accelerate elements of this work where we have
capacity. In 2026, this includes refreshing our
cash proposition for clients and enhancing our
high-net-worth proposition to offer a dedicated,
bespoke service to clients in that space.
Summary and outlook
2025 was a year of significant progress for SJP.
We strengthened and improved our business
for the future and delivered growth in new
business, growth in FUM, and growth in the
Underlying cash result. At the same time
we delivered strong returns for our clients.
Our achievements in 2025 are a testament to
the enduring and growing need for what we
provide – trusted financial advice – delivered
through our unique Partnership model. They
are also testament to the unwavering effort
and commitment of everyone in the SJP
community, to deliver for clients and position
the business for continued success.
We look to the future with confidence.
While the external consumer outlook remains
uncertain, the changes we have already
made to our business, combined with our
focus to strengthen and grow SJP over the
long term, means we are well positioned to
capture the structural market opportunity
ahead and deliver for all our stakeholders
in 2026 and beyond.
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
24 February 2026
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Our strategy
Strategy at a glance
Our purpose
How we will deliver
Our ambitions
Our strategic focus areas
To empower clients with invaluable advice to realise bolder ambitions
Brilliant Basics
Simplify and standardise our
operations, delivering excellent
client outcomes
Differentiated
Client Proposition
Enhance our client proposition,
tailoring for different client
segments
Leading Adviser
Offering
Continue to be the best
place to be a financial
adviser in the UK
Performance
Focused Organisation
Drive empowerment,
accountability and performance
across our SJP community
‘Strengthen’ 2024 to 2026 Enhance fundamentals for the future Amplify’ 2027+ Elevate and expand our leading offering
Leading adviser
advocacy
c.95% annual
client retention
Doubling the
Underlying cash
result between
2023 and 2030
Mid‑ to high
single‑ digit
annual FUM
growth
High‑performing,
empowered
and engaged
colleagues
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Our strategy
Brilliant BasicsBrilliant Basics
Our aim
Our approach
To simplify and standardise our operations,
ensuring we deliver great outcomes for our clients.
Streamlining core processes
We’re working to improve the efficiency and accuracy of administration, aiming to get
it right first time. This involves better integrating our technology stack and simplifying
and standardising our processes, making routine tasks easier for clients and advisers.
Enhancing data capabilities
By investing in our data infrastructure, we’re unlocking the potential of our rich
data universe to generate smarter insights and enhance decision-making.
Championing our industry
We continue to play a leading role in shaping the future of UK wealth management.
We are passionate advocates for financial advice and the value it brings.
Delivering for our stakeholders and maintaining our leadership in UK advice-led wealth
management means doing the basics brilliantly. This commitment underpins a range
of initiatives focused on continually improving how we serve both clients and advisers.
Key areas of focus include
Brilliant Basics also includes two major programmes central to the ‘Strengthen’ strategic phase:
Our simple, comparable charging structure: Making our fees easier to understand and
compare, supporting transparency and trust.
Reviewing evidence of historic client servicing: Ensuring records reflect the high standards
of service we expect to deliver for our clients, and refunding clients where appropriate.
These initiatives lay the groundwork for the ‘Amplify’ strategic phase, which we will focus on
more as 2027 approaches. By strengthening our foundations now, we’re building the capacity
to grow and innovate in the years ahead.
Progress during 2025
We implemented our new simple, comparable charging structure in August,
after almost two years of work on this significant project. The new structure
delivers many benefits, for example enabling the launch of our Polaris
Multi-Index range of funds in October.
We made good progress in our historic client service evidence review, getting
deep into the operational phase of this complex programme. During the year
we released £109.5 million (before tax) from the provision held against this
work. For further information see the Chief Financial Officer’s report.
We strengthened our brand awareness by deepening our media and
advertising engagement, expanded the reach of our Sky Arts sponsorship,
and shared fresh insights through our second Real Life Advice Report series.
We joined 18 leading firms to launch the UK Retail Investment Campaign, a
landmark initiative to reshape how Britons think about long-term investing.
We introduced or piloted a range of AI tools to support the Partnership by
making administrative processes more efficient. These include:
Tools which respond to questions on our advice framework and business
submission processes
Meeting intelligence capabilities that transcribe and summarise client
conversations.
We started to simplify processes, acting on feedback from the Partnership.
Areas of focus for 2026
Complete our historic client service evidence review.
Improve our technology stack to enhance client and adviser experiences,
for example through better integration of our systems.
Elevate the value of financial advice delivered by the Partnership
by sharpening our brand presence, increasing proactive media
engagement, and continuing our sponsorship of Sky Arts.
£109.5m
Pre‑tax release from Ongoing
Service Evidence provision
in 2025
Over 100%
Year‑on‑year increase
in corporate and Partner
website traffic
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St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Retail
(<£10 0k)
Mass
Affluent
(£100k–£2m)
HNW
2m£10m)
Ultra HNW
(£10m+)
16%
9%
80%
14%
26%
10%
1%
44%
Brilliant Basics
Our strategy
Differentiated Client Proposition
Our aim
Our approach
To enhance our client proposition by tailoring
it to the needs of different client segments.
Broadening investment choice
We are broadening our investment product shelf to provide clients with further choice,
diversification and packaged solutions that support great long-term outcomes.
Enhancing digital engagement
We are developing our digital channels to give clients greater flexibility
in how they engage with their financial planning, and harnessing data
to deliver a more personalised experience.
Tailoring our services for different segments
We will continue to be the home of financial advice and deliver for our core
mass-affluent clients, while investing in our high-net-worth proposition to offer
a dedicated, bespoke service to clients. As an example, with enhanced administrative
and technical support to help advisers deal with more complex financial affairs.
Our clients are diverse. They range from newborns to centenarians, with varying levels
of wealth and financial goals. To enhance how we meet their needs, we are focused on:
55
Average age of clients
2024: 57
1,037,000
Number of clients
2024: 1 million+
79%
Client satisfaction
2024: 82%
FUM split by client wealth band
Market AUM SJP FUM
We successfully launched the Polaris Multi-Index range of funds, which
implement our active asset allocation expertise through index-tracking
funds. This broadened the range of investments available to clients. Just two
months after launch by 31 December 2025, these funds had attracted over
£1 billion of investment.
We saw more than a 100% uplift in the number of clients registered to use
our client app.
We began work to enhance our high-net-worth proposition, recruiting key
specialists to shape the proposition and establish a clear delivery roadmap.
Areas of focus for 2026
Continue to broaden our investment product shelf to provide clients with
greater choice, with our cash solution being the next area of focus.
Advance our digital capabilities to enable greater personalisation and
self-service, for example for clients to top up investments via our client app.
Continue to enhance our high-net-worth proposition, including
strengthening our technical support capability, improving administrative
support and insight provision, and broadening our client events
programme.
Progress during 2025
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Other information
Our strategy
Leading Adviser Offering
Our approach
Adviser support and community
We provide practical tools and resources to help advisers work efficiently and effectively as part of a strong,
collaborative community, including:
Marketing
services to grow
their business
Technology
solutions and
cyber-security
support
Technical
training,
helplines
and drop-
in sessions
Business
checking and
regulatory
compliance
support
Coaching and
development
opportunities
Connectivity
with peers and
subject matter
experts
Our business sale and purchase (BSP) proposition
Our BSP proposition supports Partners, advisers and management teams from recruitment to retirement, helping
them to grow successful businesses and realise their value when the time comes to retire or downsize. We:
Match buyers and sellers
within the Partnership
Facilitate fair
valuations
Arrange or provide
financing for transactions
This ensures continuity for clients within the SJP ecosystem, supporting great client outcomes and retention.
Our Financial Adviser Academy
Our award-winning Academy is the largest and most comprehensive financial adviser training scheme in the UK.
It’s a key way we recruit for the Partnership given the shortfall in high-quality, qualified financial advisers in the UK.
We have trained over 50% of those across our industry who are in their first year as financial advisers.
We train individuals from diverse backgrounds, which helps to enrich the Partnership to better reflect society
and add longevity to it. At 31 December 2025, 27% of trainees were female, compared to 20% in the Partnership
as a whole. The average age of trainees is 37.
Supporting our advisers so they can focus on what matters most: building long-term, trusted relationships with
clients and delivering high-quality advice. Our leading adviser offering brings together three key elements:
Our aim
To remain the best place to be a financial adviser in the UK.
Progress during 2025
We transitioned our Field Management team to a new
operating model focused on providing tailored support to
Partner businesses at a level appropriate to their business
size and lifecycle stage.
We established a new performance business unit to increase
the quality and productivity of the Partnership. This provides
enhanced support to high performers and intervention for
those who need help to improve.
We increased the transparency of our BSP proposition
by publishing quarterly reports on how the marketplace
is operating.
We renewed our focus on bringing the Partnership together
by developing a range of regional events.
Areas of focus for 2026
Complete our initial adviser quality and productivity
programme and embed ongoing monitoring of productivity
and quality across the Partnership.
Continue to refine our Academy programme, providing
the best support to build a career in financial advice.
Enhance our market-leading BSP proposition, for example
by creating a team dedicated to commercial succession
planning.
91%
Adviser retention
2024: 92%
£4.4m
Gross inflows per adviser
2024: £3.7 million
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Leading Adviser Offering Performance Focused Organisation
Our strategy
Our aim
Our approach
To drive empowerment, accountability and
high performance across the SJP community.
Embedding high performance into our culture by empowering
our people and driving clear accountability.
Maintaining disciplined capital allocation to support sustainable growth
and shareholder returns.
Optimising our cost base to create capacity for strategic reinvestment, and align
our operating model to our strategic goals. We aim to take out £100 million per annum
from our addressable cost base by 2027, reinvesting around 50% of the savings over the
next 5 years into initiatives which strengthen our business.
We are building a culture that consistently delivers great outcomes for all stakeholders.
This means:
Completed the implementation of our organisational redesign to align
teams with strategic priorities and drive future growth.
Secured cost savings through measures including our organisational
redesign, optimising commercial relationships with suppliers and
rationalising our property footprint.
Demonstrated commitment to our capital allocation framework by
providing reliable shareholder returns in line with our guidance, and
returning to shareholders the full post-tax amounts released from our
Ongoing Service Evidence provision during the year. More information
about this can be found in the Chief Financial Officer’s report.
Refreshed our senior leadership team, adding new talent and experience
and enhancing our organisational capabilities in a number of areas.
Areas of focus for 2026
Complete our cost and efficiency programme to take out £100 million per
annum from our addressable cost base by 2027, and increase reinvestment
into our strategic initiatives.
Develop our employees by continuing to analyse our leadership capabilities,
and enhancing succession planning and talent mapping.
Enhance our workforce engagement programme, led by Non-executive
Board member Helen Beck, making it more dynamic by involving a rotating
cross-section of employees and Group Executive Committee (GEC)
representatives.
Simplify our financial reporting to better align it to our simple business
model, making it easier for investors to understand.
90%
Core UK employee
retention rate, excluding
redundancies
2024: 93%
66%
Employee
engagement
2024: 72%
2
£313.3m
Total amount returned
to shareholders in
respect of 2025
1
2024: £222.7 million
1 Based on the number of shares at 31 December 2025. See the Chief Financial Officer’s report for further information.
2 The metrics which contribute to the employee engagement score have changed year on year.
Progress during 2025
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Stakeholder engagement
We are committed to delivering
performance that drives sustainable,
long-term value for our clients,
advisers, shareholders, employees,
as well as for society and other
stakeholders.
Engagement with our key stakeholders is
primarily undertaken at an operational level,
with related reporting provided to the Board to
ensure its oversight. The Board also engages
directly with stakeholders when appropriate.
This helps our Directors and the wider business
understand what matters most to each
stakeholder group, enabling that understanding
to shape the decisions we make. More detail is
provided in our section 172(1) Companies Act
2006 statement (‘section 172(1) statement’), on
page 22, which outlines the approach Directors
have taken in fulfilling their section 172(1)
duties during the year. It also sets out how
consideration of stakeholders and other
matters in the section has influenced
decision-making.
Being mindful of our impact on others and the
environment is part of our culture, led by our
Board, not just something we do to ensure
compliance with section 172(1). An example
of how consideration of the matters under
section 172(1) is embedded through our
governance framework and Board activity,
can be found in our corporate governance
report on page 60.
The following information outlines some of the
ways we’ve connected with our key stakeholders
during the year and why this matters.
Our stakeholder engagement
Why our stakeholders matter
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Our clients matter because delivery of good client outcomes
is central to our strategy and purpose. Clients are at the
heart of everything we do and trust between our clients,
advisers and the Company is fundamental to how we operate
and our success. What we do is deeply connected to personal
decisions for long-term financial security and the advice we
provide is rooted in enabling clients to realise bolder
ambitions.
Our advisers matter because they are the primary interface
between our clients and the Group. Without the expertise of
our advisers, we would not be able to realise our strategic
ambitions and purpose. The invaluable advice and service
delivery that our advisers provide to clients underpins
the Group’s success. The relationships we have with
our advisers also directly impact the development
of our corporate culture and reputation as a collective.
Our shareholders matter because their expectations help
to shape our long-term direction, strategy and governance
framework. Feedback and insights that our shareholders
provide enable us to develop as a business and continue
to build trust in the market, maintaining our reputation as
a responsible, resilient and value-generative company.
Our employees matter because, alongside our advisers, they
are fundamental to our ability to deliver good client outcomes
and strong financial performance, generating long-term
value for shareholders and the sustainability of our business
for wider stakeholders. As a regulated business, the conduct
of our employees is critical in maintaining robust levels of
compliance and operating within business standards reflective
of our market position. Engagement amongst employees
shapes our culture and enables the continued embedding
of our values.
Our society (which comprises regulators, communities
and suppliers) matters because it collectively provides the
guardrails and expectations for our activities and behaviours.
The Group’s regulators are crucial for maintaining a safe market
environment to deliver good client outcomes and financial
stability, which are the cornerstones of our success. Building
strong and trusted partnerships with suppliers enhances
operational resilience and our ability to achieve our goals in
an effective and efficient way. Supporting communities is a
core principle for the Group, reflected in our commitment to
the SJP Charitable Foundation, volunteering within our local
communities and delivery of financial education programmes
to young people.
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Stakeholder engagement
Stakeholder engagement in action
Stakeholder group How we engaged in 2025 Impact / outcome
Clients
During the year we have gathered client sentiment through our quarterly surveys and
through 23 primary research projects with the circa. 4,000 members of our SJP Client
community. Their feedback and experiences are utilised across the business to inform
the delivery of our corporate strategy and strategic change programmes such as the
implementation activities for the launch of simple, comparable charging, where clear
communications were essential to successful delivery.
Survey feedback indicated good client sentiment with 79%* (2024: 82%)
of clients being satisfied with their overall experience with us. Enhanced
client engagement during the development of client communications
for the launch of simple, comparable charging resulted in 72% of clients
reporting an improved understanding of the charges with 91% of clients
surveyed stating that confidence in SJP had either improved, or not
been impacted, following the client communication.
* Total positive satisfaction score (2025 annual average).
Advisers
Throughout the year, engagement with advisers was driven through a number of Partnership
communication channels, such as our Partnership intranet, Partnership Advisory Council,
webinars and newly launched quarterly townhalls. In addition, our dedicated Partnership
consultation platform continued to gauge sentiment and understand what matters to our
advisers. Face-to-face engagement opportunities were also provided, including corporate-
led and locally arranged events.
Advisers were provided with clear communication of key Partnership
priorities, the Group’s approach to risk profiling, updates on key projects
impacting advisers, and future means for engagement.
Engagement enabled the Group to develop a Partnership engagement
programme for 2026 which supports an enhanced sense of community
and stronger localised relationships.
Employees
We have actively engaged employees through initiatives designed to listen to, involve,
and connect employees. Initiatives have included townhalls, annual and lifecycle surveys,
targeted sentiment sessions, ad-hoc project support groups, Non-executive Director workforce
engagement sessions and informal touchpoints with Group Executive Committee members.
Our working groups on gender, ethnicity, and broader Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have
continued and employees were further supported by active employee networks, awareness
days and communication via our internal digital platform and intranet.
The initiatives referenced to the left have enabled employee voices to
be heard and informed our decision-making, whilst fostering a more
inclusive and connected workplace. Engagement has had a tangible
impact on shaping the Company’s culture and strategic direction.
Employee input has continued to inform the ongoing development
of our culture strategy.
Shareholders
Shareholders have been engaged and their views sought through regular meetings,
roadshows and conferences across the year, many of which involve the Chief Executive
Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer alongside the Investor Relations team. During 2025,
the Company’s top 20 shareholders were invited to meet with the Chair to discuss matters
of importance to them, such as governance and key strategic projects. In addition, the
Group Remuneration Committee chair wrote to the top 20 shareholders to consult on
proposed changes to the Directors’ Remuneration Policy. All Directors are available to
meet with shareholders after the Company’s Annual General Meeting.
Engagement with our shareholders has enabled ongoing transparency
and trusted relationships. Insights from such communication have also
supported the Board, and wider business, to gain an understanding
of the expectations and priorities of this stakeholder group. This
understanding has been reflected in considerations associated
with the decisions we make.
Ongoing communication with shareholders has also enabled strategy
to be advanced in such a way as to promote long-term value creation
and the satisfaction of investors.
Society
including
regulators,
communities
and suppliers
Engagement with society, which includes regulators, suppliers, and the wider communities
in which we operate, involves a variety of mechanisms to reach these groups. During 2025,
this included (i) public policy engagement; (ii) ongoing communication with regulators
to maintain an open and transparent flow of information and collaboration; (iii) regular
contact with new and existing suppliers through procurement activities; and (iv) contact
with communities through employee volunteering activities and our financial education
programme. This is enhanced by our ongoing commitment to and support for the
St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation.
Constructive and open relationships have been maintained with
our regulators, with strong oversight of engagement by the Board
to ensure ongoing compliance with, and embeddedness of,
matters such as Consumer Duty and solvent wind-down planning.
We continued to meet our responsibilities under the Fair Payment Code,
demonstrating our commitment to good payment practices in relation
to our suppliers.
During the year, 14,726 young people were reached through our financial
education programmes, contributing to their future financial resilience.
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Our section 172(1) statement Section 172(1) matters and related disclosures
In the exercise of their duties during the year ended 31 December 2025, the
Company’s Directors confirm that they have acted in a way they consider, in
good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the Company for the
benefit of its members as a whole. In doing so, Directors have paid due regard
to the matters set out in section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006.
The principles underpinning section 172(1) are embedded in our culture.
Maintaining strong ongoing engagement with our stakeholders is core to the
way we operate and helps the Board to understand their views and the impact
decisions might have on different groups. Beyond our stakeholders, the other
factors in section 172(1) (a) to (f) are all key factors considered by Directors
not only when making decisions but also when discussing matters in focus
at each meeting. Our governance framework and the information provided
to the Board are important enablers of this approach.
The Board recognises that decisions can sometimes affect different
stakeholder groups in different ways. We’re committed to making balanced
decisions that respect these differences and ensure fair treatment for
those involved.
Page 59 in the corporate governance report highlights how our governance
framework and the actions of our Board apply these matters and consider
stakeholder impacts in more detail.
Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the decisions we make and action we
take drive the long-term success of the Group in a way that supports our
stakeholders and enables SJP to continue to strive towards achievement
of its purpose.
A: the likely consequences of any decision in the long term
Material proposals presented to the Board for approval are considered through the lens of long-term
strategic and financial implications, risks, and sustainability impacts. This ensures decisions are made with
a clear understanding of how they support our strategy and business model, and drive the business closer
to our purpose to empower clients with invaluable advice to realise bolder ambitions whilst delivering value
for clients, advisers, and shareholders.
B: the interests of the Company’s employees
The Board has received updates on employee engagement, culture, wellbeing and capacity during the year.
This enables the Board to understand the context of decisions it makes through the eyes of our employees.
During a period of change, as we work through our strategy to strengthen the Group, the Board has discussed
the impact on the workforce and maintained oversight of culture and employee sentiment through its
nominated workforce engagement Non-executive Director, in addition to management reporting. Insights
from the workforce engagement Non-executive Director have evolved in the year as our approach to
engagement has matured.
C: the need to foster the Company’s business relationships with suppliers, customers and others
During the year, the Board monitored client, adviser and supplier feedback and sentiment to assess client
outcomes, Partnership effectiveness and continuity of positive supplier relationships. Engagement, including
indirectly through management, enabled the Board to consider impact on these stakeholders when making
decisions relating to the introduction of our simple, comparable charging structure.
D: the impact of the Companys operations on the community and the environment
The Board approved updates to our Unclaimed Dividends Policy to align with the Company’s articles of
association (updated in 2025). This resulted in a donation of £500,000 being granted to the SJP Charitable
Foundation. The funding enables a focus on financial wellbeing support over the next three years. This
reflects the Board’s ongoing commitment to promote financial wellbeing, and belief in its positive wider
societal impact.
The Board also reaffirmed its commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, with consideration and approval
of new interim targets to 2030. For more detail see the our responsible business section of this Annual Report.
E: the desirability of the Company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct
Regular governance and performance updates relating to client and other stakeholder sentiment, and
compliance and risk reports, enabled the Board to monitor adherence to our expected standards of business
and regulatory conduct. The Board specifically considered and approved enhancements to the Group’s
governance and risk frameworks to enable continuous improvement of our standards of business conduct.
F: the need to act fairly as between members of the Company
The Board ensures that the interests of all shareholders are considered when determining dividends, capital
allocation and remuneration. Transparent communication through investor meetings and the AGM supported
fairness and accountability in decision-making.
Section 172(1) statement
Our section 172(1) statement
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Chief Financial Officer’s report
Weve had a successful year
I am pleased to present our
financials, with strong investment
performance and growth in new
business contributing to an
improvement in our financial
results for 2025.
Financial business model
Our financial business model is simple. When
clients choose to invest with us our FUM grows.
Our income is based on the value of FUM, and
so attracting new clients to invest with us,
retaining the investments made by existing
clients, and positive investment performance,
are key to future growth in income and
hence returns.
In late August we implemented our new
simple, comparable charging structure, which
was an important change for the business
and its financial model. Under this structure
we benefit from all charges applying from the
day that a new investment is made, and we
earn a margin on each aspect of the holistic
service we provide to clients: financial advice,
products and fund management.
This differs from our previous charging structure,
where our primary profit driver was ongoing
product charges. Most of our investment bond
and pension business did not incur these
charges for the first six years after an
investment was made. We refer to FUM in this
period as being in ‘gestation. FUM rolls out of
gestation into ‘mature’ FUM six years after
initial investment, at which point it becomes
subject to ongoing product charges for the
first time.
Gestation FUM remains an important concept,
as all business in gestation at the point of
implementing our new charging structure
remains on the previous charging structure
until it matures six years after initial
investment. However, no new business is
added to the gestation FUM balance under
our new charging structure.
The dynamics of our new charging structure,
together with the visibility of future income
growth from maturing FUM in gestation, build
a powerful picture of how our income can
develop and compound in the medium term.
In the short term, the transition between
charging structures causes a dip in profitability,
due to lower initial and ongoing margins under
our new structure. We experienced this post
implementation in 2025, and also anticipate
it for 2026 given this is the first full year under
our new structure.
Combined with our focus on managing
expenses, whether they are fixed in nature or
vary with FUM or business levels, this supports
our ambition to double the Underlying cash
result over the period from 2023 to 2030.
Financial performance in 2025
Our FUM grew by 16% over the year to a record
£220.0 billion. This increase in FUM has driven
an increase in the income we receive from it.
Paired with continued discipline in managing
our costs and growth in new business, this has
enabled us to deliver IFRS profit after tax of
£531.4 million (2024: £398.4 million), and a
post-tax Underlying cash result of £462.3
million (2024: £447.2 million). These key
financial performance metrics are up 33%
and 3% year on year respectively, despite
over four months of the year being on our
new charging structure which attracts lower
margins. The most significant difference
between these two metrics is that releases
from our Ongoing Service Evidence provision,
which I cover in more detail shortly, are
included in IFRS profit after tax but excluded
from the Underlying cash result.
Simple, comparable charges
The implementation costs for our new
charging structure were £52.7 million post
tax in 2025 (2024: £59.5 million), bringing the
overall implementation costs incurred across
the duration of the project to £119.4 million
post-tax. This is in line with guidance that we
expected costs to come in towards the upper
end of our original guidance range of £105 to
£120 million post tax. No further charge
structure implementation costs will be
incurred in 2026.
Historic ongoing service evidence review
Mark has provided an update on this significant
programme of work in his Chief Executive
Officer’s report. From a financial perspective,
the experience we gathered in the second
half of the year means the Ongoing Service
Evidence provision stood at £272.3 million
at 31 December 2025 (31 December 2024:
£425.1 million), and we have released a
further £25.0 million from the provision on a
pre-tax basis, in addition to the £84.5 million
we released in the first half of the year.
“We have had a successful year.
We improved our financial results and
strengthened the balance sheet, whilst
returning a total of £313.3
1
million to
shareholders for the year.
Caroline Waddington
Chief Financial Officer
1 Based on the number of shares at 31 December 2025.
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This brings the total released from the
provision during the year to £109.5 million
(2024: £nil). Further information can be found
in Note 18 to the IFRS financial statements.
In the post-tax Cash result, the release
in the second half of the year equates to
£18.7 million. As the creation of the provision
was a key driver in reducing returns to
shareholders, the Board has decided that
the release will be returned to shareholders
in full via a share buy-back programme.
We followed the same approach for the
£63.4 million post-tax release in the first half
of the year, with that buy-back completing
in October 2025.
Cost and efficiency programme
A key area of focus during the year has been
our cost and efficiency programme. We have
an ambition to take around £100 million per
annum before tax out of our addressable
cost base by 2027, creating capacity to invest
in our business to drive further growth and
underpinning a growing Cash result over time.
We are making good progress with the
programme. During the year we completed
our transition to a new organisational design
to ensure we have the right people in the right
places to align to our strategy and drive growth.
We also took important steps in optimising our
commercial relationships with suppliers and
rationalising our property footprint.
As anticipated, for 2025 the cost and
efficiency programme had no material
impact on our financial results, as the cost
savings we realised were broadly equal
to the cost to achieve those savings and
reinvestment spend. We remain on track
to deliver the programme by 2027.
Financial position and liquidity
Our IFRS consolidated statement of financial
position contains policyholder assets and
liabilities. To understand the assets and
liabilities that shareholders can benefit from,
these policyholder balances, along with
balances such as deferred income (DIR) and
deferred acquisition costs (DAC), are removed
in our Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet.
This balance sheet is straightforward, and is
analysed in section 2.2 of the financial review.
As part of our work to simplify our financial
reporting I committed to more clearly
articulating our liquidity position, given
liquidity is more relevant than capital in our
ability to provide shareholder returns. To make
this clearer we have introduced new liquidity
disclosures in section 3 of the financial review.
These demonstrate that we have total free
liquidity held at Group centre of £271.4 million
at 31 December 2025 (31 December 2024:
£148.1 million), and that we have strengthened
our balance sheet over the past year. This was
the next step in getting the balance sheet into
the position I wanted it to be in, after I put an
end to regular usage of our revolving credit
facility, and repaid our bridging loan.
I am comfortable holding this level of free
liquidity at Group centre as it provides a layer
of prudence and flexibility in how we run the
business. We will regularly review the amount
of free liquidity we hold to ensure we continue
to optimise our capital allocation priorities in
line with our capital allocation framework.
These new disclosures are the next step in
simplifying our financial reporting and making
our financial results easier to understand.
We will complete this work by evolving how
we report our financial performance, which
we plan to do for the half-year 2026 results.
We will provide full details of this in the first
half of the year.
Capital allocation
Our capital allocation framework sets out our
disciplined approach to allocating our capital
resources:
1. We will maintain a strong balance sheet,
ensuring the safety of client investments.
2. We will invest to drive organic growth,
ensuring we have the necessary core
capabilities in the business.
3. We will deliver reliable annual shareholder
returns, which are in line with guidance.
4. We will return excess capital over
and above what we need to invest
in the business at attractive returns.
We see being deliberate and disciplined in
how we manage capital allocation as critical
to ensuring we have a well-invested business
that drives returns and creates sustained
value for shareholders.
Shareholder returns for 2025
In line with our current shareholder returns
guidance, the Board expects to return 50% of
the Underlying cash result to shareholders for
2025. This equates to £231.2 million and is made
up of 18.00 pence per share in dividends, with
the balance returned through share buy-backs.
The components of this £231.2 million return,
and the additional shareholder returns as we
buyback shares using the amounts released
from the Ongoing Service Evidence (OSE)
provision during the year, are set out below.
2025 2024
£’Million £’Million
Ordinary
shareholder returns
Interim dividend
(6 pence per share) 31.9 32.8
Interim buy-back 32.1 32.9
Final dividend
(12 pence per share)
1
63.3 64.4
Final buy-back 103.9
92.6
Total ordinary
returns
1
231.2 222.7
Other shareholder
returns
Release from OSE
provision at HY25 63.4
Release from OSE
provision at FY25 18.7
Total other returns 82.1
Total shareholder
returns
1
313.3
222.7
1 2025 figure based on the number of shares at
31 December 2025.
… and move forward with increased shareholder returns guidance
24
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Page
reference
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
FUM-based metrics
Gross inflows (£’Billion) 26 21.9 18.4
Net inflows (£’Billion) 26 6.2 4.3
Total FUM (£’Billion) 26 220.0 190.2
Total FUM in gestation (£’Billion) 27 52.9 50.1
IFRS-based metrics
IFRS profit after tax (£Million) 28 531.4 398.4
IFRS profit before shareholder tax (£’Million) 28 696.7 535.9
IFRS basic earnings per share (EPS) (Pence) 99.9 73.0
IFRS diluted EPS (Pence) 98.8 72.6
Dividend per share (Pence) 18.00 18.00
Cash result-based metrics
Controllable expenses (£’Million) 28 305.8 291.7
Underlying cash result (£’Million) 28 462.3 447.2
Cash result (£’Million) 28 544.4 447.2
Underlying cash result basic EPS (Pence) 87.0 82.0
Underlying cash result diluted EPS (Pence) 86.0 81.5
Liquidity-based metric
Free liquidity held at Group centre (£’Million) 271.4 148.1
EEV-based metric
1
EEV net asset value per share (£) 19.84 16.25
1 We report further information on the European Embedded Value (EEV) basis within the databook on our website
sjp.co.uk/full-year-results-2025-databook.
A complete glossary of alternative performance measures is set out on pages 208 to 210.
The Cash result should not be confused with the IFRS consolidated statement of cash flows,
which is prepared in accordance with IAS 7.
The total buy-back to commence in March
2026 will be for £122.6 million, comprising
the final buy-back for 2025 of £103.9 million
and the £18.7 million release from the OSE
provision. The £63.4 million released from the
OSE provision at half year has already been
returned to shareholders via buy-backs in
the second half of 2025, alongside the interim
buy-back of £32.1 million.
Shareholder returns for 2026 and beyond
I’m delighted that the combination of a strong
financial outcome for 2025, together with
good operational and strategic progress,
has enabled the Board to update our
shareholder returns guidance a year earlier
than originally planned.
For the 2026 financial year and beyond, the
Board intends to return 70% of the Underlying
cash result to shareholders. This will comprise:
an ordinary dividend, which we expect will
make up at least 40% of total shareholder
returns. This is equivalent to at least 28%
of the Underlying cash result; and
a share buy-back for the balance, subject
to the Board’s ongoing assessment of
the most appropriate mechanism for
that return.
The Board intends to pay an interim dividend
and conduct an interim share buy-back
following our Half Year 2026 results. These will
be set at a third of the prior full-year balance
for ordinary shareholder returns, excluding
buy-backs relating to releases from our
OSE provision.
Summary
We have had a successful year with strong
investment performance and growth in new
business contributing to an improvement in
our financial results. We have strengthened
the balance sheet whilst also returning a total
of £313.3
1
million to shareholders in respect
of the year. We will be moving forward with
an increased 70% payout ratio for ordinary
shareholder returns for the 2026 financial
year and beyond.
Caroline Waddington
Chief Financial Officer
24 February 2026
1 Based on the number of shares at 31 December 2025.
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This financial review provides analysis of the
Group’s financial position and performance.
It is split into the following sections:
Section 1 – Funds under management (FUM)
1.1 FUM analysis
1.2 Gestation
page 26
Section 2 – Performance measurement
2.1 International Financial Reporting Standards
2.2 Cash result
page 28
Section 3 – Capital and liquidity
page 31
Section 1 – Funds under management (FUM)
1.1 FUM analysis
When clients choose to invest with us our stock of FUM grows. Most of our income is based on
the value of FUM, and so growth in FUM is key to future growth in income and hence shareholder
returns. Our FUM also grows through positive investment performance and is supported by high
retention of existing client investments.
During 2025 our advisers attracted £21.9 billion (2024: £18.4 billion) of new client investments
and client retention rates remained strong at 94.9% (2024: 94.5%). As a result we generated
£6.2 billion (2024: £4.3 billion) of net inflows, once again demonstrating the strength of our
advice-led business model.
Our investment management approach has continued to work well for clients, with investment
return, net of all charges, representing 12% of opening FUM (2024: 11%). This, together with net
inflows, resulted in FUM increasing by 16% to £220.0 billion (2024: £190.2 billion).
The following table shows how FUM evolved during 2025 and 2024. Investment return is
presented net of all charges.
2025 2024
Investment
bond Pension
UT/ISA
and DFM Total Total
£’Billion £’Billion £’Billion £’Billion £’Billion
Opening FUM 39.18 101.98 49.05 190.21 168.20
Gross inflows 3.02 13.86 5.00 21.88 18.41
Net investment return 4.38 13.47 5.79 23.64 17.68
Regular income withdrawals
and maturities (0.33) (4.88) (5.21) (4.28)
Surrenders and part-surrenders (2.13) (4.49) (3.89) (10.51) (9.80)
Closing FUM 44.12 119.94 55.95 220.01 190.21
Net flows 0.56 4.49 1.11 6.16 4.33
Implied surrender rate as a
percentage of average FUM 5.1% 4.0% 7.4% 5.1% 5.5%
Included in the table above is:
Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) FUM of £3.70 billion at 31 December 2025
(31 December 2024: £3.49 billion).
SJP AME (Asia & Middle East) FUM of £2.28 billion at 31 December 2025 (31 December 2024:
£1.90 billion).
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1.1 FUM analysis continued
The following table provides a geographical and investment-type analysis of FUM at 31 December.
31 December 2025 31 December 2024
£’Billion
Percentage
of total £’Billion
Percentage
of total
North American equities 83.6 38% 74.9 39%
Fixed income securities 36.8 17% 31.6 17%
European equities 31.0 14% 24.3 13%
Asia and Pacific equities 30.1 14% 24.0 13%
UK equities 19.6 9% 16.0 8%
Cash 9.7 4% 6.9 4%
Other 4.5 2% 5.0 2%
Alternative investments 4.2 2% 6.2 3%
Property 0.5 0% 1.3 1%
Total 220.0 100% 190.2 100%
1.2 Gestation
As explained in our financial business model in the Chief Financial Officer’s report, due to our
previous charging structure, for most investment bond and pension business there is a significant
amount of FUM in ‘gestation’. This means it is not subject to ongoing product charges, which
were our key profit driver under the previous structure. FUM rolls out of gestation into ‘mature’
FUM six years after initial investment, at which point it transitions to our new charging structure
and becomes subject to the full range of charges.
Approximately 39% of gross inflows for 2025, after initial charges, moved into gestation FUM
(2024: 54%). All of this relates to new business written on our previous charging structure.
No new business is added to the gestation FUM balance under our new charging structure.
The following table shows an analysis of FUM, after initial charges, split between mature
FUM that is contributing net income to the Cash result and FUM in gestation which is not yet
contributing. The value of both mature and gestation FUM is impacted by investment returns
as well as net inflows.
Position as at
Mature FUM
contributing to
the Cash result
Gestation FUM
that will contribute
to the Cash result
in the future Total FUM
£’Billion £’Billion £’Billion
31 December 2025 167.1 52.9 220.0
31 December 2024 140.1 50.1 190.2
As no new business is added to the gestation FUM balance under our new charging structure,
the balance will reduce to nil over the next six years as the existing gestation FUM matures.
While it exists, gestation FUM will continue to be a material store of shareholder value that will
make a significant contribution to the Cash result in the future.
The following table gives an indication, for illustrative purposes, of the way in which gestation
FUM could mature and start to contribute to the Cash result over the next six years and beyond.
Once it has all matured, it could contribute around £300 million per annum to net income from
FUM and hence the Underlying cash result, at no additional cost.
For simplicity the table assumes that FUM values remain unchanged, that there are no
surrenders, and that business is written at the start of the year. Actual emergence in the Cash
result reflects the new charging structure, and will reflect the varying business mix of each
cohort and business experience.
Year
Cumulative
gestation FUM
maturity profile
Gestation FUM
future contribution
to the post-tax
Cash result
£’Billion £’Million
2026 6.7 38.1
2027 14.6 83.7
2028 24.2 138.4
2029 33.8 193.6
2030 43.9 251.3
2031 52.9 303.1
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Section 2 – Performance measurement
In line with statutory reporting requirements, we report profits assessed on an International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) basis. The presence of a significant life insurance company
within the Group means that our IFRS financial statements can be more complex than a typical
advice-led wealth manager, and so we choose to supplement these financial statements with
our ‘Cash result’ alternative performance measure (APM) to simplify the presentation.
Information on our Cash result metric can be found in section 2.2.
APMs are not defined by the relevant financial reporting framework (which for the Group is IFRS),
but we use them to provide greater insight into the financial performance, financial position
and cash flows of the Group and the way the Group is managed. The glossary of APMs included
within this Annual Report and Accounts defines each APM used in our financial review, explains
why it is used and, if applicable, details how the measure can be reconciled to the IFRS
consolidated financial statements. It also sets out the rationale for any APM we have ceased
to report during the year.
2.1 International Financial Reporting Standards
Our IFRS consolidated statement of comprehensive income contains policyholder tax balances.
This means that our Group IFRS profit before tax includes amounts charged to clients to meet
policyholder tax expenses, which are unrelated to the underlying performance of the business.
To get to a position which better reflects the underlying performance of the business, we focus
on IFRS profit before shareholder tax as our pre-tax metric. This APM is IFRS profit before tax less
policyholder tax:
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
IFRS profit before tax 1,335.2 1,049.1
Policyholder tax (638.5) (513.2)
IFRS profit before shareholder tax 696.7 535.9
Shareholder tax (165.3) (137.5)
IFRS profit after tax 531.4 398.4
IFRS profit before shareholder tax improved year-on-year, reflecting underlying business
performance and the £109.5 million release from the Ongoing Service Evidence provision.
In addition, policyholder tax asymmetry, which is a nuance of life insurance tax, impacted
IFRS profit before shareholder tax and IFRS profit after tax in both years. In 2025 the impact
was negative £35.4 million (2024: negative £38.9 million). External market conditions during
the year drive the policyholder tax asymmetry impacts.
Shareholder tax reflects the tax charge attributable to shareholders and is closely related
to the performance of the business. However, it can vary year on year due to several factors:
further detail is set out in Note 10 Income and deferred taxes.
2.2 Cash result
The Cash result is used by the Board to assess and monitor the level of cash profit generated by
the business. It is presented net of tax, and is based on IFRS with adjustments made to exclude
policyholder balances, equity-settled share-based payment costs and certain non-cash items,
such as DAC, DIR and deferred tax. The reconciliation of the Cash result to IFRS can be found on
page 211 and further details, including the full definition of the Cash result, can be found in the
glossary of APMs on pages 208 to 210. Although the Cash result should not be confused with
the IAS 7 consolidated statement of cash flows, it provides a helpful supplementary view of the
way in which cash is generated and emerges within the Group.
The following table shows an analysis of the Cash result using two different measures:
Underlying cash result
This measure represents the regular emergence of cash from the business, excluding any
items of a one-off nature and temporary timing differences.
Cash result
This measure includes items of a one-off nature and temporary timing differences.
Consolidated Cash result (presented post tax)
Note
Year ended
31 December 2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
In-force
New
business Total Total
£’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million
Net annual management fee 1 1,023.6 147.3 1,170.9 1,108.7
Reduction in fees in gestation period 1 (445.7) (445.7) (425.1)
Net income from FUM 1 577.9 147.3 725.2 683.6
Margin arising from new business 2 99.5 99.5 117.4
Controllable expenses 3 (29.9) (275.9) (305.8) (291.7)
AME – net investment 4 (7.6) (7.6) (10.2)
DFM – net investment 4 (4.1) (4.1) (2.4)
Regulatory fees and FSCS levy 5 (2.6) (23.8) (26.4) (21.5)
Shareholder interest 6 68.5 68.5 66.0
Charge structure implementation costs 7 (52.7) (52.7) (59.5)
Miscellaneous 8 (34.3) (34.3) (34.5)
Underlying cash result 579.6 (117.3) 462.3 447.2
Ongoing Service Evidence provision 9 82.1 82.1
Cash result 661.7 (117.3) 544.4 447.2
The Underlying cash result of £462.3 million for 2025 (2024: £447.2 million) is 3% higher than
the prior year. This is driven by the increase in income received from growing levels of FUM,
despite over four months of the year being on our new charging structure which attracts
lower margin, and the management of expenses.
Information about how to reconcile expenses presented in the Cash result to total IFRS expenses
is set out in the databook available on our website sjp.co.uk/full-year-results-2025-databook.
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2.2 Cash result continued
Notes to the Cash result
1. Net income from FUM
The net annual management fee is the net margin that the Group retains from FUM after
payment of the associated costs: for example, advice fees paid to Partners, investment
management fees paid to external fund managers and the policy servicing tariff paid to
our third-party administration provider.
As explained in our financial business model in the Chief Financial Officer’s report, under our
previous charging structure after the margin arising from new business, most investment bond
and pension business did not contribute to the net Cash result for the first six years. This is known
as the ‘gestation period’ and is reflected in the reduction in fees in gestation period line.
We focus our analysis on net income from FUM, which is the net annual management fee
after the reduction in fees in the gestation period. This represents income from mature FUM.
The average rate can vary over time with business mix and tax.
For 2025, our net income from FUM was £725.2 million (2024: £683.6 million), an increase of 6%.
This is driven by a 15% increase in average mature FUM year on year, partially offset by the step
down in margin we earn on FUM under our new charging structure which was in place from
26 August 2025. The outcome is within our guided margin range of 0.54% to 0.56% of mature
FUM, excluding DFM and AME FUM, for the portion of the year under our previous charging
structure, and 0.43% to 0.45% for the portion of the year under our new charging structure.
Whilst the net income from FUM margin on mature FUM is lower under our new charging
structure, the proportion of our FUM which is mature will increase over time because:
a) ongoing charges now apply to all new business from the day that a new investment is made.
This means that new investment bond and pension business is part of mature FUM from day
one; and
b) the remaining gestation FUM at the point our new charging structure was implemented will
mature over the next six years, with no additional associated expenses.
Please note that net income from AME and DFM FUM is included in the AME – net investment
and DFM – net investment lines respectively in the Cash result.
2. Margin arising from new business
This is the net income from new business in the year, as initial charges exceeded new business
related expenses – such as payments to Partners and third-party administration costs – under
our previous charging structure. Under our new charging structure, initial product charges have
been removed and initial advice charges broadly offset new business-related expenses. As a
result, the margin arising from new business in 2025 is driven by business written on our previous
charging structure. We expect it to be approximately zero for 2026 and beyond.
3. Controllable expenses
Controllable expenses are primarily people, property and technology expenses. They do not
vary with business volumes or FUM. We look to balance disciplined expense management with
the need to invest in the business to drive future growth. Controllable expenses have grown
by 5% year-on-year, in line with guidance. We anticipate 5% year-on-year growth for 2026.
As expected, for the year ended 31 December 2025 there has been no material impact from our
cost and efficiency programme, as the cost savings realised from the programme have been
offset by the costs to achieve those savings, and reinvestment in the business. We anticipate
this will also be the case for 2026.
4. AME and DFM net investments
These lines represent the income from AME and DFM FUM, net of AME and DFM expenses.
We have continued to invest in developing our presence in AME and our business there is
growing, resulting in lower net investment year-on-year. DFM has experienced increased costs
during the year driven by an organisational design programme, which has led to increased
net investment.
5. Regulatory fees and FSCS levy
The costs of operating in a regulated sector include regulatory fees and the Financial Services
Compensation Scheme (FSCS) levy. On a post-tax basis, these are as follows:
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
FSCS levy 12.1 9.1
Regulatory fees 14.3 12.4
Regulatory fees and FSCS levy 26.4 21.5
Our position as a market-leading provider of advice means we make a substantial contribution
to supporting the FSCS, thereby providing protection for clients of other businesses in the sector
that fail. Our FSCS levy expense for 2025 has increased, following an increase in the overall levy
across the industry. This was expected following two years of the industry levy being lower than
normal, due to prior year surpluses that had built up within the FSCS scheme.
6. Shareholder interest
This is the income accruing on shareholder investments and cash held for regulatory and
working capital purposes. It is presented net of funding-related expenses, including interest
paid on borrowings and securitisation costs.
7. Charge structure implementation costs
These are the costs of implementing our new charging structure. Implementation costs for
2025 were £52.7 million (2024: £59.5 million), bringing total costs for this multi-year project to
£119.4 million. There are no further charge structure implementation costs to come in 2026.
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2.2 Cash result continued
8. Miscellaneous
This category represents the financial impact of all items not covered in any of the other
categories. It includes items such as the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, movements
in the fair value of renewal income assets and the remediation costs associated with client
complaints.
9. Ongoing Service Evidence provision release
In the first half of the year we revised our historic ongoing service evidence review redress
methodology. This revision, and experience from the project in the first half, led to a £63.4 million
release from the provision on a post-tax basis at half year. We released a further £18.7 million
post-tax at year-end, reflecting experience from the project in the second half of the year.
More information, with numbers presented on a pre-tax basis as required by IFRS, can be
found in Note 18 within the IFRS consolidated financial statements.
Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
To better understand the assets and liabilities that shareholders can benefit from, the IFRS
consolidated statement of financial position is adjusted to remove policyholder assets and
liabilities, and non-cash balances such as DIR, DAC and associated deferred tax. The result
of these adjustments is the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet, which is shown below.
The reconciliation of the IFRS consolidated statement of financial position to the Solvency II Net
Assets Balance Sheet at 31 December 2025 can be found on page 211.
Note
As at
31 December
2025
As at
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Assets
Property and equipment 122.3 134.0
Deferred tax assets 0.2 0.1
Investment in associates 24.0 21.9
Reinsurance assets 8.8 10.7
Other receivables a 1,987.3 1,867.4
Financial investments b 2,414.0 2,202.9
Cash and cash equivalents b 329.6 352.6
Total assets 4,886.2 4,589.6
Liabilities
Borrowings 341.5 516.8
Deferred tax liabilities 980.0 690.1
Insurance contract liabilities 18.4 14.3
Other provisions 298.4 460.3
Other payables 1,610.9 1,445.4
Income tax liabilities 25.9 22.1
Total liabilities 3,275.1 3,149.0
Net assets 1,611.1 1,440.6
Notes to the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
a. Other receivables
A detailed breakdown of other receivables can be found in Note 15 Other receivables within
the IFRS consolidated financial statements. Within other receivables there are two items which
merit further analysis:
Operational readiness prepayment asset
The operational readiness prepayment asset represents the investment made into our back-
office infrastructure project, as we recognised Bluedoor development costs as a prepayment.
The asset stood at £228.1 million at 31 December 2025 (2024: £256.3 million). During the year,
we extended our contract with our back-office infrastructure provider. The operational readiness
prepayment amortises through the consolidated statement of comprehensive income over
the remaining contract period, which at 31 December 2025 was c.9 years (2024: c.9 years).
Business loans to Partners
We facilitate business loans to Partners to support growing Partner businesses. Such loans
are principally used to enable Partners to take over the businesses of retiring or downsizing
Partners, and this process has multi-stakeholder benefits:
It supports the delivery of great outcomes for clients as they receive continuity of service
within the SJP ecosystem.
It makes SJP a great place for motivated, entrepreneurial advisers to build high-quality
businesses over the long term.
It helps to support the next generation of SJP advisers.
It retains advisers and clients, which leads to retention of our FUM, which in turn supports
our financial results and thus shareholders.
In addition to recognising a strong business case for facilitating such lending, we recognise
too the fundamental strength and credit quality of business loans to Partners. We have low
impairment experience due to a number of factors that help to mitigate the inherent credit risk
in lending. These include taking a cautious approach to Group credit decisions, with lending
secured against prudent business valuations. Demonstrating this, loan-to-value (LTV)
information is set out in the following table.
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
Weighted average LTV across the total Partner lending book 35% 39%
Proportion of the book where LTV is over 75% 3% 5%
Net exposure to loans where LTV is over 100% (£Million) 5.6 7.2
If FUM were to decrease by 10%, the net exposure to loans where LTV is over 100% at
31 December 2025 would increase to £6.4 million (2024: increase to £8.3 million).
Our credit experience also benefits from the repayment structure of business loans to Partners.
The Group collects advice charges from clients. Prior to making the associated payment to
Partners, we deduct loan capital and interest payments from the amount due.
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2.2 Cash result continued
During the year we have continued to facilitate business loans to Partners. Further information
is provided in Note 15 Other receivables and Note 19 Borrowings and financial commitments.
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Total business loans to Partners 639.9 557.3
Split by funding type:
Business loans to Partners directly funded by the Group 370.1 386.6
Securitised business loans to Partners 269.8 170.7
b. Liquidity
Cash generated by the business is held in highly rated government securities, AAA-rated
money market funds and bank accounts. Although these are all highly liquid, only the last of
these is classified as cash and cash equivalents on the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet.
The total liquid assets held are as follows:
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Fixed interest securities 10.3 8.6
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes (AAA-rated money
market funds) 2,403.7 2,194.3
Financial investments 2,414.0 2,202.9
Cash and cash equivalents 329.6 352.6
Total liquid assets 2,743.6 2,555.5
The Group’s primary source of cash generation is ongoing charges on FUM. Cash is used to
invest in the business and to support returns to shareholders. Our shareholder returns guidance
is set such that appropriate cash is retained in the business to support the investment needed
to meet our future growth aspirations.
Section 3 – Capital and liquidity
A cornerstone of our business model and risk appetite is that we hold assets to fully match
our liabilities to clients. Our clients can access their investments on demand and because the
value of their investment is matched, movements in factors such as equity markets have very
little impact on our ability to meet liabilities.
We also have a prudent approach to investing cash generated by the business in cash and
cash equivalents, AAA-rated money market funds and highly rated government securities.
The overall effect is a resilient capital position capable of meeting liabilities even during
adverse market conditions, and means that our business is capital-light.
As a Group containing insurance entities we are required to report under the Solvency II capital
regime, and full information about our Solvency II capital position can be found in Note 22 to
the IFRS financial statements. However, it is liquidity rather than Solvency II which is the more
relevant factor in our capital allocation decisions, and so we focus on liquidity in this section.
At 31 December 2025 we had £2,743.6 million of total liquid assets on the shareholder balance
sheet, as presented in the table to the left. Much of these are assets held to cover specific items
needed to run the business. The following table sets out how much of the total liquid assets are
held to cover specific items. Liquidity which is not held to cover specific items is termed ‘free
liquidity held at Group centre’.
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Total liquid assets 2,743.6 2,555.5
Less amounts held for:
Working capital (734.2) (487.6)
Policyholder tax (692.1) (538.4)
Management capital coverage assessment (587.7) (548.4)
Ongoing Service Evidence provision (272.3) (425.1)
Bridging loan repayment (250.0)
Shareholder returns communicated at year end (185.9) (157.9)
Total free liquidity held at Group centre 271.4 148.1
Liquid assets are required to support the working capital of the Group. It primarily relates
to cash received by the Group which is awaiting payment to the appropriate third party.
Amounts held for policyholder tax are deductions we have taken from our funds in order
to satisfy policyholder tax charges which we settle with HMRC on policyholders’ behalf.
This balance can vary significantly with markets, and can require amounts to be paid
back into our funds in the short term.
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The management capital coverage assessment (previously known as the management
solvency buffer) is our assessment of the prudent amount we need to hold to cover capital
requirements in the regulated entities within the Group. We hold this in liquid assets within
our regulated entities.
We also hold liquid assets to cover our Ongoing Service Evidence provision. We expect that our
historic ongoing service evidence review, which gave rise to this provision, will be completed
during 2026.
The amount held for bridging loan repayment at 31 December 2024 covered the repayment of
this facility in February 2025, which was initially drawn when we recognised the Ongoing Service
Evidence provision.
Finally, we hold liquid assets to cover shareholder returns communicated at year-end.
This comprises the proposed 12 pence per share final dividend for 2025, which equates to
£63.3 million, the £103.9 million final share buy-back and the £18.7 million buy-back from the
Ongoing Service Evidence provision release at year-end.
Flows into and out of free liquidity held at Group centre over the year are set out in the
following table.
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Opening free liquidity at Group centre 148.1 79.1
Net remittances from subsidiaries for the financial year 548.5 515.5
Investment in business loans to Partners 16.5 (45.8)
Other (30.4) (72.7)
Liquidity generated from operations and investment 534.6 397.0
Movement in borrowings (12.7) (62.8)
Interest paid on external borrowings (24.0) (33.0)
Consideration paid for own shares (61.3) (9.5)
Net financing activities (98.0) (105.3)
Dividends for the financial year (95.2) (97.2)
Share buy-backs for the financial year (218.1) (125.5)
Shareholder returns (313.3) (222.7)
Closing free liquidity held at Group centre 271.4 148.1
Net remittances from subsidiaries for the financial year reflect dividends from subsidiaries, less
capital contributions required to support subsidiaries, in respect of the financial year. Over time
the net cash remittances from subsidiaries will broadly reflect the profit-generating capacity of
the business, less the liquidity required to maintain strong balance sheets within the operating
subsidiaries, ensuring the safety of client investments.
Investment in business loans to Partners is the net amount of investment from our balance
sheet to support our adviser growth and succession support scheme.
Other includes corporate expenses retained at the Group centre, which are primarily project
costs for the implementation of our new charging structure.
Consideration paid for own shares represents the cost of buying back St. James’s Place plc
shares from the market to satisfy employee share-based payment awards.
Dividends for the financial year represent the ordinary interim and final dividends for the year.
Share buy-backs for the financial year represent the ordinary interim and final share buy-backs
for the year, plus buy-backs for any other purposes such as the releases from the Ongoing
Service Evidence provision during 2025.
More information about:
movement in borrowings can be found in Note 19 to the IFRS financial statements
interest and fees on borrowings can be found in Note 9 to the IFRS financial statements
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The Group’s position as the UK’s
leading advice-led wealth manager
is built on a clear commitment
to integrity, accountability, and
the delivery of long-term value
for clients.
Core to this is a strong risk culture and a
balanced approach to risk that supports
those commitments.
Risk culture
A strong risk-aware culture is fundamental to
delivering good client outcomes, achieving
the Group’s strategic objectives and sustaining
long-term success. Our approach promotes
accountability, sound decision-making, and
the consideration of risk in all activities and at
every level of the business. To achieve good
client outcomes and responsible growth, we
embed risk management within our strategic
and operational processes, supporting
effective governance.
Risk framework and internal control
Our risk management framework and system
of internal control are designed to ensure that
risks are identified, assessed, managed, and
monitored within defined appetites, and that
appropriate oversight, assurance, and
reporting mechanisms are in place.
The internal control environment is founded
on a clear organisational structure and
a culture that encourages risk ownership
and accountability. The first line of defence
(business functions) is responsible for
identifying and managing risk in day-to-
day operations. The second line (Risk and
Compliance) provides independent oversight
and challenge, while the third line (Internal
Audit) delivers independent assurance on
the effectiveness of governance, risk
management, and internal control.
The Board, through the Group Risk Committee
and Group Audit Committee, has overall
responsibility for ensuring that there is an
effective risk management framework and
that a robust internal control environment
is maintained.
As part of our ongoing commitment to
delivering and enhancing risk management
across the Group, our enterprise-wide risk
management framework, taxonomy, and
appetite statements continue to be reviewed
and enhanced. This supports the achievement
of the Group’s strategic objectives while
safeguarding the interests of our clients,
shareholders, and other key stakeholders.
The diagram overleaf depicts the risk
management framework and system
of internal control.
Risk appetite
The Board sets the Group’s risk appetite in
the context of its strategic objectives and
regulatory obligations. The Group risk appetite
statement, reviewed at least annually by
the Chief Risk Officer, the Group Executive
Committee, and the Group Risk Committee
before being approved by the Board, defines
the level and nature of risk the Group is willing
to accept in pursuit of its objectives.
The statement outlines accountability for
specific risk types and is supported by a suite
of key risk indicators (KRIs) and qualitative
measures that allow ongoing monitoring
of the Group’s risk profile. The appetite
framework is dynamic and may evolve as
business conditions and strategic priorities
change, ensuring the Group remains
responsive to emerging risks and market
developments.
A culture that prioritises risk awareness
is essential to the quality of our advice-led
business model and for achieving SJP’s goals.
Hestie Reinecke
Chief Risk Officer
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
33
Conscious risk management
Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Risk governance
Oversight of the risk management framework
and internal control environment is integral
to the Board’s governance responsibilities.
The Group Risk Committee oversees risk
management strategy, policy, framework and
risk appetite, while the Group Audit Committee
assesses the adequacy and effectiveness of
the Group’s risk management and internal
control frameworks covering all material
financial, operational, compliance and
reporting controls.
Together, these committees provide robust
oversight to ensure that risk management
remains embedded within decision-
making processes and that the Board
is regularly informed of risk exposures,
control effectiveness, emerging threats,
and the actions being taken to manage
these in line with risk appetite.
Risk identification and assessment
Annual Risk and Control Self-Assessments
(RCSAs) are a key component of SJP’s risk and
control management framework. RCSAs enable
the identification, assessment, management
and monitoring of current and emerging risks.
Risks are evaluated in terms of their likelihood
and potential impact on the Group’s financial
position, reputation, regulatory compliance,
and ability to deliver good client outcomes.
RCSA results are reviewed by management
and reported to the relevant committees and
supported by annual attestations from senior
executives. This process helps to understand
the control environment and the risks faced
by the business. Stress testing, scenario
analysis, and horizon scanning are used to
evaluate resilience under a range of conditions,
ensuring the Group remains prepared for
adverse developments in financial or
operational environments.
Risk reporting
Comprehensive and timely risk reporting
enables effective oversight and decision-
making. Regular reports are provided to
the Group Risk Committee, Group Audit
Committee and the Board, including analysis
of key risk indicators, risk trends, emerging
issues, and changes in the external
environment. The reporting supports a
transparent view of SJP’s risk profile and
the effectiveness of controls and mitigating
actions, ensuring accountability and
alignment with the Board’s approved
risk appetite.
Own Risk and Solvency Assessment
(ORSA)
The ORSA is an integral part of SJP’s risk and
capital management framework. It provides a
forward-looking assessment of the adequacy
of the Group’s capital resources in relation to
the Group’s risk profile and business strategy.
The ORSA process operates continuously
throughout the year, with an annual ORSA
report reviewed and approved by the Board.
The adequacy of capital and liquidity
arrangements, relative to the risk profile of
each risk, is also assessed on a solo-entity
basis for material subsidiaries in the Group.
These assessments are aligned with their
regulatory requirements.
Risk governance
Risk management and control framework
Board
Group Risk and
Audit Committees
Subsidiary Boards
Group Executive
Committee
Other ExCos
Risk culture
M
a
n
a
g
e
I
d
e
n
t
i
f
y
M
o
n
i
t
o
r
A
s
s
e
s
s
112
211
310
49
8
67
5
Insights
used to inform
further activity
1. Loss event reporting
2. Emerging risk assessment
3. Stress and scenario testing
4. Risks and controls
self-assessment
5. Operational risk
assessments
6. Reverse stress testing
7. Own risk and solvency
assessment
8. Recovery and resolution
planning
9. Risk registers
10. Regular risk reporting
11. Key risk indicators
12. Risk relationship meetings
Risk escalation
34
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Current risk environment
Operational Risk
The Group successfully implemented its
simple, comparable charging structure
in the second half of 2025, with the launch
of fundamental changes to SJP’s charging
structure across the Group. This was the
culmination of almost two years of complex
change activity, with a strong focus on
risk management, robust governance
and effective change-management
arrangements to manage the level
of associated risk.
The Group continues to review ongoing
advice charges and refunding fees where
there is inadequate evidence to demonstrate
that ongoing advice was provided in line with
regulatory obligations.
In 2024, the Group announced a redefined
purpose and refreshed strategy. During 2025,
the implementation of a new organisational
design model was completed to support
delivery of the strategy and to reduce the
addressable cost base. People-related risks
were elevated during this period of change,
and the Group focused on managing impacts
to employees while maintaining operational
and financial resilience.
Cyber security and threat landscape
The cyber-threat environment has continued
to intensify into 2025. Increased geopolitical
tension, rapid innovation in AI-driven attack
methods, and the growing scale of organised
cybercrime have further expanded both the
risk landscape and the sophistication of
attempted intrusions.
SJP continues to strengthen its cyber-
resilience capabilities through ongoing
investment in technology, enhanced threat-
detection tools, improved governance
frameworks, and regular staff training.
Maintaining strong operational resilience and
protecting client data remain critical priorities
as threats continue to evolve at pace.
Macroeconomic and political environment
Geopolitical uncertainty remains elevated,
with potential implications for global markets
and supply chains. Despite this backdrop,
SJP’s business model has continued to
demonstrate resilience, and our long-term
advice philosophy remains central to
supporting clients through fluctuating
market conditions.
Although inflation has eased compared
with the peak levels seen in previous years,
it remains a persistent feature of the UK
economy. Current forecasts suggest that
inflation will continue to track above the UK
Government’s 2% target over the near term,
maintaining pressure on household budgets
and business operating costs. The wide-
ranging tax and pension uncertainties are
expected to impact clients’ decision making
in 2026 and beyond.
The Group’s advisers are ideally placed
to support clients through the complex
and ever-changing macroeconomic
and political environment, helping them
to make sustainable, long-term financial
plans which align to their goals.
Regulatory change
Regulatory expectations continue to evolve in
2026, including a greater focus on rebalancing
risk to support economic growth. SJP engage
closely with regulators and industry bodies,
ensuring that our advice processes, oversight
frameworks, and client communications
develops in a manner consistent with
regulatory intent. Strengthening the Group’s
ability to assess and evidence positive client
outcomes remains a priority as regulatory
expectations develop.
The Board has initiated a comprehensive
programme to prepare for the revised
requirements introduced by Provision 29
of the UK Corporate Governance Code.
From the financial year 2026 onwards,
the Board will be required to publicly issue
a statement in the Annual Report and
Accounts on how it has monitored and
reviewed the effectiveness of the risk
management and internal control framework.
This will include a declaration on the overall
effectiveness of material controls including
a description of any material controls which
are not operating effectively as at the balance
sheet date alongside actions being taken to
address any deficiencies.
Material controls are critical to managing the
principal risks that could threaten the business
model, future performance, solvency, liquidity
and reputation, or affect the long-term
sustainability and resilience of the business.
The scope covers all material controls
including financial, operational, reporting
and compliance.
Sustainability and climate change
Sustainability and climate-related risks are
integrated into the broader enterprise risk
management framework using consistent
methodologies for identification, assessment,
management and monitoring. Climate and
sustainability risks are considered cross-cutting
in nature, influencing several of the Group’s
principal risks. Information on the actions being
taken to support the transition to a more
sustainable economy and mitigating the
impacts of climate change on our business is
provided in the Our Responsible Business section.
Climate-related opportunities, along with
the associated time horizons for each risk
and opportunity, are outlined in the Our
Responsible Business section. Further details
on principal sustainability and climate-
related risks, including subsidiary-specific
considerations, are provided in the Group
Climate Report.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
35
Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Principal risks and uncertainties
The principal risks and uncertainties outlined below are used to help us
monitor and report the risk exposures that have the potential to impact
the group. Whilst the risk landscape continued to evolve, our principal
risk remained consistent with the previous year.
Principal risk Risk description Link to
strategy
Risk exposure Mitigation
Advice and
conduct
Quality, suitable advice,
or service to clients is
not provided.
The risk that the quality or suitability of advice provided to
clients may not meet the required standards, or that the
business may be unable to sufficiently evidence the delivery
of good-quality service and advice. Such shortcomings could
result in elevated complaint volumes, increased regulatory
scrutiny, potential client detriment, and adverse impacts
on the Group’s reputation and financial performance.
SJP strives to maintain appropriate standards of professional advice
and service.
We employ an onboarding, licensing and supervision programme for
our advisers which is supported by advice standards, technical guidance,
business assurance and compliance monitoring.
We are focused on maintaining oversight of our advisers to ensure advice
quality and ongoing client service.
Our complaints management, whistleblowing and investigation processes
underpin a culture of integrity and accountability.
Client
proposition
The product proposition
fails to meet the needs,
objectives and
expectations of clients.
This includes poor
relative investment
performance or poor
product design.
The risk that investment performance may fall short of
benchmarks or fail to deliver the expected outcomes for
clients. In addition, the range of investment solutions offered
may not remain aligned with the evolving product and service
needs of current and future clients. Furthermore, failure to
meet client expectations around sustainability, particularly
in relation to climate change and responsible investment
could lead to reputational damage, loss of client confidence,
and reduced competitiveness.
SJP is focused on delivering long-term value and investment outcomes that
align with our clients’ objectives. We employ ongoing monitoring of portfolio
performance, asset allocations, and fund managers against defined risk
and return targets.
We are committed to continuously enhancing our product and service
range and to engaging with investment managers on responsible
investment principles.
Financial
The business’s
finances are not
effectively managed.
The risk that the Group’s financials may be negatively
impacted due to adverse movements in investment markets,
insufficient liquidity, or exposure to credit and counterparty
failures. Fluctuations in market conditions, rising expenses or
operational inefficiencies could erode profitability. In addition,
weaknesses in finance operations or financial reporting
processes could result in inaccurate or delayed financial
information, regulatory non-compliance, or loss of
stakeholder confidence.
SJP is committed to maintaining a strong and resilient financial position.
We employ prudent asset-liability management to ensure clients’ investments
are fully matched. We hold sufficient highly rated liquid instruments to be
confident of meeting all liquidity requirements and maintain contingent
liquidity facilities to meet extreme and unexpected funding needs.
We are focused on disciplined financial control, budgeting, and monitoring
to safeguard the Group’s capital and solvency.
Partner
proposition
The Partner proposition
solution fails to meet
the needs, objectives
and expectations of
current and potential
future advisers.
The risk that the Group may be unable to attract, retain,
and develop advisers, or to provide the technology and
support needed to enhance productivity and deliver on
growth objectives.
SJP is committed to be the best place to be a financial adviser in the UK,
by providing a market-leading proposition for our Partners and ensuring
they are supported by skilled business managers, reliable systems, and
high-quality administrative services.
We continue to refine our Academy to attract, train, and retain diverse,
talented advisers, and on sustaining an environment in which Partner
businesses can thrive.
Our strategic
focus areas
Brilliant
Basics
Differentiated
Client Proposition
Leading Adviser
Offering
Performance
Focused Organisation
36
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Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Principal risk Risk description Link to
strategy
Risk exposure Mitigation
People
SJP is unable to
attract and retain
the right people to
run the business.
The risk that the Group may be unable to attract, retain, and
develop colleagues with the necessary skills, or to effectively
manage performance and succession. In addition, failure
to maintain an inclusive and supportive culture, promote
employee wellbeing, and uphold social value could
adversely affect engagement, operational performance,
and the Group’s reputation.
Attracting, developing, and retaining talented people is key to maintaining
our business.
Structured succession planning and talent management processes are
in place and we monitor engagement to ensure our people feel supported
and valued.
We are focused on fostering a culture of integrity and social responsibility,
including charitable giving and whistleblowing protections.
Regulatory
and
legislative
Current, changing,
or new regulatory
and legislative
expectations
are not met.
There is a risk that the Group fails to demonstrate compliance
with evolving Consumer Duty expectations along with other
regulatory requirements. In addition, there is a risk that the
Group may fail to prevent financial crime, fraud, or other forms
of misconduct, or to maintain adequate internal controls to
safeguard data. Failure to protect confidentiality, integrity, and
availability of information, or to respond effectively to evolving
regulatory expectations, could result in legal or regulatory
sanctions, financial loss, and reputational damage.
SJP is committed to complying with all applicable regulations and legislation,
and maintaining strong, open relationships with regulators.
We are focused on ensuring we have clear governance, accountability,
and reporting structures that support oversight and early identification
of risks or breaches in regulatory requirements.
Security and
resilience
SJP fails to adequately
secure its physical
assets, systems and/
or sensitive information,
or to deliver critical
business services
to its clients.
The risk that a failure of core systems, a cyber-attack, or other
disruption to key business services could impair the Group’s
ability to operate effectively and serve clients. Inadequate
protection of corporate, Partnership, or third-party systems
and data could result in service interruption, regulatory
breaches, financial loss, and reputational or client harm.
Our cyber and operational resilience framework is key to safeguarding
our clients, Partners, and business operations.
We employ comprehensive business continuity and incident management
plans, cyber accreditation standards, and proactive monitoring of potential
data and security threats.
Strategy
and change
Failure to deliver
change effectively
and in line with the
agreed strategy.
The risk that change initiatives may not deliver the expected
strategic outcomes, benefits, or quality standards, or may
exceed planned budgets and timelines. Inadequate change
execution or delays could hinder delivery of key business
priorities, including commitments to achieving net zero, and
adversely affect the Group’s strategic progress and reputation.
SJP is committed to delivering strategic change in a controlled and
effective manner.
Rigorous governance and project management methodologies are in
place to oversee transformation initiatives, and manage dependencies.
We align change with long-term business objectives.
Third parties
Third-party outsourcers’
activities impact
performance and
risk management.
The risk that operational failures by material outsourcers
or other third-party service providers could disrupt critical
business activities, including investment administration,
fund management, custody, policy administration, and
cloud services. Such failures could lead to client detriment,
regulatory breaches, financial loss, and reputational damage.
SJP maintains strong oversight of our third-party relationships and employs
comprehensive due diligence, performance monitoring, and resilience
assessments to ensure suppliers meet our operational and service standards.
The Group focuses on effective exit and continuity planning to safeguard
our clients and the Group from potential disruptions.
Our strategic
focus areas
Brilliant
Basics
Differentiated
Client Proposition
Leading Adviser
Offering
Performance
Focused Organisation
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
37
Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Emerging risks
Emerging risks are identified through many
activities: conversations and workshops
with stakeholders and governance forums
throughout the business, reviewing academic
papers, attending industry events and other
horizon scanning by the Group Risk team.
The purpose of monitoring and reporting
emerging risks is to give assurance that the
Group is well positioned to manage
developing or rapidly changing risks to its
strategy. The Group Risk Committee reviewed
emerging risks during 2025. Examples of
emerging risks include:
Cyber security risk – Increasing and
evolving external threats and sophistication
of Cyber attacks that result in loss of client
data, financial assets, and damage to
reputation.
Regulatory change risk – Increasing and
evolving regulatory landscapes where
SJP is subject to conduct and prudential
regulation in the UK by the PRA and FCA
and in the other jurisdictions in which
it operates.
Geopolitical risk Political instability,
trade wars, and other geopolitical events
can disrupt markets, reduce investment
returns, and increase operating costs.
Artificial intelligence risk – Artificial
intelligence (AI) increases opportunities,
and also presents a complex emerging
risk, combining fast-moving technology
with evolving regulatory, ethics, data and
operational challenges.
Demographic shift risk – An ageing
population and demographic shifts may
affect both the demand for, and nature of,
SJP services, requiring ongoing alignment
to the needs of an evolving client base,
supported by innovative products and
a more advanced digital proposition.
Viability statement
How viability is assessed
The business considers five-year financial
forecasts when developing its strategy.
These incorporate the budget for the next
financial year and four further years of
forecasts based on reasonable central
assumptions around the development
of business drivers.
At the core of assessing viability is
understanding how different principal risks
could materialise. Risks are considered
which might present either in isolation
or in combination and which could result
in acute shocks to the business or long-
term underperformance against forecast
business drivers. A five-year time horizon
is considered sufficiently long to assess
potential impacts and aim to ensure that
the business remains viable, noting that
identified management actions could
also be taken to restore the business’s
prospects.
When considering how the principal
risks previously described might affect
the business, impacts on the following
key financial drivers are considered:
reduction in client and Partner retention
reduction in new business relative
to forecasts
market stresses
increases in expenses
direct losses through operational
risk events.
Stress and scenario testing on these key
financial drivers is carried out, alongside
operational risk assessments. To provide
comfort over viability over the next five years,
the scenarios and assessments look at events
which would be extreme, whilst still remaining
plausible. The analysis contained in the most
recent ORSA demonstrated that the Group
is resilient.
As an example, a scenario considered in
the most recent ORSA included a severe fall
in both markets and new business volumes,
alongside significant increases in lapse
assumptions, expenses and inflation. Even in
this extreme scenario, the Group maintained
capital well above the regulatory capital
requirements.
For adverse stresses and scenarios there
would be impacts on profitability, and
depending on the severity of the scenario
the Group would review and implement
recovery actions which aim to protect
and/or restore the Group’s finances. In line
with regulatory expectations the Group also
maintains plans to wind down the business
in a solvent and orderly way in the event it
became unviable. These plans safeguard
clients’ investments and outcomes and
seek to preserve capital.
Conclusion
In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code (Provision 31), the Directors have
assessed the Group’s current financial position and prospects over the next five-year
period and have a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able to continue in
operation and meet its liabilities as they fall due. The Directors believe that the Group’s
risk planning, management processes and culture allow for a risk-conscious environment.
38
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Risk and control management
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Responsible and sustainable decision-making
Our responsible business
We are committed to taking responsibility for our actions and strive to
have a positive impact on our people and communities. We have both
the opportunity and responsibility to use our voice to drive change.
Our approach
We aim to take a holistic approach to being
a responsible business with our responsible
business (RB) framework acting as a blueprint
for our key areas of influence. We recognise
that embedding sustainability considerations
helps to create value for both our clients and
the business.
For consistency and comparability, we
align our reporting to the UN Sustainable
Development Goals and the Sustainability
Accounting Standards Board standards. These
can be found in the Other Information section.
We are preparing for upcoming regulations,
for example the UK Sustainability Reporting
Standards (UK SRS). We welcome the
opportunity these new standards bring to
align and streamline existing sustainability-
related reporting requirements. They are also
an opportunity to continue to build trust with
our stakeholders through enhanced
transparency and accountability.
Policy influence
By building on the trusted relationships we
have established with policy stakeholders,
we have a voice at the table on issues that
matter to us and society. This helps us to
shape the public policy agenda, mitigate
risks, and drive meaningful change. In 2025
a policy priority for the UK Government, the
FCA and the wealth management sector
remained addressing the advice gap
and encouraging greater retail investing.
We have played an integral role in
the development of policy proposals,
including through working with the FCA
and Government on the Advice Guidance
Boundary Review industry working group.
In 2026, a key priority for us will be supporting
greater retail investment. We will be part
of the sector-wide UK Retail Investment
Campaign to build a stronger investing
culture in the UK. We are also part of an
industry working group on risk warnings
for mainstream investments.
Our material topics
This year we have continued to consolidate
the findings of our 2024 double materiality
assessment (DMA) as we started a review
of our responsible business (RB) framework.
The DMA builds upon the financial materiality
exercises we have undertaken since 2019.
It was aligned to the European Sustainability
Reporting Standards and considered the
impact of our business operations on:
our stakeholders, society and the
environment (impact materiality)
the financial risks and opportunities
that societal and environmental changes
represent to us (financial materiality).
The DMA identified material topics which are
the sustainability issues most significant for
SJP. These material topics are incorporated
into our RB framework, as shown on the right.
During 2026, we will continue to review our
RB framework, and material topics, with the
aim of ensuring we focus our efforts on
the areas where we can make the greatest
positive change.
Material topics Responsible
business
framework
References
Affected
communities
page 40
Business
conduct
page 50
Climate
change
page 41
page 41
Consumers
and end
users
page 41
page 40
Our own
workforce
page 47
Workers in the
value chain
page 50
Investing responsibly
Considering material
environmental, social and
governance factors through
our investment process.
page 41
Community impact
Giving back to support
local communities
and regeneration.
page 40
Financial wellbeing
Enhancing financial
wellbeing for our clients,
employees and
communities.
page 40
Climate change
Taking action on climate
change with the aim of
achieving Group net zero
by 2050.
pages 41 to 46
People
Investing in long-term
relationships so we can
create success together.
pages 47 and 48
Good governance
Helping us to build trust,
and effectively manage
responsible business-related
risks and opportunities.
pages 49 to 51
For additional detail on our 2025 activities
see our Responsible Business Report
sjp.co.uk/2025-RBReport
Our responsible business framework
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
39
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Our responsible business
Financial wellbeing
Enhancing financial wellbeing for our clients, employees
and communities
Community impact
Giving back to support local communities and regeneration
As a business, giving back to our communities
has always been a core part of our culture.
Individuals and teams volunteer their time and
skills in their communities through a wide range
of activities, including our strategic financial
education programmes and supporting the
SJP Charitable Foundation. We know that
volunteering experiences benefit those giving
their time as well as the communities they
support. That is why we encourage all
employees to volunteer two days a year in work
time and provide ongoing opportunities on our
internal website. This year 496 employees
volunteered 4,139 hours (2024: 1,012 employees
and 10,065 hours). Although this year’s metrics
have fallen we are pleased with these results
in a period of significant change in the
business, and completion of our
organisational redesign, which is referenced
in the Chief Executive Officer’s report.
Supporting communities through
our Charitable Foundation
The Charitable Foundation has been at the
heart of our business for more than 30 years.
Its ambition of making a positive and lasting
difference to people’s lives has helped
numerous charities to achieve transformational
impact. 76% of people supported through the
Charitable Foundation report a substantive or
transformational impact on their life (2024: 79%).
We are proud to match all donations and
fundraising from the SJP community to the
Charitable Foundation, raising a total
£6.7 million in 2025 (2024: £9.0 million). We have
also worked collaboratively with our partner
charities to support the development of their
people through the allocation of some of our
Government Apprenticeship Levy funding.
The Charitable Foundation’s grant-making
is focused on supporting small and medium-
sized charities, where its funding can reach
people and communities that are most
disadvantaged and have a lasting impact.
The Foundation’s core funding themes are:
children and young people; end-of-life care
and support; living well with cancer;
supporting mental health; and, from 2026,
financial wellbeing.
Read more about the Charitable
Foundation at sjpfoundation.co.uk
Our 2025 Real Life Advice Report found that
people receiving ongoing advice are more
than twice as likely to have a comprehensive
financial plan with timelines and clear life
goals compared to those who are not. Most
importantly, 85% of those with ongoing advice
say they are on track or ahead of their savings
and investment targets, compared with 64%
of those without.
We are proud to play an important role in
improving people’s financial lives. Our advisers
provide invaluable advice to their clients and
empower them to realise their ambitions.
However, our focus doesn’t stop at our clients,
because we believe financial wellbeing is a
key component of a thriving society.
Our clients
Our greatest impact on financial wellbeing is
delivered through the trusting relationships
our professional advisers build with their
clients and the invaluable advice provided.
This can lead to both financial and non-
financial benefits. More detail on the value of
financial advice and the part we play can be
found in the Business Model section.
We recognise that people are all unique, with
different needs and ambitions. Our advisers
seek to understand their clients’ individual
circumstances, including how much knowledge
they have about money and what financial
wellbeing means to them. We continue to
enhance our support for clients in vulnerable
circumstances. Specialists across the
business have continued to develop adviser
training and resources to help us better meet
the needs of vulnerable clients and prevent
foreseeable harm. Our adviser training
curriculum also includes case studies to guide
advisers in tailoring advice for additional
vulnerability needs.
Our employees
We all experience major life events or
milestones, and these are often the biggest
prompts for people to seek financial advice.
With this in mind we support our employees
on their own financial journeys by providing
them with access to knowledge and
guidance. A new dedicated page on our
internal rewards platform explains how
employees can engage with a selected
panel of our advisers. They can also access
training and resources to help them be
mindful in their spending, saving and
financial planning.
Our communities
Our research found that 40% of parents fear
their children will never get on the property
ladder and 38% worry they will not build
sufficient savings. We have consistently
advocated for providing financial education
at the early stages of life and welcomed the
Government’s announcement that it will be
added to the primary school curriculum.
Our approach is a combination of funding
strategic partnerships and face-to-face
volunteering in schools. In 2025, we were
delighted to gift £500,000 of unclaimed
dividends to the SJP Charitable Foundation.
This funding is to primarily focus on
supporting community financial wellbeing
over the next three years. See more detail
in section 172(1). In addition, our passionate
advisers and employees engaged with
14,726 students on a range of financial
education topics, including budgeting and
borrowing. 71% of the young people who
responded to our feedback survey felt more
confident managing their money day to
day after attending one of our workshops
(2024: 77%).
Thank you from the
Charitable Foundation
We rely upon the generosity of the SJP
community in the UK, Ireland, Middle East
and Asia and our success is a result of this
ongoing dedication. Committed members
of the SJP community volunteer their time
to run our Regional Foundation Committees,
organising fundraising events and creating
connections with their local charities. Without
these deep connections and the ongoing
commitment to matched funding, our
grant-making programme would not be
possible. The willingness to give back to our
communities through fundraising, donations
and volunteering runs deep across the SJP
community. Thank you so much, we couldn’t
do it without each and every one of you.
Collectively we have directly supported 7.1
million people since 1992 (2024: 12.8 million we
have adjusted our calculation methodology
since last year’s report removing indirectly
supported beneficiaries).
40
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Investing responsibly
Considering material environmental, social and governance
(ESG) factors through our investment process
ESG risks and opportunities can be an important
driver of returns. We are committed to ensuring
that our investment managers are focused on
this key source of potential value for our clients.
We apply this focus across our entire fund range.
Responsible
investing
ESG risks and
opportunities
Engagement
=
+
Our Sustainable and Responsible Equity
(SRE) unit trust
1
goes further and has adopted
the FCA’s ‘Sustainability Focus’ label. It aims to
generate returns by investing in companies
that make a positive contribution to the
environment and society through what they
sell and/or how they are managed. In addition,
our Discretionary Fund Management (DFM)
service enables our clients to invest according
to their specific values and objectives, such as
excluding high carbon-emitting industries.
Key developments in 2025
Over the year we continued to monitor and
engage with our investment managers. We also
deepened our oversight in the following ways:
We identified climate change and human
and labour rights as areas of priority. These
two issues have been a key focus of our
conversations with our investment
managers over the year.
We set our second interim carbon reduction
target, aiming to reduce the emissions
2
associated with our investments by 50%
by 2030, versus a 2019 baseline.
The weighted average carbon intensity
(WACI) of our investments
3
has reduced
by 37.5% since 2019, as at 31 December
2025 (2024: 43.9%). This exceeds our
target of a 25% reduction by 2025,
even though this year saw an increase.
Reasons for this increase include our
sector exposure changes with increased
allocations to carbon-intensive sectors
such as industrials and materials. Over
half the increase came from exposure
to three cement producers, emphasising
the disproportionate influence highly
carbon-intensive companies can have.
We deepened our oversight of our
investment managers’ stewardship
activities, examining topics they
engaged on and challenging them
on their approach to macro stewardship
i.e. how they are trying to influence
policymakers, particularly on the issue
of climate change. Engagement will
remain a key focus in 2026.
We published our first entity sustainability
report for SJP Unit Trust Group Limited.
1
This report covers our approach to
sustainability across the pillars of
governance, strategy, risk management
and metrics and targets.
We announced changes to our Global
Equity fund which have strengthened
governance around the fund’s carbon
targets. From February 2026, the fund will
be called the Lower Carbon Equity fund
and will aim to have a carbon footprint
at least 25% below that of its benchmark.
New key performance indicators and
exclusions will also be introduced.
1 For more information see sjp.co.uk/UTG-sustainability-entity-report.
2 This target is based on emissions intensity, in line with current market practice.
3 The scope of the data represented is limited to our equity and debt for listed companies. It does not include
real estate or DFM data. This covers 82.4% of our overall FUM as at 31 December 2025.
Our responsible business
Climate change
Taking action on climate change with the aim of achieving
Group net zero by 2050
Our climate transition planning
This year marked an important evolution in
our climate approach, with the launch of our
new 2030 interim targets. We aim to reduce
our combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
by 65% by 2030 (baseline year: 2023) and the
carbon intensity of our investments by 50%
by 2030 (baseline year: 2019). Our investment
target reflects the strong progress already
made in reducing emissions in our portfolio.
As a result, we recognise further reductions
will become increasingly challenging over
time. Both targets are critical milestones on
our journey to net zero as a Group.
The targets were set following extensive
data-driven modelling. We engaged
with key subject matter experts across
the business to understand the different
factors that are likely to impact our footprint,
for example energy efficiency measures.
This enabled us to understand the level of
reductions that are stretching but achievable.
Our Scope 1 and 2 target was approved by
the Board, which retains responsibility for
managing climate-related risks, in December
2025.
Last year, we committed to reducing our
reliance on carbon offsets. Our new targets
are a crucial step in that direction, because
our ambition is to meet these through direct
emissions reductions by:
1. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels:
switching from natural gas to electric
heating and continuing the electrification
of our fleet of company cars.
2. Increasing resource efficiency:
implementing cost-saving energy
efficiency initiatives in our UK offices –
with many already planned.
3. Transitioning to renewables: exploring the
use of onsite generation, Power Purchase
Agreements (PPAs) and Renewable Energy
Guarantees of Origin (REGOs).
However, we recognise that action beyond
our value chain can still play an important
role in the short-term. As a result, in 2025,
we voluntarily neutralised our operational
emissions
1
using 5,740 tCO
2
e of offsets
certified to recognised global standards
such as the Verified Carbon Standard.
This enhances, but does not replace, our
emissions reduction priorities above.
Key progress in 2025
We are proud to have also taken large strides
in our broader approach to climate change
this year. Some highlights are:
reducing our Scope 1 emissions by 44.7%,
driven mainly by our targeted efforts to
improve energy efficiency in our offices
reporting our financed emissions and
employee commuting emissions for the
first time, strengthening transparency
measuring emissions from our investment
managers and Academy travel for the first
time, closing key data gaps
leveraging our voice by contributing to
significant public consultations on climate,
such as the Department for Business and
Trade’s consultation regarding the UK SRS.
In 2026, we plan to build on this momentum
with purpose. We will continue improving our
emissions data and aim to use it to test the
feasibility of setting targets for our remaining
Scope 3 emissions.
Read more about our evolving climate
approach on pages 11 to 14 of our Climate
Report 2025 sjp.co.uk/ClimateReport2025
1 As of 2025, our operational emissions include our
Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 (categories 3, 5, 6 and 7).
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
41
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Our responsible business
Our climate‑related risk management
Details of our Group-wide risk management
and control framework are available in the
Risk Management section. Climate-related
risks and opportunities are fully integrated
into our broader risk management approach.
We therefore identify, assess, monitor and
manage them using the policies and
processes referenced in that section.
Our material climate‑related
risks and opportunities
We engage subject matter experts from
across the business at least annually to
identify climate-related risks to the business
at Group level. As part of this process, we
consider both transition risks (such as changes
in regulations) and physical risks (such as
flooding), as well as potential opportunities.
We then assess the timeframes and materiality
of each of those risks, prioritising mitigations
for those that score the highest.
Our most material transition risks and
opportunities are shown in the tables on the
right. We have described the potential impact
of these and provided examples of the actions
we take to mitigate each risk and help capture
each opportunity. We have also shown the
four principal risks to the business that are
amplified by these climate-related risks.
These principal risks are detailed further
in the Risk Management section.
Physical risks were deemed immaterial to
us given the nature of our business and the
mitigations we have in place. For example,
each of our managed UK offices has
appropriate buildings insurance. This helps
protect against flood risks arising from severe
climate-related weather events. We also have
a detailed business continuity plan and
operational resilience programme, which
ensure that key services can continue in
the event of climate-related disruptions.
For a more detailed breakdown of our climate-
related risks, opportunities and impacts,
please see our Climate Report 2025 sjp.co.uk
/
ClimateReport2025
Timeframes
Timeframes refer to when we believe a risk/opportunity is most likely to have a potentially material impact. Our short-term timescale is aligned with our business planning horizon;
our long-term timescale is calibrated to the Science Based Target Initiative’s recommended definition of 10+ years. We use ‘medium-term’ to cover the period between the two.
S
Short‑term – 0-5 years
M
Medium‑term – 6–9 years
L
Long‑term – 10+ years
Principal risk
amplified
Underlying climate‑
related risk(s) identified
in Climate Report 2025
Timeframes Description of risk and impacts Example mitigation
(full list in Climate Report 2025 pages 16 to 17 and 20)
Transition risks
Strategy
and change
Reputation risk –
greenwashing &
action failure
S
M
Loss of existing or prospective clients due to
negative publicity caused by greenwashing
or perceived failure to contribute to tackling
climate change. This could reduce our
market share and revenue.
We review our corporate fund marketing
materials to ensure they align with anti-
greenwashing rules.
Client
proposition
Client offering
M
Loss of existing or prospective clients if they
have climate-related preferences that our
products do not or cannot suitably meet.
This could reduce our market share and
revenue.
We adopted the FCA ‘Sustainability Focus’ label
for our Sustainable & Responsible Equity Unit
Trust. Clients with an ESG focus are made aware
of this product.
Regulatory
and
legislative
Policy & legal risk –
cost of regulatory
compliance
S
M
Increased costs for continued compliance
given enhanced climate-related disclosure,
governance and risk management
obligations. Regulatory fines if we fail to
comply, which would also increase costs.
We have begun preparatory work towards
alignment with aspects of emerging regulations,
such as the UK SRS.
Financial
Market risk –
investment values
M
L
Climate-related physical and transition
risks could negatively impact the value of
the companies we invest in and the assets
we hold on behalf of clients.
The solvency risk is largely minimised by
matching our assets to policyholder liabilities
(asset-liability matching). Our investment
managers also consider climate risk as part
of their investment decision-making.
Type of opportunity & timeframes Description Examples of actions taken
Opportunities
Client offering
S
M
L
The potential impact on the business includes
the ability to attract new clients and retain or
grow our market share.
The client attraction and retention
opportunity arising from developing
sustainable investment solutions to
meet the potentially increasing demand
for sustainable products.
We monitor our investment managers to ensure that
they are taking all material ESG factors into account.
We regularly review our offering to consider whether
there is demand for further sustainable products.
Reputation benefits
S
M
The potential impact on the business includes
strengthening client trust, which could increase
retention and gross inflows, helping to grow
market share and revenue.
The opportunity to increase trust and
client satisfaction by aligning more
closely with clients’ expectations in
relation to climate action.
All of our investment managers remain Principle
for Responsible Investment signatories.
We have set transparent, data-driven interim emissions
targets for our investments and for our Scope 1 and 2
emissions. We have also reduced our reliance on
carbon offsetting.
42
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Our responsible business
Climate scenario analysis
We use climate scenario analysis annually as
a tool to help us assess the potential impacts
of climate-related risks and opportunities on
our business.
Our analysis uses three contrasting climate
scenarios (shown below) constructed by the
Network for Greening the Financial System
(NGFS), Phase V. These scenarios are widely
used across the industry (including by the
Bank of England). They are designed to
highlight the potential impact of both physical
and transition risks across a wide range of
future climate scenarios.
Modelling limitations and
assumptions
We believe climate scenario analysis is useful
for strategic planning and risk mitigation.
This is because it provides an indication
of the resilience of our business to climate
change – allowing us to strengthen our
mitigations where appropriate.
However, scenario analysis is not an exact
science. For example, it is based on a
snapshot of our current investment holdings,
which change over time. It does not account
for how we (or the companies we invest in)
would adapt to changing climate conditions.
Impacts and resilience
Our analysis assesses the climate value at risk
of our investments. This is simply an estimate
of how much value a company’s assets could
lose due to climate change. We considered
the impact on our overall portfolio, as well
as by sector and geography.
The results showed that transition risks to
our investments were highest in the Orderly
scenario, which disproportionately impacts
companies sensitive to rapid decarbonisation.
In contrast, the risk was greatest in the Hot
House World scenario for sectors and
geographies vulnerable to physical risks such
as extreme weather events.
As our income is largely generated as a
percentage of funds under management,
a reduction in the value of our investments
could decrease our revenue. This impact was
possible under all scenarios tested. However,
our modelling shows that once mitigating
controls are taken into account, our business
remains resilient in all three scenarios tested.
Examples of the mitigations driving our
resilience to climate risks are:
Asset-liability matching: our liabilities to
clients are fully matched by our invested
assets, which means they rise and fall in
tandem. This protects us from solvency risk.
Diversification: we offer a wide range of
products, resulting in a diversified portfolio
across geographies and sectors. This
reduces the risk that climate impacts in
one specific area disproportionately affect
our overall performance.
Asset manager monitoring: we assess all
investment managers annually to ensure
their investment processes and decision-
making appropriately consider climate-
related risks.
Read more about our scenario analysis, climate-
related risks and resilience in our Climate
Report 2025 sjp.co.uk/ClimateReport2025
Our scenarios
+1.5°C
Orderly – Net Zero 2050
Approximate global warming by 2100: +1.5°C
An optimistic scenario that assumes ambitious
climate policies are introduced immediately and
implemented smoothly, reflecting our ambition
as a Group.
+3°C
Hot House World
Approximate global warming by 2100: +3°C
Assumes only current policies are preserved,
resulting in continued emissions increases and
a minimum of 3°C warming.
+1.5°C
to
+2°C
Disorderly – Delayed Transition
Approximate global warming by 2100:
+1.5°C to +2°C
Assumes global emissions do not decrease until 2030,
followed by an ambitious policy response thereafter.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
43
Governance
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Our climate change metrics and targets
The table below shows the key metrics we use to monitor our exposure to climate-related risks and opportunities. It outlines the specific
risk or opportunity that each metric helps us track, any targets we have set for those metrics, and our progress against them.
Area Metric Description Risk/Opportunity Target Progress
Investment
universe
Weighted
average
carbon
intensity
(WACI)
The emissions our investments produce for every US dollar ($) of
revenue they generate. US dollars are used to aid international
comparability.
This is a good indicator of how carbon-intensive or efficient our
products are relative to others. We track our WACI at least
annually. For more details, please see our TCFD Product Report.
Transition risk:
reputation
Opportunity:
reputation
Reduce the carbon intensity of our portfolio by
50% by 2030 (baseline year: 2019).
1
We have already achieved a 37.5%
reduction in the carbon intensity
of our portfolio.
Our previous 2025 target was
successfully met ahead of time.
See our TCFD Product Report
2
for more information
sjp.co.uk/tcfd-product-report
Absolute
financed
emissions
The total emissions from our investment portfolio.
This allows us to monitor the overall impact of our portfolio,
including funds we invest on behalf of our clients, on climate
change. We track our absolute financed emissions at least
annually.
Transition risk:
reputation
Opportunity:
reputation
Our Group net zero by 2050 target includes
emissions from our investments.
In the short-term, our focus is on reducing the
carbon intensity of our portfolio by 50% by
2030 (baseline year: 2019).
We have already achieved a
22.3% reduction in the financed
emissions of our portfolio since
2022/23.
See our TCFD Product Report
2
for more information about
the financed emissions of our
individual products
sjp.co.uk/tcfd-product-report
Sustainable
funds under
management
The total amount of funds in pounds Sterling (£) that are invested
in our Sustainable & Responsible Equity Unit Trust.
This enables us to track demand for our ESG-related products,
helping us adapt our client offering to better capture that
demand.
Transition risk: client
offering
Opportunity: client
offering
We do not have a specific FUM target for this
fund but continue to track this metric because
it is a useful signal of market demand for
sustainable products. This allows us to evolve
our client offering as appropriate.
See factsheet for
more information
sjp.co.uk/funds
Operations
Operational
emissions
Our Scope 1, Scope 2 and limited Scope 3 emissions (categories
3, 5, 6 and 7).
This helps us track the direct impact of our own activities as a
business and the effectiveness of our climate strategy over time.
We track our operational emissions at least annually.
Transition risk:
reputation
Opportunity:
reputation
Reduce our absolute combined Scope 1 and
Scope 2 emissions by 65% by 2030 (baseline
year: 2023). This contributes towards our Group
net zero by 2050 target, which includes
emissions from our operations.
We will also explore the feasibility of setting
target(s) for our operational Scope 3 emissions
in 2026.
More information about our previous
operational emissions targets, which expired in
2025, can be found in our Climate Report 2025.
Read more about our
operational emissions and
our Scope 1 and 2 targets on
page 12 of our Climate Report
2025
We have already achieved a 15.9%
reduction in our combined Scope
1 and 2 emissions since 2023.
1 The scope of the data captured in this metric is limited to our equity and debt for listed companies. It does not include real estate or DFM data. This covers 82.4% of our overall FUM as at 31 December 2025.
2 The most recent TCFD Product Report is for the year ended 31 December 2024, and was published in June 2025.
Our responsible business
44
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Summary of our operational
emissions
We continue to track and disclose the annual
consolidated greenhouse gas emissions and
energy usage for which St. James’s Place plc
is responsible. The table below summarises
our gross operational emissions for the 2025
reporting year. Our full emissions disclosure is
in the Other Information section and provides
a complete breakdown of all our applicable
Scope 3 categories. That section includes
non-operational emissions such as our
financed emissions and supply chain
(which are excluded below).
We are pleased to report progress across both
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Our Scope 1
emissions decreased by 44.7%, primarily
reflecting our efforts to reduce natural gas
consumption across our offices through
targeted energy efficiency measures. Our
Scope 2 (market-based) emissions fell by
14.2%. This was driven by an increased
proportion of our offices using renewable
energy, combined with implementing new
energy efficiency measures such as putting
building management systems into additional
offices. We are proud to have made
measurable progress in these areas.
We are also encouraged by the reduction
in our operational Scope 3 emissions, which
was largely due to declines across most
categories of business travel, including hotel
stays, rail travel and car mileage. In 2025,
we continued our efforts to reduce business
travel and embed more efficient ways of
working, delivering emissions reductions for
a second consecutive year. We also reported
a 15.4% improvement in emissions from
employee commuting. While waste-related
emissions increased slightly, this mainly
reflects data limitations rather than a material
increase in the amount of waste we generate.
We will explore opportunities to improve the
quality of waste and other Scope 3 emissions
data in 2026.
A full breakdown of our 2025 and baseline
year numbers is available in our full emissions
disclosure on page 207
Methodology
To maximise comparability and accuracy,
we follow all requirements of the Greenhouse
Gas Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and
Reporting Standard. Our financed emissions
calculations are also aligned with the
Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials
(PCAF). We apply the operational control
consolidation approach.
We collect and report our climate data on
a one-quarter lag, so this year’s reporting
includes data from 1 October 2024 to
30 September 2025. Any estimates included in
our totals are derived from actual data which
has been extrapolated to cover the full
reporting period. Where accurate data was
not available, we have relied on emissions
factors from recognised sources, such as the
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
(DESNZ) and the Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Re‑baselining
We have publicly reported our emissions
for over a decade as part of our commitment
to transparency. We have worked hard to
strengthen the quality of our emissions data
during that time.
In 2025, to support the development of our
new interim targets, we took further steps
to strengthen our emissions disclosures by
closing key data gaps. For example, this year
we are reporting employee commuting
emissions for the first time. As a result, we
have changed our baseline year from 2018
to 2023, as it is the earliest year with fully
comparable data. For consistency, emissions
from the comparison year (2024) have been
restated below to reflect this updated
approach.
This ensures we can monitor and report
progress against our new climate targets
more accurately moving forward. The change
in base year does not impact our commitment
to achieve net zero as a Group by 2050.
Our operational emissions
Scope
Current reporting year (2025) Comparison reporting year (2024)
3
UK
Global
(excluding UK) Total UK
Global
(excluding UK) Total
Energy consumption
1
used to calculate emissions (kWh) 7,660,305 320,334 7,980,639 11,155,500 220,473 11,375,973
Scope 1 emissions (tCO
2
e) 330 - 330 597 597
Scope 2 (location-based) emissions (tCO
2
e) 1,042 133 1,175 1,656 105 1,761
Scope 2 (market-based) emissions (tCO
2
e) 596 135 731 750 102 852
Total gross Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions / tCO
2
e
(location-based) 1,372 133 1,505 2,253 105 2,358
Total gross Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions / tCO
2
e
(market-based) 926 135 1,061 1,347 102 1,449
Carbon intensity ratio: tCO
2
e (gross Scope 1 + 2) / MWh
(market-based) 0.121 0.421 0.133 0.121 0.463 0.127
Emissions from operational Scope 3 sources
2
4,577 8,413
Total gross tCO
2
e based on above (location-based)
3
6,082 10,771
Total gross tCO
2
e based on above (market-based)
3
5,638 9,861
1 Energy consumption figures include all energy related to both Scope 1 and Scope 2.
2 This table includes only operational emissions, which captures the following Scope 3 categories: 3, 5, 6 and 7. We track and disclose additional Scope 3 emissions categories
in our full emissions disclosure in the Other Information section of this Annual Report and Accounts. That section also includes the following Scope 3 categories: 1, 2 and 15.
3 Total emissions for 2024 have been restated from 3,035 to 10,771 (location-based) and from 2,126 to 9,861 (market-based) for the reasons described under ‘Re-baselining’.
The table above sets out mandatory reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and global energy use pursuant to the Large and Medium-sized
Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’
Report) Regulations 2013 and the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) under the Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited
Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018.
Our responsible business
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
45
Governance
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Our responsible business
Our Climate Report
Our comprehensive Climate Report 2025 covers all Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations and recommended
disclosures and can be found separately here: sjp.co.uk/ClimateReport2025. This allows us to provide additional details of the work we do in
relation to climate change, even where not required under TCFD. To aid readers of the Annual Report and Accounts, we provide a summary of
the key Group disclosures from that report below and have signposted to relevant sections for reference.
Summary of our TCFD‑aligned disclosure
We are fully consistent with the TCFD recommendations. We have also considered the TCFD’s All Sector Guidance and relevant sector-specific
guidance and consider SJP to be aligned with these.
Disclosure in this
Annual Report and
Accounts
Description TCFD recommended disclosure Summary of our disclosures Disclosure pages
in the Climate
Report 2025
Governance
pages 41 and 49
Disclose the organisation’s
governance around climate-
related risks and
opportunities.
a) Describe the Board’s oversight of climate-related risks and opportunities. We have provided an overview of how we govern
climate-related risks and opportunities, including
setting our climate targets and strategy. We
identify our accountable leaders and provide
more context on our subsidiaries.
pages
07 to 09
b) Describe management’s role in assessing and managing climate-
related risks and opportunities.
Strategy
pages 41 to 43
Disclose the actual and
potential impacts of climate-
related risks and opportunities
on the organisation’s
businesses, strategy and
financial planning where
such information is material.
a) Describe the climate-related risks and opportunities the organisation
has identified over the short, medium, and long-term.
We have outlined the short-, medium- and long-
term climate-related risks and opportunities
identified for the business. Using this assessment,
alongside our scenario analysis, we have
considered the potential impact of these on our
business model and described the mitigations
in place to ensure we remain resilient in any
climate scenario.
pages
11 to 20
b) Describe the impact of climate-related risks and opportunities on the
organisation’s businesses, strategy, and financial planning.
c) Describe the resilience of the organisation’s strategy, taking into
consideration different climate-related scenarios, including a +2°C
or lower scenario.
Risk
pages 33 to 35
and 42
Disclose how the organisation
identifies, assesses and
manages climate-related risks.
a) Describe the organisation’s processes for identifying and assessing
climate-related risks.
We have outlined our risk management and
control framework, which sets out the processes
we use to identify, assess and manage risks to
the business. These also apply to climate-related
risks and opportunities, which are fully integrated
into our broader risk management.
pages
22 to 23
b) Describe the organisation’s processes for managing climate-related risks.
c) Describe how processes for identifying, assessing and managing
climate-related risks are integrated into the organisation’s overall risk
management.
Metrics and
targets
pages 44 to 45
and 207
Disclose the metrics and
targets used to assess and
manage relevant climate-
related risks and opportunities
where such information is
material.
a) Disclose the metrics used by the organisation to assess climate-related
risks and opportunities in line with its strategy and risk management
process.
We have listed our key climate-related metrics,
which we use to help track our exposure to
climate-related risks and opportunities. We have
also disclosed our Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse
gas emissions, the targets we have set for these,
and our progress against those targets.
pages
25 to 31
b) Disclose Scope 1, Scope 2 and, if appropriate, Scope 3 greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, and the related risks.
c) Describe the targets used by the organisation to manage climate-
related risks and opportunities and performance against targets.
46
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People
Investing in long-term relationships so we can create success together
People are central to how we grow
and deliver impact. This is why
we invest in long-term relationships
with our clients, employees, advisers
within our Partnership and their
support staff.
We understand that how we make
connections, and the environment we create,
are essential to our success. Therefore
meaningful engagement with all of our
stakeholders is important to us. See more
detail in the section 172(1) statement section.
Client satisfaction and retention
In 2025, we revised our methodology for
collating client feedback from an annual
survey to quarterly surveys. More frequent
touchpoints allow an average reading for the
year, removing some of the highs and lows
experienced when taking readings at a single
point in time. This means we can see what
impact the delivery of our business strategy
has on clients; especially important during
this transformational period in SJP’s history.
This year we have received responses
from 19,300 clients that are selected to
be representative of our total client base.
As shown on the following charts for value for
money and overall satisfaction, and on page
02 for client advocacy, metrics have dipped
slightly, however, we are pleased overall with
these results in a period of significant change
in the business.
We continue to work closely with our client
community. A group of over 4,000 clients
have agreed to participate in our research
projects and focus groups throughout the year.
This helps us to ensure that the voice of
the client is central in the development of
our products and services. We have strong
engagement with this cohort of clients
and are grateful for their active involvement
with our continuous programme of research.
Value for money
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
83%
62%
63%
65%
68%
Overall satisfaction
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
94%
87%
81%
79%
82%
Employee wellbeing
Throughout the period of change in the
business this year, we shared continual
reminders of all the wellbeing resources
and support available. The Group Executive
Committee (GEC) encouraged their teams to
set clear priorities, have open conversations
about workload, and maintain a healthy
work-life balance. Ultimately, our goal is to
ensure employees feel empowered to focus
on what really matters without compromising
their wellbeing.
We offer our employees a range of wellbeing
benefits such as a 24-hour employee
assistance programme, and we are a
member of the Compassionate Employers
Programme. This year we launched a new
family hub that provides resources and
guidance on all things family-related. For
those employees with a disability, impairment
or long-term condition, we consider reasonable
adjustments that can be made to areas such
as working environment or pattern. This is
guided by our workplace adjustment policy
and options are discussed in conjunction
with the employee and occupational health
specialists.
Reward and benefits
As part of our annual remuneration review,
we increased the minimum salary level for our
most junior graded staff in addition to those
on our early careers apprenticeship scheme.
This builds upon the approach taken in 2024
where we prioritised those who were below
the market median and our lower-paid
colleagues. We are working towards
improving our ethnicity and gender pay gaps,
which we disclose in our annual Pay Gap
Report. This is available on our website at
sjp.co.uk/shareholders/esg-reporting-hub.
Share participation creates a strong sense
of ownership and interest in the performance
of the business. We had 67% employee
participation in our Share Incentive Plan
and Sharesave Plan following the invitation
period to eligible employees. We provide
a comprehensive benefits package for
employees, including a minimum pension
contribution of 10%, protection benefits, salary
sacrifice and payroll benefits. We are proud
that our maternity and paternity leave is an
enhanced benefit of 26 weeks at full pay.
Learning and development
We invest in the personal development of our
people to enhance their knowledge, abilities
and individual skills. Our in-house learning
platform drives learning initiatives throughout
our organisation and caters to all employees,
advisers within our Partnership and their
support staff. We provide engaging learning
experiences, with a focus on peer-to-peer
learning, on-demand digital content and
instructor-led sessions.
Our in-house platform supports learners with
additional needs by blending a mix of text,
audio, face-to-face, video, and interactive
content. All our video content has closed
captions and transcripts compatible with
screen readers. We continue to improve our
learning offerings and seek feedback from
all learners. We track learners’ satisfaction
through a net promoter score. Software
changes disrupted this tracking in 2025; we
intend to resume reporting this metric in 2026.
This year we ran Korn Ferry Leadership
Assessment work with the GEC and will roll
this out further in 2026. This is a globally
recognised employee assessment tool
designed to evaluate leadership potential
and performance. We continued to run
leadership development, team effectiveness
and psychological safety sessions in support
of newly forming teams. These will be an
ongoing focus as we continue to drive
towards high performance, healthy corporate
culture and good client outcomes.
In 2025, our early careers programmes trained
13 graduates and 22 apprentices. We are
focused on attracting diverse talent into our
early careers pool. We also offer employees
Apprenticeship-Levy-funded programmes
as part of their professional development,
with 33 employees enrolling during the year.
Our responsible business
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
47
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
1 Employees may appear in more than one of the
data points and graphs presented on this page.
2 Apart from the Board composition, these targets
relate to our core employee base.
3 We have defined senior roles within our core
employee base as a combination of GEC and
their senior direct reports
5
and managers and
decision-makers.
6
4 Gender information is an evolving area of
reporting and there are a variety of different
frameworks requiring disclosures under different
definitions and calculation methodologies.
As a result, not all of our statistics will align to
each other.
5 The GEC and their senior direct reports; this includes
the Company Secretary and excludes administrative
and executive support staff such as personal
assistants and executive assistants.
6 Managers and decision-makers are defined as
employees who have responsibility for planning,
directing or controlling activities of the Company,
or a strategically significant part of the Company.
This aligns with CA 2006, S414C(8)(c), for the directors
disclosure see page 70.
7 Includes GEC and their senior direct reports.
8 Relates to our core employee base.
For UKLR6.6.6 R(9 to 11) Board and executive management diversity disclosures please refer to pages 67 and 70.
The following figures and charts for race
and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation
and disability are based on voluntary
employee diversity disclosures for our core
employee base as at 31 December 2025.
Minority ethnic representation
8
GEC and their senior
direct reports
5
92.1%
White
2024: 90.6%
6.3%
Asian, Black,
Mixed, Other
2024: 9.4%
1.6%
Prefer not to say
2024: 0%
All
employees
7
88.6%
White
2024: 89.4%
10.2%
Asian, Black,
Mixed, Other
2024: 9.5%
(see ethnicity graph on
the right for breakdown)
1.2%
Prefer not to say
2024: 1.1%
At 31 December 2025 we had 2,859
employees in the Group, of whom 2,601
were in the UK (31 December 2024: 3,334
employees, of whom 3,060 were in the UK).
Headcount has reduced as part of our
organisational redesign as referenced in
the Chief Executive Officer’s report.
A breakdown of our workforce by gender
is shown below.
Gender
4
GEC and their senior direct reports
5
31
Female
2024: 25
47
Male
2024: 46
Managers and decision‑makers
6
130
Female
2024: 127
195
Male
2024: 248
Total employees
1,512
Female
2024: 1,769
1,347
Male
2024: 1,565
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
1
During 2025 we started to refresh our DEI
strategy, providing the opportunity to be more
deliberate and targeted in our approach.
We believe DEI is essential to creating a high-
performing organisation where employees
feel motivated and comfortable to be their
authentic selves. We are committed to
improving our diversity representation and
are working towards the following targets:
2
40% female representation on the Board
by 2025. This is discussed on page 69.
40% female representation in senior roles
3,4
by 2028 (42.5% as at 31 December 2025).
10% minority ethnic representation in our
GEC and their senior direct reports
5
by
2027 (see figures on the right).
12% minority ethnic representation by 2028
(see figures on the right).
The voluntary diversity disclosure rate of our
core employee base is 70.7% (2024: 75.3%). For
more detail on progress against our targets
see the Report of the Group Nomination and
Governance Committee.
Our DEI policy recognises diversity as a strength.
Our approach remains focused on attracting,
retaining and developing diverse talent.
This includes giving full and fair consideration
to all applications for employment, fostering
an inclusive environment with equal
opportunities for all employees to build their
careers, irrespective of their background or
characteristics. We have worked to understand
more deeply the lived experiences of our
female and ethnically diverse employees.
This took place through working groups, to
test ideas and support change in this space,
and through listening sessions hosted by
GEC members. We also launched a new
Management Hub, which sets the expectations
for managers and guides them through
day-to-day processes with inclusion
woven throughout. In addition, we reviewed
sponsorship of our employee networks
ensuring they all have a senior sponsor
at GEC level, with regular touchpoints.
Gender
4
Sexual orientation
Ethnicity
Disability
Female 52.3%
Male 46.0%
Non-binary 0.4%
Other 0.0%
Prefer not
to say (PNS) 1.3%
Heterosexual 92.4%
Bisexual 1.6%
Gay/lesbian 1.9%
Other 0.4%
PNS 3.7%
White 88.6%
Asian 6.5%
Mixed 1.8%
Black 1.6%
Other 0.3%
PNS 1.2%
Without a
disability 86.1%
With a
disability 10.9%
PNS 3.0%
Our responsible business
48
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Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Our responsible business
Good governance
Helping us to build trust and effectively manage responsible-business-related risks and opportunities.
Good governance helps us deliver
good outcomes for our clients by
making sure we remain accountable
for the commitments we make.
It underpins our RB approach with
the overall strategy, including for
climate, determined at Group level.
1
Accountability for managing climate-related
risks and opportunities is owned by the Board
and the accountable Board Director for our
climate approach is the Chief Executive
Officer. Collectively, the Board considers
RB-related opportunities and risks, such as
climate change and modern slavery, when
reviewing our Group risk appetite statement.
This statement considers the Group’s strategic
objectives and the risks which might
materially impact on our ability to meet
those objectives. Key climate-related updates
are presented to the Board, and the Board
approved our new Scope 1 and 2 interim
target this year. We report regularly on our
DEI targets to the Board, GEC and the Group
Nomination and Governance Committee.
The accountability of our collective GEC is
evidenced through their objectives which
include measures around DEI. See the
Governance section for information on our
overarching governance framework.
Sustainability governance framework
We have specific governance forums which
oversee and manage RB-related risks and
opportunities for the wider Group, as outlined
on the right.
1 Subsidiary boards play an important part in the
oversight of the delivery of the Group’s strategy,
including on climate, operating in line with the
Group’s governance framework.
Chief Executive Officer
sets the tone of our approach to being a responsible business. He is
supported by the GEC, who facilitate the execution of RB-related activity.
The GEC reviewed the proposed 2030 interim targets for our Scope 1
and 2 emissions twice, providing challenge for management to
consider, followed by recommending them for approval to the Board.
Group Audit Committee
reviews key regulatory reports,
including the Climate Report.
The Committee meets regularly
during the year with at least one
meeting covering climate
change.
Group Nomination and
Governance Committee
reviews our RB approach with a
diversity, equity and inclusion
focus.
Group Remuneration
Committee
reviews key regulatory reports,
including our Pay Gap Report.
This discloses both gender-and
ethnicity-related data.
Group Risk Committee
provides guidance and advice
to the Board in relation to
RB-related risks.
Group Executive Committee (GEC)
Working groups
There are a number of working groups consisting of subject matter experts from across the business that provide guidance and recommendations
on their respective key RB topics. These include environment and climate change, DEI, and modern slavery and human trafficking.
Chief Risk Officer
is supported by accountable individuals at
entity level, oversees the efficacy of Group
risk management, including climate-related
risks and opportunities.
Chief Financial Officer
holds the senior management function
for climate and has oversight of our RB
approach and related policies. She is
supported by the Responsible Business
Advisory Group.
Group Investment Director
ensures ESG considerations, including
climate change, are considered in our
investment strategy. He is supported by
the Investment Committee.
Responsible Business Advisory Group
provides guidance on our RB ambitions, including on climate change.
The group reviewed our new Scope 1 and 2 interim climate targets twice
during the year ensuring robust challenge. They also reviewed all
RB-related regulatory reports.
Investment Committee
validates the responsible investment considerations embedded into our
investment processes, including those linked to climate. The Investment
Committee also approves our responsible investment policy and
climate targets.
The Board
sets the strategic direction in relation to our RB approach.
This covers our entire framework with a focus on financial
wellbeing, investing responsibly, climate change, community
impact, people and good governance.
The accountable Board
Director for our RB approach is the Chief Executive Officer.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
49
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Human rights
The European Convention on Human Rights,
incorporated into UK law via the Human Rights
Act 1998, sets out the fundamental rights and
freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.
We are committed to respecting and
supporting the protection of internationally
proclaimed human rights and managing
our business in an ethical manner, with no
tolerance for the abuse of human rights
(including modern slavery). Our Board
approved human rights policy is available on
our website at sjp.co.uk/responsiblebusiness.
Our approach to human rights includes:
Our focus on DEI and employee wellbeing,
as discussed earlier in this report, provides
detail on how we work to prevent negative
impacts on these human-rights-related
topics.
All employees have access to our code
of ethics and equal opportunities policies,
which make it clear that we oppose all
forms of unfair discrimination or
victimisation.
Our bullying and harassment policy makes
it clear these behaviours are unacceptable,
and we take proactive steps to prevent
them. We monitor workplace culture
through surveys, exit interviews and case
data. This year, we introduced listening
and rising talent sessions to hear wider
perspectives, attended by an executive
committee member and a Non-executive
Director. All employees, advisers within
our Partnership, and their support staff
are required to complete Equality Act
training which covers harassment
and discrimination.
We respect the dignity of individuals and
support the right of employees to freedom
of association and to join, and be informed
of the right to join, trade unions in
accordance with local law. This includes,
once in force, the Employment Rights Bill.
Everyone has the right to a private life,
including the right to have their private
and confidential information protected.
See the data protection section on the next
page for more information on our
approach to this.
We are committed to respecting the
health and safety of our workers. We gather
accident and illness data which is reported
to the Health and Safety Committee
quarterly. Due to our office environment
the risk of accidents remains low.
More broadly, our supply chain due
diligence and ongoing oversight seek
to secure evidence of good practice in
relation to human rights. Recognising the
impact of payment practices on workers
in the value chain, we are signatories of
the Fair Payment Code. This is encouraged
by the Department for Business and Trade
and demonstrates our commitment to
good payment practices between
ourselves and our suppliers. During 2025
we engaged Slave Free Alliance to support
the development of culturally appropriate
modern slavery due diligence questions
for our Asia and Middle East operations.
These will be implemented during 2026.
Responsible procurement
Our procurement process is designed to
ensure we meet our regulatory and business
obligations. Our outsourcing and supplier
management policy requires effective,
risk-based due diligence to be conducted
on all new suppliers and outsourcers.
Where applicable this includes an
assessment of their approach to compliant,
responsible and sustainable procurement.
This includes, but is not limited to, their
environmental sustainability, ethical and fair
treatment of workers (including human rights,
and health and safety), information security
and financial crime prevention (including
anti-corruption and bribery). This year we
have streamlined our due diligence process
to ensure efficiencies both for us and for our
suppliers and outsourcers. We have reduced
the length of our due diligence question set
by 26%, ensuring that suppliers are only asked
for information relevant to their level of risk or
impact on the business.
We continue to engage business owners
and relationship managers to provide regular
oversight. This is supported by periodic
reassessment of the due diligence throughout
the term of the relationship. We remain a
Living Wage Foundation accredited employer
and assess, where applicable, how our third
parties remunerate their workforce. In some
cases, we have ensured our commercial
agreements reflect this requirement and we
provide the supplier with the correct support
to do so.
We expect our suppliers and outsourcers to
abide by all applicable laws, statutes and
regulations in force (including the Bribery Act
and Equality Act in the UK), and seek to include
clauses in our contracts with direct business
relationships to this effect. As part of updating
our investment manager contract templates
this year we included specific clauses on
anti-bribery and anti-corruption. These will
be standard going forward.
Anti‑bribery and anti‑corruption
In line with the Group’s risk appetite statement,
we will not tolerate any act of bribery, corruption
or improper influence. We take all reasonable
measures to prevent these.
Where products and services pose a risk
of facilitation of bribery or inducement we
seek to minimise this risk. We do this through
the implementation of a comprehensive anti-
bribery and inducement training programme
throughout the Group which meets relevant
legal and regulatory requirements. We apply
the ‘Home Country Standards’ principle as
set out by the Financial Action Task Force, i.e.
where a standard applicable to a local entity
differs from that applicable in the jurisdiction
in which the Group is headquartered, the
higher of the two standards will apply.
Our Board is responsible for the oversight of
the Group’s financial crime prevention policy,
which includes anti-bribery and corruption,
and reviews this annually. All employees,
advisers within our Partnership, and their
support staff complete mandatory annual
training on anti-money laundering and
mandatory biennial training regarding other
financial crimes including preventing fraud,
bribery and corruption, and facilitation of
tax evasion.
In 2025 we were not issued with any
associated fines or penalties relating to
corruption. Our anti-bribery and corruption
policy statement is available on our website
at sjp.co.uk/shareholders/about-us/
corporate-governance.
See the Report of the Group Audit Committee
on page 79 for information on our approach
to fraud.
Our responsible business
50
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Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Our responsible business
Mechanism for raising concerns
Our speak up policy and whistleblowing
framework offer a clear and accessible
channel for all employees, advisers within
our Partnership and their support staff, and
any external stakeholders to raise any matters
of concern or report potential breaches of our
policies and codes. This can include issues
linked to anti-bribery and corruption, human
rights, or bullying and harassment. Everyone
across the organisation, advisers and their
support teams included, receives annual
training on the whistleblowing arrangements.
The whistleblowing framework reinforces our
corporate governance by helping us identify
risks early, protect the organisation’s reputation,
and support a positive workplace culture. It is
an essential part of managing risk effectively
and maintaining trust with our stakeholders.
In 2025, under the oversight of the
Whistleblowers’ Champion, we maintained
clear, confidential and anonymous channels
for raising concerns without fear of retaliation.
The framework continued to operate
effectively throughout the year, supporting
transparency and accountability, and ensuring
that all concerns were handled appropriately.
See more information in the Report of the
Group Audit Committee in relation to Board
oversight of this process.
We adhere to all whistleblowing laws and
regulations relevant to the jurisdictions in
which we operate, including the:
UK Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998;
FCA’s Senior Management Arrangements,
Systems and Controls Handbook (SYSC) 18;
Irish Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (as
amended in 2022); and
Section 5.4 of the Dubai Financial Services
Authority Rulebook’s General module.
To date, we have not experienced any
breaches of whistleblowing requirements.
We continue to strengthen our whistleblowing
framework through ongoing awareness
initiatives and training across the Group.
Further details, including relevant contact
details, can be found on our website at
sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Privacy and data protection
We take our responsibilities to protect
individuals’ personal data very seriously and
are committed to protecting the information
rights and freedoms of individuals. We believe
it is important to start from the perspective of
the individual. Compliant and ethical use of
personal data in a safe and secure manner
is the foundation of our approach, and we
believe we must be proactively accountable
to those individuals who trust us to process
their data. All of our employees, advisers
within our Partnership and their support staff
complete annual mandatory privacy and
data protection training.
We continuously seek to be, and remain,
compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 2018
and all other data protection regulations
applicable in the countries in which we
operate. We have a dedicated Data Protection
team led by a Data Protection Officer in
support of this. Our privacy policy, which
includes details on the collection, sharing and
access to personal data, is publicly available
on our website at sjp.co.uk/site-services/
privacy-policy.
Information and cyber security
The cyber threat landscape continued to
evolve during 2025, with significant incidents
affecting UK organisations and increased
focus on emerging risks associated with
artificial intelligence. As a regulated and
responsible organisation, we continued
to invest in and enhance our information
security capabilities to protect our clients,
Partners and technology platforms.
Our security programme is underpinned by
a robust approach to assurance and testing,
providing confidence in the effectiveness
of our controls and our ability to respond
to cyber threats. This includes threat-led
penetration testing, regular validation of
key technical controls, and scenario-based
exercises and simulations conducted at both
operational and GEC level. All employees,
advisers within our Partnership and their
support staff complete annual mandatory
training on information security and cyber
risks. These activities support our operational
resilience by strengthening our ability to
withstand and recover from cyber disruption.
While cyber risk cannot be fully eliminated,
we manage it through a structured approach
that combines preventative controls with
monitoring, response and recovery measures.
This approach is subject to ongoing review
and is informed by independent assurance
and industry benchmarking against
recognised frameworks, strengthening our
cyber and information security practices and
informing our understanding of the maturity
of our security programme.
We maintain vigilance and preparedness
in response to the evolving cyber threat
landscape. As risks continue to change, we
regularly review and enhance our controls
and capabilities to support operational
resilience and effective response to cyber-
related events.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
51
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Non-financial and sustainability information statement
This section of the Annual Report and Accounts constitutes the St. James’s Place non-financial and sustainability information statement, produced to comply
with sections 414CA and 414CB of the Companies Act 2006. The following table sets out where, within our Annual Report and Accounts, we provide further detail on
matters required to be disclosed under these sections of the Companies Act 2006. In particular, it covers the impact we have on the environment, our employees,
social matters, human rights, anti-corruption and anti-bribery matters, policies pursued and the outcome of those policies, and principal risks that may arise
from the Company’s operations and how we manage these, to the extent necessary for an understanding of the Company’s development, performance and
position and the impact of its activity. Group policies are regularly reviewed and third line monitors adherence.
Reporting
requirement
Relevant policies,
1
documents
or reports that set out our approach
Key outcomes See additional information on the following section(s) and page(s) of this report
Anti‑bribery
and corruption
Group financial crime
prevention policy
SJP anti-bribery and corruption
policy statement
Implementation of measures to
reduce these risks.
Our responsible business (page 50), Report of the Group Audit Committee
(page 79)
Business model
Contributed towards our strategy
and good client outcomes.
Our business model (pages 08 to 11)
Climate‑related
financial
disclosures
A breakdown of where
these disclosures can be
found is on page 46
Climate Report 2025 We launched our new 2030 carbon
reduction targets.
Governance structure (pages 49 and 59), systems and processes (pages 33
to 35), integration with wider risk management (page 35), material risks and
opportunities and time periods (pages 35 and 42), impact of material risks
and opportunities (pages 35 and 42), resilience assessment (page 43),
targets (pages 41 and 44), measuring progress (pages 44 to 45; 206 to 207)
Employees
Speak up policy
Inclusion and diversity
policy
Health and safety policy
Equal opportunities policy
Employee handbook
Employee reward policy
Flexible working policy
We were mindful of employee
sentiment, engagement, wellbeing
and capacity during a period of
significant change in the business.
Business model (page 08), Our strategy (page 19), Stakeholder engagement
(pages 20 and 21), section 172(1) (page 22), Risk and control management
(page 37), Our responsible business (pages 47 to 48, 50 to 51 and 203 to 206)
Operation and dynamics of our Board (page 61), Report of the Group Risk
Committee (page 82), Directors’ Report (page 123)
Impact on the
environment
Zero waste to landfill policy Climate Report 2025
Responsible business report 2025
In our managed offices zero waste
goes to landfill. We continue to
reduce our carbon emissions.
Our responsible business (pages 39, 41 to 46 and 49), risk and
control management (pages 33 to 35)
Non‑financial
key performance
indicators
Our key operational
performance metrics are
FUM and net inflows
Strong results have been
evidenced this year.
Highlights of the year (page 02), Chief Executive Officer’s report (page 13),
our responsible business (pages 39 to 51)
Principal risks
Risk management
framework
Group risk appetite statement Our active approach to risk
management was maintained.
Risk and control management (pages 35 to 37)
Respect for
human rights
Group human rights policy
Speak up policy
Grievance procedure
policy
Equal opportunities policy
Inclusion and diversity policy
Modern Slavery and Human
Trafficking Statement
Linked to our salient human rights
we maintained our focus on DEI
and employee wellbeing.
Appropriate channels are in place
for any concerns to be raised.
Our responsible business (pages 47 to 48 and 50 to 51)
Social matters
Group financial crime
prevention policy
Community engagement
and volunteering policy
GDPR and data protection policy
Privacy policy
Oversight and risk mitigations were
in place.
496 employees used some of their
two day volunteering allowance.
Our responsible business (pages 39 to 40 and 47 to 51), Section 172(1)
statement (page 22), Report of the Group Nomination and Governance
Committee (pages 68 to 70)
52
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
As part of the Annual Report and Accounts by the Directors it is a statutory
requirement to produce a strategic report.
The purpose of the report is:
to inform members of the Company and help them assess how the Directors have performed
their duty under section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006 (duty to promote the success of
the Company).
The objective of the report is to provide shareholders with an analysis of the Company’s past
performance, to impart insight into its business model, strategies, objectives and principal risks,
and to provide context for the financial statements in the Annual Report and Accounts.
The Directors consider that the report meets the statutory purpose and objectives of the
strategic report.
On behalf of the Board:
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
24 February 2026
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
53
Approval of the strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Strategic report
Find out more about SJP’s corporate
governance at sjp.co.uk/corporate-
governance
58%
of advised clients are saving for
retirement, compared with just 35%
of those without advice
Find out more about the value
of financial advice on page 09
Real advice
that enabled Sarah
an emotional lifeline
When Sarah lost her mother, and her long-term relationship
broke down in the same year, she found herself facing
unprecedented financial and emotional challenges. Sarah’s
SJP adviser, Danni, stepped in to provide outstanding support,
safeguarding Sarah’s financial security and retirement.
Watch and read Sarah’s and other stories
sjp.co.uk/client-stories
Governance
Corporate governance report 55
Leadership and purpose in action 56
Our Board of Directors 56
Our governance framework 59
Decision-making within our framework 60
The operation and dynamics of our Board 61
Roles and responsibilities 61
Our Board in action 63
Composition, success and evaluation 65
Continued development of our Board 65
Report of the Group Nomination
and Governance Committee 68
Report of the Group Audit Committee 71
Report of the Group Risk Committee 80
Report of the Group Remuneration Committee 84
Directors’ report 121
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 126
54
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
Financial statements
Other information
Governance
Chair’s introduction
Corporate governance
I’m pleased to present this
corporate governance report for
the year ended 31 December 2025.
Together with the reports of the Nomination
and Governance, Audit, Risk and Remuneration
Committees, this corporate governance
report is intended to demonstrate our
commitment to driving the highest standards
of governance, underpinned by responsible
and robust practices.
During 2025, we welcomed two new Non-
executive Directors, Helen Beck and Penny
James, both of whom have assumed
Committee Chair responsibilities in the year.
Helen and Penny bring a wealth of experience
and rich mix of backgrounds to further enhance
the Board’s effectiveness. The Board has
continued to provide robust oversight of the
Group’s delivery of our strategy throughout 2025,
ensuring not only the evolution of fundamentals
for the future (as part of our ‘Strengthen’
phase of delivery) and progression towards
our growth ambitions, but also securing good
client outcomes. Reporting on the Board’s
engagement with stakeholders, and our section
172(1) Companies Act 2006 statement, can be
found in the strategic report on pages 20 to 22.
The Group has monitored its compliance
with the UK Corporate Governance Code 2024
(the Code) during the year. I’m pleased to
confirm compliance, in full, with the Code,
other than in relation to Provision 29, for which
we have complied with the relevant provision
in the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018.
By order of the Board:
Paul Manduca
Chair
24 February 2026
In this section
1
1
Leadership and
purpose in action
pages 56 to 60
1
2
The operation and dynamics
of our Board
pages 61 to 64
1
3
Composition, succession
and evaluation
pages 65 to 67 and also
the report of the Group
Nomination and Governance
Committee on pages 68 to 70
1
4
Audit, risk and
internal control
See the report of the Group Audit
Committee and the report of the
Group Risk Committee on pages
71 to 83
1
5
Remuneration
See the report of the Group
Remuneration Committee
on pages 84 to 120
UK Corporate Governance Code 2024
Pages 55 to 120 of this report outlines our
Company’s corporate governance practice
and highlights compliance with the Code. Full
compliance with the Code’s principles and
provisions (available at: www.frc.org.uk) has
been achieved during 2025 (note: compliance
with Provision 29 of the 2018 Code).
Oversight of the launch of
Group’s simple, comparable
charging structure
The Board provided robust oversight
of the Group’s new charging structure,
which launched in August 2025. This is
key to enhancing clients’ understanding
of fees and assessment of value across
our proposition suite, enabling
invaluable advice.
More information about our charging
structure can be found on our website
sjp.co.uk/individuals/charges
Governance highlights
Changes to our Board during 2025
New joiners
Helen Beck, with effect from 1 July 2025.
Appointed as Chair of the Remuneration
Committee on 17 September 2025.
Penny James, with effect from 1 July
2025. Appointed as Chair of the Risk
Committee on 5 December 2025.
Departures
Rosemary Hilary, with effect from
31 December 2025.
Emma Griffin, with effect from
13 May 2025.
Lesley-Ann Nash, with effect from
13 May 2025.
See the Nomination and Governance
Committee report on page 68 for more
detail about the appointment process
for Helen and Penny.
Board performance review highlights
– progress and future focus
Actions aligned with key themes identified
from the 2024 Board performance review
have been closed or are ongoing in line
with agreed timelines.
As reported in 2025, the Board’s externally
facilitated performance review programme will
continue to run until the end of 2026. The 2025
review has identified the following key themes:
Board composition and integration
– cohesion, trust and effective working
relationships.
Governance and risk management
– strong focus on risk oversight and
regulatory compliance.
Strategy and change – focus
is on growth-oriented strategy.
Culture and succession – culture monitoring
and succession planning are priorities.
For more detail, see page 67 of
this corporate governance report
Board focus – key highlights
Oversight of key strategic projects
and governance review
Annual Group strategy day
Annual General Meeting
Board effectiveness review
Deep-dive sessions on regulatory
and strategic projects
Non-executive Director recruitment
and succession planning
Oversight of key tenders
Engagement with key stakeholders
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Leadership and purpose in action
Our Board of Directors – steering from the top
Paul Manduca
NC
Chair of the Board
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Waddington
Chief Financial Officer
Date of appointment: Chair May 2021 (Non-executive
Director January 2021)
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Paul has been chair of Prudential plc, Aon UK Limited,
JP Morgan European Diversity Trust plc (formerly the JP
Morgan European Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc),
Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust plc, W.A.G
Payment Solutions plc, Bridgewell Group plc and Henderson
Diversified Income Limited. He was the senior independent
director of Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc and a non-
executive director of KazMunaiGas Exploration & Production.
He served as founding chief executive officer of Threadneedle
Asset Management, director of Eagle Star and Allied Dunbar,
chief executive officer, Europe of Deutsche Asset
Management, global chief executive officer of Rothschild
Asset Management, and director of Henderson Small
Companies Investment Trust plc. Paul’s extensive experience
in leadership roles and comprehensive technical knowledge
helps guide the Board and Company as it continues to
grow and evolve. Paul has led the refresh of the Board’s
membership and future succession planning, whilst also
overseeing the strengthening of the compositions of
subsidiary boards.
External appointments
None
Date of appointment: Chief Executive Officer December
2023 (Executive Director October 2023)
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Mark started his career with Deloitte in Cape Town,
becoming a partner in 1997. He remained with Deloitte for
25 years building his industry focus in financial services in
the UK, Europe and South Africa. He became group chief
financial officer at Prudential plc in July 2017, before his role
was broadened to include chief operating officer. He was
appointed interim chief executive officer of Prudential plc
in April 2022, standing down on 24 February 2023. Mark is
an effective and broadly-skilled leader with over 30 years
international experience gained across a number of
specialist finance, adviser and leadership roles. This deep
and broad experience enables him to effectively lead
organisations, such as the Group, in a complex listed
and regulated setting.
External appointments
Chair of audit and risk committees, British Heart
Foundation
Chair of audit committee, Scottish Mortgage
Investment Trust
Date of appointment: September 2024
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Caroline is currently serving as Chief Financial Officer of
St. James’s Place Plc, where she brings a strong track record
of leadership, financial literacy and technical skill to both
the Group and Board setting. Caroline has extensive
experience in senior regulated roles across the financial
services and banking industry. Most recently she was chief
financial officer for UBS Group’s UK Credit Suisse entities, as
well as chief operating officer for Credit Suisse International.
Caroline began her career at Coopers & Lybrand and
subsequently held various senior finance roles at Barclays
Capital, RBS and Deutsche Bank before becoming chief
financial officer for UK and EMEA at Credit Suisse. Caroline
is a chartered accountant. Her deep experience in senior
regulated roles across the financial services and banking
industry enable her to contribute to the Board and
successfully operate as a chief financial officer in
a complex Group setting.
External appointments
Trustee and member of board and finance & audit
committee, St Giles Trust
D
NC
Member of Group Nomination and Governance Committee
AC
Member of Group Audit Committee
RK
Member of Group Risk Committee
RM
Member of Group Remuneration Committee
Denotes Chair of Committee
D
Denotes external directorship held
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Leadership and purpose in action
Our Board of Directors continued
Date of appointment: January 2025
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Rooney is chair of RedCat Pub Company Limited, the pub
company he founded in 2021 with backing from Oaktree
Capital, which today has over £100m turnover, 3,000
employees and is the operator of the award winning
Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs. Rooney
served as chief executive officer at Greene King plc and
has held non-executive positions as chair of Casual Dining
Group, Away Resorts and Purity Soft Drinks. He was also
senior independent director for Wm Morrison Supermarkets
Plc until its sale to private equity. Rooney has extensive
experience in the consumer sector having held executive
and non-executive roles at retail and hospitality
organisations. As a former FTSE 250 CEO and FTSE 100
senior independent director, he has broad commercial
and financial experience which benefits both the Board
and the wider organisation. Rooney brings a consumer lens
to the Board, gained from his experience of both running
and being a non-executive director of customer-focused
organisations, rooted in brands, data, and insight.
External directorships and appointments
Chair, RedCat Pub Company and Purity Soft Drinks
D
Visiting professor, Aston Business School
Date of appointment: Senior Independent Director
July 2024 (Non-executive Director April 2024)
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Simon started his career as a stockbroker, at Barclays
de Zoete Wedd, after which he set up the institutional
stockbroking business Gerrard Vivian Gray. He then
joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch for the rest of his
executive career (managing director and co-head of
corporate broking from 2004 until 2011). Simon has been
senior independent director and chair of the nomination
committee at Derwent London plc, senior independent
director and chair of the remuneration committee at
Lancashire Holdings Ltd and, most recently, non-executive
director at Legal & General Investment Management Ltd.
Simon’s extensive experience across a number of sectors,
including a considerable amount of time in regulated
financial services businesses, means he brings a depth
and breadth of knowledge to the Board.
External appointments
Chair, Grainger plc
D
Chair of the remuneration committee and member
of the audit committee, SEGRO plc
D
Rooney Anand
RK
RM
Independent Non-executive Director
Simon Fraser
NC
AC
RM
Senior Independent Non-executive Director
Helen Beck
RM
NC
RK
Independent Non-executive Director
Date of appointment: July 2025
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Helen has over 30 years of leadership experience gained
in non-executive and executive roles in the financial sector.
She was head of the financial services remuneration practice
at Deloitte, specialising in reward structures for FTSE 100, 250
and private companies. Prior to that, Helen held executive
roles at Standard Bank and McLagan Partners (part of
AON PLC). She has been non-executive director and chair
of the remuneration committee of Ashmore Group PLC
and non-executive director of Irwin Mitchell. For 7 years
she was governor and committee chair at the University
of Bedfordshire. Helen is our workforce engagement non-
executive director and chair of the Group Remuneration
Committee. She brings deep remuneration knowledge
and a passion for stakeholder-focused outcomes.
External and appointments
Senior independent director and chair of remuneration
committee, Funding Circle Holdings PLC
D
Chair of remuneration committee, Picton Property
Income Limited and Hampshire Bank Trust
D
Independent member of the remuneration committee,
British Olympic Committee
NC
Member of Group Nomination and Governance Committee
AC
Member of Group Audit Committee
RK
Member of Group Risk Committee
RM
Member of Group Remuneration Committee
Denotes Chair of Committee
D
Denotes external directorship held
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Leadership and purpose in action
Our Board of Directors continued
Date of appointment: November 2021
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
John has extensive experience of the financial services
industry gained through his career as a senior audit partner
and his non-executive directorships. John spent 38 years
with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, specialising in financial
services auditing and advisory services, before retiring in
2014. Since retiring from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, he
has undertaken a number of non-executive director roles
with financial services companies alongside a role as a
senior adviser to the Financial Reporting Council. John’s
understanding of the complexity of financial reporting in
the financial services sector, combined with his extensive
experience of governance acquired through his positions
as an external auditor and as a Non-executive Director,
underpin the value he delivers not only to the Board, but
also to the Audit, Risk and Nomination and Governance
Committees.
External appointments
None
Date of appointment: July 2025
Experience, skills and contribution to the Board
Penny has over 30 years’ experience in financial services in
both executive and non-executive roles in FTSE 100 and 250
companies. As an executive she has served as both chief
executive officer and chief financial officer for Direct Line
Group, and as global chief risk officer for Prudential plc.
She has held a variety of finance and strategy roles in Zurich
Financial Services and Omega Holdings. As a non-executive
she was senior independent director at Hargreaves Lansdown
and on the board of Admiral plc. She has been chair of
the FCA Practitioner Panel and a member of the board
of the Association of British Insurers. Penny is a chartered
accountant. Penny brings a deep understanding of
the financial services market and risk-expertise.
External appointments
Chair of audit and risk committee, Mitie Group plc
D
Non-executive director, QBE Insurance Group Ltd
D
Co chair, FTSE Women Leaders
Chair of the audit committee, Vitality UK
D
John Hitchins
AC
NC
RK
Independent Non-executive Director
Penny James
RK
NC
AC
Independent Non-executive Director
Group Executive Committee –
leading our business
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Waddington
Chief Financial Officer
Tom Beal
Group Investment
Director
Lisa Davis
Chief People Officer
Lyn Grobler
Chief Technology
Officer
Paul Loftus
General Counsel
Ian MacKenzie
Chief Operations Officer
James Rainbow
Chief Executive Officer of
St. James’s Place Wealth
Management plc
Hestie Reinecke
Chief Risk Officer
Rob Sanders
Chief Client Officer
Company Secretary
Jonathan Dale
Full biographical details of each Director and
Group Executive Committee member can be found
at sjp.co.uk/shareholders/about-us/directors
NC
Member of Group Nomination and Governance Committee
AC
Member of Group Audit Committee
RK
Member of Group Risk Committee
RM
Member of Group Remuneration Committee
Denotes Chair of Committee
D
Denotes external directorship held
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Leadership and purpose in action
Our governance framework
Our governance framework
underpins dynamic, well-informed
decision-making, balanced by
rigorous oversight and robust
control of the Group.
Responsibilities, authority, delegations and
reporting flows are articulated in our framework,
policies and practices to enable the business
to achieve its strategic objectives and respond
to emerging risks and opportunities with agility;
without compromising the integrity of our
systems, controls and regulatory obligations.
The framework supports the Board and
management when exercising sound
judgement so that decisions are grounded
in reliable and relevant information, aligned
with the Group’s strategic priorities and
reflective of stakeholder considerations.
Sound risk management, assurance
processes and internal controls are
embedded as complementary, and
necessary, features of the framework.
Together, these elements create a
governance environment that is both
responsive and resilient, and designed to
drive strategic execution led from the top.
The Board is responsible for the overall
leadership of the Company. It drives the
long-term success of the business, through
management, seeking to generate value for
shareholders whilst considering the needs
and expectations of wider stakeholders.
During the year, the Board has continued
to oversee the strategic direction of the
business, moving the Group closer to its
purpose - enabled by values that support
robust governance and responsible,
sustainable and forward-looking
business activities.
Board
Responsible for the Group’s long-term success and generating shareholder value whilst having due regard for wider stakeholders.
Providing leadership of the Group (i) setting and monitoring execution of strategy (ii) overseeing risk management and controls
(iii) driving alignment of culture, values, purpose and strategic ambition.
Group Risk Committee
Guides and advises on risk
appetite, management and
culture. Oversees the Group’s
risk management framework.
see page 80
Group Nomination and
Governance Committee
Guides and advises on
succession, appointments
and the composition of the
Board and its Committees.
Oversees the Group’s
governance framework
and arrangements.
see page 68
Group Audit Committee
Guides and advises on, and
oversees, financial reporting,
internal and external audits
and the Group’s systems of
internal control.
see page 71
Group Remuneration
Committee
Guides and advises on, and
oversees, alignment of the
Group Directors’ Remuneration
Policy, implementation and
wider remuneration with
culture and strategy.
see page 84
Executive Management
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive Committee
See page 62 for more detail about the roles of the Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officers
Group Company Secretary
See page 62 for more detail about
the role
Other forums reporting to the Board
In addition to the core Board Committees (composed of Non-executive Directors only) outlined above, the Board has delegated responsibilities
to three further committees. A summary of each is provided below, with further detail included in the Group’s management responsibilities map.
Group Defence Committee
Comprises the Chair, Senior Independent
Director, Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer.
Purpose: to monitor dealing in the
Company’s shares and ensure
preparedness in the event of a formal bid
for ownership of the Company, overseeing
engagement with activist investors.
Group Disclosure Committee
Comprises the Company’s Executive
Directors.
Purpose: to assist the Board in ensuring
timely and accurate disclosure of information
required to meet legal and regulatory
obligations under the UK Market Abuse
Regulation, the UK Listing Rules and Disclosure
Guidance and Transparency Rules.
Group Share Scheme Committee
Comprises the Company’s Executive
Directors.
Purpose: to assist the Board in fulfilling
its responsibilities for operating and
administering executive, employee,
adviser and restricted share plans.
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Leadership and purpose in action
Decision-making within our framework
Making the right decisions is a critical success factor of governance and our Board. Below highlights the way in which our
framework facilitates robust decision-making within the Group.
Board information
The Board, and its Committees, receive balanced and
timely information, including insights on connectivity with
stakeholder interests and other relevant considerations
to enable visibility of the ‘bigger picture’. During 2025,
enhancements have been made to Board materials as
part of our governance continuous improvement agenda,
further promoting the effectiveness of oversight and
decision-making.
Board discussion
Throughout the year, the Board, and its Committees,
met regularly to collectively discuss information
reported to them. The Chair led structured discussion
and debate, focused on long-term value generation,
and stakeholder impacts, and grounded in principles of
best practice governance. The effectiveness of reporting
flows contributed to the Board’s performance in
meetings, enabling decisions grounded in evidence
and clarity of context and impact.
Board decision
Board action taken in the year, including decision-
making, has been transparent and based on
conclusions reached as a collective. In reaching
collective agreement, Board members have exercised
independent judgement, balanced stakeholder
interests, and acted to promote the Company’s
long-term success. Decisions are made in the context
of the Company’s strategic objectives, values and
purpose.
Below is an example of how the above elements of our framework applied during the year to facilitate consideration of the matters in section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006 (section 172).
Key strategic decision: Approval
of Group 2026 Business Plan and
Budget (the 2026 Plan and Budget)
Connection to our
purpose and strategy
Consideration of s172 matters and stakeholder impact : the Board considered the following matters under section 172(1)(a)
to (f) supported by robust and fulsome information and discussion Outcome and impact
During 2025, the Board
continued to oversee delivery
against the Group’s strategy,
with business plans and
budgets aligned accordingly.
Through its strategy day and
subsequent meetings, the
Board explored the ongoing
appropriateness of the
strategy and 2026 Plan and
Budget needs. Whilst recent
focus has been on the
‘Strengthen’ phase of strategy,
work has been overseen to
mobilise growth opportunities.
In December 2025, after
reflecting on progress made,
key strategic assumptions,
and emerging market trends,
the Board considered the 2026
Plan and Budget.
The Group’s purpose,
to empower clients with
invaluable advice to
realise bolder ambitions,
has been central to the
Group’s 2026 Plan and
Budget and is aligned
with its wider strategy
running to 2030.
a) Modelling of financial performance against strategic goals over a five-year time horizon was considered,
enabling understanding of the potential longer-term impact of the 2026 Plan and Budget. Investment
return assumptions and expectations for 2026, in line with the proposed Plan, were also assessed to
support this view.
b) Directors considered the importance of continued cultural development and embedding of the Group’s
new operating model, both of which are people-related matters and key enablers of strategic growth.
c) Satisfactory completion of the Group’s historic ongoing servicing review, optimisation of Partner offerings
and continued development of client propositions were considered by Directors so the Board had a clear
understanding of how the 2026 Plan and Budget supported continued positive relationships with clients,
Partners and others.
d) In the context of the 2026 Plan, developments in demographics and the impact of our simple, comparable
charging structure on clients in the community were considered by Directors. Continued growth of the
Partnership community, ensuring clear understanding of appointed representative responsibilities, was
also a key feature of assessment.
e) Evolution of positive sentiment and brand trust amongst client, Partner and other stakeholder groups,
with a focus on good client outcomes, leading adviser offerings and ‘brilliant basics’ was reflected upon
by the Board.
f) Optimisation of expense management and delivery of the 2026 Plan were considered to enable strategic
reinvestment as well as shareholder returns in line with relevant assumptions – a key factor in deciding
whether the proposal was appropriate.
After due consideration of
relevant factors, and balancing
of the needs of differing
stakeholder groups, the Board
approved the proposed 2026
Plan and Budget. This approval
has enabled, and will continue
to enable, management
progress of strategic delivery.
When approving the 2026 Plan
and Budget, Directors also
considered key risks facing the
business as the execution of
strategy continues, ensuring
mitigations remain in place.
Ongoing monitoring of these
risks will be needed throughout
2026 and beyond to prevent
crystallisation of such risks.
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The operation and dynamics of our Board
Roles and responsibilities
Board cohesion and culture
The Board plays a central role in overseeing, and setting
the tone for, the Group’s culture: not only monitoring
culture indicators and workforce sentiment, but also
role-modelling our values and holding management
to account to ensure alignment of culture across the
Group’s policies and practices. 2025 has been a year
of change on the Board and within the Executive
Management team. As such, the dynamics of the Board
and its engagement with the business have been critical
as new working relationships form. How our Board
members, and the different roles they play, interact
(listening, challenging, collaborating and exercising
judgement) is set out on the following page. Although
formal discussions are held within Board and Committee
meetings, informal dialogue is also maintained to ensure
ongoing and effective information flows, as well as a
deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives and
experience across the Director cohort.
The 2025 Board performance review highlighted strong
working relationships and positive dynamics between
the Directors and Executive team.
The effectiveness of our Board is underpinned
by clearly defined roles, constructive working
relationships and a shared commitment to
maintaining high standards of governance.
Strength of leadership depends not only on the individual
contributions of the roles outlined on page 62, but also the way
in which they operate cohesively to support sound judgement
and effective oversight.
The job descriptions of our Directors, including the Chair and
Chief Executive Officer, and the division of responsibilities
between them, are clearly defined and agreed by the Board.
The responsibilities of each, and those of the Company
Secretary, are summarised on the following page.
Our relationship with executive
management is collaborative.
Open dialogue and robust
information flows allow the Board
to engage meaningfully and test
proposals thoughtfully to achieve the
right outcomes for our stakeholders.
Rooney Anand
Non-executive Director
Workforce engagement and culture
In accordance with Provision 5 of the UK Corporate
Governance Code 2024, a workforce engagement
Non-executive Director is appointed from the Board.
During the year, listening sessions have been held with
a cross-section of employees, led by Helen Beck, our
nominated workforce engagement Non-executive
Director. Insights have been shared with the Board
to develop its understanding of workforce sentiment,
ensure alignment of policies and practices with the
Company’s values, and enable cultural oversight.
Regular updates on culture and workforce observations
have also been provided to the Board by management,
to supplement the insights referred to above.
In considering these updates, the Board has reflected
on the embeddedness of the desired attributes of the
Group’s culture. Following the Group’s reorganisation
in 2025, and to deepen the Board’s understanding of
culture in the business, an externally led assessment
of existing sentiment and workforce experience is being
undertaken during the early part of 2026. The outputs of
this exercise will support the Board in providing oversight
and development of the organisation’s culture and
values, aligned with its purpose, during the year ahead.
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Roles and responsibilities continued
Chair
Responsible for: the leadership of the Board and its
continuing effectiveness; ensuring that the Group’s purpose,
values and strategy align with its desired culture; and that
communication between Executive and Non-executive
Directors, as well as with shareholders, is effective.
Board dynamics insight: Ensures the Board works in an
open, inclusive and well-informed manner, creating an
environment where constructive challenge is encouraged,
depth of discussion facilitated and diverse perspectives
are valued.
Leadership for Board - encourage open and inclusive discussions
Senior Independent Director
Responsible for: acting as a sounding board for the Chair;
serving as an intermediary for other Directors, if necessary;
leading the appraisal of the performance of the Chair; and
being available to shareholders if they have concerns that
cannot be resolved through usual channels or where such
contact would be inappropriate.
Board dynamics insight: Acts as a trusted intermediary,
supporting the Chair in maintaining healthy Board
dynamics and facilitating open communication that
strengthens trust and cohesion.
Balanced contributions,
collective challenge and
support, diverse and
independent judgement
of Board
Chief Financial Officer
Responsible for: providing leadership
and direction for, and oversight of,
the financial, accounting, tax, capital
and liquidity activities of the Group;
and maintaining effective investor
relations.
Board dynamics insight: Provides
balanced and credible financial
performance information, enabling
constructive debate and focus on
sound financial judgement and
stewardship, underpinning
responsible decision-making.
Information flows, accountability to Board, assurance on running the business, seek insight from Board
Independent Non‑executive
Directors
Responsible for: contributing to the
entrepreneurial leadership of the
Group, within a framework of prudent
and effective controls. Provide
independence, impartiality,
experience, specialist knowledge
and other diverse personal skills and
capabilities. In some cases, take on
additional oversight responsibilities,
as is the case in relation to workforce
engagement.
Board dynamics insight: Contribute
external perspectives, objective
challenge and broad commercial
experience, helping balanced
decision-making and oversight.
Chief Executive Officer
Responsible for: the development
and communication of the Group’s
strategy; developing and achieving
the business objectives; leading and
motivating an effective Executive
Management team; and ensuring
an appropriate culture is adopted
in the day-to-day management of
the Group.
Board dynamics insight: Provides
deep operational and business-
specific strategic perspectives,
grounded in transparency,
accountability and continuous
improvement - enabling a culture
of trust and constructive feedback.
Information flows
facilitated by Company
Secretariat, governance
assurance and guidance
provided to Board
Company Secretary
Responsible for: guiding the
Board in meeting legal and
regulatory requirements,
and ensuring procedures
(including delivery of timely
information) are followed
and regularly reviewed.
Directors have access to
the Company Secretary’s
advice at all times, as
well as independent
professional advice, in
order to assist them in
carrying out their duties.
Board dynamics insight:
The conscience of the
Company and guardian
of governance, advises the
Chair and Board to ensure
an environment supportive
of integrity, accountability
and robust decision-
making.
The Board
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Our Board in action
The operation of our Board enables Directors to have sufficient time to meet their responsibilities during the year, with ample opportunity to
provide constructive challenge, strategic guidance and advice, whilst maintaining oversight of management’s performance. The ways the
Board has connected in the year to deliver this activity are outlined below.
Engagement type Purpose of engagement
Scheduled Board
meetings
Scheduled Board meetings follow an agreed format with the final agenda being set by the Chair, Chief Executive
Officer and Company Secretary by reference to the forward agenda and having considered key developments since
the previous meeting. This approach ensures that coverage of the Board’s key responsibilities is balanced against the
need to focus on strategic priorities and address topical matters.
The papers for each meeting, which include Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer reports covering
key developments in the business and performance indicators, are sent to the Board a week ahead of the meeting.
This ensures that the information is timely and that the Directors are able to prepare for the meetings.
The Board’s forward agenda is also coordinated with those of its Committees. The chairs of the various committees
and material subsidiaries report on their activity at each Board meeting and liaise with the Chair to ensure items
escalated get sufficient time and focus on Board meeting agendas.
Ad-hoc Board
meetings
From time to time, the Board is required to hold meetings outside its planned schedule, to consider topics that require
immediate attention or to approve Board appointments or transactions.
Board dinners
Board dinners provide valuable opportunities to deepen relationships, trust and rapport, and help the Board to
develop greater unity, alignment and resilience. Dinners are usually held around Board meetings and allow for
informal unstructured engagement, as well as the chance to meet and hear from other members of the
management team or guests from outside the business.
Strategy meetings
A focused strategy meeting is usually held each year during the delivery periods in the strategy cycle to enable the
Board and management to reflect on, debate and refine the strategy. The Board is more closely and regularly involved
when strategy is being set, meaning these meetings may be replaced by a number of other meetings focusing on
specific aspects being considered for the future strategy.
Non-executive
Director meetings
The independent Non-executive Directors meet privately with the Chair during the year to consider matters arising
from Board meetings. They also meet without the Chair to consider his performance.
Development
sessions and
deep dives
Directors are provided with development sessions and deep dives on specific topics during the year, either to
support their understanding of key facets of the business, or wider trends and developments that are influencing
the Board’s agenda.
Other meetings
The Board also appoints ad-hoc committees from time to time to manage procedural matters.
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Strategy day 2025
In June 2025, the Board held its annual
strategy day during which Directors
reflected on progress of execution against
the Group’s strategy to 2030 and considered
developments in the market and regulatory
landscape. The Board was joined by the
Group Executive Committee and internal
and external speakers. It provided Directors
with the opportunity to deep dive into
strategic priorities, emerging risks and
opportunities, and discuss key topics
such as client offerings, technology
and optimisation of capital allocation.
Alongside consideration of strategic
developments, consideration was given to
the balance needed to ensure execution of
tactical projects with a focus on operations
and people. To ensure appropriate focus
on stakeholder impact, the Board assessed
performance against culture, client
satisfaction, risk and control, and
investment performance KPIs. Following
the strategy day, subsidiary board
members were briefed to ensure strategic
cohesion across the Group.
Details of the Group’s strategy can be
found on page 15 of the strategic report
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Regular meetings and
Director attendance 2025
The Board and its Committees held regular meetings
during 2025. The table below sets out attendance of
scheduled meetings. Additional meetings were held
when required at short notice. The Chair sets the Board
agenda with the Chief Executive Officer and Company
Secretary. The Board’s annual agenda is coordinated
with those of its Committees (activities are detailed in
their respective reports).
Group Nomination
and Governance
Committee
Group Audit
Committee
Group Risk
Committee
Group Remuneration
Committee
Attendance Non-attendance
Chair:
Paul Manduca
Report on page 68
Chair:
John Hitchins
Report on page 71
Chair:
Penny James
Report on page 80
Chair:
Helen Beck
Report on page 84
Director Board (6) Nomination and Governance (4) Audit (6) Risk (5) Remuneration (4)
Rooney Anand - -
Helen Beck
1
-
Mark FitzPatrick (CEO) - - - -
Simon Fraser (SID)
-
Emma Griffin
2
-
Rosemary Hilary
3
John Hitchins
5
-
Penny James
1, 4
-
Paul Manduca (Chair)
- - -
Lesley-Ann Nash
2
-
Caroline Waddington (CFO) - - - -
1 Helen Beck and Penny James were appointed in July 2025. In October Penny James had a prearranged commitment which is reflected in her attendance. In November 2025 Helen Beck had a prearranged commitment which is reflected in
her attendance.
2 Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash stepped down in May 2025 at the end of the Annual General Meeting held prior to the Board.
3 Rosemary Hilary stepped down as a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee with effect from 5 December, with Penny James being appointed to the same. Attendance reflects this.
4 Penny James joined the Nomination and Governance Committee on 5 December 2025. Attendance reflects this.
5 John Hitchins was unable to attend the Group Audit Committee meeting in May 2025 due to extenuating circumstances.
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Our Board in action continued
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Continued development of our Board
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Composition, succession and evaluation
Evolution of the Boards composition
The balance of skills, experience, knowledge, independence
and diversity on the Board is reviewed at least annually,
and more frequently when appointments are considered. This
process is led by the Nomination and Governance Committee
which assesses Non-executive Directors on a collective and
individual basis.
The Nomination and Governance Committee regularly reviews
Board composition, succession planning and Non-executive
Director recruitment priorities, leads the process for, and
makes recommendations relating to Board appointments.
Director biographies, including their skills, experience and
knowledge, Board committee memberships and other
principal appointments can be found on pages 56 to 58.
During 2025, three Directors stepped down from the Board,
with two new appointments made as a result. Details of the
search process followed for Helen Beck and Penny James
(both appointed during the year) are included in the
Nomination and Governance Committee Report on page 68,
and a summary of changes to the Board during 2025 can be
found on page 55.
Board appointments
Key guardrails underpinning the integrity of Board appointments are summarised below.
Appointments
The Company’s Articles of Association permit the Board to appoint additional Directors and fill casual vacancies. Board appointments are subject to a formal, rigorous and
transparent procedure, which is underpinned by the need for diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities. Each appointment is based on merit and objective criteria. The Group
Nomination and Governance Committee oversees the appointment process for the Board. For more detail about the role of the Committee, see pages 68 to 70.
All Directors are subject to annual re-election or election at the Company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Before a Director is proposed for re-election by shareholders, their effectiveness
and commitment to the role is considered. The Chair is pleased to support the Board’s recommendations to elect or re-elect all Directors at the forthcoming AGM. Helen Beck and
Penny James, appointed during the year, will stand for election at the AGM as the first such meeting since they joined the Board.
Each Director brings a breadth of skills and experience to the Board. The diversity of backgrounds across the Board’s composition complements its mix of skills, knowledge and
experience, all of which support in the protection of shareholder and wider stakeholder interests. Further information can be found in the Notice of Meeting for the forthcoming AGM.
Length of term
Non-executive Directors are appointed for a specified term and Executive Directors have service contracts. Copies of the terms and conditions of appointment of all Directors are
available for inspection at the registered office address and will be available for inspection at the Company’s forthcoming AGM.
The Executive Directors’ service contracts provide for termination on 12 months’ notice from either the Company or Director (except in certain exceptional recruitment situations
where a shorter or longer notice period may be set, provided it reduces to a maximum of 12 months within a specified time limit). Service contracts do not contain a fixed end date.
The Company does not have agreements with any Director or employee that would provide compensation for loss of office or employment resulting from a takeover, except that
provisions in the Company’s share schemes may, in certain circumstances, cause share awards granted to employees under such schemes to vest on a takeover.
Succession
planning
The Nomination and Governance Committee is responsible for ensuring that plans are in place for orderly succession to both Board and senior management positions. It oversees
the development of a diverse pipeline for succession for Executive and Non-executive Directors, taking into account the skills and expertise needed on the Board now and in the
future. More information about the work of the Group Nomination and Governance Committee on succession planning can be found on pages 68 and 70.
Time commitment
Non-executive Directors are expected to commit sufficient time to enable them to undertake their responsibilities and their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities is reviewed on
an ongoing basis so that the Board can be satisfied that each Non-executive Director commits sufficient time to the business of the Company.
Conflicts
of interest
The Board has in place procedures for the management of conflicts of interest. Director’s are aware of their obligation to disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest without
delay. Details of disclosed conflicts are considered by the Board and a decision as to authorisation is made, ensuring this is in line with the best interests of the Company.
Regular checks are undertaken during the year to ensure Directors have disclosed material interests appropriately. No Director has, or has had during the year under review,
any material interest in any contract or arrangement with the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Directors’ and
officers’ indemnity
and insurance
The Company maintains insurance covering Directors and officers against liabilities they may incur in their capacity as such for the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company
has granted indemnities to its Directors in respect of their Directorships and, where applicable, subsidiary companies on terms consistent with the applicable statutory provisions.
Qualifying third-party indemnity provisions for the purposes of section 234 of the Companies Act 2006 were accordingly in force during the course of the financial year ended
31 December 2025, and remain in force at the date of approval of the financial statements.
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Composition, succession and evaluation
Induction programmes for new Directors
Upon appointment, new Directors are provided with a
comprehensive induction plan, tailored to meet their individual
needs based on their existing knowledge and experience,
specific aspects relevant to the roles they will be taking on
and to address development needs identified at appointment.
The induction process comprises three parts: provision
of information and materials; meetings with individuals; and
attendance at meetings of Board Committees, principal
subsidiary boards and other relevant corporate events and
forums. Induction programmes tend to span three to six
months and are designed to enable new Directors to meet
senior management, understand the business and future
strategy, visit various office locations and speak directly to
advisers and employees around the country, as well as being
introduced to other key stakeholders.
Evolving the Board
Independence
The Nomination and Governance Committee carefully
considers the independence of the Board. It has determined
that the Chair was independent upon appointment and
considers that all Non-executive Directors of the Board
continue to meet the independence criteria set out in the
Code. When determining independence, the Board considers
each individual against those criteria and according to how
they conduct themselves in Board meetings, including how
they exercise judgement and independent thinking. Further
information can be found in the report of the Group
Nomination and Governance Committee on page 70.
Skills and experience
The Code recommends that the Board and its Committees
should have an appropriate combination of skills, experience
and knowledge. The Nomination and Governance Committee,
on behalf of the Board, monitors Board composition with
these factors in mind. The skills and experience of each of the
Board’s Directors are summarised on pages 56 to 58 of this
report. The Board considers a breadth of skills and experience
to be supportive of not only comprehensive technical
capability but diversity of perspective. Continued
development of the Board is key to ensuring it remains
effective in its leadership of the Group through a dynamic
operating environment. In 2026, we aim to achieve this by
advancing our succession planning and focusing on the
Board’s programme of ongoing training and development,
further advancing the skills and knowledge of our Directors.
Training and development
The Chair and Company Secretary ensure continuing professional development is available for all Directors, based on their individual requirements. This is achieved through a wide range of
approaches:
Approach Examples in 2025
Specific development
sessions and training
Specific development sessions have been provided for the Directors during the year. The sessions are led by a mixture of internal and external subject
matter experts and in 2025 included deep-dive workshops on wind-down planning, project technical specifics, and a session on the Senior Managers and
Certification Regime. These development sessions provide Directors with opportunities to engage with a cross-section of employees from across the business
as well as external advisers, whilst evolving their knowledge of the business, and the market and regulatory environment we operate in. The Group Audit
Committee also holds development sessions to support the Committee’s understanding of topics relevant to it. Further information is included in the Group
Audit Committee report on page 72.
Visits to head office, other
locations and service
providers to meet with
employees and members
of the Partnership
During 2025 Directors visited SJP offices both to attend Board and Committee meetings and as part of their ongoing engagement with management and
employees. The Directors were also able to attend conferences held for advisers, which provided direct feedback and insights to be shared with other Directors.
Attendance at subsidiary
board meetings, executive
committees and
management forums
A few Non-executive Directors serve on the boards of subsidiary companies, providing Group oversight and direct channels of communication between the
Company and its core entities. Whilst these Non-executive Directors are cognisant of their duty to avoid conflicts of interest, attendance at subsidiary board
meetings generates insights into the operation of the wider Group below the Company. Periodically, and as appropriate, Non-executive Directors who are not
members of these boards are invited to attend subsidiary company board meetings and management forums.
Attendance at seminars or
other events which assist
Directors in carrying out
their duties
Directors receive invitations from time to time to attend seminars and conferences that provide opportunities to network and enhance their knowledge and
experience.
Continued development of our Board continued
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Diversity
The Board recognises that promotion of
diversity and inclusion is a key enabler
of a healthy corporate (and risk) culture.
The importance of diversity and inclusion is
embraced throughout the Group, from the top
down. The Board’s Diversity Policy articulates
the benefits of diversity, in the widest sense
rather than focusing only on specific aspects,
ensuring that the Board’s composition enables
a range of perspectives, insights and the
cognitive diversity to facilitate robust decision-
making. In addition, the Board’s Diversity
Policy sets out the ways in which we seek to
put our relevant values, including inclusivity,
into practice.
The Board, supported by its Nomination and
Governance Committee, is clear about its
responsibilities in overseeing and driving
diversity at all levels of the organisation.
The Board considers diversity to be grounded
in diversity of thought rather than simply
demographic factors and to extend far
beyond gender and ethnicity. Diversity based
on these factors is easier to demonstrate than
cognitive diversity and a breadth of individuals’
backgrounds, but the Group considers the
latter to be enablers of multi-dimensional
conversations and the debates experienced
in our boardroom. The broad range of
experiences and backgrounds of our Board,
supported by recent appointments, generates
not only a breadth of discussion but also
a depth that reflects and recognises the
interests of our stakeholders. Nonetheless,
the Group is committed to achieving targets
aligned with key external diversity agendas
and initiatives. Key composition data is
outlined on this page, as at the date of this
report. Further information on inclusion and
diversity can be found in the report of the
Group Nomination and Governance
Committee on pages 69 to 70.
The Board’s Diversity Policy is available
to view on the Company’s website.
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Continued development of our Board continued
Board Performance Review
Progress since the 2024 Board performance review ‑ externally facilitated
This was the first year of a three-year externally facilitated performance review
programme. Amongst review findings, the following key themes were identified:
Risk management – the Board should look to stand back and consider what
realistically could have the potential to destroy the business, from both a financial
and a cultural perspective. Given the scale of change, materiality and focus will be
critical for the Board in the year ahead.
Board and organisation culture – the Board needed to mirror what it wanted to
see in the organisation. It would do so by increasing its presence, being more active
and visible to management and employees. Any gaps would be obvious, especially
for those spending time with the Board and its Committees.
Succession planning – The Board should continue its strong focus on succession
planning at main Board and subsidiary level, evolving that in line with the Group’s
longer-term strategy.
During 2025, the majority of actions aligned with recommendations from the above
review were completed. Actions not yet complete are intentionally ongoing to ensure
a cohesive approach in step with related activities in the Group.
The 2025 Board performance review ‑ externally facilitated
The following key themes were identified from the 2025 performance review:
Board dynamics – following substantial changes in the membership of both the Board
and Group Executive Committee, we already see good levels of cohesion and trust
and we are keen to build on these and further enhance the effectiveness of our
working relationships.
Governance and risk management - there is strong focus on risk oversight,
compliance, and regulatory requirements, with notable progress in strengthening
risk functions with further embedment activity planned for 2026. High levels of
discipline are also demonstrated across change programmes.
Strategy and change – the Board has overseen major change programmes that
will ensure we have a strong base from which to deliver a growth-oriented strategy.
Culture and succession – culture monitoring and succession planning are
recognised priorities for the Board, with initiatives in place, and progress being
closely overseen by the Board.
More detail about the 2025 Board performance review can be found in the Nomination
and Governance Committee report on page 70.
Board composition as at 24 February 2026
Board gender
Female 3
Male 5
Board ethnicity
White 7
Minority ethnic 1
Board tenure
0-3 years 6
4-7 years 2
With the appointment of Evelyn Bourke on 1 March 2026, we continue to meet our 2025
target of 40% female representation on the Board. This aligns with the aspirations of
FTSE Women Leaders, a Government supported framework to achieve gender balance.
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Report of the Group Nomination and Governance Committee
Group Nomination and Governance Committee membership
Member and date joined Committee
Paul Manduca (Chair) 1 January 2021
Helen Beck 17 September 2025
Simon Fraser 16 July 2024
John Hitchins 18 May 2023
Penny James 5 December 2025
Note: Emma Griffin and Rosemary Hilary were members of the Committee until 13 May and 5 December 2025
respectively.
The Committee’s terms of reference set
out the Committee’s role and authority
and can be found on the corporate website
at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Dear Shareholder,
I am pleased to present this report to you
as Chair of the Committee and would like to
express my gratitude to my colleagues on the
Committee for their contribution during 2025.
Q
What is the key objective
of the Committee?
The Committee has overall responsibility
for planning Board and overseeing senior
executive succession, leading the process for
new appointments of Directors and ensuring
that these appointments bring the required
skills, knowledge, experience and diversity to
the Board. The Committee is also responsible
for overseeing the Group’s governance
arrangements, taking into consideration
the structure, size and composition of all
its boards and committees to ensure they
are made up of the right people with the
necessary skills, knowledge and experience
to direct the Group in the successful execution
of its strategy.
Q
Who are the regular attendees
at meetings?
The Chief Executive Officer, Chief People
Officer and Company Secretary regularly
attend meetings.
Q
What has been the main focus
of the Committee during 2025?
Succession planning will always be a key
responsibility of the Committee and in July
2025 we welcomed Penny James and Helen
Beck to the Board, with Evelyn Bourke joining in
March 2026. These appointments were made
after comprehensive searches, augmenting
existing experience and bringing fresh
eyes to challenge around the Board table,
ensuring we continue to benefit from diverse
perspectives. Helen and Penny were identified
by the Committee as successors to Emma
Griffin and Rosemary Hilary and, having
received the requisite regulatory approvals,
were appointed as chairs of the Group
Remuneration and Risk Committees
respectively.
Having seen the Board and Executive’s
memberships refreshed in recent years, our
focus now turns to medium-term succession
planning. The Committee has noted that the
average tenure of non-executive directors
on listed company boards appears to be
shortening. As a result, succession planning
has become more important in ensuring that
neither anticipated nor unforeseen changes
in Directors adversely impact the Board’s
capacity and capability to make balanced
and informed decisions, safe in the knowledge
that it has appropriate diversity and
experience. The remit of the Committee also
extends to the non-executive membership of
the Group’s subsidiary companies, with
independent directors becoming more
common on subsidiary boards in the financial
services sector.
Other areas of focus during 2025 have included
the enhancement of the Group’s governance
framework, ongoing monitoring of our
commitment to inclusion and diversity and
overseeing progress against the actions arising
from our 2024 Board Performance Review.
Q&A with Group Nomination
and Governance Committee
Chair Paul Manduca
Find out more about the Committee’s
role and authority at sjp.co.uk/
corporate-governance
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Q
How does the Committee
approach searches for new
Non‑executive Directors?
The Committee appoints external search
consultancies to support it with the recruitment
of new Non-executive Directors. In 2025 the
Committee appointed Teneo for the searches
that culminated in the appointments of Helen
Beck and Evelyn Bourke, and Russell Reynolds
for the search that resulted in the appointment
of Penny James. Both Teneo and Russell
Reynolds are signatories to the Enhanced
Voluntary Code of Conduct for Executive
Search Firms and have no connection with
the Group or individual directors other than
conducting leadership searches. Position
descriptions were prepared for each of the
searches and these were used to establish
diverse long lists of potential candidates.
Feedback from the Chair and members of the
Committee resulted in shortlists of candidates
who were interviewed for the roles. The
candidates met the Chair, Senior Independent
Director and other members of the Board and
Executive ahead of the Committee making
formal recommendations to the Board.
Q
Does the Committee also lead
executive succession planning?
Whilst the Committee leads the succession
planning and appointment of the Group’s
Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Executive
Officer is responsible for succession planning
of executive roles. Mark FitzPatrick was
appointed as Chief Executive Officer in
December 2023 and over the last two years
has reviewed the membership of his Group
Executive Committee to ensure it has the right
diversity and balance of skills and experience
to lead the delivery of the Group’s strategy.
A number of new Executives have been
appointed in 2025, and Mark has kept the
Committee and the Board appraised of
developments. With a refreshed Group
Executive Committee in place, work has
commenced on medium-term succession
planning, which aims to ensure that
succession pipelines are in place for all roles.
This planning will be monitored closely and
reviewed by the Committee during 2026
and beyond.
Q
What is the Committee’s role in
overseeing governance across
the Group?
Oversight of the Group’s governance
framework is a core responsibility of the
Committee. The composition and performance
of the Board’s principal committees and
subsidiaries is kept under regular review and
changes are made where required. As we
highlighted last year, the demands on and
expectations of the boards of our regulated
subsidiary companies have increased in
recent years and the Committee has overseen
the appointment of additional independent
non-executive directors to the boards of its
principal subsidiaries.
During 2025, the Group’s structure was revised
to align the internal ownership structure with
the underlying operation of the business. We
explained last year that we had established
a programme of work to enhance the Group’s
governance framework and the Committee
has in 2025 approved a new Group Governance
Manual that clearly sets out the expectations
and rules that apply to the Group’s subsidiaries.
Alongside the restructuring and establishment
of a manual, there has been a significant
programme of activity to support employees
across the Group to better understand
and navigate our governance. The ongoing
oversight of the Group’s governance
framework is a responsibility of the Committee.
Q
Why does the Committee monitor
inclusion and diversity across
the Group?
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a
prominent focus of the Committee and, in
addition to forming an important aspect of
our succession planning, remains an aspect
of the business as a whole that the Committee
monitors closely. During the year we noted a
proposal to refresh our DEI agenda to ensure it
remains integrated with our performance and
culture priorities. This will support our strategic
goals of growth, resilience, and differentiation.
We also reviewed the Group’s DEI Policy and our
own Board Diversity Policy. The Board Diversity
Policy sets out our own commitment and plays
an important part in the Board’s succession
plans, and the process for recruiting new
Directors. We have met our 2025 target of 40%
female representation on the Board. This aligns
with the aspirations of the FTSE Women Leaders,
a Government-supported framework to achieve
gender balance.
We continued to monitor performance against
our DEI strategy, with progress against our
stated public commitments factored into the
Executive team bonus performance criteria.
There is still more both SJP and the financial
services industry as a whole need to do to
increase diversity, and we recognise the
importance of sustained effort to drive
progress. During 2025 the total representation
of women in senior roles increased to 42.5%
(2024: 37.3%). This puts us ahead of our women
in senior roles target; however, the margin
is small and therefore deliberate focus is
needed to maintain this representation.
Also, during 2025, the total representation of
minority ethnic employees increased to 10.2%
(2024: 9.5%). However, fewer employees are
choosing to share their diversity-related
data with us: 70.7% in 2025 (2024: 75.3%) and
minority ethnic representation has reduced
amongst our Group Executive Committee
and their senior direct reports to 6.3%
(2024: 9.4%). Having a strong pipeline of
diverse talent remains a priority for us, and a
dedicated campaign will be run in the coming
year to encourage all employees to share
their diversity-related information. Further
information on how the DEI Policy has been
implemented, can be found in the Our
Responsible Business section on page 48.
Our latest Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap
report is available on our website at
sjp.co.uk/shareholders/esg-reporting-hub.
We report against UK Listing Rules in relation
to board diversity and this information can
be found on this page and overleaf. As at
31 December 2025 the Board meets the UK
Listing Rule UKLR 6.6.6 R(9)(a) requirements
because at least one of its members is from
an ethnic minority, the Chief Financial Officer
is a woman and the percentage of women on
the Board was at least 40%. The information
required under UKLR 6.6.6 R(10) and (11) as at
31 December 2025 can be found overleaf.
Looking ahead to 2026, progressing our
diversity and inclusion ambitions remains
a priority, as a key building block to enabling
the breadth of perspectives to underpin robust
decision-making and our desired culture.
.
Report of the Group Nomination and Governance Committee continued
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Board and executive management diversity disclosure
Number of
Board
members
% of the
Board
Number of
senior positions
on the Board
(CEO, CFO,
SID & Chair)
Number in
executive
management
% of executive
management
Men 5 55.6% 3 6 60.0%
Women 4 44.4% 1 4 40.0%
Not specified/prefer not to say 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0%
Total population 9 100.0% 4 10 100.0%
Number of
Board
members
% of the
Board
Number of
senior positions
on the Board
(CEO, CFO,
SID & Chair)
Number in
executive
management
% of executive
management
White British or other White
(including minority-white groups) 8 89% 4 9 90.0%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups 0 0% 0 0 0.0%
Asian/Asian British 1 11% 0 0 0.0%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British 0 0% 0 0 0.0%
Other ethnic group 0 0% 0 0 0.0%
Not specified/prefer not to say 0 0% 0 1 10.0%
Total population 9 100.0% 4 10 100.0%
Data on the diversity of individuals in executive management (this includes Group Executive
Committee members plus the Company Secretary) is collected through our voluntary employee
diversity survey, and from other Board members by self-disclosure by the individuals concerned.
Q
How is the Board’s performance
assessed?
This year was the second year of a three-
year externally facilitated Board Performance
Review programme working with Independent
Board Evaluation, which commenced in 2024.
The Committee has monitored progress against
the actions that arose from the 2024 review
and is satisfied that good progress was made
during 2025. More detail on the 2025 review,
and progress with the actions from the 2024
review, are set out in more detail in the
corporate governance report on page 67.
The Chair also considers the performance of
individual Directors each year, with the Senior
Independent Director leading the review of
the Chair. These reviews help to identify
opportunities for further development of
individuals and the Board. Further information
on the training and development provided to
Directors (including induction programmes)
can be found on page 66.
The Committee also reviews detailed analysis
of the significant other commitments of
existing and newly joined Non-executive
Directors alongside time spent on the
Company’s business and affairs. The
Committee and the Board are satisfied
that the Non-executive Directors are able to,
and do, commit sufficient time and attention
to the Company’s business. An assessment
of the independence of each of the Non-
executive Directors is carried out each year,
and the Committee has concluded that each
of the Non-executive Directors demonstrated
that they remained independent in character
and judgement. Further information on these
conclusions can be found in the Notice of
Meeting for the Company’s 2026 AGM.
Q
Can you tell us about the operation
and performance of the Committee
The Committee comprises the Chair of the
Board and four independent Non-executive
Directors, who between them are also the
chairs of the Group Nomination and
Governance, Audit, Risk and Remuneration
Committees and the Senior Independent
Director. Membership of the Committee,
alongside the Board’s other Committees,
was reviewed in 2025. Helen Beck and Penny
James joined the Committee in 2025, as
Emma Griffin and Rosemary Hilary departed.
The Committee’s effectiveness was
considered as part of the Board’s overall
assessment of its effectiveness (see page 67)
and the Board remains satisfied that, as a
whole, the Committee has the experience and
qualifications necessary to perform its role.
I look forward to reporting on further progress
as we continue our work in 2026.
Paul Manduca
On behalf of the Group Nomination
and Governance Committee
24 February 2026
Report of the Group Nomination and Governance Committee continued
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Group Audit Committee membership
Member and date joined Committee
John Hitchins (Chair) 1 January 2022 (Chair from 18 May 2023)
Simon Fraser 22 April 2024
Penny James 1 July 2025
The Committee’s terms of reference set
out the Committee’s role and authority
and can be found on the corporate website
at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Dear Shareholder,
It is my pleasure to present the Committee’s
report for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The report provides insight into our work over
the year and details how we have discharged
the responsibilities delegated to us by
the Board.
Q
What is the key objective
of the Committee?
The Committee’s primary purpose is to
oversee financial reporting, the internal
and external audits and the Group’s systems
of internal control, and to provide guidance
and advice on these areas to the Board and,
where applicable, other boards and
committees in the Group.
Q
Who are the regular attendees
at meetings?
Chair of the Board; Chief Executive Officer;
Chair of the SJPUK Board; Chief Financial
Officer; Chief Risk Officer; Internal Audit
Director; Director, Finance; Director, Financial
Reporting; and Senior Statutory Auditor.
Q
What has been the main focus
of the Committee during 2025?
As part of the Group’s governance framework
the Committee fulfils a vital role in providing
valuable independent challenge and
oversight across the Group’s financial
reporting, audit and internal control
procedures.
The Committee continues to be conscious
of the external environment we are reporting
in and is comfortable that appropriate
procedures are in place to ensure this
has been taken into account as part of
the year-end process, which included
consideration of the accounting
judgements and actuarial assumptions.
A key focus for the Committee this year
has been to ensure that the valuation of
the Ongoing Service Evidence (OSE) provision
remains appropriate. Work in this area included
receiving regular updates from management
with views sought from the external auditors.
Further details are set out later on in this report.
The Committee has been kept updated on
the Group’s Material Controls project to be
ready for the changes to the UK Corporate
Governance Code (the Code) required for
2026 year end reporting. The Committee has
also ensured that the changes to the Code
which came into force during 2025 have been
applied and details of how these changes
have been implemented are detailed
throughout this report.
During the year the Committee has also led
the Audit tender process given the requirement
to change the Group audit firm no later than
the 2027 audit. Further information on this is
outlined later in this report.
Report of the Group Audit Committee
Q&A with Group Audit
Committee chair
John Hitchins
Find out more about the Committee’s
role and authority at sjp.co.uk/
corporate-governance
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
Looking ahead to next year, the Committee will:
continue to monitor the development of
the OSE provision as payments accelerate
in the first half of 2026,
oversee the Group’s project to introduce
more simplified reporting in 2026,
oversee activities underway to prepare for
the new disclosure requirements under the
Code provision 29 which will be applicable
for the 2026 financial year onwards. This
will include reviewing and approving the
assurance plan and reporting in relation to
material controls and reviewing compliance
with the UK Corporate Governance Code
requirements in relation to the 2026
financial year-end and associated
disclosures,
scrutinise proposals for the
implementation in 2027 of IFRS 18 –
Presentation and Disclosure in Financial
Statements, and
review preparations for the orderly
transition to Forvis Mazars in 2027 (for
further information please see the Audit
Tender on page 76).
The Committee will also continue to monitor
for future developments in accounting
regulations and receive regular progress
updates from management on applying the
revisions to the Code which become effective
for financial years beginning on or after
1 January 2026.
Q
How has the Committee operated
and performed during the year?
The Chair of the Committee discussed
agendas and significant matters in advance
of all scheduled meetings, with the Chief
Finance Officer, the Internal Audit Director and
external auditors where appropriate, and has
focused on the key topics set out in its forward
work programme. Attendance by Committee
members at these meetings is shown on
page 64. The Committee also welcomed
attendance from other Non-executive
Directors, who attended Committee meetings
as part of their ongoing development. Private
sessions were held with the Internal Audit
Director and the external auditors as required,
providing an opportunity for matters to be
discussed in the absence of management.
Development sessions have been held during
the year to further enhance the Committee’s
understanding of key and emerging topics
and to provide a platform for the Committee
to discuss and consider any impact on the
Group. During 2025 these sessions focused on:
the requirements and steps needed to be
followed for the audit tender;
a corporate restructure briefing which
outlined to the Committee the steps
required to achieve the new target Group
structure and business readiness for it;
an overview of the reporting simplification
project; and
an update on the impacts on Financial
Operations and Controls as a result of the
implementation of our simple, comparable
charging structure.
During the year the Committee carried out
an annual review of its terms of reference.
The Board and the Committee remain
satisfied that the Committee operated
effectively and that, as a whole, the
independent Non-executive Committee
members have the experience and
qualifications necessary, noting in particular
that the Chair of the Committee is a qualified
accountant and former Senior Audit Partner,
and that other members also have recent
and relevant experience and expertise in the
financial services sector. With regard to the
Audit Committees and the External Audit:
Minimum Standard published by the FRC in
May 2023, the Committee is content that it
meets the relevant responsibilities set out in
the Standard as demonstrated by this report.
The Committee was responsible for carrying
out the function required under the FCA’s
Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule
DTR7.1.3R (Audit Committees) and complied
with the Statutory Audit Services for Large
Companies Market Investigation (Mandatory
Use of Competitive Tender Processes and
Audit Committee Responsibilities) Order 2014
throughout the year ended 31 December 2025.
As part of its remit, the Committee has also
had oversight of the appropriateness of the
Group’s material accounting policies. These
accounting policies are outlined fully in Note 1
of the Financial Statements
Q
What matters have been
considered by the Committee
during the year
The Committee focused on a number of
matters which can be grouped under four
broad headings: corporate reporting,
external audit, internal audit, and internal
controls. The following sections illustrate
the Committee’s activities during the year.
Formal Committee meetings, covering
the activities set out on pages 73 to 74,
are supplemented during the year with
informal discussion sessions to review, with
management, key messages for both the
Annual and Half-Year Report and Accounts,
and to explore in more depth any
complicated issues emerging. This forum
provides Committee members with an
opportunity to gain further clarity and
understanding.
The significant issues that the Committee
considered relating to the financial statements
are included in the table on page 75.
John Hitchins
On behalf of the Group Audit Committee
24 February 2026
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Committee’s activities
The Committee’s activities are centred on a rolling cycle of key areas of focus and events as summarised in this timeline:
October
Internal Audit present their internal
audit plan for the following year
External auditors present their
year-end plan
July
Management present the
Half-Year Report and Accounts
External auditors present
their half-year review report
Internal Audit present their interim
internal controls evaluation
May
Management present their review
of the year-end process
The Committee reviews the result of
the annual evaluation of the external
auditors, and considers whether
the external auditors continue to
be appropriately independent and
objective, and effective in the role
of external auditors
External auditors present their internal
control findings from the year-end
audit
The Money Laundering Reporting
Officer (MLRO) presents their annual
MLRO report and annual review of
systems and controls over bribery
and fraud
Internal Audit present their annual
review and quality assessment of
their performance as an operational
function, including the effectiveness
of their delivery of the audit plan
The Whistleblowers’ Champion
presents their annual report, providing
an overview of the operation and
effectiveness of the systems and
controls in relation to whistleblowing
The Committee undertakes its annual
review of Committee activity and
its terms of reference
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
In addition to the items set out in the diagram above, the Committee also received regular updates on the following:
External auditor’s
independence
Progress against the
internal audit plan
and compliance
monitoring plan
Internal control Key Policies Capital management
and financial control
breaches
Developments in
corporate reporting
and external
regulations
Financial Crime
updates from the
Money Laundering
Reporting Officer
Whistleblowing
quarterly updates
and high risk case
summaries
February
Management present the final draft Annual Report
and Accounts, Climate report and Solvency II
reporting, along with the year-end control and
compliance reporting, for the Committee to
consider recommending to the Board for approval
Group Risk present their year-end assessment of
risk and controls
Internal Audit present their internal controls
evaluation
External auditors present their findings from the
audit and their Auditors’ Report, providing
confirmation of independence, and the Committee
considers recommending to the Board the
reappointment of the external auditors at the
Company’s next AGM
January
Management provide a year-end progress update,
including key accounting judgements and actuarial
assumptions, presenting drafts of narrative sections
of the Annual Report and Accounts, Climate report
and Solvency II reporting
External auditors provide a year-end progress
update on the audit
Group Risk present their findings from the year-end
internal controls process
Internal Audit present their draft internal controls
evaluation
November
Management present their plan for the year-end
process, including any technical considerations
as well as key judgements
External auditors provide a year-end progress
update on the audit
Compliance present the Compliance Monitoring
plan to outline the proposed 2026 Thematic and
Ongoing Monitoring Plans
The MLRO presents their financial crime update
Internal Controls – Material Controls Programme
Update
Committee’s activities continued
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
Key corporate reporting topics
Significant issues considered How these were addressed by the Committee
Accounting judgements and actuarial assumptions
Following the recognition of an Ongoing Service Evidence (OSE) provision at
31 December 2023, the Group has continued developing the processes and
controls that will enable it to make repayments to clients where the evidence
of delivery falls below the acceptable standard.
The programme has made good progress during the year and is now deep in the
operational phase. Management is confident that the exercise will be completed
in 2026, with the provision materially utilised during the year.
The OSE provision remains a critical estimate at 31 December 2025. £109.5 million
has been released from the provision during the year, reflecting the impacts of:
a) the Group’s revised redress methodology implemented during the first half
of the year, which better aligns to new industry guidance from the FCA, and
b) the experience gained from the project during the year.
The Committee sought to understand how management has
updated the provision to take into account additional experience
and new industry guidance over the year.
In particular the Committee challenged management that:
the revisions made to the redress methodology at Half Year
remained appropriate at 31 December 2025; and
based on the available data the OSE provision was materially
correct.
During 2023 there was a significant increase in reported complaints which reached
a peak in Q2 2024. Since then there has been good momentum resolving these
complaints as well as a marked reduction in the volume of new cases reported.
As a result, management no longer considers the Complaints provision to be a
critical estimate for Year end 2025 reporting.
The Committee noted the positive development of the provision
and agreed with management’s assessment that the Complaint
provision was no longer a critical estimate.
In 2023 the Group announced that it would be introducing simple comparable
charges in 2025. The financial impacts of the decision have been reflected in
our Solvency II and EEV results since the 31 December 2023 valuation, in line with
regulatory requirements and guidance.
During the year details have been refined further and the impacts reflected in the
Year end 2025 results accordingly.
The Committee discussed management’s assumptions
in relation to the cash flows and the consequent impact
on Solvency II and EEV and agreed with the approach taken.
During the year the Group completed its organisational redesign, and made good
progress with other aspects of the cost and efficiency programme as announced
in 2024. As anticipated, for 2025 the cost and efficiency programme had no
material impact on the Group’s financial results, as the cost savings realised
were broadly equal to the cost to achieve those savings and reinvestment spend.
No accounting judgements were required in respect of the programme at
31 December 2025.
The Committee received regular updates on the programme
and concurred with management’s conclusions.
As part of the year-end exercise management provided a paper to the Committee
setting out the key accounting judgements and actuarial assumptions.
The Committee was satisfied with the key accounting
judgements and actuarial assumptions given the prevailing
macroeconomic conditions.
‘Fair, balanced and understandable’ opinion
The Directors are required to present a fair,
balanced and understandable assessment
of the Company’s position and prospects and
provide its opinion on whether the Company’s
Annual Report and Accounts taken as a whole
are fair, balanced and understandable, and
provide the information necessary for
shareholders to assess the Company’s
position and performance, business model
and strategy.
To support the Board in providing this
statement the Committee carried out a
formal review of financial reporting during
the year including the Annual Report and
Accounts and half-year report, taking account
of investor feedback, commentary from the
FRC’s annual review of corporate reporting,
and managements own assessment. The
Committee assessed the accurateness of
financial reporting through discussion with
the external auditors, receiving presentations,
and discussing key matters with senior
financial management.
In undertaking its assessment, the Committee
has considered each of the elements (fair,
balanced and understandable) on an
individual basis to ensure our reporting was
comprehensive in a clear and consistent way,
and in compliance with accounting standards
and regulatory and legal requirements.
The external auditors also considered and
confirmed agreement with the ‘fair, balanced
and understandable’ statement as part of the
audit process.
Following its review, the Committee
recommended that the fair, balanced and
understandable statement could be made
in the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities,
approved by the Board in February 2026 (see
page 126).
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
External audit
Audit tender
PwC were first appointed in 2009 and were
reappointed as the Group’s external auditors
following a tender process in 2016. The Group
is therefore required to change its audit firm
no later than the 2027 audit.
During 2025 the Committee oversaw a
competitive tender process that adhered to
the FRC’s Audit Committees and the External
Audit: Minimum Standard. We initially engaged
with six firms before requesting information
packs from three of these firms. Two firms
were then invited to make a formal written
proposal followed by a presentation to the
selection panel. The Non-executive Director
led panel was chaired by the Chair of the
Committee and also comprised the Group
Risk Committee Chair Rosemary Hilary and
Committee member Penny James alongside
Chief Financial Officer Caroline Waddington,
Director of Finance Charles Woodd, Investment
Operations Director Marc Berryman and
Director of Financial Reporting Jon Vaughan-
Williams. The panel evaluated the proposals
on the basis of the following criteria:
technical capabilities and delivering
quality audit,
People and independence,
Experience of working with similar
companies,
Understanding of business and markets,
Working in a group structure.
As a result of the process, I am pleased
to share that Forvis Mazars were selected
as the preferred audit firm to replace PwC
in 2027, subject to Shareholder approval
at the 2027 AGM.
Audit quality indicators (AQIs) were
discussed and introduced to the audit
plan for the first time in 2023. The AQIs
were tailored to provide quantitative
and qualitative metrics regarding
the audit process. They are intended
to be long-term measures that are
reported over multiple year-ends
to enable trends to be identified,
reported and discussed with further
action and analysis being undertaken
as required. The main themes from
the FY25 audit were the reduction in
the amount of specialist and expert
involvement and time compared to
the previous year-end due to the
introduction of the OSE provision
in 2023 and decreasing the value of
the Group’s investment in investment
properties and level 3 financial assets.
Auditor’s activity
To launch PwC’s programme of work, the
Committee received and agreed their plan
for the audit of the 2025 year-end. PwC then
provided regular updates on their work,
culminating in their overall final report and
findings from the year-end audit and the
review of the half-year results. The reports
were discussed with PwC, and the Committee
concurred with management’s response to
the recommendations identified.
As in previous years, PwC attended all
Committee meetings and the Chair of the
Committee also regularly met with Gary Shaw,
the Group’s Senior Statutory Auditor (appointed
in May 2022), to receive updates on progress
and discuss any private matters.
The Committee asked PwC to pay particular
attention to the assessment of the OSE
provision and its associated judgements
and was satisfied with the results of PwC’s
work and findings.
Auditor’s independence, objectivity
and effectiveness
During the year, there was a rolling internal
evaluation to assess the independence,
objectivity and effectiveness of PwC and the
effectiveness of the 31 December 2025 audit
process. This was conducted in various ways
on a quarterly basis and considered AQI
indicators including: feedback from
management involved in the audit; feedback
from the Committee; assessing audit quality
including a discussion with PwC of how they
had addressed any risks to audit quality that
they had identified; delivery against the audit
plan; and interrogating client administration
systems to ensure senior PwC audit team
members did not hold any St. James’s Place
products or shares.
In their audit report to the Committee, PwC
confirmed that they remain independent of
the Group. Management presented to the
Committee the results of its assessment
of PwC’s independence and objectivity, as
part of the annual evaluation of the external
auditors covering six key areas: level of audit
and non-audit fees including audit fee
benchmarking; review of services against the
policy on auditor independence to confirm
adherence; PwC’s policies and processes
for maintaining independence which were
confirmed via a letter of independence
following PwC’s own independence
assessment; threats to independence and
safeguards PwC have applied which were
communicated via PwC’s letter of
independence; employment of former PwC
employees; and rotation of key audit personnel.
Having reviewed and discussed the results,
the Committee was in agreement with
management’s assessment and concluded
that PwC remained independent and objective.
The Committee also noted the results of the
FRC’s review of PwC for the 2024/25 inspection
cycle and observed that PwC’s percentage of
audits graded as ‘good or limited improvements
required’ was 90% overall and 80% for clients
in the FTSE 350. The Committee agreed with
management’s view that PwC were effective
in their role as external auditors. Following this
evaluation, the Committee recommended
that the Board seek the reappointment of PwC
as external auditors for the 2026 financial year
at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The Committee also reviewed the evaluation
of Grant Thornton’s performance, in relation to
their role as auditors of St. James’s Place
International plc and contribution to the
Group audit by PwC and were satisfied with
their performance.
Finally, the Committee was authorised by
shareholders at the last AGM to determine the
remuneration of the external auditors. As such,
the Committee considered and approved the
2025 audit fees. More information on the audit
fees can be found in Note 5 to the financial
statements.
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Non‑audit services
During the year the Committee considered
proposals for all non-audit services as they
arose and received updates at each meeting
on fees incurred with PwC for all services and
ensured that the cap on non-audit fees had
not been breached. The Committee
discussed and approved the non-audit work
carried out by PwC, which was limited to audit
services relating to corporate reporting, such
as the review of the half-year results, and a
verification of a subsidiary company’s reserves
as this work aligned closely with the audit
work. The policy for the supply of non-audit
services is included in the Policy on Auditor
Independence, which is reviewed annually
by the Committee. The 2025 review resulted
in only minor amendments being made.
More information on non-audit fees can be
found in Note 5 on page 151.
Internal Audit
The primary role of Internal Audit is to help the
Boards and executive management to deliver
good client outcomes and protect the assets,
reputation and sustainability of SJP through
the provision of independent risk-based and
objective assurance. Its objective is therefore
to drive continuous improvement in these
areas. This is set out in the Internal Audit
Charter, which defines the purpose, mandate
and scope of Internal Audit and explains its
primary duties and responsibilities. Minor
revisions were made to the Charter during
2025, and it was approved by the Committee
in November 2025.
The Committee oversees the work of the
Internal Audit function, which is set out in the
risk-based Internal Audit Plan (the Plan). The
Plan is approved annually by the Committee
in October and, together with a risk-ranked
watchlist, remains subject to on-going
strategic and risk assessments throughout
the year, with updates and changes to the
Plan being discussed and approved by the
Committee. The Committee is satisfied that
the Plan provides appropriate coverage of
SJP’s key risks and strategic priorities and is
suitably coordinated with assurance activity
undertaken in the second line and by the
external auditors.
Key topics included in the 2025 Plan included
assurance over the Group’s significant
change projects, including the implementation
of Simple and Comparable Charges, the
Historic Servicing Review and the launch of
the Polaris Multi-Index funds, as well as audits
of Consumer Duty Embeddedness, Artificial
Intelligence Governance and the Own Risk
and Solvency Assessment process.
The delivery of the Plan is the responsibility of
the Internal Audit Director, who is accountable
to the Committee and who meets regularly
with the Chair of the Committee and the Chair
of the Board. Each internal audit report is sent
promptly to all members of the Committee.
The Internal Audit Director attends and
presents at each meeting, where the
Committee discusses the function’s key
performance indicators, recent audit findings
and management’s progress in addressing
any remedial actions. The Internal Audit
Director also meets regularly with the
members of the Committee without
management present. Informed by this
information, and the results of Internal Audit’s
robust quality assurance and improvement
programme, the Committee annually reviews
the objectivity, impact and effectiveness of
the Internal Audit function. The assessment in
May 2025 concluded that the function meets
the needs of the Group, being effective,
objective and driving enhancements in
the Group’s control environment.
The effectiveness of the internal audit function
is also externally assessed every five years
against the global standards set by the
International Institute of Internal Auditors, the
UK Internal Audit Code of Practice, and current
best practice in our industry. The most recent
assessment, carried out in October 2024
by BDO, concluded that the function is
Generally Conformant to the Global Internal
Audit Standards and to the UK Financial
Services Code in all the areas assessed,
which is the highest rating for an External
Quality Assessment. Work on the suggested
opportunities for enhancements has been
substantially progressed over the course
of 2025.
The Internal Audit function reports regularly
to the Committee on internal controls and
risk management. This includes an annual
Internal Control Evaluation which draws
together findings from internal audits over
the course of the year to provide input to
the Committee’s own assessment of the
effectiveness of the internal control
framework. The most recent evaluation was
provided at the February 2026 Committee
meeting. The Committee reviewed the plans
that management has in place for further
enhancements to the control framework in
specific areas in which Internal Audit has
identified that such controls require
improvement. Progress in these areas will
continue to be monitored by Internal Audit
and the Committee. For example, work
continues to further embed the monitoring
of client outcomes in some areas of the
Group and on ongoing enhancements to
the Group’s data management processes.
The Chair of the Committee, with input from
the Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for
setting the objectives of the Internal Audit
Director, appraising their performance and
recommending their remuneration to the
Group Remuneration Committee. In 2026, the
Internal Audit Director, who has held the role
since April 2020, will transfer to another
position within the Company. In light of this,
the Chair of the Committee participated in
the selection of a new Internal Audit Director
by carrying out a detailed formal recruitment
process, including a thorough external search
and interviews to identify the best possible
candidate. The Committee approved the
appointment of the new Internal Audit Director
in November, subject to regulatory approval.
The new Internal Audit Director joined the
Company in February 2026 and took up the
role after an appropriate transition period.
The Committee also assesses the quality,
experience and expertise of the overall
internal audit resource and has concluded
that this remains appropriate. In addition,
Deloitte LLP continues to provide internal audit
co-sourcing services for specialist expertise
and market insight. Examples of services
provided under this contract include subject
matter experts such as IT and regulatory
specialists, and additional resources to
maintain and enhance the level of assurance
provided to the Committee.
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
Whistleblowing
The Board maintains strategic oversight of the
Group’s arrangements for raising concerns,
ensuring that trusted and accessible
channels for raising concerns exist for
escalating illegal, improper, or unethical
behaviour. The Chair of the Committee
continues to act as Whistleblowers’ Champion
under the Senior Managers and Certification
Regime, providing independent leadership
and assurance over the effectiveness of the
Speak Up environment.
Throughout the year, the Committee
evaluated the performance and strategic
alignment of the whistleblowing framework,
supported by regular reporting on Speak Up
themes and trends. High priority matters were
subject to enhanced oversight and remained
on the Committee’s agenda until resolved.
The Committee determined that all cases had
been rigorously investigated, that appropriate
corrective actions had strengthened relevant
processes and controls and that no issues
raised posed a material risk to the Group’s
financial position or operational resilience.
Following comprehensive review and
challenge, the Committee endorsed the
Annual Whistleblowing Report and Speak Up
Policy for submission to the Board in May 2025.
The Board concluded that the whistleblowing
arrangements remain robust, embedded
consistently across the Group and continue to
play an important role in supporting a strong
culture, effective risk management and timely
escalation of concerns.
Internal controls
Systems of internal control
The Board has overall responsibility for
monitoring the Company’s risk management
and ensuring that management maintains
comprehensive systems of internal control
for managing its principal and emerging risks.
On behalf of the Board, the Committee is
delegated responsibility, in conjunction with
the Group Risk Committee, for assessing the
effectiveness of the Group’s risk management
and internal control frameworks, covering all
material financial, operational, compliance
and reporting controls for the Group and its
individual entities. It does this by:
Reviewing key controls management
information and material risk event
summaries through quarterly reporting
provided by management to the
Committee,
Overseeing the review of risk and control
self-assessments (RCSAs), the attestations
and any exceptions escalated by
management to the Committee.
The Committee, in conjunction with the Group
Risk Committee, seeks assurance that the
Group operates within a framework of prudent,
effective and proportionate controls that
facilitate the timely identification, assessment
and mitigation of risks. The material controls
are designed to manage each inherent
principal risk down to an acceptable level of
residual risk which is within tolerance of our
stated risk appetite, rather than aiming to
eliminate the risk altogether. This approach
allows us to recognise that conscious risk
management can also include potential
benefits and enables us to make informed
decisions, enabling the business to grow
safely whilst delivering good client outcomes.
Specifically, in relation to the financial
reporting processes, the main features
of the internal control systems include:
operation and assessment of controls
in key risk areas
monthly review and approval of all
financial accounting data including data
generated by our outsource providers
formal review of financial information by
senior management, for both individual
companies and the consolidated Group
extensive documentation of key processes,
procedures and applicable key controls
associated with financial reporting.
In addition, non-financial reporting is subject
to formal management review by senior
management as well as periodic review by
Internal Audit.
The Committee is provided with updates on
the operation of financial reporting controls
throughout the year and each control is
subject to an annual cycle of review and
re-approval which culminates at the
year-end.
In respect of other controls, the Committee
receives, discusses and evaluates quarterly
key risk and control indicator reports from the
Group Risk function providing information
relating to the internal control environment.
Over recent years there have been notable
enhancements to the Group’s strategic
approach to risk management and the
internal control environment. At the core of
this is a risk management framework and
system which allows for consistent recording,
analysis, reporting and monitoring of risks
and controls. The Group Risk function also
has in-house SJP-specific risk and controls
training to augment understanding and
awareness for all employees. Enhancements
have extended to an enriched RCSA process
with clearer guidance on documentation
standards and, a multi-level review and
attestation across the organisation, ensuring
responsibility and accountability are clearly
articulated and understood, with the tone
from the top setting expectations for all
divisions. Further maturing of our risk event
and incident management processes that
support our internal control environment is
progressing to ensure best practice elements,
and a standardised approach is adopted
across the Group.
Throughout the year the Committee
has continued to monitor and consider
management’s plans to meet the
requirements of the 2024 UK Corporate
Governance Code that become effective for
the financial reporting year 2026, including
implementation of enhancements to
assurance and control testing. The
Committee has received updates on how
the material controls programme will be
implemented for the 2026 reporting period.
Over the next couple of years SJP is continuing
to invest and prioritise further strengthening
of the enterprise risk and internal control
management framework to better meet
the needs of the changing organisational
structure, increased entity-led governance
and evolving regulatory and legislative
environment.
The Committee also receives and discusses
the assessments of internal controls from the
Internal Audit function, to support its review
of the internal control environment. Actions
identified through internal audits, as well as
compliance-monitoring reviews, and internal
control updates on the RCSA process are
monitored, to ensure suitable and
proportionate improvements are made.
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Report of the Group Audit Committee continued
Overall, the Committee is satisfied that the
Group’s internal control and risk management
framework will provide adequate arrangements,
actions and mitigating controls, noting that
where weaknesses in material controls are
identified, actions are taken to address and
remediate them. Nevertheless, the Committee
recognises that to support the continuing
growth and evolving regulatory landscape,
there is a need to continue to invest
in improving and strengthening the Group’s
risk and control conscious culture and the risk
management and internal control framework.
These sources of assurance assist the
Committee in completing its annual review
and enable it to attest on behalf of the Board
that it has been able to properly review the
effectiveness of St. James’s Place’s system of
internal control in accordance with the 2014
FRC Guidance on risk management, internal
control and related financial and business
reporting.
The Committee did not identify any significant
control failings or weaknesses where actions
were not taken so that it remains unmitigated,
and it has ensured that corrective action is
being taken on matters arising from the review.
Compliance Monitoring
During the year the Committee has received
updates on the progress of the Compliance
Monitoring Plan. It also approved the 2026
plan for proposed 2026 Thematic and
Ongoing Monitoring Plans.
Anti‑corruption, bribery and fraud review
The Committee monitors and receives regular reports from the Money Laundering Reporting
Officer on the Group’s policies, systems and controls to prevent corruption, including bribery
and fraud. During 2025, fraud update reports were presented quarterly and a
comprehensive annual report covering fraud and bribery was presented to the Committee
in May 2025. It was determined that, overall, St. James’s Place’s controls are effective and
adequate, appropriate policies and procedures are in place, and operational effectiveness
of controls is evidenced. During the second half of 2025, the Committee received reports
on Market Abuse and Conflicts of Interest and we will continue to enhance these during 2026
as the control frameworks develop.
Most fraud attempts against St. James’s Place and its clients arise from activities involving
email hacking and email interception by fraudsters. Fraud prevention controls to prevent the
takeover of client accounts and fraudulent withdrawal of client funds are reliant on manual
controls performed by advisers and their support staff as well as automated checking of
client bank account details at the Administration Centre. Whilst most operate the required
controls effectively, individual lapses can lead to financial losses, of which we saw a very
low number in 2025. The Group has seen an increase in cases whereby an adviser or Partner
practice is cloned online, with the intention of deceiving clients into making investments
with profiles that adopt the genuine adviser’s details. The following actions have been
undertaken to counteract these threats:
fraud prevention training and awareness webinars with our advisers, their support
staff and employees to improve awareness of these risks and how to counteract them
monitoring of St. James’s Place social media activity to detect attempted takeovers
or suspicious activity, and detection and removal of cloned St. James’s Place websites
communications to advisers, their support staff and clients via a ‘one-pager’ document
to increase awareness of how to protect themselves from a range of investment scams.
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Group Risk Committee membership
Member and date joined Committee
Rosemary Hilary
1
17 October 2019 (Chair between
19 August 2020 and 05 December 2025)
Penny James (Chair) 01 July 2025 (Chair from 05 December 2025)
Rooney Anand 01 January 2025
Helen Beck 01 July 2025
John Hitchins 01 January 2022
1 Rosemary Hilary retired from the Board of SJP plc on 31 December 2025.
Note: Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash were members of the Committee during the year but stepped down
as members with effect from 13 May 2025.
The Committee’s terms of reference set
out the Committee’s role and authority
and can be found on the corporate website
at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Dear Shareholder,
Following my appointment as Chair of the
Committee in December 2025, I am pleased
to present my first report to you on the
Committee’s activities in the year. I would
like to extend thanks to Rosemary Hilary for
her strong leadership of the Committee
during her tenure.
Q
What is the key objective
of the Committee?
The Committee’s primary role is to provide
guidance and advice to the Board (and where
appropriate to other relevant boards and
committees in the Group) in relation to the
Group’s risk appetite and attitude to risk and
to provide oversight of its risk management
framework. The other relevant boards are
boards of wholly owned subsidiaries of the
Company, including its regulated subsidiary
entities.
Q
Who are the members and
regular attendees at meetings?
Members of the Committee are listed in the
table above and their attendance during the
year is shown on page 64. In addition to the
members, regular attendees of the Group Risk
Committee (Committee) during the year were:
Chair of the Board, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations
Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Internal Audit
Director. Subject matter experts and other
members of senior management were also
invited to attend and present on specific
topics throughout the year.
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Q&A with Group Risk
Committee chair
Penny James
Find out more about the Committee’s
role and authority at sjp.co.uk/
corporate-governance
Report of the Group Risk Committee
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Report of the Group Risk Committee continued
Q
Can you tell me about the key
elements of the Committee’s
role in 2025?
2025 has been a year of change, both for SJP
and for the wider world. There have been a
number of macro-economic shocks arising
from volatile financial markets, uncertainty
over inflation and interest rates, and
geopolitical tension. Cyber, Information
Security and Operational Resilience risks have
all increased in 2025 and are now viewed as
material risks across the SJP Group. This is
due to the significant increase in the threat
landscape and the volume of internal
organisational change that SJP has
experienced. During the year the Committee
has also focused on whether the Group
remains well placed to support Partners and
clients alike. As part of this, the Committee
has continued to monitor the embeddedness
of Consumer Duty principles.
Client needs remain at the forefront of our
actions, helping to achieve our purpose of
empowering clients with invaluable advice
to realise their bolder ambitions. SJP’s second
Consumer Duty reports across the relevant
legal entities were approved in July 2025.
Internally, 2025 saw the Committee continue its
focus on oversight of strategic risks associated
with the Group’s key programmes of work,
and delivery of its change programmes.
The Committee continued to challenge the
business in pursuit of continuous improvement
and development of the Group’s control
environment and regulatory compliance.
Systems of internal control
The Board has overall responsibility for
ensuring that management maintains
comprehensive systems of internal control for
managing its principal and emerging risks.
The Committee, working in partnership with
the Group Audit Committee, is delegated
responsibility for this matter on behalf of the
Board. Together they assess the effectiveness
of the Group’s risk management and internal
control frameworks, covering all material
controls for the Group and its individual
entities. More detail can be found in the
Oversight of risk management box opposite.
Broadly the Committee contributes by:
Overseeing the identification, assessment
and management actions with regards to
principal and emerging risks;
Reviewing regulatory reporting to ensure
it aligns to these principal risks; and
Discussing principal risk areas in detail,
taking account of any risk events or wider
market events to ensure that the Group’s
approach continues to evolve especially
in fast paced areas such as cyber.
Emerging risks
The methods of identifying emerging risks
and those discussed by the Committee
are outlined on page 38. The Committee is
supported in its role in this respect through
the operation of the Risk Management
Framework, as outlined in the diagram on
page 34, and regular reporting covering
horizon scanning, regulatory change,
industry developments and the evolving
threat landscape.
Q
Can you tell me about the
Committee’s operation,
governance and effectiveness?
The Group’s Risk and Compliance functions
sit under the executive leadership of Hestie
Reinecke, the Group’s Chief Risk Officer (CRO).
Rosemary Hilary (whilst Chair) and I have
worked closely with Hestie to set appropriate
agenda coverage during the year, discuss key
issues, and ensure that the Committee’s key
responsibilities are fulfilled and that significant
and emerging risks are considered at
appropriate times. I also regularly meet the
Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial
Officer and individual members of the Group
Executive Committee to discuss key risk topics.
During the year the Committee carried out
an annual review of its terms of reference.
The Board and Committee remain satisfied
that the Committee operated effectively.
The Board also assessed that, as a body,
the Committee members continue to have
the experience and qualifications necessary
to discharge their responsibilities. The
Committee’s annual review of its terms of
reference concluded that it continued to
discharge its responsibilities appropriately.
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Report of the Group Risk Committee continued
Q
Is there more detail about key matters considered during the year?
Risk area Principal risks considered by the Committee
Oversight of risk
management
Financial, Regulatory & Legislative, Security & Resilience and Strategy & Change
Oversight of the risk management framework is a key responsibility of the Committee and delegation from the Board (and boards
of its subsidiaries, as appropriate). During 2025, the Group’s assessment of its principal and emerging risks evolved in line with the
changing environment within which it operates. The Committee has maintained robust oversight of the Group’s risk management
framework throughout the year to consider its ongoing appropriateness, taking into account key risks and development of the
business. During the year the Committee has also reviewed the Group’s risk appetite and risk profile in relation to Solvency,
Liquidity, Climate, Operational, Conduct, and Reputational risks. The Committee has reviewed plans for further enhancement
of the risk management framework to be progressed during 2026, building on progress made during the year.
The Committee’s work in this area is clearly demonstrated in the Group Internal Capital and Risk Assessment (ICARA) and Group
Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) processes. Both of these are ongoing assessments of the risks the Group is exposed to,
and of the capital resources available to ensure that the Group is able to sustain its business over the plan horizon. The Committee’s
review of the Group’s ICARA and ORSA processes includes proposed stress tests and scenarios for the evaluation of capital
adequacy; the profile of risks within the Group’s strategic plan and how they may change over the planning period; and the
Group’s overall capacity for the risks identified. Another key regulatory focus for the Committee during the year has been the
Group’s detailed review of its recovery, resolution and solvent wind-down planning. This covered the Company and its material
regulated subsidiaries. As part of this the Group’s financial and non-financial resources were considered with the aim of
minimising potential harm to clients and prioritising good client outcomes.
The Group has continued to deepen the embeddedness of risk culture, supported by employee-wide training on risk management.
Change and
transformation
People, Regulatory & Legislative, Security & Resilience and Strategy & Change
The Committee has taken an active role in overseeing risk elements relating to the Group’s internal change programmes to
challenge management in focusing transformational efforts on the delivery of good outcomes for clients, advisers and
employees. The Committee has challenged the business with regards to the progress of projects with a focus on regulatory
change programmes. The Committee has also supported the business as it has transitioned from this focus to more strategic
change programmes as the year has progressed and regulatory programmes transitioned to business as usual (BAU). The aim
of this oversight has been to assist management in continuing to focus on capacity within the business to successfully execute
and the need to maintain momentum of progress in BAU.
Wider elements relating to change programmes have also been taken into account by the Committee in its debates including:
personnel changes; the need to maintain corporate knowledge; continuity of risk ownership and reporting; and appropriate
access to systems. Key discussions throughout the year have included:
the implementation of our simple, comparable charging structure in August 2025. During this process the Committee
considered planning for clear client communications to support understanding; operational readiness; and assessment
of fair value. The Committee was focused on meeting client needs and the importance of ensuring the Group’s approach
to Consumer Duty flowed through its actions in this area; and
planning for the launch of the Polaris Multi-Index (PMI) fund range. The Committee challenged the use case and how PMI would
integrate into the existing product range. The Committee also sought and received confirmation from the business that Partner
payments regarding the PMI Fund were aligned with other funds, emphasising that good client outcomes remained
paramount.
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Risk area Principal risks considered by the Committee
Appointed
representatives
(the Partnership)
People, Regulatory & Legislative, Security & Resilience and Strategy & Change
During the year the Committee has held a number of discussions regarding the Partnership, including reviewing the annual Self-
Assessment of Compliance report by St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (SJPWM) and recommending it to that Board for
approval. The Committee has also discussed other elements pertaining to the Partnership, such as the preferred access method
to the SJP Network from a cyber security point of view and controls in place to maintain its integrity. Thought has continued to be
given to the Group’s approach to SJP’s Business Sale and Purchase (BSP) proposition and the financial health of the Partnership
in terms of liquidity of loans to Partners and ways in which the Group can ensure any early warning signs of distress are identified
and acted upon to the benefit of the Partnership and client base as a whole. Partner sentiment has also been discussed, taking
account of the amount of strategic change during the year and thought given to how best to support Partners in this period.
Cyber security
and operational
resilience
Financial, People, Regulatory & Legislative, Security & Resilience, Strategy & Change and Third Parties
2025 has seen a number of high profile cyber attacks on household name companies. This has brought the topic to the fore
even more than usual. The Committee has discussed what SJP can learn from such attacks, both for itself and its third parties.
Protecting the security of SJP’s clients and Partners remains a paramount concern. During the year a cyber incident at a fourth
party used by one of the Group’s key outsourcing partners, disrupted fund valuations for a small number of St. James’s Place
International products. The impact was minor with SJP’s outsourcing partner maintaining client transactions through workarounds.
It also provided SJP with an opportunity to test its joint incident management with the outsourcing partner. Incidents such as these
have helped inform SJP’s operational resilience and associated returns to the regulator which are viewed as live documents and
regularly updated. The Committee has noted the value of playbooks and expert advice in tackling cyber security whilst also
recognising the need to continually evolve its approach in this area to keep abreast of developments. The Committee has also
received an update following the Group’s cyber exercise, outlining areas for continued development in this fast-paced area.
Historic ongoing
service evidence
review
Advice & Conduct, Client Proposition, Financial, Partner Proposition, Regulatory & Legislative
In February 2024 SJP announced a review of historic client servicing records. This has involved actively reviewing records of a
sub-population of clients that has been charged for ongoing advice services since the start of 2018 but where the evidence of
delivery of the ongoing advice service falls below an acceptable standard. The Group has continued to develop processes and
controls to enable it to make repayments to clients where the evidence of delivery falls below the acceptable standard. The
Committee has overseen progress in this area in terms of interactions with the Partnership to collate evidence and has monitored
the pace at which operational elements have been developing.
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Q
What are the Committee’s
priorities for 2026?
In the year ahead the Committee will continue
to focus on material risks for the Group such
as Cyber, Information Security and Operational
Resilience. Also, it will consider elements
relating to the continued embedding of
Consumer Duty and how SJP can continue to
serve its clients well taking account of changing
wealth demographics, evolving client needs
and the advice gap. The Committee will also
oversee the continuing maturity of the Group’s
Risk Framework. Alongside this work will
continue across the Group on key programmes
of work, and delivery of its change programmes
meaning that the Committee also expects
to give ongoing attention to the associated
strategic risks of this work.
Penny James
On behalf of the Group Risk Committee
24 February 2026
Q
Is there more detail about key matters considered during the year?
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee
Group Remuneration Committee membership
Member and date joined Committee
Helen Beck (Chair) 1 July 2025 (Chair from 17 September 2025)
Rooney Anand 1 January 2025
Simon Fraser 22 April 2024
Note: Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash were members of the Committee until 13 May 2025. Emma Griffin was Chair
of the Committee until she stepped down from the Board on 13 May 2025. Simon Fraser stepped into the role of interim
Chair of the Committee between 13 May and 17 September 2025. Rosemary Hilary was a member of the Committee
until 31 December 2025.
The Committee’s terms of reference set
out the Committee’s role and authority
and can be found on the corporate website
at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Dear Shareholder,
On behalf of the Committee, I am pleased to present
to you the Directors’ Remuneration report for 2025
(the Remuneration Report), the first since my appointment
as Chair of the Committee. I would like to extend my
thanks to colleagues who served on the Committee
during 2025, including those who stepped down earlier
in the year. I would also like to thank our shareholders
for their engagement and ongoing support on
remuneration-related matters over the last year.
Q&A with Group
Remuneration Committee
Chair Helen Beck
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Remuneration
Section 1 – Committee Chair’s annual statement
(unaudited)
page 85
Section 2 – Remuneration at a glance, summary
of the 2026 Directors Remuneration Policy
and Annual Report on Remuneration
page 88
Section 3 – 2026 Directors Remuneration Policy
page 108
Find out more about the Committee’s
role and authority at sjp.co.uk/
corporate-governance
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Section 1 – Committee Chairs annual statement (unaudited)
Q
What is the key objective
of the Committee?
The Committee’s purpose is to oversee
implementation of the Company’s
remuneration framework (including its
Directors’ Remuneration Policy) and monitor
wider workforce remuneration and related
schemes/policies. It is responsible for ensuring
remuneration arrangements are aligned
with strategy, risk appetite and long-term
sustainable success, and support the
recruitment, motivation and retention of
Executive Directors. Further detail on the
Committee’s role and activities in the year
is set out on page 104.
Q
Who are the regular attendees
at meetings?
The Chair of the Board, our Group Risk and
Audit Committee Chairs, Chief Executive
Officer, Chief People Officer and Director,
Group Reward and People Regulatory
regularly attend meetings in addition
to Committee members.
Q
What does the Remuneration
Report cover?
The Remuneration Report includes the
Committee Chair’s annual statement, the
Company’s Annual Report on Remuneration
for 2025 (including an ‘at a glance’ summary)
and the Directors’ Remuneration Policy,
including proposed policy amendments
(see pages 108 to 120 for more detail).
Q
What have been the main areas
of focus for the Committee?
The Committee met five times in 2025 and
has covered a number of key topics, some of
which are summarised below. Further detail
of the Committee’s activities is provided in the
Company’s Annual Report on Remuneration;
see page 104.
During the year, the Committee has ensured
robust continuity of remuneration oversight
amidst a number of changes to the Board
and executive team. Membership, and
leadership, of the Committee also evolved
during 2025, with Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann
Nash leaving the Committee in May and
Rosemary Hilary stepping down in December,
upon their corresponding departures from the
Board. For Emma, this meant stepping down
as Committee Chair at which point Simon
Fraser took on the role of interim Committee
Chair, prior to my appointment in September.
I would like to thank both Emma and Simon
for their leadership during a busy year.
With a number of changes to the Group
Executive Committee in 2025, the Committee
played a key role in overseeing the remuneration
arrangements associated with the appointment
of four new members of the executive team.
At the same time, implementation of the 2025
Directors’ Remuneration Policy (approved
at the Company’s Annual General Meeting
(AGM) in May 2025) was a key feature of the
Committee’s focus for the Group’s Executive
Directors. With thanks to our shareholders,
last year’s Remuneration Report received
strong support, with 99.27% of votes in favour.
With the benefit of refreshed remuneration
experience and knowledge in the business,
and in line with a statement to the market in
the Company’s 2024 Remuneration Report,
the Committee has overseen a detailed
review of the 2025 Directors’ Remuneration
Policy to ensure its continued relevance and
appropriateness. This review has resulted in
proposed changes which are outlined in this
Committee Chair’s annual statement, with
more detail provided on pages 108 to 120.
The Committee has also taken the
opportunity to reflect on its scope and
advisory resource. Following a thorough and
competitive tender process, led by Simon
Fraser as interim Committee Chair, Deloitte
was appointed as the Committee’s external
remuneration adviser in November 2025.
The Committee thanks Alvarez & Marsal for
its support and guidance on remuneration-
related matters during its term.
The Committee has continued to drive
alignment between incentive arrangements
and the Group’s strategy, culture and risk
appetite. Focus on this alignment is evident
from the information set out in this
Remuneration Report and proposals in
respect of the Directors’ Remuneration Policy.
Q
What are the key changes
proposed in the Directors
Remuneration Policy (Policy)?
As indicated in last year’s report, we have
undertaken a full review of the Policy during
the year. Guided by this review, the Committee
has proposed a number of amendments to
our Policy for 2026 which ensure strengthened
alignment with the Group’s strategy and culture.
Proposed changes, subject
to shareholder approval
Annual bonus – we propose to increase the
maximum opportunity for the CEO from 200%
to 250% of base salary.
Note: Annual bonus – maximum opportunity for CFO
within current Policy: there is no proposed increase to
the Policy maximum for the CFO (which will remain at
200% of salary), with the actual award level for 2026
set at 185% of salary (an increase from 175% for 2025
recognising development in the role).
Approach to bonus deferral – in line with
common market practice in our sector
and reflecting regulatory requirements, we
propose to move to annual tranche vesting
for the deferred element of bonus awards.
The overall deferral time horizon will continue
to be three years.
LTIP awards – we propose to Increase
maximum opportunity for the CEO from
250% to 300% of base salary.
Note: It is not proposed that the maximum
opportunity for the CFO be increased within the
Policy, which will remain at 250% of base salary.
The actual award level for the CFO for 2026 will be
set at 225% of salary (an increase from 200% for 2025),
recognising development in role since appointment.
Q
What is the rationale for increasing
the maximum annual bonus and
LTIP opportunity for the CEO?
We have proposed an increase in the annual
bonus opportunity to allow the Committee to
award levels of annual bonus that help retain,
motivate and reward the Executive Directors
during the execution of our strategy.
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The proposal takes into account the
significant effort and leadership required to
achieve our ambition. The level of increase is
supported by market data and permits annual
bonus opportunity which is commensurate
with the size and scale of the organisation.
Sufficiently stretching, but realistic, financial
and strategic targets will be set to align with
the increased opportunity, supporting our
continued growth.
Similarly the proposed increased LTIP
opportunity is intended to allow levels of
award that motivate and support retention
of our leading executive team. Given the
long-term nature of these awards, pay-out
will be dependent on continued delivery of
the Group’s ‘Amplify’ phase of its strategy.
Again, the proposals are supported by market
data and are commensurate with a business
of our size, scale and complexity, as well as
reflecting our strong performance since the
Executive Directors were appointed.
We have set out detail of the market data the
Committee used to guide its decision making
on page 109. Our review included analysis
against both wealth and asset management
peers, as well as more general FTSE 31-100
listed businesses. Recognising our geographic
footprint, our analysis against general
FTSE-listed market data excluded those
with more international revenue profiles.
We also took into account relative business
performance as part of our market review,
reflecting the market outperformance
delivered by SJP since the appointment
of the Executive Directors.
Q
What components of the 2025
Directors’ Remuneration Policy
are being retained?
Our last Policy was supported by 93% of
shareholders who voted at the 2025 AGM.
In light of this strong support from shareholders,
retention of the following key features has
been an underlying principle when reviewing
the 2026 Policy components.
Retained components
Structure of pay – we have retained the
remuneration framework’s fundamental
components including salary, pension,
annual bonus and LTIP (including the
possibility to award a portion of the LTIP
in Restricted Shares).
Pension contributions – remain in line with the
rate paid to all employees (currently equates
to 10%, which increases with length of service
up to a maximum of 15%).
Balance between short-term and long-term
performance-related pay opportunity
– retained at a similar level.
Length of deferral periods – for the annual
bonus and LTIP, are unchanged, with a move
to tranche vesting on the annual bonus in line
with typical market practice in our sector.
Malus and clawback provisions – continue to
apply, allowing the Remuneration Committee
to reduce awards in appropriate scenarios.
In-employment and post-employment
shareholding requirements – remain in place
at 300% for the CEO and 200% for the CFO,
which applies for two years after employment
in line with best practice.
Q
When might Restricted Share
Awards be granted as part of
the hybrid structure?
The ability to grant Restricted Share Awards was
introduced in the 2025 Policy. While the Committee
does not consider the use of Restricted Shares to
be appropriate in the context of the Group’s
current phase of strategic execution, it has opted
to retain the ability to award a portion of the LTIP
in Restricted Shares for future flexibility. There is
currently no intention to grant Restricted Shares
during the period covered by the 2026 Policy.
Should circumstances arise where an award
of Restricted Shares was considered to be
appropriate, shareholders would be consulted
prior to any such award. Details of the context of
the award and rationale would be communicated
as part of the consultation process. Any such
award would be subject to shareholder agreement
and a maximum cap applied of 62.5% of base
salary, equivalent to 50% of the face value of the
Performance Share Award which it is replacing.
This reduction is in line with best practice.
Q
How have shareholders been
engaged on the proposed
Directors’ Remuneration Policy?
The Committee has consulted the Company’s
top 20 shareholders (by holding percentage),
proxy advisers and the Investment Association
on the proposed 2026 Policy. The Committee
thanks shareholders who have actively
participated in this process, with sentiment
being supportive of the proposals. Key themes
arising from this engagement have related
to the continued ability to award Restricted
Shares (discussed above), the move to
tranche vesting (see page 113), the decision
to move away from the use of European
Embedded Value (EEV) reporting as a step
in the Company’s reporting simplification
journey and alignment of targets with
increased maximum opportunity for the
CEO (see page 115).
Q
What are the annual bonus
and LTIP outcomes for 2025?
The maximum annual bonus for the CEO
and CFO in 2025 was 200% and 175% of salary,
respectively. The bonus was based on the
following metrics: Underlying cash result;
net inflows; annual growth in controllable
expenses; and cost and efficiency programme
savings (the latter being a new addition to
metrics). Strategic metrics include key
performance indicators relating to: ‘brilliant
basics’; ‘differentiated client proposition’;
‘leading adviser offering’; and being a
‘performance focused organisation’.
During 2025, the Group delivered strong
results, achieving record performance in
respect of Underlying cash result and FUM,
sustained net inflows and disciplined cost
control. Strategic performance has also
been strong, with substantial progress made.
Further detail about the Group’s financial
performance can be found on pages 26 to 32,
with coverage of our strategic performances
on pages 15 to 19.
In light of this performance, the Committee
has determined an outturn of 100% of
maximum opportunity for the financial
element and for non-financial related
performance, 87.5% for Mark FitzPatrick and
85.1% for Caroline Waddington. This means an
overall bonus outcome of 95.0% of maximum
opportunity for Mark FitzPatrick (equivalent to
190.0% of base salary) and 94.0% of maximum
opportunity for the Caroline Waddington
(equivalent to 164.6% of base salary).
Further details of the annual bonus outcomes
can be found in the Company’s Annual Report
on Remuneration for 2025 on page 93.
There was no LTIP vesting for either Executive
Director in the year as neither participated in
the 2023 award. The 2023 award will vest at
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45% for other participants. Further details of
the vesting outcome for the 2023 award can
be found in the Company’s Annual Report on
Remuneration for 2025 on page 95.
The Committee is comfortable that the pay
outcomes for both executive Directors are
appropriate in the context of company and
individual performance for 2025.
Q
What other Committee activities
should be highlighted from 2025?
Board Chair fee for 2026
During the latter part of 2025, the Committee
reviewed the Board Chair fee level to ensure
that this remains fair, competitive and aligned
with the relevant time commitment and size
and scale of the Group. Reflecting on the scope
of the Chair’s role and taking into consideration
market practice, it was decided that the fee be
increased to £475,000 effective from 1 January
2026. This decision was made subject to the
successful conclusion of shareholder
consultation on the change. The Company’s
top 20 shareholders were consulted on the
matter at the same time as proposals in
respect of the 2026 Policy. This process
indicated shareholder support for the
adjustment. The ongoing appropriateness
of the Chair’s remuneration will be considered
again as part of the regular review cycle in 2026.
Workforce pay and consultation
with colleagues
During the year, the Committee has
considered the Group’s wider workforce
remuneration, with specific oversight in
respect of reward strategy and the total
compensation structure including related
aggregate spend, ensuring alignment with
market practice. The Committee has also
monitored market trends on workforce
remuneration, both current and emerging.
As the Non-executive Director with responsibility
for workforce engagement, I undertook a
number of workforce engagement sessions
with employees from a cross-section of the
business during the year. These discussions
have enabled employees to raise queries
and concerns relating to executive and wider
workforce remuneration policy and practice.
Diversity and pay gaps
The Board monitors the gender and ethnic
diversity of employees. Female representation
in senior management roles in 2025 stood at
42.5% and we continue to work towards our
target of 12% minority ethnic representation
in our UK employee population by 2028
(currently at 10.2%). Total gender pay gap,
which is an indication of whether we are
moving closer to a broadly equal number
of men and women at each job level in the
Group, continues to be monitored by the
Committee. Since 2017, we have made good
progress on this: the median and mean hourly
pay gaps have reduced by 23.8 and 19.5%
percentage points respectively to date.
Q
Looking ahead to 2026, what key
considerations of the Committee
should be highlighted?
Implementation of the 2026 Policy,
subject to shareholder approval
Subject to shareholder approval of the
2026 Policy, the Committee will ensure
implementation within the revised
parameters of that Policy.
Base salary reviews for 2026
The Committee has reviewed base salaries
for Executive Directors for 2026 and determined
to uplift base salaries in line with the wider
workforce rate of 3.5% at the 1 March 2026
review date. The salary level for Mark FitzPatrick
will therefore be £932,000 and for Caroline
Waddington will be £646,900.
Annual bonus metrics for 2026
When reviewing the Policy, the Committee has
reflected on the annual bonus performance
metrics for Executive Directors to ensure that
these remain appropriate in light of our
strategy. For 2026, financial metrics will
continue to make up 60% of the annual
bonus, with a maximum level of 40% based
on non-financial metrics. However, the
Committee has decided to simplify the
non-financial element of the scorecard by
removing the separate element based on
individual objectives. For 2026, both directors
will be assessed against a common set of
strategic objectives, although the Committee
will continue to take into account individual
performance in the evaluation of the
achievement of these objectives.
The full set of targets and outcomes will be
reported to shareholders in the Remuneration
Report for 2026, in the usual way.
PSP grants in 2026
In light of the business decision to move away
from EEV, the Committee has undertaken a full
review of potential financial metrics to identify
a suitable replacement that underpins our
Group strategy. Following this review, net
inflows will replace EEV to sit alongside Cash
result and relative Total Shareholder Return
(TSR) as financial metrics for PSP grants in
2026. The relative weighting of the financial
metrics remains unchanged.
The quantum is expected to be as follows:
Mark FitzPatrick will receive an award of
300% of base salary, as permitted in the
Policy (subject to shareholder approval).
Caroline Waddington will receive an award
of 225% of base salary, within the maximum
opportunity of 250% outlined in the Policy
(unchanged since the 2025 Policy
approval).
Vesting of these awards will be subject to
stretching but achievable performance
conditions and the Committee retains
additional discretion to make downwards
adjustment at vesting should this be
considered appropriate.
Conclusion
Remuneration outcomes for 2025 reflect the
Committee’s robust approach to performance
assessment – with total remuneration reflecting
the positive developments in the business
during the year. We are comfortable that the
remuneration of Executive Directors is aligned
with the long-term interests of our shareholders
with shares constituting around 60% of the
total package, through deferral of bonus for
up to three years and long-term incentive
awards that are subject to a total five-year
vesting and holding period. Although, the
amendments to our Policy increase the
maximum quantum opportunity for the CEO,
following consultation with our shareholders
and other key stakeholders, the Policy remains
closely aligned with shareholders’ interests
and expectations.
The Committee extends its thanks to
shareholders for ongoing support and
engagement on matters within its scope
during 2025 and the early part of 2026.
I encourage you to vote for the Directors’
Remuneration report for 2025 and the
proposed Directors’ Remuneration Policy.
Helen Beck
On behalf of the Group Remuneration
Committee
24 February 2026
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Section 2 – Remuneration at a glance, code compliance and annual report on remuneration
Remuneration at a glance
How our Executive Directors were rewarded during 2025 and 2024
Single figure remuneration for the year
The following tables provide a summary single total figure of remuneration for 2025 and 2024 for the Company’s Executive Directors.
See pages 90 and 91 for full details, including relevant notes, of the remuneration received by Executive Directors in respect of the years ended 31 December 2025 and 2024.
Mark FitzPatrick, Chief Executive Officer
£
2024
2025
1,009,347
977,570
1,704,293
2,555,409
Fixed
Variable
2025 (£) 2024 (£)
Base salary
895,804 861,455
Benefits
23,963 29,970
Pension 89,580 86,145
Other 1,996 894,355
Annual bonus (cash)
851,148 830,527
Annual bonus (deferred)
851,149 830,527
Total 2,713,640 3,532,979
PSP vested
Caroline Waddington, Chief Financial Officer
£
2024
2025
205,092
1,079,917
1,056,252
704,291
Fixed
Variable
2025 (£) 2024 (£)
Base salary 625,000 182,692
Benefits 16,791 4,047
Pension 62,500 18,353
Other 51,479 76,877
Annual bonus (cash)
514,219 489,687
Annual bonus (deferred)
514,219 489,688
Total 1,784,208 1,261,344
PSP vested
Craig Gentle, Chief Financial Officer
£
502,630
2024
2025
646,870
Fixed
Variable
2025 (£) 2024 (£)
Base salary
371,975
Benefits 74,634
Pension 56,021
Other 183
Annual bonus (cash)
323,343
Annual bonus (deferred)
323,344
Total 1,149,500
PSP vested
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Summary of 2026 Directors’ Remuneration Policy (subject to shareholder approval)
Current Policy and Practice Update to Policy
Base Salary
Percentage increases will normally be at, or below, the percentage increases for the Company’s wider
employee population.
No change.
Pension
Maximum pension aligned to the workforce scale (10% of base salary on joining, rising to 15% with service). No change.
Annual Bonus
Maximum annual bonus: 200% of base salary for CEO and CFO. 50% of bonus award deferred into shares that
vest after three years.
Performance measured using a scorecard of financial measures (no less than 60% weighting) and non-
financial criteria (up to 40% weighting) on each. Pay-outs on a scale from 20% to 100% of maximum. Below-
threshold performance results in zero pay-out for the relevant metric.
Normally 50% of any bonus payable will be deferred for three years. A lower percentage may be set by the
Committee once an Executive Director has met their shareholding requirement, but will be no less than 25%
of the award.
Malus and clawback provisions apply.
Increased maximum opportunity for CEO from 200% to 250%.
No change to maximum opportunity for CFO (although note the
proposed uplift in award level for 2026 from 175% to 185% of base
salary).
Maintaining the current three-year deferral period, but introduce
annual one-third tranche vesting.
LTIP
Annual grants of Performance Shares (PSP), which vest after three years subject to performance conditions.
Followed by a two-year post-vesting sale restriction period (excluding sales to settle tax). Awards of up to
250% of base salary for CEO and CFO.
Grants of Restricted Shares in lieu of PSP, subject to 50% discount on the face value of the PSP awards in line
with best practice. A maximum award size of 62.5% of base salary (representing 50% of the LTIP face value).
Awards vest after three years subject to the Committee’s underpin assessment. Vesting is followed by a
two-year post-vesting sale restriction period (excluding sales to settle tax).
Underpin: Ability to cancel or scale-back vesting if there has been significant underperformance over the
vesting period. The underpin assessment by the Committee will be a rounded appraisal of all aspects of
performance which may include: financial and return performance such as net inflows, profitability and TSR;
client acquisition, retention and satisfaction; employee engagement; risk management and regulatory
compliance; and sustainability indicators.
Malus and clawback provisions apply.
Increased maximum opportunity for CEO from 250% to 300% for 2026
awards and beyond.
No change to maximum opportunity for CFO (although note the
proposed uplift in award level for 2026 from 200% to 225% of base
salary).
The ability to grant Restricted Share Awards, approved by shareholders
in 2025, would remain, although not anticipated to be used in the life
of this Policy (see page 114 for more details). Awards would be subject
to a maximum level of 62.5% of base salary, in line with the 2025 Policy.
Before any grant of Restricted Shares, the Committee will consult with
shareholders.
Length of vesting or retention periods unchanged.
Balance of the short to long-term performance-related pay
opportunity retained, to maintain alignment with shareholder interests.
LTIP awarded into performance shares continue to vest after three
years, subject to appropriately stretching performance conditions,
with release after five years. LTIP awarded into Restricted Shares, should
that option be utilised, will vest after three years, subject to an underpin
assessment, with release after five years.
Shareholding
Requirements
300% of base salary for the CEO and 200% for other Executive Directors, to be achieved normally within five
years of appointment. Executive Directors are also subject to a two-year post-cessation holding requirement
at 100% of the in-post requirement (or the shares accumulated by time of stepping down from the Board).
No change.
Note – Malus and clawback continue to apply, allowing the Committee to reduce awards in appropriate scenarios.
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Annual report on remuneration
This Directors’ Remuneration report, will be put
to an advisory shareholder vote at the 2026
AGM. This part of the Remuneration report
explains the work of the Remuneration
Committee and sets out how we
implemented our Policy during 2025. The
information on pages 90 to 107 has been
audited where indicated. This part also sets
out how we intend to implement the Directors
Remuneration Policy in 2026, subject to
shareholder approval of that Policy. The 2026
Policy, including the proposed amendments
thereto, is set out on pages 111 to 120.
2.1 How the Remuneration Policy was applied in 2025
2.1.1 Remuneration payable in respect of performance in 2025 (audited)
Summary of total remuneration
The remuneration received by Executive Directors in respect of the years ended 31 December 2025 and 2024 is set out below.
Executive Director
Base salary
£
Benefits
£
Annual bonus
£
Long-term
incentives
£
Pension
£
Other
£
Total
£
Total fixed
remuneration
£
Total variable
remuneration
£
Mark FitzPatrick
1
2025 895,804 23,963 1,702,297 89,580 1,996 2,713,640 1,009,347 1,704,293
2024 861,455 29,970 1,661,054 86,145 894,355 3,532,979 977,570 2,555,409
Caroline Waddington
2
2025 625,000 16,791 1,028,438 62,500 51,479 1,784,208 704,291 1,079,917
2024 182,692 4,047 979,375 18,353 76,877 1,261,344 205,092 1,056,252
Craig Gentle
3
2025
2024 371,975 74,634 646,687 56,021 183 1,149,500 502,630 646,870
Non-executive Director
Base salary
£
Benefits
£
Total
£
Rooney Anand
7
2025 148,444 1,328 149,772
2024
Helen Beck
7
2025 68,433 68,433
2024
Dominic Burke
4
2025
2024 16,958 16,958
Simon Fraser
5
2025 200,952 200,952
2024 125,968 125,968
Emma Griffin
6
2025 72,093 949 73,042
2024 190,212 7,870 198,082
Rosemary Hilary
6
2025 208,703 446 209,149
2024 204,504 735 205,239
John Hitchins 2025 275,677 359 276,036
2024 199,747 199,747
Penny James
7
2025 55,548 27 55,575
2024
Paul Manduca 2025 413,000 5,704 418,704
2024 400,000 8,810 408,810
Lesley-Ann Nash
6
2025 50,637 50,637
2024 132,875 966 133,841
1 Mark FitzPatrick joined the Board on 1 October 2023. The Other amount for 2024
includes the value of buyout awards which vested on; 17 May 2024 (4,169 shares at a
market price on vesting of £4.774 per share); 4 April 2025 (35,379 shares at a market
price on vesting of £8.178); and 27 May 2025 (52,495 shares at a market price on
vesting of £11.09). The number of shares include dividend equivalent shares which
were added on vesting. The vesting of the buyout awards reflected the actual vesting
% of the Prudential LTIP 2021 award and the TSR performance of SJP to the end of 2024,
details of which were set out in last year’s Annual Report.
2 Caroline Waddington joined the Board on 16 September 2024. The Other amount
for 2025 relates to buyout share awards which vested on 25 March 2025 (4,998 shares
at a market price on vesting of £10.30 per share). The Other amount for 2024 relates to
a buyout cash award payment. Details of the buyout awards were set out in last year’s
Annual Report.
3 Craig Gentle stepped down from the Board on 11 October 2024.
4 Dominic Burke stepped down from the Board on 31 January 2024.
5 Simon Fraser joined the Board on 22 April 2024.
6 Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash stepped down from the Board on 13 May 2025.
Rosemary Hilary stepped down from the Board on 31 December 2025.
7 Rooney Anand joined the Board on 1 January 2025. Helen Beck and Penny James
joined the Board on 1 July 2025.
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Benefits
Benefits for Executive Directors comprise private healthcare, life and critical illness
cover, permanent health insurance, health screening, travel costs and, until 30 April 2024, car
allowance at which point this was consolidated into base salary with a downward adjustment
to reflect the pension contribution that applies to base salary. During 2024 Craig Gentle
received a location allowance of £72,000 per annum, which allowed him to work increased
amounts of time in SJP’s London office away from his normal place of work at SJP’s Cirencester
office. The amounts shown are generally the taxable amounts.
Benefits for Non-executive Directors are private medical cover expenses, as applicable, and
the reimbursement of taxable travel expenses grossed up for any tax payable thereon. Non-
executive Directors are not paid a pension and do not participate in any of the Company’s
variable incentive schemes.
Pension allowance
Consistent with the pension contributions provided to the wider workforce, all Executive
Directors appointed after the 2018 AGM receive a pension allowance of 10% of salary on joining,
increasing to 12.5% after five years and 15% after ten years of service. The pension allowances for
Executive Directors appointed prior to the 2018 AGM were reduced to 15% of base salary on
1 January 2023. None of the Executive Directors participate in defined benefit pension schemes.
Annual bonus
As explained on page 89, 50% of the annual bonus is paid in cash and 50% is in the form of a
conditional award of the Company’s shares. Release of the shares is subject to the participant’s
continued employment. Deferred shares are subject to forfeiture for three years under the
terms of the Deferred Bonus Plan (DBP).
Long-term incentives
The value of the long-term incentives is the value of shares vesting from the award where the
performance period ends in the year, together with the value of dividend equivalents that have
been added in the form of shares, during the three-year performance period, to the vested
shares. The long-term incentive values are zero for Mark FitzPatrick and Caroline Waddington
as they did not receive grants in 2023 or 2022. The long-term incentive value for 2024 is zero
for Craig Gentle due to the overall performance conditions not being met for the PSP award
granted on 25 March 2022.
Other
These amounts relate to three elements: (i) income received from the Share Incentive Plan (SIP)
and the Sharesave Option Plan (SAYE); (ii) vesting of buyout awards for Mark FitzPatrick and
Caroline Waddington; and (iii) the payment of a buyout cash award to Caroline Waddington
in 2024. For the SIP, the value relates to the matching shares received (one matching share is
awarded for every ten Partnership shares purchased). For Mark FitzPatrick, 17 matching shares
were awarded on 25 March 2025 at £10.27 per share and 39 matching shares were awarded on
24 March 2024 at £4.5243 per share. Employees making contributions to the SAYE plan receive
a 20% discount on shares under option. Mark FitzPatrick entered into a savings contract in
September 2025 with a discount of £2.425 per share for 751 shares under option. Mark FitzPatrick
will be eligible to receive a tax-free bonus of 0.5 times his monthly savings amount on the
maturity of the 2025 SAYE. In 2024, Mark FitzPatrick entered into a savings contract with a
discount of £1.008 per share for 2,748 shares under option. Mark FitzPatrick will be eligible
to receive a tax-free bonus of 1.1 times his monthly savings amount on the maturity of the
2024 SAYE.
For Caroline Waddington, the buyout award vesting value for 2025 relates to 4,998 shares
which vested on 25 March 2025. The shares have been valued using the closing share price
on 25 March 2025, £10.30. No dividend equivalent shares had accrued at the time of vesting.
3,358 of the vested shares were subject to performance conditions and the vesting level was
determined by the vesting level of the original awards which were replaced. It was confirmed
in the UBS Group Annual Report 2024 that these awards vested in full. 1,640 of the vested shares
were not subject to any performance conditions and therefore vested in full. No buyout awards
vested to Caroline Waddington in 2024.
Subsidiary board fees
Emma Griffin and Simon Fraser received the following fees as Non-executive Directors of
St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited during 2025: Emma Griffin £23,229 for the period
1 January to 13 May 2025 (at which point she resigned from the board); and Simon Fraser
£40,695 for the period 13 May to 31 December 2025.
Simon Fraser, Rosemary Hilary and John Hitchins received the following fees as Non-executive
Directors of St. James’s Place UK plc during 2025: Simon Fraser £23,229 for the period 1 January
to 15 May 2025 (at which point he resigned from the board); Rosemary Hilary £63,750; and
John Hitchins £63,750.
John Hitchins and Rooney Anand received the following fees as Non-executive Directors of
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc during 2025: John Hitchins £63,750; and Rooney
Anand £42,791 for the period of 1 May (his appointment date) to 31 December 2025.
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2.1.2 Payment for loss of office and payments to past directors (audited)
Payment for loss of office for loss of office
As detailed in last year’s Annual Report, Craig Gentle stood down from the Board on 11 October
2024. Craig undertook a period of ‘gardening leave’ from 1 November 2024 to 12 June 2025 when
he ceased to be an employee. In 2025, he received a base salary of £221,910, pension payments
of £31,880 and benefits totalling £45,677. He was not eligible for an annual bonus or LTIP award
for 2025. Further detail of the treatment of his awards is set out in last year’s annual report.
Malus and clawback provisions will apply to any awards or payments made to Craig under the
annual bonus plan and discretionary share plans.
Shares held in the SIP were released to Craig on leaving in accordance with the rules of the SIP.
In line with the Directors’ Remuneration Policy, Craig will be required to maintain a shareholding
equivalent to 200% of his base salary from the date he retired from the Board for two years post
cessation.
Craig received no additional compensation or payment for the termination of his service
contract or his ceasing to be a Director of the Company or any other Group Company, except
for the Company paying legal fees up to £25,000 plus VAT.
Payments to past directors
No payments were made to former Directors in 2025.
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2.1.3 Summary of total annual bonus for 2025 performance (audited)
Bonus scorecard
The performance conditions (both financial and non-financial targets) and weightings which applied to the annual bonus were as follows:
Measure
Weighting
(percentage
of maximum)
Threshold
(20% payable)
Maximum value
(100% payable) Actual
Mark FitzPatrick
1
Caroline Waddington
2
Payout
(percentage
of salary)
Payout
(percentage
of maximum
total bonus)
Payout
(percentage
of salary)
Payout
(percentage
of maximum
total bonus)
Underlying cash result 12.0% £310.0m £360.0m £462.3m 24.0% 12.0% 21.0% 12.0%
Net inflows 24.0% £2.0bn £4.0bn £6.2bn 48.0% 24.0% 42.0% 24.0%
Annual growth in controllable expenses 12.0% £396.3m £388.9m £305.8m 24.0% 12.0% 21.0% 12.0%
Cost and efficiency programme savings 12.0% £42.0m £50.0m £57.3m 24.0% 12.0% 21.0% 12.0%
Strategic objectives 20.0%
Assessment by the Committee of the
performance of the Executive Directors
34.0% 17.0% 29.8% 17.0%
Individual objectives 20.0% 36.0% 18.0% 29.8% 17.0%
Total calculated payout 190.0% 95.0% 164.6% 94.0%
1 The weighting and payout for Mark FitzPatrick is based on a maximum bonus opportunity of 200% of base salary.
2 The weighting and payout for Caroline Waddington is based on a maximum bonus opportunity of 175% of base salary.
Annual bonus for 2025
The maximum bonus opportunity for Mark FitzPatrick was 200% of salary and 175% of salary for
Caroline Waddington. As shown in the table above, 60% of the annual bonus was determined by
a scorecard of financial performance metrics, 20% by strategic objectives and 20% by individual
performance objectives.
Financial performance metrics
The scorecard of financial performance metrics was as follows:
Metric Alignment with strategy
Underlying cash result Recognises annual cash profitability, which is an important
driver of dividends and future investment in the business.
Net inflows Reflects both new business and client retention and is a driver
of sustained profit growth.
Annual growth in
controllable expenses
Keeping cost growth below the rate of growth in revenues is
a key determinant of profit growth.
Cost and efficiency
programme savings
This is to ensure that the savings under the programme are
delivered.
Reflecting the strong performance of the business, as detailed in the Committee Chair’s annual
statement, and notwithstanding the stretching targets set for the business, as shown in the
table above, the maximum targets for all the financial performance metrics were met and 60%
of the maximum bonus will pay out based on these measures.
Strategic performance objectives
Mark FitzPatrick and Caroline Waddington were set the following strategic performance
objectives:
Strategic Performance Objective
Mark FitzPatrick Caroline Waddington
Weighting
(percentage
of maximum
bonus)
Payout
(percentage
of maximum
bonus)
Weighting
(percentage
of maximum
bonus)
Payout
(percentage
of maximum
bonus)
Client satisfaction 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Adviser advocacy 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Employee engagement and culture 5.0% 4.0% 5.0% 4.0%
Risk and controls 5.0% 3.0% 5.0% 3.0%
Total 20.0% 17.0% 20.0% 17.0%
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The details of the strategic objectives are as follows:
Strategic
performance
objective Measure/target Outcome
Client
satisfaction
Overall client satisfaction
score across five core
satisfaction questions.
Achieved in-line with maximum target.
Maintained high levels of client satisfaction,
demonstrating our commitment to delivering
good client outcomes. For example, in 2025 we
delivered investment returns for clients which
represented 12% of opening FUM, net of all
charges, and we broadened investment
choices available to clients through the
launch of our Polaris Multi-Index range.
Adviser
advocacy
Partner survey result
metrics for engagement
and proposition rating.
Achieved in-line with maximum target,
demonstrating effective engagement with
the Partnership during a period of significant
change in the business, and our continued
focus on providing a leading adviser offering.
For example, during the year we improved
this by introducing and piloting a range of
technology and AI tools to help advisers
work more effectively.
Employee
engagement
and culture
Measure based on
performance against a
dashboard of employee
and cultural indicators,
including employee survey
results, inclusion & diversity
targets and against key
people metrics (e.g.
attrition and retention).
Achieved above target, demonstrating
effective leadership of the employee base
during a period of significant change for the
business, particularly with the transition to our
new organisational design during the year.
We also improved the inclusion and diversity
representation across the business. For
example, we increased the percentage
of women in senior leadership roles.
Risk and
controls
Measure based on
performance against core
KPIs measure in risk and
control dashboard.
Achieved in-line with target.
Demonstrating a strong risk and control culture
across the organisation, supporting the Group
to stay within its risk appetite.
Individual performance objectives
Mark FitzPatrick
Mark delivered a highly successful year for St. James’s Place. Amid a complex operating
environment, Mark’s leadership further strengthened confidence among key stakeholders,
including regulators, shareholders and the Partnership. Strategic achievements included
making strong progress against key programmes of work, improving market sentiment and
standing via an improved media and brand presence, and positioning the Group in a more
influential stance to shape industry thinking. Additionally Mark’s leadership led to building a
stronger and more diverse Group Executive Committee, which has improved the organisation’s
ability to execute strategy and manage future succession. Overall, the performance review
underscores a year of robust execution and clear leadership judgement, laying firm
foundations for the Company’s sustainable future growth.
Caroline Waddington
Caroline has made a significant contribution to the business this year, not least through leading
on the organisational redesign required as part of our cost and efficiency programme. She has
also been a strong culture champion for the organisation and been responsible for attracting
new shareholders to St. James’s Place. Caroline has led on plans to further strengthen our
leading BSP scheme over the long-term, as well as progressing work around simplifying our
financial reporting.
2025 performance against bonus scorecard (including Committee discretion)
The table below sets out performance against financial and non-financial targets under the
bonus scorecard, and the effect of the Committee’s overriding discretion on the final outcome.
The Committee is comfortable that the scorecard outcomes for both Executive Directors are
appropriate in the context of Company and individual performance for 2025. Therefore, no
discretion was applied. The table also shows the portion of the annual bonus awarded in cash
and the portion awarded in deferred shares.
Mark
FitzPatrick
Caroline
Waddington
Financial targets (% of base salary) 120.0% 105.0%
Strategic objectives (% of base salary) 34.0% 29.8%
Individual objectives (% of base salary) 36.0% 29.8%
Committee discretion (% of base salary) 0.0% 0.0%
Final bonus outcome (% of base salary) 190.0% 164.6%
Maximum opportunity for 2025 (% of base salary) 200% 175%
Final bonus outcome (% of maximum) 95% 94%
Cash amount £851,148 £514,219
Deferred amount £851,149 £514,219
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Annual report on remuneration continued
2.1.4 Long‑term incentive awards (audited)
Vesting of Performance Share Plan awards
On 31 December 2025, the awards made on 3 May 2023 under the PSP reached the end of their
three-year performance period. As outlined below, these awards achieved 45.0% against the
performance conditions.
The current Executive Directors did not receive this award as they were not employed by the
Company at the time of grant.
The performance conditions which applied to the 2023 PSP awards, and the actual performance
achieved against these conditions, are set out in the table below. The weighting of the following
performance conditions is split one-third respectively.
Performance hurdle
TSR relative to
the FTSE 51 to 150
1
EPS CAGR % using
the Cash result
EPS CAGR % using
EEV adjusted profit
2
Performance
required
Percentage of
one-third of
award
vesting
Performance
required
Percentage of
one-third of
award
vesting
Performance
required
Percentage of
one-third of
award
vesting
Below threshold Below median 0% Below 5% 0% Below 5% 0%
Threshold Median 25% 5% 25% 5% 25%
Stretch or above Upper quartile
or above
100% 12% or
above
100% 12% or
above
100%
Actual achieved
3
36 out of 76
companies
35.0% Below 5% 0% Above 12% 100%
1 FTSE 51 to 150 index excluding investment trusts and companies in the FTSE oil, gas and mining sectors.
2 This is by reference to the post-tax EEV operating profit (on a fully diluted per-share basis). This metric excludes the
direct impact of stock market fluctuations and changes in economic assumptions on the final year’s performance.
3 No discretion was exercised by the Committee to override the outcome referred to above.
Granting of PSP awards in 2025
Details of PSP awards (nil-cost options) granted to the Executive Directors in 2025 are set out in
the table below.
Director Type of award
Basis of award
granted
Average
share price at
date of grant
(£)
Number of
SJP shares
over which
award was
granted
1, 2
Face value
of award (£)
Percentage of
face value that
would vest at
threshold
performance
Mark FitzPatrick Nil-cost
option
250% of salary
of £900,528 10.27 219,213 2,251,318 25%
Caroline
Waddington
Nil-cost
option
200% of salary
of £625,000 10.27 121,713 1,249,993 25%
1 The number of shares awarded was calculated based on the average of the mid-market share prices over a period
of three days prior to the date of grant on 25 March 2025, being £10.27 per share. The face value of the award figure
is calculated by multiplying the number of shares awarded by the average share price figure of £10.27.
2 PSP awards are structured as nil-cost options and therefore no exercise price is payable on exercise. Dividend
equivalents accrue to the Executive Directors between the date of grant and the second anniversary of the vesting
date or, if earlier, the exercise of the award (up to a maximum of five years from date of grant) but are released only
to the extent that awards vest. Awards in 2025 were based on the achievement of three metrics: (a) TSR performance
relative to a composite benchmark of the FTSE 51 to 150, excluding investment trusts and companies in the oil, gas
and mining sectors for one-third of the award. For the TSR performance metric element, 25% vests at median, with
a straight-line relationship to 100% vesting for upper quartile performance; (b) EPS using EEV adjusted profit for
one-third of the award. This is by reference to the post-tax EEV operating profit (on a fully diluted per-share basis).
This metric excludes the direct impact of stock market fluctuations and changes in economic assumptions on the
final year’s performance; and (c) EPS using the Cash result for one-third of the award. For the EPS performance metric
elements, a threshold and stretch level of performance is set. At threshold, 25% of the relevant element vests, rising
on a straight-line basis to 100% for attainment of levels of performance between threshold (EPS in 2027 using EEV
adjusted profit of 174.92 pence per share and EPS in 2027 using the Cash result of 71.62 pence per share) and
maximum (EPS in 2027 using EEV adjusted profit of 214.62 pence per share and EPS in 2027 using the Cash result
of 85.68 pence per share) targets. These awards also have a post-vesting holding period of two years from the
vesting date.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
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2.1.5 Share awards (audited)
The tables below set out details of share awards that have been granted to individuals who were Executive Directors during 2025 and which
had yet to vest or be exercised at some point during the year. With the exception of the buyout awards granted to Mark FitzPatrick and Caroline
Waddington, the performance periods for share awards run for a period of three years, ending on 31 December of the year immediately
preceding the vesting date.
Buyout awards outstanding
Director Date of grant
Market price
at grant
(£)
1
Shares
originally
awarded
16
Face value
(£)
1
Shares
vested Vesting date
Dividend
equivalents
added to
vested awards
Shares exercised
including
dividend
equivalents
Shares
lapsed
Unexercised
shares at 31
December
2025
Mark
FitzPatrick
24 Oct 2023 6.4388 14,873 95,764 4,101
2
17 May 2024 167 10,772
2
4,268
24 Oct 2023 6.4388 34,513 222,222 34,513 4 April 2025
3,13
1,421 35,934
24 Oct 2023 6.4388 50,658 326,177 50,658 27 May 2025
3, 1 3
2,087 52,745
Caroline
Waddington
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 19,229 137,064 Various
4, 1 3
19,229
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 19,229 137,064 Various
4, 1 3
19,229
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 314 2,238 314 25 Mar 2025
13
4 318
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 1,261 8,988 631 Various
5, 1 3 ,1 7
9 1,270
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 2,213 15,774 738 Various
6, 1 3, 1 7
11 2,224
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 2,434 17,350 608 Various
7, 13,17
8 2,442
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 1,853 13,208 84 Various
8, 1 3 ,1 7
1,853
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 188 1,340 188 25 Mar 2025
14
2 190
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 757 5,396 379 Various
5, 14
5 762
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 1,328 9,466 443 Various
6, 14
6 1,334
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 1,461 10,414 365 Various
9, 14
4 1,465
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 1,327 9,459 265 Various
9, 14
3 1,330
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 14,588 103,983 0 Various
10 , 15
14,588
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 8,804 62,755 0 Various
11 , 13 , 18
8,804
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 4,914 35,027 983 Various
9, 13 , 1 8
14 4,928
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 19,088 136,059 0 Various
10 , 15
19,088
10 Dec 2024 7.1280 4,152 29,595 0 Various
12, 13,18
4,152
1 The face value of the award is calculated by
multiplying the number of shares awarded by
the market price at grant (for awards granted
on 24 October 2023, this was calculated using the
average share price figure over a period of five days
prior to the date of grant; and for awards granted
on 10 December 2024, this was calculated using the
average share price figure over a period of five days
prior to 16 September 2024).
2 27.58% of the award vested on 17 May 2024 and 72.42%
of the award lapsed on the same date. The vesting
level was determined by the vesting level of the
Prudential LTIP 2021 award as disclosed in the
Prudential plc Annual Report 2023 and approved
by the Committee. The vested options are available
to exercise until 17 May 2027.
3 The performance period for Mark FitzPatrick’s awards
which vested on 4 April 2025 and 27 May 2025 was
from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. The
performance conditions were met in full and the
vested options are available to exercise until the
third anniversary of the relevant vesting date.
4 The vesting dates and the percentage of the award
due to vest on each date are as follows: 25 March 2027
(26%); 25 March 2028 (26%); 25 March 2029 (26%); and
25 March 2030 (22%). 33% of award to vest at threshold
performance.
5 The vesting dates are 25 March 2025 and 25 March
2026. 50% of the award is due to vest on each date.
6 The vesting dates are 25 March 2025; 25 March 2026;
and 25 March 2027. One-third of the award is due to
vest on each date.
7 The vesting dates are 25 March 2025; 25 March 2026;
25 March 2027; and 25 March 2028. 25% of the award
is due to vest on each date.
8 The vesting dates and the percentage of the award
due to vest on each date are as follows: 25 March 2025
(4.52%); 25 March 2026 (23.87%); 25 March 2027
(23.87%); 25 March 2028 (23.87%); and 25 March 2029
(23.87%).
9 The vesting dates are 25 March 2025; 25 March 2026;
25 March 2027; 25 March 2028; and 25 March 2029. 20%
of the award is due to vest on each date.
10 The vesting dates are 25 March 2026; 25 March 2027;
25 March 2028; 25 March 2029; and 25 March 2030. 20%
of the award is due to vest on each date.
11 The vesting dates are 25 March 2028; 25 March 2029;
and 25 March 2030. One-third of the award is due to
vest on each date.
12 The vesting dates are 25 March 2026 and 25 March
2027. 50% of the award is due to vest on each date.
13 Vesting subject to performance conditions and
continued employment. Vested awards will be subject
to post-vesting holding periods.
14 Vesting subject to continued employment
(no performance conditions). Vested awards will
not be subject to post-vesting holding periods.
15 Vesting subject to continued employment (no
performance conditions). Vested awards will be
subject to post-vesting holding periods.
16 The awards are in the form of nil-cost options. The
24 October 2023 awards were granted under the rules
of the Performance Share Plan and were subject to
the performance conditions outlined in section 2.1.1.
Vested awards are subject to a two-year holding
period from the relevant vesting date. The 10 December
2024 awards were granted under the terms of a
buyout award deed pursuant to UK Listing Rule 9.3.2(2).
The share awards were granted under a UK Listing Rule
9.3.2(2) arrangement to facilitate the recruitment of
Caroline Waddington as the rules of the PSP did not
permit conditional share awards without performance
conditions to be granted. Where applicable, post-
vesting holding periods end on the same date as the
post-vesting holdings periods which applied to the
original award which the buyout award relates to.
17 10% of award to vest at threshold performance.
18 Award to vest in full at threshold performance.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Annual report on remuneration continued
Performance Share Plan (PSP) awards outstanding
Director Date of grant
Market price
at grant
(£)
Shares
originally
awarded
Face value
(£)
1
Shares
vested
4
Vesting date
Dividend
equivalents
added to
vested awards
Shares exercised
including
dividend
equivalents
Shares
lapsed
Unexercised
shares at
31 December
2025
Mark
FitzPatrick
25 March
2024
2
4.5243 464,160 2,099,999 25 March 2027 464,160
25 March
2025
3
10.27 219,213 2,251,318 25 March 2028 219,213
Caroline
Waddington
25 March
2025
3
10.27 121,713 1,249,993 25 March 2028 121,713
1 The face value of the award is calculated by multiplying the number of shares awarded by the market price at grant (the average share price figure over a period of three days
prior to the date of grant). All awards are in the form of nil-cost options.
2 The performance conditions for the awards granted on 25 March 2024 are the achievement of three metrics: (a) TSR performance relative to a composite benchmark of the FTSE
51 to 150, excluding investment trusts and companies in the oil, gas and mining sectors for one-third of the award. For the TSR performance metric element, 25% vests at median,
with a straight-line relationship to 100% vesting for upper quartile performance; (b) EPS using EEV adjusted profit for one-third of the award. This is by reference to the post-tax EEV
operating profit (on a fully diluted per-share basis). This metric excludes the direct impact of stock market fluctuations and changes in economic assumptions on the final year’s
performance; and (c) EPS using the Cash result for one-third of the award. For the EPS performance metric elements, a threshold and stretch level of performance is set. At
threshold, 25% of the relevant element vests, rising on a straight-line basis to 100% for attainment of levels of performance between threshold (EPS in 2026 using EEV adjusted
profit of 116.06 pence per share and EPS in 2026 using the Cash result of 45.38 pence per share) and maximum (EPS in 2026 using EEV adjusted profit of 143.65 pence per share
and EPS in 2026 using the Cash result of 55.86 pence per share) targets. These awards also have a post-vesting holding period of two years from the vesting date.
3 The performance conditions for the awards granted on 25 March 2025 are outlined in the ‘Granting of PSP awards in 2025’ section on page 95.
4 There are no vested but unexercised options.
Company Share Option Plan (CSOP) options outstanding (linked to PSP awards)
Director Date of grant
Option
price
(£)
Share options
originally
awarded
Grant
value
(£)
1
Share
options
vested Vesting date
Share options
exercised
Share options
lapsed
Unexercised
shares at
31 December
2025
Mark
FitzPatrick
25 March
2024 4.5243 13,261 59,997 25 March 2027 13,261
Caroline
Waddington
25 March
2025 10.27 5,842 59,997 25 March 2028 5,842
1 The grant value of the award is calculated by multiplying the number of shares options awarded by the option price (the average share price figure over a period
of three days prior to the date of grant).
All share options are in the form of tax-advantaged CSOP options which are linked to the PSP award granted on the same date shown in the
Performance Share Plan awards outstanding’ table above. The CSOP options are subject to the same performance conditions as the linked
PSP award. On the exercise of vested CSOP options, shares will lapse from the linked PSP award equivalent in value to the gain achieved on
the exercise of the CSOP options.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Annual report on remuneration continued
Deferred Bonus Plan (DBP) – shares held during 2025
The table below sets out details of the awards held by the Executive Directors under the
deferred element of the annual bonus scheme during 2025:
Director
Balance at
1 January
2025
Released
in year
Awarded
in year
Balance at
31 December
2025
1, 2
Vesting date
Mark FitzPatrick 80,869 80,869 25 Mar 2028
Caroline Waddington 47,681 47,681 25 Mar 2028
1 Outstanding awards at the year-end relate to deferred shares awarded in 2025 which were earned in 2024. The
share price used to calculate the 2025 award was £10.27 (the average of the mid-market share prices for 20, 21
and 24 March 2025). The face value of the deferred shares awarded in 2025 was £830,525 for Mark FitzPatrick and
£489,684 for Caroline Waddington at the time of award. The awards are not subject to performance conditions.
2 Deferred share awards are held as Restricted Shares in the Company’s Employee Benefit Trust until the vesting date.
Further details of the deferred element of the annual bonus plan are set out on page 89.
Dividends accrue to the Executive Directors during the three-year period that the shares are
subject to forfeiture.
Sharesave Option Plan (SAYE) – shares held during 2025
Details of the options held by the Directors in 2025 under the SAYE plan and any movements
during the year are as follows:
Director
Options
held at
1 January
2025
Granted
in year
1
Lapsed
in year
Exercised
in year
Options
held at
31 December
2025
Exercise
price (£)
Dates from which
exercisable
Mark
FitzPatrick
2,748 2,748 4.05 1 May 2027 to
31 October 2027
751 751 9.71 1 November 2028
to 30 April 2029
1 The options were granted on 30 September 2025. The share price used to calculate the exercise price was £12.135
(the mid-market share price for 5 September 2025, the dealing day immediately preceding the Sharesave invitation
date). The face value was £9,113.39. The exercise price was calculated by applying a 20% discount to £12.135, the
maximum discount permitted under the SAYE rules.
At 31 December 2025, the mid-market price for the Company’s shares was £13.845. The range
of prices between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 was between £7.91 and £13.98.
Share Incentive Plan (SIP) – shares held during 2025
The table below sets out details of the awards held by the Executive Directors under the Share
Incentive Plan during 2025:
Director
Balance at
1 January
2025
Partnership
shares
allocated in
year
1
Matching
shares
allocated in
year
2
Dividend
shares
allocated in
year
3
Balance at
31 December
2025
4
Holding period
(matching shares)
Mark FitzPatrick 439 439 25 March 2024
to 25 March 2027
175 17 10 202 25 March 2025
to 25 March 2028
1 Partnership shares are shares awarded in return for an investment of between £10 and £1,800. Partnership shares
were purchased on behalf of Mark FitzPatrick on 25 March 2025 at a price of £10.27 per share, in return for £1,800
being deducted from his pre-tax salary.
2 For every ten Partnership shares acquired, the Company awards one matching share. Matching shares were also
awarded on 25 March 2025 in relation to the partnership shares mentioned above.
3 Seven dividend shares were purchased on 28 May 2025 at a price of £11.068 per share and three dividend shares
were purchased on 24 September 2025 at a price of £12.4705 per share.
4 The partnership, dividend and matching shares will be held by the SIP Trust on behalf of the Director. The matching
and dividend shares must be held for a minimum period of three years from the date of the award/purchase.
Between 31 December 2025 and 24 February 2026, there were no exercises or other dealings in
the Company’s share awards by the Directors.
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2.1.6 Shareholding requirements and Directors’ share interests (audited)
Shareholding requirements
To align the long-term interests of Executive Directors and shareholders, Executive Directors are
required to build up a holding in the Company’s shares. The Chief Executive Officer is required
to build up a shareholding equivalent to 300% of salary and the Chief Financial Officer is
required to build up a shareholding equivalent to 200% of salary. The table below sets out
the shareholdings of the Executive Directors as well as Non-executive Directors, and their
connected persons (as applicable). Mark FitzPatrick’s shareholding will build as his awards
have started to vest from 2024 and Caroline Waddington’s shareholding will build as her awards
started to vest from 2025. Until the shareholding requirements are met, at least 50% of vested
shares from the PSP and other share awards (less tax liability) will normally be retained by the
Executive Director.
Director
Shares held at
1 January
2025
1
Shares held at
31 December
2025
1
Percentage of base salary
held in SJP shares as at
31 December
2025
1
Mark FitzPatrick 439 81,510 66.9%
Caroline Waddington 47,681 56.0%
Rooney Anand
4
10,509
Helen Beck
5
Simon Fraser
Emma Griffin
2
2,331
Rosemary Hilary
3
John Hitchins
Penny James
5
Paul Manduca 27,000 27,000
Lesley-Ann Nash
2
1 Shares held include: shares beneficially owned; Share Incentive Plan shares; and unvested DBP awards, which have
been earned for past performance but are subject to a continuous service requirement. The percentage of base
salary has been calculated using the mid-market price at 31 December 2025 of £13.845 and the base salary as at
31 December 2025. The overall percentage of base salary excludes the value of shares that would need to be sold
to meet the notional tax and employee National Insurance contributions on DBP awards.
2 Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash stepped down from the Board on 13 May 2025.
3 Rosemary Hilary stepped down from the Board on 31 December 2025.
4 Rooney Anand joined the Board on 1 January 2025.
5 Helen Beck and Penny James joined the Board on 1 July 2025.
The interests of the Executive Directors set out on this page include the gross number of shares
held in trust for the Directors for DBP awards which are subject to a three-year continuous
service requirement, details of which are set out on page 98. The interests of the Executive
Directors also include awards under the Share Incentive Plan, details of which are set out on
page 98. Unexercised share options are not included.
The Company’s register of Directors’ interests contains full details of Directors’ shareholdings
and any share awards under the Company’s various share plans.
Disclosure of the Executive Directors’ interests in share awards is made on pages 96 to 98 and
also in Note 27 – Related party transactions.
Between 31 December 2025 and 24 February 2026, there were no transactions in the Company’s
shares by the Directors.
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Executive Directors’ shareholdings and outstanding share awards
Beneficially
owned at
31 December
2025
1
Outstanding
PSP awards
(performance
conditions)
2
Outstanding
unvested
buyout awards
(performance
conditions)
3
Outstanding
unvested
buyout awards
(no performance
conditions)
3
Outstanding
vested buyout
awards
(unexercised
options)
3
Outstanding
SAYE options
(no performance
conditions)
4
Outstanding
DBP awards
(no performance
conditions)
5
Outstanding
SIP shares
(no performance
conditions)
6
Mark FitzPatrick 81,510 683,373 92,947 3,499 80,869 641
Caroline Waddington 47,681 121,713 61,045 37,097 5,064 47,681
1 Beneficially owned shares include those DBP awards and SIP shares set out in columns 8 and 9 above.
2 Details of the PSP awards are set out on page 97.
3 Details of the buyout awards (including options that are unvested and those that are vested but have not been exercised) are set out on page 96.
4 Details of the SAYE options are set out on page 98.
5 Details of DBP awards are set out on page 98.
6 Details of the SIP shares are set out on page 98.
2.1.7 Dilution (unaudited)
Dilution limits agreed by shareholders at the time of shareholder approval of the various
long-term incentive plans allow for up to 10% of share capital in ten years to be used for grants
to employees and members of the SJP Partnership under all share plans (i.e. both the employee
and Partner share plans), and up to 5% of share capital in ten years to be used for grants to
employees under discretionary share plans. These limits comply with the Investment
Association dilution guidelines on the issue of new shares.
The table to the right sets out, as at 31 December 2025, the number of new ordinary shares
in the Company which have been issued, or are capable of being issued (subject to the
satisfaction of any applicable performance conditions), as a result of options or awards
granted under the various long-term incentive plans, deferred bonus plans and SAYE plans
operated by the Company in the ten years prior to 31 December 2025.
Type of share plan
Number of new
ordinary shares of
15 pence each
Percentage of
total issued share
capital as at
31 December
2025
SAYE plans 5,040,422 0.96%
Executive share plans 14,775,324 2.80%
Partners’ share plans 10,732,781 2.04%
Total 30,548,527 5.80%
In addition, as at 31 December 2025, the Company’s Employee Benefit Trust held 8,177,915 shares
in the Company which were acquired to meet awards made under the PSP, CSOP, DBP, buyout
awards and SAYE. The number of shares in the Company held in the Share Incentive Plan Trust
as at 31 December 2025 was 503,464.
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2.1.8 Total shareholder return performance and CEO pay over the same period
(unaudited)
The graph to the right shows a comparison of the Company’s TSR performance against the
FTSE All-Share Index over the last ten financial years. The Company considers this to be the most
appropriate comparator index, given the broad nature of the index and the companies within it.
This graph shows the value, by 31 December 2025, of £100 invested in St. James’s Place on
31 December 2015, compared with the value of £100 invested in the FTSE All-Share Index on
the same date. The other points plotted are the values at intervening financial year-ends.
300
200
100
0
Value (£) (rebased)
Dec 2015 Dec 2016 Dec 2017 Dec 2018 Dec 2019 Dec 2020 Dec 2021 Dec 2022 Dec 2023 Dec 2024 Dec 2025
St. James’s Place
FTSE All-Share
The table below shows the total remuneration figure for the Chief Executive Officer over the last ten financial years. The total remuneration figure includes the annual bonus and long-term
incentive awards which vested based on performance in those years (and ending in that year for PSP awards).
Year ending 31 December
David Bellamy Andrew Croft Mark FitzPatrick
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2023 2024 2025
Total remuneration (£) 2,631,667 2,458,020 1,886,774 1,421,729 812,678 3,141,423 3,115,406 695,545 257,469 3,532,979 2,713,640
Annual bonus (% of maximum) 96.67% 96.67% 62% 37.5% 0% 96.7% 77.1% 0% 96.4% 95.0%
LTIP vesting (% of maximum) 100% 87.94% 85.3% 62.9% 9% 93.4% 86.4% 0%
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2.1.9 Percentage change in remuneration of all Directors and employees (unaudited)
As the Company has no employees, the table below shows the percentage change in the salary/fee, benefits and annual bonus
for each Director against all UK employees of the Group over the last five years.
Remuneration element
Average
employee
(% change)
Executive Directors (% change)
M FitzPatrick
3
C Waddington
3
Salary/fee
1
2025 4.3 4.0 242.1
2024 9.1 310.2
2023 7.5
2022 7.4
2021
Benefits
2
2025 11.8 (20.0) 315
2024 6.0
2023 8.6
2022 3.3
2021 5.6
Bonus 2025 10.0 2.5 5.0
2024 77.7 100
2023 (28.7)
2022 9.5
2021
Remuneration
element
Average
employee
(% change)
Non-executive Directors (% change)
4
D Burke
6,7
S Fraser
6
E Griffin
6,8
R Hilary
7
J Hitchins
6 ,7, 8
P Manduca
6
L-A Nash
6
R Anand
6
P James
6
H Beck
6
Salary/fee
1,4
2025 4.3 (100.0) 59.5 (62.1) 2.1 38.0 3.3 (61.9)
2024 9.1 (88.5) 36.5 28.4 40.2 6.7 18.6
2023 7.5 593.6 12.3 3.4 16.7 0.9
2022 7.4 18.6 20.6 765.1 22.6 31.1
2021 18.1 34.3 71.4
Benefits
2
2025 11.8 (87.9) (39.3) 100.0 (35.3) (100.0)
2024 6.0 (25.9) 75.5 (100.0) 205.9 755.2
2023 8.6 61.3 100.0 100.0 (39.8) 32.9
2022 3.3 239.0 (100.0) 2,572.6 (94.6)
2021 5.6 62.9 (58.5)
Bonus 2025 10.0
2024 77.7
2023 (28.7)
2022 9.5
2021
1 The change in the salary for average employees is higher in 2022, 2023,
2024 and 2025 than the average salary increase of the workforce referred
to in the Committee Chair’s annual statements in prior years due to salary
increases in respect of promotions and role changes being taken into
account. Additionally, the consolidation of car allowance into base salaries
contributed to the salary increases in 2024.
2 See the Benefits note on page 91 for further details on the benefits for
Directors.
3 Mark FitzPatrick was appointed to the Board on 1 October 2023 and as
Chief Executive Officer on 1 December 2023 and Caroline Waddington
was appointed to the Board and as Chief Financial Officer on 16 September
2024.
4 The fees for Non-executive Directors for 2022 were split into a base fee and
a separate committee membership fee. The total for these two elements
resulted in an increase of 1.6% for 2022.
5 The Directors in office at the time each agreed to a 20% reduction of base
salaries/fees for May, June and July 2020. The reduction is reflected in the
changes for 2021.
6 Paul Manduca and John Hitchins were appointed in 2021. Dominic Burke
was appointed in 2022. Simon Fraser was appointed in 2024. Rooney
Anand, Helen Beck and Penny James were appointed in 2025. John Hitchins
was appointed to the boards of St. James’s Place UK plc during 2022 and
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc in 2024. Rooney Anand was
appointed to the board of St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc in
2025. Simon Fraser was appointed to the board of St. James’s Place Unit
Trust Group Limited in 2025. Emma Griffin stepped down as Chair to, and
a director of, the board of St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited in 2023
and 2025 respectively. Dominic Burke stepped down from the Board on
31 January 2024. Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash stepped down from
the Board on 13 May 2025. Rosemary Hilary stepped down from the Board
on 31 December 2025.
7 The significant increase in (a) John Hitchins’ fee in 2022 was due to him
having not served a full year in 2021; and (b) Dominic Burke’s fee in 2023
was due to him having not served a full year in 2022. The significant
decrease in Dominic Burke’s fee in 2024 was due to him not serving
a full year in 2024, this further reduced to nil in 2025.
8 The increase in Emma Griffin’s and John Hitchins’ fees in 2024 takes account
of them serving as Chairs of the Group Remuneration Committee and Group
Audit Committee respectively and as members of the Group Nomination
and Governance Committee for a full year, having been appointed to the
roles part way through 2023. The increase in Lesley-Ann Nash’s fee in 2024
was in part due to her joining the Group Audit Committee during the year.
The increase to Simon Fraser's fee in 2025 was due to him is due to him
having not served a full year in 2024 and having been appointed as the
Senior Independent Director later in 2024. Fees for Directors serving on
Committees (including as Chair) and subsidiary boards were also higher
in 2024 than in 2023.
9 The decrease in Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash's fees in 2025 was
due to both not serving a full year in 2025.
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2.1.10 Relative importance of spend on pay (unaudited)
The following table sets out the percentage change in profit, dividends and overall spend on
pay in the year ending 31 December 2025, compared to the year ending 31 December 2024.
2025 2024
Percentage
change £’Million £’Million
Executive Directors’ remuneration
1
4.5 5.7 (21.4)%
IFRS profit after tax
2
531.4 398.4 33.4%
European Embedded Value (EEV) operating profit after
exceptional items before tax
2
1,829.8 1,045.0 75.1%
Dividends 95.2 98.1 (2.9)%
Share buy-back programme 218.1 125.5 73.8%
Employee remuneration costs 346.9 317.8 9.2%
1 Calculated on the same basis as the single total figure of remuneration on page 88 for Executive Directors in office
as at 31 December 2025.
2 IFRS profit after tax has been presented to enable comparison between different companies, as it is a measure
defined by International Financial Reporting Standards. EEV operating profit after exceptional items before tax is
an alternative performance measure (for further details see the glossary of alternative performance measures
on pages 208 to 210), which has been presented as it is the financial performance measure upon which bonuses
are based. Further information about these measures is set out in the financial review on pages 26 to 32.
2.1.11 CEO pay ratio (unaudited)
Year Methodology
25th
percentile
pay ratio
Median pay
ratio
75th
percentile
pay ratio
2025 Option C 60:1 39:1 22:1
2024 Option C 73:1 53:1 36:1
2023 Option C 19:1 13:1 7:1
2022 Option C 75:1 54:1 30:1
2021 Option C 93:1 60:1 33:1
2021 Option A 87:1 56:1 31:1
2020 Option A 25:1 16:1 10:1
2019 Option A 45:1 28:1 17:1
CEO pay
25th
percentile
pay
50th
percentile
pay
75th
percentile
pay
£ £ £ £
Salary 895,804 34,547 49,506 76,517
Total pay 2,713,640 45,467 69,097 121,339
For 2025, we have continued to calculate the CEO pay ratio using Option C, as it allows us to
use our existing gender pay gap information supplemented with other pay data from our Group
companies. To calculate the ratio in accordance with the regulations we ranked all our UK
employees by their annualised full-time equivalent salary as at 31 December 2025. From this we
identified three employees at the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles. We then calculated the total
remuneration figure for each of the three employees throughout 2025, in line with the same
reporting regulations that apply to our Executive Directors, which is then used to calculate the
ratio to the CEO’s remuneration. We believe the three identified employees are representative
of the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles.
In comparison to three employees identified at the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles, a larger
proportion of the CEO’s total remuneration was delivered through variable pay schemes.
In 2025, the CEO’s annual bonus outcome was strong, in line with his and the Company’s
performance. However, the pay ratios have reduced in 2025 as a result of the CEO not having
a Buyout award or LTIP vesting value included in the total pay amount for the year. Not
withstanding this, the median pay ratio is consistent with our pay, reward and progression
policies for employees which relate pay levels to performance and market benchmarks.
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2.2 Remuneration Committee (unaudited)
2.2.1 Role, activities and performance of the Committee
The Committee’s purpose is to determine, and oversee the implementation of the Company’s
remuneration framework, including Director’s Remuneration Policy (the Policy), ensuring
alignment with strategy and the long-term sustainable success of the business. It also ensures
the appropriateness of remuneration arrangements for Material Risk Takers (identified in
accordance with relevant PRA and FCA requirements), monitoring compliance with the Group’s
remuneration policies, as they apply to that population. The Committee also assesses wider
workforce remuneration and related policies, ensuring alignment of incentives and rewards
with culture and risk appetite. When determining the appropriateness of remuneration, the
Committee pays particular attention to wider workforce pay (including through Director pay
ratios, pay gap reporting, relative importance of spend and levels of salary increase), market
practice and overall competitiveness of packages compared with peers. Members of the
Committee maintain independent judgement and use discretion where appropriate when
authorising remuneration outcomes, taking into account the performance of the Company
and individuals.
During the latter part of 2025, the Committee considered a reconciliation of its activities during
the year against its terms of reference, which can be found at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
The Committee met its responsibilities and acted in accordance with these terms of reference
throughout the year. The Committee’s key areas of activity are outlined in the table below.
Topic Summary of activity in 2025 Find out more
2025 Policy
implementation,
review and
shareholder
engagement
The Committee oversaw implementation of the 2025
Policy throughout the year, which operated as intended to
reflect Company performance and appropriate quantum
outcomes. In line with shareholder expectations, the
Committee undertook a thorough review of the 2025 Policy
to ensure it remains appropriate. The strategic rationale
for the proposed Policy, remuneration structures and
performance metrics can be found on pages 108 to 110
and 115 of this report. The Company’s top 20 shareholders
were consulted in respect of proposed revisions to the
Policy and elements to be retained. Engagement has
been positive and the Policy included at pages 111 to 120
is proposed for shareholder approval at the Company’s
2026 Annual General Meeting.
pages
90 to 95
and 108
to 120
Annual bonus
objectives and
new awards
The Committee considered and set the strategic
and individual performance objectives for 2026
and agreed the bonus outcomes from 2025.
pages
93 to 94
and 105
to 106
Topic Summary of activity in 2025 Find out more
LTIP performance
metrics, awards
and vesting
The Committee determined the grants and performance
conditions for LTIP awards to be made to Executive
Directors, senior management and Material Risk Takers.
page
106
Malus and
clawback
The Committee also considered whether there were any
circumstances which warranted the application of malus
or clawback provisions, or the exercise of discretion
permitted under plan rules. No malus and clawback
was instigated in the year.
Assessing risk
The Committee monitored alignment of the Group’s
remuneration policies with risk appetite and regulatory
requirements. The Group Chief Risk Officer provided the
Committee with risk opinions in the year to enable it to
ensure remuneration outcomes for 2025 were in line with
risk appetite. No risk adjustment was deemed necessary
in respect of 2025.
Financial
services sector
and regulation
The Group’s remuneration policies and practices are
designed to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable
regulatory requirements. During the year, the Committee
monitored adherence to these requirements and provided
oversight in respect of the methodology applied for
those in scope of its remit (including Material Risk Takers).
Regular regulatory and market development updates
were provided to the Committee in the year. In addition, it
monitored existing and emerging market trends, including
specific trends in the financial services sector, as well as
developments in shareholder expectations.
Remuneration
advisers
As outlined in the Committee Chair’s annual statement, on
page 85, a competitive tender process (led by the interim
Committee Chair, Simon Fraser) was undertaken in respect
of the Committee’s remuneration adviser. The tender
resulted in the appointment of Deloitte in November 2025
in place of Alvarez & Marsal. There are no circumstances
impacting Deloitte’s independence in respect of this
appointment.
page
85
Governance and
other matters
The Committee reviewed the Group’s Gender and Ethnicity
Pay Gap report, its own terms of reference (and agenda
coverage in the year) and the Chair’s fee.
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2.2.2 Committee membership and attendance in 2025
This is set out on pages 64 and 84. No Director was present when their own remuneration was
considered or agreed.
2.2.3 Advisers to the Committee
The Committee carried out a formal tender process in 2025 and appointed Deloitte as advisers
to the Committee in November 2025. Deloitte are signatories to the Remuneration Consultants
Code of Conduct, which requires their advice to be impartial, and they have confirmed their
compliance with the Code to the Committee. Since their appointment, Deloitte have provided
advice in relation to general remuneration matters, developments in the market and on
proposed changes to the Policy, as outlined on page 85 of the Committee Chair’s annual
statement. No conflicts of interest exist as a result of other services provided to the Company
and the Committee is satisfied that Deloitte have no connection with the Company or
individual Directors which might compromise their independence or objectivity. Prior to the
appointment of Deloitte, Alvarez & Marsal were the Committee's remuneration advisers during
the year. During this period, no conflicts of interest existed as a result of other services provided
to the Company and the Committee was satisfied that Alvarez & Marsal had no connection with
the Company or individual Directors which could have compromised their independence or
objectivity.
The total fees paid to Alvarez & Marsal for advice provided to the Committee during the year
(prior to the appointment of Deloitte) were £128,149.20. The total fees paid to Deloitte for advice
provided to the Committee during the year, since their appointment in November, were
£30,300.00. Fees are charged on a ‘time spent’ basis.
2.2.4 Voting at annual general meetings
The votes cast at the 2025 Annual General Meeting in respect of the resolution on the Directors’
Remuneration report is summarised below.
2025 Directors
Remuneration
report vote
Percentage
of votes
cast
2025 Directors
Remuneration
Policy vote
Percentage
of votes
cast
Votes for 422,150,695 99.27% 400,952,294 93.92%
Votes against 3,106,396 0.73% 25,936,462 6.08%
Total votes cast 425,257,091 426,888,756
Total votes withheld 3,412,686 1,779,591
2.3 Implementation of the Remuneration Policy in 2026 (unaudited)
2.3.1 2026 salaries
The base salaries of the Executive Directors were reviewed in 2025. The salaries as at 1 March
2025 and from 1 March 2026 are as shown below. These percentage increases are at the
average increase levels for other employees of the Company.
Executive Director
Salary from
March 2025
Salary from
March 2026
Percentage
increase £ £
Mark FitzPatrick 900,528 932,000 3.5%
Caroline Waddington 625,000 646,900 3.5%
2.3.2 Annual bonus for 2026
60% of the annual bonus will be determined by a scorecard of financial performance metrics
and 40% by strategic objectives. As detailed in the Committee Chair’s annual statement,
personal objectives will be removed from the non-financial metrics to reduce complexity and
provide transparency of reporting. Malus and clawback provisions apply to both the cash and
deferred elements of the bonus. The maximum bonus opportunities are 250% and 185% of base
salary for the CEO and CFO, respectively.
Financial metrics
The scorecard of financial performance metrics is intended to:
provide a rounded and balanced view of financial performance;
include targets that management can directly influence;
include a target relating to future growth; and
recognise current year profitability.
Metrics
Weighting (% of
maximum –
total 60%) Alignment with strategy
Underlying
cash result
12% Recognises annual cash profitability, which is an important
driver of dividends and future investment in the business.
Net inflows 24% Reflects both new business and client retention, and is
a driver of sustained profit growth.
Annual growth in
controllable expenses
12% Keeping cost growth below the rate of growth in revenues
is a key determinant of profit growth.
Cost and efficiency
programmes savings
12% This is to ensure that the savings under the programme
are delivered.
Annual bonus performance targets for the 2026 metrics set out here will be disclosed in the
Directors’ Remuneration report for 2026, as disclosing them in the report for 2025 could have
commercial disadvantages for the Company.
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Strategic objectives
For 2026, the Committee has set the Executive Directors’ strategic objectives which will
determine 40% of the annual bonus outcome. The strategic objectives align to the refreshed
strategic outcomes and KPIs underpinning our annual business plan. Each outcome is equally
weighted and is made up of objectives which will be scored against a set of defined stretching
KPI metrics to determine the outcome.
Whilst personal objectives are removed from the non-financial element of the annual bonus
performance objectives, personal objectives will still be set for both the CEO and CFO and,
based on performance, the Committee will have the discretion to adjust the strategic objective
outcomes. The individual performance objectives include a range of objectives which are
designed to support the achievement of certain strategic outcomes.
In order to strengthen the alignment to a strong risk and control culture, for 2026 a risk and
controls assessment, acting as an underpin to the non-financial element, is being introduced.
Executive Directors will only be able to achieve the full strategic objective outcome if risk and
controls are delivered at or above the expected target thresholds.
Strategic outcomes (scorecard weighting – % of base salary – total 40%)
Brilliant basics
Transformation delivery
Differentiated client proposition
Client satisfaction
Leading adviser offering
Adviser advocacy
Performance focused organisation
Culture index
2.3.3 Performance Share Plan awards for 2026
In 2026, subject to approval of the 2026 Directors’ Remuneration Policy at the 2026 AGM, the CEO
will receive a PSP award of 300% of salary (2025: 250%). The CFO will receive a PSP award of 225%
of salary (2025: 200%). These awards will be granted in May 2026, shortly after the 2026 Directors’
Remuneration Policy has been voted on at the 2026 AGM. In order to ensure there is no
unintended windfall for the Executive Directors, the share price which will be used to calculate
the number of shares granted for these awards will be the same as that used for the PSP
awards which are due to be granted in March for the other participants of this plan. The PSP
awards are subject to a relative TSR performance condition for one-third of the award;
annualised growth in EPS using Underlying cash result for one-third. As outlined in the
Committee Chair’s annual statement, the Company has decided that EEV is to be replaced
as a financial performance metric in the PSP awards by a net inflows metric for one-third of
the award. Stretching targets for these metrics are as follows:
Performance level hurdle
TSR relative to
FTSE 51 to 150
1
Annualised growth in EPS
using Underlying cash result
2
Net Inflows per FUM
3
Performance
required
Percentage
of one-third
of award
vesting
Performance
required
Percentage
of one-third
of award
vesting
Performance
required
Percentage
of one-third
of award
vesting
Below threshold Below
median
0% below 5% 0% below 4% 0%
Threshold Median 25% 5% 25% 4% 25%
Stretch or above Upper
quartile
or above
100% 12% and
above
100% 9% and
above
100%
1 FTSE 51 to 150, excluding investment trusts and companies in the FTSE oil, gas and mining sectors.
2 One-third of the award is based on annualised growth in EPS using Underlying cash result.
3 One-third of the award is based the total net inflows between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2028 as
a percentage of the FUM as at 31 December 2025.
4 Straight-line vesting occurs between threshold and maximum vesting.
5 Awards are subject to a three-year performance period. Vested shares cannot normally be sold for a further
two years other than to the extent necessary to settle tax on vesting or exercise.
6 Malus and clawback provisions apply.
2.3.4 Shareholding requirement
The CEO is required to build and maintain a shareholding equivalent to 300% of salary in the
Company’s shares. For the other Executive Directors, the shareholding requirement is 200%
of salary.
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Annual report on remuneration continued
2.3.5 Duration of contracts
The details of existing Executive Directors’ service contracts are summarised in the table below:
Executive Director
Date of service
agreement
Notice period from
Company
Notice period from
Executive Director
Mark FitzPatrick 1 October 2023 12 months 12 months
Caroline Waddington 16 September 2024 12 months 12 months
Executive Directors’ service contracts do not have fixed end dates. The Board of the Company
is proposing that each of the Executive Directors be elected or re-elected at the Company’s
forthcoming AGM.
2.3.6 Fees for the Board Chair and Non‑executive Directors for 2026
The fees for the Board Chair and Non-executive Directors for 2025 and 2026 are as set out
to the right. SJP aims to provide competitive recognition and reward for all employees that
reflects the nature of individual roles and enables us to attract and retain the best talent.
Similarly, providing adequate compensation to all Board members is essential if the Board
is to be able to recruit and retain high-calibre Directors and maintain effective succession
plans for all Board roles. The fees paid to Non-executive Directors are set in line with individual
responsibilities, which the Board believes will ensure that the fees paid better reflect their
differing responsibilities and time commitments and will also recognise the impact on specific
Committees and roles of increased complexity, workload, regulatory responsibilities and the
size of the Group.
As set out in the Committee Chair’s annual statement, an uplift to the Chair’s fee was agreed
for 2026. The Board (excluding Non-executive Directors) reviewed the Non-executive Director fee
rates and concluded that a modest increase of 2.5% should be applied to the base fee, which
is less than the average increase of 3.5% for employees effective in 2026. Limited changes have
also been made to other Non-executive Director fees.
Fees from
1 January to
31 December
2025
Fees from
1 January to
31 December
2026
Percentage
increase
from 2025£ £
Board Chair 413,000 475,000 15.0%
Base fee 79,000 81,000 2.5%
Committee Chair
(excluding Nomination and Governance Committee) 31,000 31,800 2.5%
Audit, Risk and Remuneration Committee member
(per Committee membership) 14,500 16,500 13.8%
Nomination and Governance Committee member 7,500 9,000 16.6%
Senior Independent Director 16,000 19,000 18.8%
Designated Non-executive Director for Workforce
Engagement 15,000 15,400 2.5%
This Remuneration Report was approved by the Board of Directors and signed on its behalf by:
Helen Beck
Chair of the Group Remuneration Committee
24 February 2026
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Section 3 – 2026 Directors
Remuneration Policy
Overview of the Policy
Our Remuneration Policy for shareholder approval is set out on pages 111 to 120.
As indicated in the 2025 Directors’ Remuneration Policy, during the year, the Committee
carried out a further comprehensive review of both our Group-wide remuneration strategy and
Directors’ Remuneration Policy (Policy). The review focused on ensuring continued alignment
with SJP’s corporate strategy and culture, both now and as we move into the ‘Amplify’ phase
of our strategic plan. For the Policy, we conducted a thorough assessment of each component
to provide a holistic view of its ongoing appropriateness. Additionally, we carried out a robust
market practice review, which included analysis of companies within the scope of our
employee-wide compensation dataset, and developed a refined benchmarking group which
considered both Executive Directors’ remuneration quantum and structures, and reflected pay
practices in other UK-listed financial services firms, our key market for executive talent. Having
received strong support for our 2025 Remuneration Policy, our overarching principle in this
review has been to retain as many of the key features of the current Policy as possible, whilst
proposing a small number of changes taking into account the factors detailed below and in
the Committee Chair’s annual statement. Pages 111 to 120 of the Directors’ Remuneration report
set out the new Policy, which is expected to apply for three years, and will be submitted for a
shareholder vote at the 2026 AGM. The Policy can be found at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
Objectives of the Policy
The proposed new Policy is designed to meet the following objectives:
To support the retention of Executive Directors with the experience and skills to deliver both
(i) the ‘Strengthen’ phase and as we move into our ‘Amplify’ phase of our strategic plan
(see page 15 for more details) and (ii) drive the performance of the Company.
To provide variable pay for Executive Directors which is commensurate with the size and
scale of the organisation, as well as reflective of their role and responsibilities.
To ensure remuneration is transparent and reflects the performance of the Group in the
relevant year and the longer term. Annual bonus and long-term incentive opportunities
are therefore linked to the achievement of demanding performance targets.
To align pay with the strategic objectives and culture of the Company, with the interests
and expectations of our shareholders, and wider stakeholders, whilst giving due regard
to principles of best practice and relevant regulations.
Considerations when setting the Policy
The Committee’s purpose is to oversee the implementation of the Company’s remuneration
framework (including the Policy) and monitor wider workforce remuneration and related
scheme and policies. The Committee, on behalf of the Board, draws up and recommends the
Policy and determines the remuneration packages of the Executive Directors of the Company
and the Chair of the Board. In addition, the Committee determines the remuneration of the
senior management team (including the Chief Risk Officer) and any other employees classified
as Material Risk Takers or Identified Staff under relevant financial services regulations. The
Committee also oversees the remuneration policy and practice for the wider employee
population, including the operation of any share plans.
In setting the Policy for the Executive Directors, the Committee also takes into consideration a
number of factors:
The Committee applies the principles set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code and
has regard for best practice guidance issued by the major UK institutional investor bodies,
the PRA and FCA (including the provisions of any applicable remuneration codes) and other
relevant organisations.
The Committee has overall responsibility for the remuneration policies and structures for
employees of the Group as a whole and it reviews remuneration policy on a firm-wide basis.
When the Committee determines and reviews the Policy, it considers and compares it
against the pay, policy and employment conditions of the Group to ensure that there is
appropriate alignment.
The Committee values the contribution provided by shareholders, and other stakeholders, in
helping to develop the Policy, and regularly consults with the Company’s major shareholders
to ensure their views are considered when setting the Policy. See more information in the
engagement with shareholders section on page 109.
The Committee considers the external market in which the Group operates and uses
comparator remuneration data from time to time to inform its decisions. However, the
Committee recognises that such data should be used as a guide only. See more information
in the market positioning section on page 109.
The Committee’s view, having had due regard to the factors above, is that a substantial
proportion of total remuneration should be in the form of variable pay. This is achieved by
setting base pay and benefits around mid-market levels, with annual bonus and long-term
incentive opportunities linked to the achievement of demanding performance targets. The
Policy ensures alignment of the total remuneration paid to the Executive Directors with the
interests of shareholders and wider stakeholders.
Executive Directors are not involved in the determination of their personal remuneration.
Committee members are not permitted to vote on the implementation of the Non-executive
Director elements of the Policy that apply to them, in line with the procedures established by
the Board for the management of conflicts of interest (see page 65).
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Overview of the Policy continued
For a summary of the proposed changes to the Policy, please refer to the at a glance section on
page 89.
Engagement with shareholders
The Committee engaged with, and sought the views of, its major investors and investor
representative bodies when developing the Policy. The Committee has consulted with the
Company’s top 20 shareholders (by holding percentage), proxy advisers and the Investment
Association, and are pleased that those who entered into dialogue were predominately
supportive. Key themes arising from this engagement have been:
When would the Committee use Restricted Shares - We clarified that our intention is not to
award Restricted Shares during the lifetime of this Policy, but have opted to retain the feature
for flexibility.
Tranche vesting – We received questions on the move to tranche vesting for the annual
bonus, which we substantiated with market data for peer businesses.
Move away from the use of EEV EPS as a metric - Some shareholders queried the move
away from EEV as a metric in the LTIP. We clarified this reflects our approach to broader
corporate reporting and is not a pay-specific point.
Targets to reflect increased quantum - Some shareholders advised that given the increase
in maximum opportunity for the Executive Directors, performance targets on the annual
bonus and LTIP should be appropriately stretching. This feedback has been taken into
account in calibrating targets for 2026 awards.
Market positioning
In determining the preferred approach to the 2026 Remuneration Policy, the Committee
also reflected on the current market positioning of the Executive Directors. It considered the
compensation approach in a select group of financial services companies, as well as across
the FTSE 31-100 more broadly. Recognising that the FTSE 31-100 includes a number of more
international businesses, it excluded from the market analysis those businesses who have
more geographically diverse revenue profiles.
The Committee reviewed the pay approach in the following select financial services peers to
guide our pay approach: Aberdeen Group, Admiral Group, Aviva, Beazley, Hiscox, Intermediate
Capital Group, Legal & General Group, M&G, Phoenix Group Holdings and Schroders. These
peers were chosen as businesses operating in similar markets to SJP, as well as reflecting the
businesses that we broadly compete with for talent. These financial services businesses were
ranked in the 31-105 in the FTSE, with SJP being positioned at around the median of this group
in terms of 12-month market capitalisation.
Below we set out the high-level outcomes from the market analysis completed. As shown,
the proposed increases in variable pay would move total compensation from below lower
quartile to broadly median of the financial services peer group for on-target and maximum
performance. The proposed pay levels would also be appropriate in the context of the
broader FTSE 31-100 market.
We also reflected on the relative performance of peer businesses as part of the market review.
Against these peer businesses, SJP delivered a market return at the top of the peer group,
further substantiating the Committee’s preference to offer remuneration opportunity to
our Executive Directors that is in line with the wider market.
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Overview of the Policy continued
Chief Executive Officer
£’000
Target
Aberdeen
Admiral Group
5,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
1,000
0
SJP
Beazley
ICG
Schroders
Hiscox
M&G
Aviva
L&G
Phoenix Group
SJP - proposed
Aberdeen
Admiral Group
10,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
2,000
0
SJP
Beazley
ICG
Hiscox
Aviva
L&G
Phoenix Group
SJP - proposed
M&G
Schroders
Maximum
SJP – current
SJP – proposed
FTSE 31-100 LQ
1
FTSE 31-100 Median
1
Chief Financial Officer
£’000
Target
Aberdeen
Admiral Group
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
SJP
Beazley
ICG
Schroders
SJP - proposed
Hiscox
M&G
Aviva
L&G
Phoenix Group
Aberdeen
Admiral Group
5,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
1,000
0
SJP
Beazley
ICG
Schroders
Hiscox
M&G
Aviva
L&G
Phoenix Group
SJP - proposed
Maximum
SJP – current
SJP – proposed
FTSE 31-100 LQ
1
FTSE 31-100 Median
1
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Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors
The following table summarises each element of the Policy, explaining how each element operates and links to corporate strategy.
Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Base salary
To provide the core reward for the
role.
Sufficient level to recruit and retain
individuals of the necessary
calibre, taking into account the
required skills, experience,
demands and complexity of the
role.
Normally reviewed annually from 1 March, taking into account: role, experience and performance
of the individual; Company performance; external economic conditions; average changes in
broader workforce salary; and periodic benchmarking for each role against similar UK-listed
companies.
Percentage increases will normally be at, or below, the level of percentage increases for the
Company’s wider employee population. Increases may be higher in exceptional circumstances,
such as a change in role, a significant change in responsibility or role size and/or where salary is
substantially out of line with market norms.
Where new appointees have been given a starting salary below mid-market level, percentage
increases above those granted to the wider workforce may be awarded, subject to individual
performance and development in the role.
Whilst there are no performance targets
attached to the payment of base salary,
performance is considered as context
in the annual salary review.
Changes from previous Policy: No change from the previous approach.
Pension
Helps recruit and retain Executive
Directors.
Provides a discrete element of the
package to contribute to
retirement income.
Provides defined contributions to a pension scheme and/or an equivalent cash amount via
non-pensionable allowance.
The pension allowances for Executive Directors are aligned to those of the wider workforce,
which is currently an employer contribution of 10% of salary on joining, which increases with
service up to a maximum of 15%. The definition of wider workforce will be as determined by
the Remuneration Committee.
In response to changes in legislation or similar developments, the Company may amend the
form of an Executive Director’s pension arrangements.
N/A
Changes from previous Policy: No change from the previous approach.
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Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Other benefits
Operate competitive benefits to
help recruit, retain and support the
wellbeing of employees.
Including but not limited to:
private medical insurance
life cover
critical illness
death-in-service cover
relocation assistance, such as accommodation allowance, where necessary
use of a driver for business purposes.
Executive Directors are eligible to participate in any all-employee share plan (e.g. SIP and SAYE)
operated by the Company, on the same terms as other eligible employees. The maximum level
of participation is determined in accordance with the rules of the relevant plan.
Any reasonable business expenses (including tax thereon) may be reimbursed.
N/A
Changes from previous Policy: No change from the previous approach.
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Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Annual bonus
Rewards the achievement of
annual financial and strategic
business plan targets and delivery
of key non-financial objectives.
Deferred element aids retention,
encourages long-term
shareholding, discourages
excessive risk-taking and aligns
with shareholders’, and other
key stakeholders’ interests.
Performance metrics reflect
the key performance drivers
of the annual business plan,
achievement of which will
indicate performance in line
with the Group’s strategy.
Maximum opportunity for the CEO is 250% of base salary and 200% of base salary for the CFO.
Performance below threshold results in zero payment. Payments are on a scale from 20% to 100%
of the maximum opportunity, for performance between threshold and maximum.
Normally, 50% of any bonus payable is paid in cash. The remaining 50% will usually be deferred
into SJP shares and will usually vest in annual equal tranches over three years, subject to
remaining in service but no further performance conditions.
Once the Committee has determined that an Executive Director has met their Director’s
minimum shareholding requirement, the Committee is able to set a lower bonus deferral
percentage. This lower deferral percentage, of no less than 25%, will ensure that the Committee
has sufficient ability to apply malus and clawback provisions, and regulatory deferral
requirements applying to total variable pay are met. For further information on the Company’s
malus and clawback policy, see further detail below.
Dividend equivalents will usually be paid in additional shares or cash when the deferred awards
vest.
All bonus payments are at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee has the discretion
to override formulaic bonus outcomes, where necessary, under both financial and non-financial
performance metrics, to take account of overall performance. The Committee also has the
discretion to grant and/or settle an award in cash in exceptional circumstances.
The Company’s malus and clawback policy applies as summarised below.
Performance is normally measured over
one year.
At least 60% of the bonus is based on
financial measures, reflecting the key
priorities of the business for the relevant
year.
Up to 40% of the annual bonus can be
based on the achievement of key
non-financial objectives. Performance
will be based on a strategic scorecard,
which may include (but not limited to):
strategic objectives; and/or
people objectives: and/or
customer metrics; and/or
risk, conduct and compliance
measures; and/or
personal/individual objectives.
Actual measures and weightings may
change from year to year to reflect the
business priorities at that time.
Details of performance criteria and
targets set for the year under review and
performance against them are provided
in the annual report on remuneration.
Changes from previous Policy: Increase in the maximum opportunity for the CEO from 200% to 250% of base salary and introduce tranche vesting across the three-year deferral period.
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Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Long-term
incentives
Supports long-term retention.
Focuses the Executive Director
on longer-term corporate
performance and objectives.
Aligns interests to those of
shareholders.
Maximum annual award for the CEO is 300% of base salary and 250% of base salary for the CFO,
in Performance Shares.
Alternatively, in exceptional circumstances and subject to shareholder consultation, where
practical, up to 62.5% of base salary may be granted in Restricted Shares, with grants of
Performance Shares reducing to 175% of base salary for the CEO and 125% of base salary
for the CFO.
Performance Shares (and Restricted Shares if exceptionally granted) vest after three years
and are both subject to a two-year post-vesting holding requirement.
Dividend equivalents will usually accrue, in the form of additional shares or cash, on awards
made between the date of grant and the end of the two-year post-vesting holding period or,
if the award is in the form of nil-cost options, until the date of exercise. These dividend
equivalents will be released only to the extent that awards vest.
The Committee has the discretion to override formulaic vesting outcomes, where necessary,
to take account of overall performance. The Committee also has the discretion to grant and/or
settle an award in cash in exceptional circumstances.
The Company’s malus and clawback policy applies as summarised below.
Performance Shares: awards vest to the
extent of achievement of the
performance metrics. The Committee
maintains discretion to vary the metrics
and choose different measures and
weightings, if it deems appropriate, taking
into account the strategic objectives of
the Company. For each performance
metric a threshold and stretch level of
performance is set. At threshold, 25% of
the relevant element vests, rising on a
straight-line basis to 100% for stretch
performance.
Restricted Shares: The Committee
has the ability to cancel or scale back
vesting if there has been significant
underperformance over the vesting
period. The underpin assessment by the
Committee will be a rounded appraisal
of all aspects of performance including
financial and return performance such
as net inflows, profitability and TSR; client
acquisition, retention and satisfaction;
colleague engagement; risk management
and regulatory compliance; and
sustainability indicators.
Changes from previous Policy: Increase in the maximum opportunity for the CEO from 250% to 300% of base salary.
Minimum
shareholding
requirements
To ensure alignment of the
long-term interests of Executive
Directors and shareholders.
Executive Directors are required to build and maintain a minimum shareholding equivalent to
300% of base salary for the CEO and 200% of base salary for other Executive Directors, to be
achieved normally within five years of appointment. The operation of this guideline may be
varied in exceptional circumstances.
Until the threshold is reached, at least 50% of vested shares from the PSP and other share awards
(less tax liability) should normally be retained.
N/A
Changes from previous Policy: No change from the previous approach.
Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
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Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Post-cessation
shareholding
requirements
To ensure continued alignment of
the long-term interests of
Executive Directors and
shareholders post cessation.
Executive Directors are required to maintain a shareholding equivalent to the in-employment
shareholding requirement calculated on the last day of appointment as a Director of the
Company, and expressed as a number of shares (or the actual share and award holding on
departure from the Board, if lower) for two years post-cessation. The operation of this guideline
may be varied in exceptional circumstances.
There are appropriate arrangements in place to ensure enforceability.
N/A
Changes from previous Policy: No change from the previous approach.
Performance Measures and approach to target setting
The performance metrics and targets that are set for the Executive Directors’ annual bonus and
PSP awards are carefully selected to align with the Company’s strategic and key performance
indicators.
For the annual bonus, financial and strategic metrics are reviewed and selected by the
Committee annually. The measures selected and weighting between them may vary annually
depending on the key priorities of the business for the year ahead. Robust and demanding
targets will be set annually taking into account the economic environment, market expectations
and the Company’s budget and business plan for the year ahead. Currently a set of financial
metrics, such as Underlying cash result, net inflows, controllable expense growth, and cost and
efficiency savings, are used to assess financial performance as these measures reflect a
number of key performance drivers including new business, retention of funds under
management and cost control. The remaining bonus is determined based on strategic
measures set annually on a balanced scorecard basis.
The Committee will take into consideration prior Group and individual performance when
assessing the value of the LTIP grant level for Executive Directors. Forward looking performance
is measured against a long-term scorecard of financial metrics. Financial metrics have
included relative TSR measure and EPS growth targets for the PSP for a number of years in line
with the Group’s strategy of delivering profitable growth and superior returns to its shareholders.
The Committee has recently replaced EEV EPS metric with a net inflows metric and will continue
to review the choice of performance measures and the appropriateness of targets prior to
each PSP award being made and will set robust and stretching measures for any alternative
measures used.
For the financial measures that are considered, stretching targets will be set annually taking
into account the economic environment, market expectations and the Company’s budget and
business plan at that time. For the comparative TSR measure, the Committee may, from time to
time, review the appropriateness of the TSR comparator group.
No performance targets are set for the SAYE and SIP awards as these form part of all-employee
arrangements designed to encourage employees across the Group to purchase shares in the
Company.
Malus and clawback
Malus and clawback provisions may be operated at the discretion of the Remuneration
Committee in respect of any cash and deferred share elements of the bonus and LTIP awards
(including both any Performance Share or Restricted Share elements).
Under malus, unvested share awards (including any LTIP awards subject to a post-vesting
holding period) can be reduced (down to zero if considered appropriate) or be made subject to
additional conditions. Clawback allows for repayment of bonuses previously paid and/or shares
previously received following vesting (and/ or exercise).
Malus/clawback can be operated up to four years following the start of the relevant bonus year
for bonuses, and up to six years from the relevant date of grant for LTIP awards. These periods
may be extended if there is an ongoing investigation. They have been chosen to reflect the risk
profile of the business and set in the context of typical market practice around recovery
periods.
The Committee has the discretion to apply malus and/or clawback in the event of the following
circumstances: misconduct; misbehaviour or making a material error; failure to meet appropriate
standards of fitness and propriety; severe reputational damage to the Group or any Member
of the Group and for which the Participant bears significant responsibility (whether by act or
omission); financial misstatement, error or miscalculation in determining a performance
outcome or award; material failure of risk management; or failure of risk management or
regulatory non-compliance, for which the Participant bears significant responsibility, resulting
in failure to ensure Client interests are prioritised or protected.
Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
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Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
Committee discretion
The Committee will operate the annual bonus plan, DBP, LTIP and all-employee share plans
according to the rules of each respective plan and consistent with normal market practice
and the UK Listing Rules, where relevant. The Committee will retain flexibility in a number of
areas regarding the operation and administration of these plans, including (but not limited to)
the following:
who participates in the plans
when to make awards and payments
how to determine the size of an award, a payment, or when and how much of an award
should vest
Share awards granted may be granted or settled (in whole or in part) in cash, although the
Committee would only do so where the particular circumstances made it appropriate to do
so – for example, where there is a regulatory restriction on the delivery of shares or in respect
of the tax liability arising in respect of an award
how to deal with a change of control or restructuring of the Group
in the case of stated good leaver reasons or otherwise, whether a Director is a good/bad
leaver for incentive plan purposes and whether and what proportion of awards vest at the
time of leaving or at the original vesting date(s) as relevant
how and whether an award may be adjusted in certain circumstances (e.g. for a rights issue,
a corporate restructuring or for special dividends)
whether any adjustment to the LTIP vesting outcome is required, taking account of any
windfall gain due to share price variation at the time of grant or other relevant factors.
The Committee also has the discretion within the Policy to adjust targets and/or set different
measures and alter weightings for the annual bonus plan and the LTIP if events happen that
cause it to determine that the original targets or conditions are no longer appropriate, and
the amendment is required so that the targets or conditions achieve their original purpose.
The Committee has the discretion to adjust the application of the minimum shareholding
requirements, in role or post-cessation, to take account of exceptional circumstances.
The Committee has an overriding discretion, notwithstanding any performance conditions,
to adjust vesting outcomes where it considers the application of formulaic performance
conditions to be inappropriate.
In the event of any use of exceptional discretion to override formulaic outcomes, the Committee
will make full and clear disclosure of any such adjustments within the Annual Report on
Remuneration for the relevant financial year.
Awards made prior to the effective date
For the avoidance of doubt, in approving the Policy, authority was given to the Company to
honour any commitments entered into with current or former Directors that have been
disclosed to shareholders in previous remuneration reports. This includes all historic awards
that were granted under any current or previous share plans operated by the Company but
remain outstanding (detailed in the Annual Report on Remuneration) and which will remain
eligible to vest based on their award terms. Awards made under the Performance Share Plan
in earlier years will continue to be based on the achievement of the metrics previously set for
those awards.
Approach to remuneration for recruitment and promotions
The Committee aims to set a new Executive Director’s remuneration package in line with the
Policy in place at the time of appointment. The Committee will take into account, in arriving at
a total package and in considering the quantum for each element of the package, the skills
and experience of the candidate, the market rate for a candidate of that experience, and the
importance of securing the best candidate. For new appointments, base salary and total
remuneration may be set initially below normal market rates on the basis that it may be
increased once satisfactory development and performance in role has been demonstrated.
Annual bonus and long-term incentive maximum award sizes will comply with the maximum
opportunity set out in the Policy table (not including any arrangements to replace foregone
remuneration – see below). Participation in the annual bonus plan will normally be pro-rated
for the year of joining and different performance measures may be set from those applying
to the other Directors, if it is appropriate to do so to reflect the individual’s responsibilities and
the point in the year at which they joined the Board. An LTIP award of Performance Shares or
a Restricted Share award can be made shortly following an appointment (assuming the
Company is not in a closed period). Where it is essential for the purposes of recruitment, such
as where a new external recruit has not had any bonus deferral in their previous role, bonus
deferral may be phased in over a short period. The standard approach will be for deferral to
apply as stated in the Policy table.
The Committee may, to the extent permitted by the UK Listing Rules and other regulatory
requirements to which the Group is subject, make additional cash and/or share-based awards
as it deems appropriate and, if the circumstances so demand, to take account of foregone
remuneration by an executive on leaving a previous employer. Awards would, where possible,
reflect the nature of awards forfeited in terms of delivery mechanism (cash or shares), time
horizons, attributed expected value and performance conditions. Other payments may be
made in relation to relocation expenses and other incidental expenses as appropriate.
The Committee retains discretion to include other elements of remuneration which are not
included in the provisions of the Policy set out above should business needs require. This may
include where an interim appointment is made to undertake an Executive Director role on a
short-term basis; or if exceptional circumstances require that the Chair of the Board or a
Non-Executive Director takes on an executive function on a short-term basis.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
In the case of an internal appointment, any variable pay element awarded in respect of
the prior role would be allowed to pay out according to its terms and any other ongoing
remuneration obligations existing prior to appointment would continue.
For an overseas appointment, the Committee will have the discretion to offer benefits
and pension provisions which reflect local market practice and relevant legislation.
If appropriate and in exceptional circumstances the Committee may agree, on the recruitment
of a new Executive Director, a notice period of in excess of 12 months but reducing to 12 months
over a specified period.
Risk management
Risk is managed within the Policy through the Committee:
Taking into consideration the recommendations contained in any applicable Remuneration
Codes and associated guidance which apply to the Group.
Structuring the annual bonus plan to typically contain a mix of financial and strategic
performance metrics, where performance conditions are tailored to the business outlook
and strategy, including the management of risk within the business. The Committee also
retains the discretion to reduce the bonus and LTIP outturns where appropriate.
Assessing the performance metrics from a risk perspective, with input from the Group Risk
Committee and Chief Risk Officer.
Requiring deferral of 25% - 50% of annual bonus payments into the Company’s shares,
which are then deferred for up to three years.
Requiring Executive Directors to retain shares acquired on vesting of LTIP awards granted
for a post-vesting holding period of two years on the shares vesting. During this period the
vested shares cannot normally be sold other than to the extent necessary to settle tax on
vesting or exercise.
Ensuring that the majority of the incentive pay comes in the form of an LTIP subject to
stretching performance targets (and/or underpins) measured over multi-year performance
periods, with the performance period for subsequent awards overlapping the previous
award, together with an additional two-year holding period. This ensures that there is no
incentive to maximise performance over a particular period.
Incorporating withholding (malus) and recovery (clawback) provisions into the Company’s
bonus and long-term incentive plans.
Requiring Executive Directors to build and maintain a substantial shareholding in the
Company, and to retain a shareholding for two years post cessation.
Remuneration policy across the Group
The Policy is designed after having regard to the remuneration policy for employees across
the Group as a whole and the Committee aims, where appropriate, for there to be a consistent
approach applied. For instance, the suite of benefits in kind is generally consistent (other than
in relation to quantum) and all employees participate in annual bonus plans. All employees,
including Executive Directors, are offered the opportunity to participate in the Group’s
Sharesave Option Plan and Share Incentive Plan. Senior managers participate in the long-term
incentive plan.
In determining pay levels for the employees as a whole, the Group annually considers externally
provided benchmark levels for comparable jobs as well as individual development and
performance. The general level of increase resulting from this review informs the Committee’s
deliberations on appropriate pay levels for the Executive Directors, together with external data
specific to their roles which is used to ensure that the levels of remuneration are appropriate.
The Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors is more weighted towards variable pay than for
other employees to make a greater part of their pay conditional on the successful delivery of
the strategy, and in line with shareholder interests. In addition, a higher proportion of senior level
remuneration is deferred than is the case for the wider workforce.
The Committee Chair is also the Non-executive Director with responsibility for workforce
engagement and has conducted workforce engagement sessions with employees from a
cross-section of the business during the year. These sessions have enabled employees to be
consulted on a range of topics, which include, amongst other matters, the Directors
Remuneration Policy and the Company’s approach to remuneration. Employees have the
opportunity to comment on reward, amongst other workplace matters, through employee
forums and surveys and the views of employees are considered by the People Function.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
Remuneration scenarios for Executive Directors
The chart to the right shows how the proportion of each Executive Director’s remuneration
package varies at different levels of performance in accordance with the Policy to be
implemented in 2026 and using the assumptions set out below. A significant proportion
of remuneration is linked to performance, especially at stretch performance levels.
Assumptions
Threshold = fixed pay only (salary, benefits and pension).
Target = fixed pay plus payout of the annual bonus at midway between threshold and
maximum and 50% vesting of PSP awards.
Maximum = fixed pay plus 100% vesting of the annual bonus and PSP awards.
Maximum + 50% share price growth = maximum pay + the impact of an assumed 50% share
price growth on the PSP award.
Salaries used are those applying on 1 March 2026 and taxable benefits are those reported for
the year ending 31 December 2025.
Amounts have been rounded to the nearest £1,000. The assumptions noted for ‘on-target’ PSP
performance in the graph on the right are provided for illustration purposes only. Participation
in all employee plans, dividends payable on PSP awards over the vesting period or on deferred
share bonus awards are not included in the above scenarios.
CEO
100%
27%
17%
14%
36% 36%
38% 45%
31% 55%
£1,051,000
£3,847,000
£6,178,000
£7,576,000
Minimum
Target
Maximum
Maximum + 50%
share price growth
CFO
100%
34%
22%
18%
33% 33%
35% 43%
29% 53%
£729,000
£2,174,000
£3,381,000
£4,108,000
Minimum
Target
Maximum
Maximum + 50%
share price growth
Fixed pay
Annual bonus
LTIP
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors continued
Service contracts and loss of office
The Company’s policy is that service contracts may be terminated with 12 months’ notice from
either the Company or from the Executive Director (except in certain exceptional recruitment
situations where a longer notice period from the Company may be set provided it reduces to
a maximum of 12 months within a specified time limit). Service contracts do not contain a fixed
end date.
Under their service contracts the Executive Directors are entitled to salary, pension contributions
and benefits for their notice period (except on termination for events such as gross misconduct
where payment will be for sums earned up to the date of termination only with no notice period).
The Company would seek to ensure that any payment is mitigated by the use of phased
payments and offset against earnings elsewhere in the event that an Executive Director finds
alternative employment during their notice period. There are no contractual provisions in force
other than those set out above that impact any termination payment.
In summary the position on cessation of employment is as follows:
Provision Detailed Terms
Notice Period
12 months by either party
Termination payment
Base salary plus benefits (including pension). An express obligation
on the Executive Director to mitigate their loss. Payments can be made
on a monthly basis, and reduced or ceased if an Executive Director is
able to secure alternative employment.
In addition any statutory amounts would be paid as necessary.
Remuneration
entitlements
on cessation
of appointment
A pro rata bonus may also become payable for the period of
active service along with the vesting of outstanding share awards
(in certain circumstances as described on the right).
The Committee may pay the earned bonus in respect of the Executive
Director’s year of departure and/ or year of notice in cash where
appropriate.
Change of control
As on termination and with remuneration entitlements as
described above.
Executive Directors are also subject to the Company’s post-cessation shareholding policy.
When considering the size of any proposed termination payment, the Committee would take
into account a number of factors including the health, length of service and performance of
the relevant Executive Director, including the duty to mitigate their own loss, with a broad aim
to avoid rewarding poor performance while dealing fairly with cases where the departure is
due to other reasons, for example illness or redundancy.
Any unvested awards held under the PSP and RSP will lapse at cessation of employment, unless
the individual is leaving for certain reasons (defined under the plan rules such as death, injury,
ill-health, disability, their office or employment being either a company which ceases to be a
Group member or relating to a business or part of a business which is transferred to a person
who is not a Group member, or any other reason the Committee so decides). In these
circumstances, unvested awards will normally vest at the normal vesting date (unless the
Committee decides they should vest at cessation of appointment) subject to performance
conditions (and/or underpins) being met and normally subject to scaling back in respect of
actual service as a proportion of the total performance period (unless the Committee decides
that scaling back is inappropriate). The same approach applies on a change of control. Awards
are typically released at the end of the applicable holding period unless the Committee
decides to release the shares earlier.
Any unvested awards held under the Deferred Bonus Plan will lapse at cessation of employment
unless the individual is leaving for certain reasons (defined under the plan rules such as death,
injury, ill-health, disability, their office or employment being either a company which ceases to
be a Group member or relating to a business or part of a business which is transferred to a
person who is not a Group member, or any other reason the Committee so decides). In these
circumstances the Committee may determine whether unvested awards will vest at the normal
vesting date or at cessation of employment.
The Committee may agree to the payment of disbursements such as legal costs and
outplacement services if appropriate and depending on the circumstances of the leaving
Executive Director.
In appropriate circumstances, the Committee may agree that certain benefits (such as
medical insurance) may be continued for a reasonable period following termination of
employment.
The Committee may pay any legal entitlements or settle or compromise claims in connection
with a termination of employment, where considered in the best interests of the Company.
External appointments
Executive Directors are permitted to be appointed to an external board or committee so long as
this is unlikely to interfere with the business of the Group. Any fees received in respect of external
appointments are retained by the relevant Executive Director.
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Report of the Group Remuneration Committee continued
Remuneration policy for the Chair of the Board and Non‑executive Directors
Element Purpose and link to strategy Operation including maximum opportunity Performance metrics
Non-executive
Directors’ fees
To attract high-quality, experienced
Non-executive Directors.
The Chair of the Board is paid an all-inclusive annual fee which is reviewed periodically by
the Committee.
All Non-executive Directors receive a basic annual fee for carrying out their duties, together
with additional fees in respect of Board Committee chairship and, where appropriate,
membership and other responsibilities, with fee levels reviewed periodically by the Board.
They may also be paid additional fees in the event of exceptional levels of additional time
being required. Non-executive Directors who are also members of subsidiary boards of the
Company may receive fees in respect of their duties on the subsidiary boards. Fees may be
paid in cash or St. James’s Place plc shares, or a combination of both.
Any reasonable business expenses (including tax thereon if applicable) may be reimbursed.
There is no prescribed maximum individual fee level or annual increase. The policy is to take
account of market data for similar non-executive roles in other companies of a similar size,
complexity and/or business to SJP as well as the time commitment of chairs and Non-
executive Directors.
Neither the Chair nor the Non-executive
Directors are eligible for any
performance-related remuneration.
Changes from previous Policy: Introduction of the possibility of paying Non-executive Directors’ fees in shares.
For the appointment of a new Chair or Non-executive Director, the fee arrangement would be
set in accordance with the approved Policy at that time.
Non‑executive Directors’ letters of appointment
The Non-executive Directors (including the Chair of the Board) do not have service contracts
and do not participate in any of the Group’s pension or incentive arrangements. The Non-
executive Directors (excluding the Chair of the Board) do not have any benefits in kind
arrangements. The appointment of each Non-executive Director can be terminated by giving
three months’ notice (subject to annual re-appointment at the AGM). Any period of service
longer than six years is subject to particularly rigorous review by the Group Nomination and
Governance Committee of the Board. The Non-executive Directors’ letters of appointment do
not provide for any payment on termination except for accrued fees and expenses to the date
of termination.
The terms and conditions of Executive Directors’ service contracts and the letters of
appointment of the Non-executive Directors are available for inspection at the Company’s
registered office during normal business hours and at the AGM, the details of which can be
found in the Directors’ report in the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts.
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Directors report
The Directors present their report together with the audited consolidated financial statements
of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2025. The Company is registered as a public limited
company under the Companies Act 2006 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For details
of the Company’s subsidiaries and overseas branches, please see Note 26 on page 189.
This report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements,
in particular those outlined within The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts
and Reports) Regulations 2008; and, together with the strategic report, forms the management
report as required under the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Disclosure Guidance
and Transparency (DTRs) Rule DTR4.1.5 R(2). Certain information that fulfils the requirements
of the Directors’ report can be found elsewhere in this document and is referred to below.
This information is incorporated into the Directors’ report by reference.
Information disclosed in accordance with the requirements of the sections of the FCA’s UKLR6.6.1
R(Annual Financial Report) and DTR7 (Corporate Governance) that is applicable can be located
as follows:
Disclosure Location
Contracts of significance
Waiver of emoluments by a Director
Waiver of future emoluments by a Director
Employment of disabled persons
Major shareholders’ interests
Authority to purchase own shares
This Directors’ report
Board diversity targets Corporate governance report
Details of long-term incentive schemes Directors’ remuneration report
Statement of interest capitalised Financial statements Note 19 on page 170
Shareholder waivers of dividends Financial statements Note 23 on page 183
Shareholder waivers of future dividends Financial statements Note 23 on page 183
Directors’ interests (including their connected
persons) in the Company’s shares
Directors’ remuneration report
Internal controls Report of the Group Audit Committee
Climate-related financial disclosures
consistent with the Task Force on Climate-
related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Our Responsible Business section and
Climate report 2025 located on our corporate
website at sjp.co.uk/shareholders/esg-
reporting-hub/responsible-business
As permitted by legislation, some of the matters required to be included in the Directors’
report have instead been included elsewhere in this Annual Report and Accounts:
future business developments can be found throughout the Strategic Report
risk management (see pages 33 to 38 of the Strategic Report)
details of branches operated by the Company (see Note 26 on page 189)
the Group’s impact on the environment, including disclosures required regarding the Group’s
greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and energy efficiency action (see pages 41
to 46 of the Strategic Report)
Share capital
Company’s issued share capital
As at 31 December 2025, the Company’s issued and fully paid-up share capital was 527,112,135
ordinary shares of 15 pence each. All ordinary shares are quoted on the London Stock Exchange
and can be held in uncertificated form via CREST. All shares have equal rights to dividends and
to participate in a distribution on winding up. Details of the rights and obligations attaching to
the Company’s ordinary shares are included in the Company’s Articles of Association (Articles),
which are available on the Company’s website at sjp.co.uk. Holders of ordinary shares are
entitled to: receive the Company’s Reports and Accounts; attend, speak and exercise voting
rights; and appoint proxies to attend General Meetings. Details of the issued and fully paid-up
share capital as at 31 December 2025 and movement in the issued share capital during the
year are provided in Note 23 on page 183.
Voting rights
At any General Meeting, on a show of hands, each member who is present in person has one
vote and every proxy present who has been duly appointed by a member entitled to vote on
a resolution has one vote. On a poll, every member who is present in person or by proxy shall
have one vote for every share of which they are the holder.
Shares held by the Company’s Employee Share Trust and Share Incentive Plan Trust rank
pari passu with the shares in issue and have no special rights. Voting rights and rights of
acceptance of any offer relating to the shares held in the Employee Share Trust rests with the
trustees, who may take account of any recommendation from the Company. The trustees of the
Share Incentive Plan Trust may vote in respect of shares held in the Trust, but only as instructed
by participants in the Share Incentive Plan in respect of their Partnership, dividend and/or
matching shares. The trustees will not otherwise vote in respect of shares held in the Share
Incentive Plan Trust.
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Directors’ report continued
Restrictions on voting rights
If any shareholder has been sent a notice by the Company under section 793 of the Companies
Act 2006 and has failed to supply the relevant information within a period of 14 days, then the
shareholder may not (for so long as the default continues) be entitled to attend or vote either
personally or by proxy at a shareholders’ meeting, or to exercise any other right conferred by
membership in relation to shareholders’ meetings.
If those default shares represent at least 0.25% of their class, any dividend payable in respect
of the shares will be withheld by the Company and (subject to certain limited exceptions) no
transfer, other than an excepted transfer, of any shares held by the member in certificated
form will be registered.
Restrictions on share transfers
Restrictions on share transfers are set out in the Company’s Articles. Restrictions include
transfers made in favour of more than four joint holders and transfers held in certificated form.
Directors may decline to recognise a transfer unless it is in respect of only one class of share
and lodged and duly stamped by HMRC. The Directors may also refuse to register any transfer
of shares held in certificated form which are not fully paid. Directors may also choose to decline
requests for share transfers from a US Person (as defined under Regulation S of the United
States Securities Act 1933) that would cause the aggregate number of beneficial owners of
issued shares who are US Persons to exceed 70. The registration of transfers may be suspended
at such times and for such periods (not exceeding 30 days in any year) as the Directors may
from time to time determine in respect of any class of shares.
The Company is not aware of any agreements between shareholders that restrict the transfer
of shares or voting rights attached to the shares.
Authority to purchase own shares
At the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), shareholders granted authority for the Company
to purchase up to 54,387,019 of its own shares. Details of how the authority was exercised, and
the number of shares purchased, can be found under ‘Results and dividends’ in this Directors
report. The authority will expire at the 2026 AGM. A resolution to renew this authority will be
proposed in the 2026 AGM Notice of Meeting.
Authority to allot shares
In accordance with section 551 of the Companies Act 2006, the Board is authorised to allot
ordinary shares in the Company, with an aggregate nominal value of £27,193,509, which
equates to approximately 33% of the total issued ordinary share capital as at 10 March 2025.
The authority will expire at the 2026 AGM and a resolution to renew this authority will be
proposed in the 2026 AGM Notice of Meeting.
Substantial shareholders
Information provided to the Company by substantial shareholders pursuant to the FCA’s DTRs
is published via a Regulatory Information Service and is available on the Company’s website.
As at 31 December 2025 and the date of this report, the Company had been notified of the
following interests in accordance with Chapter 5 of the DTRs:
% of voting
rights as at
31 December
2025
BlackRock, Inc. 6.10%
BLS Capital 5.28%
Norges Bank 4.16%
Since 31 December 2025, the Company received a notification on 13 January 2026 that BLS
Capital reduced its shareholding to 4.89% of the Company’s issued share capital (ISC). BLS
Capital sent a further notification on the 29 January 2026 that it had reduced its shareholding
to 3.79% of the Company’s ISC. A further notification followed from BLS Capital on the 13 February
2026 that its shareholding had increased to 4.24% of the Company’s ISC. No other notifications
have been received between 31 December 2025 and 24 February 2026.
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Results and dividends
The financial review on pages 26 to 32 sets out the consolidated results for the year.
An interim dividend of 6.00 pence per share, which equates to £31.9 million, was paid on
19 September 2025 in respect of the year ended 31 December 2025 (2024: 6.00 pence per
share/£32.8 million). The Directors recommend that shareholders approve a final dividend of
12.00 pence per share, which equates to £63.3 million (2024: 12.00 pence per share/£64.4 million),
in respect of the year ended 31 December 2025, to be paid on 8 May 2026 to shareholders on
the register at close of business on 27 March 2026. Details of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan
(DRIP) are set out on page 201.
The Articles provide Directors authority to allot unissued shares up to pre-determined levels set
and approved by shareholders in general meetings. Under the authority granted by shareholders
at the 2024 AGM, and in line with the Company’s revised approach to shareholder distributions,
on 28 February 2025 the Company announced to the market that it was commencing a
share buy-back programme with respect to 2024 subject to a maximum consideration of
£92.6 million, in order to reduce the capital of the Company. The Company purchased 9,516,886
ordinary shares (representing 1.8% of called up share capital) on the London Stock Exchange
(LSE) in aggregate at a volume weighted average price of 973.0073p per ordinary share for
a total consideration of approximately £92.6 million. The Company cancelled all purchased
shares. The programme concluded on 19 May 2025.
The authority granted to the Directors for the purchase by the Company of its own shares
was re-approved by shareholders at the 2025 AGM. Under this authority, the Company carried
out an interim buy-back programme in respect of 2025. This commenced on 11 August 2025
and concluded on 7 October 2025, and the Company purchased 7,522,665 ordinary shares
(representing 1.4% of called up share capital) on the LSE in aggregate at a volume weighted
average price of 1269.3153p per ordinary share for a total consideration of £95.5 million.
The Company cancelled all purchased shares. The Directors will propose the renewal of
this authority at the 2026 AGM.
Under the authority granted by shareholders at the 2025 AGM, the Directors have resolved to
undertake a final share buy-back programme with respect to 2025, committing to purchase
shares up to a maximum value of £103.9 million. An additional share buy-back programme,
to return capital to shareholders following a release of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision,
will be undertaken, committing to purchase shares up to a maximum value of £18.7 million.
This share buy-back programme will commence in March 2026. Together, this will bring the
total share buy-back in respect to 2025 to a maximum value of £218.1 million.
Our people
Details of the Company and Board’s approach to employee engagement can be found in the
stakeholder engagement section of our Strategic Report on pages 20 to 22. This engagement,
including through insights provided by the designated workforce engagement Non-executive
Director, ensures that the Board is able to take account of the interests of employees in
its discussions and decision making. During 2025, this engagement and updates from
management on employee related matters have contributed to Board considerations
regarding embedding the Group’s new operating model, and have supported the Board
in the discharge of its culture oversight responsibility.
During the year, information about the Group’s performance and market trends impacting
the business was shared with employees through an all-employee intranet site and townhall
meetings. Employees were invited to participate in the Group’s Share Save and Share Incentive
Plans, advertised via the same all-employee intranet site.
Employment of disabled persons
We give full and fair consideration to applications for employment by disabled persons,
assessing their individual aptitudes and abilities. If an employee becomes disabled, we aim to
continue their employment and provide reasonable adjustments, tailored training and support
as appropriate. All disabled employees have equal access to training, career development,
and promotion opportunities; with support through accessible learning content and ongoing
feedback-driven improvements. Further details of the Company’s approach to Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion, and the Company’s approach to maintaining an appropriately skilled and
diverse workforce, including recruitment practices, can be found on pages 47 to 48 of this
Annual Report.
Fostering stakeholder relationships
Engagement with the Group’s key stakeholders, including clients, suppliers and others, is
outlined in the stakeholder engagement section of our Strategic Report on pages 20 to 22.
The Board’s engagement and how Directors have had regard for the need to foster business
relationships with relevant stakeholders can also be found in the section referred to above.
The Group’s primary point of direct engagement with stakeholders is through management,
where regular dialogue is facilitated. Management reporting on such engagement enables
the Board to maintain a clear view of business relationships with these stakeholders and has
provided important context in its deliberations and decision-making. Further details are set
out in the Company’s section 172(1) statement on page 22, with additional insights provided
in the Corporate Governance Report on page 60.
Directors’ report continued
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Significant contracts and change of control
The Company has a number of contractual arrangements which it considers essential to
the business of the Company. Specifically, these are committed loan facilities from a number
of banks, arrangements with fund managers and contracts with third-party providers of
administrative services.
A change of control of the Company may cause some agreements to which the Company is a
party to alter or terminate. These include bank facility agreements, securitisation arrangements
and employee share plans.
The Group had committed facilities totalling £471 million as at 20 February 2026 (the last
practical date to report) that contain clauses which require lender consent for any change
of control. In addition, the Group guarantees the obligations of loans made to Partners in
connection with facilities agreed with various lenders totalling £362 million in aggregate.
Should consent not be given, a change of control would trigger mandatory repayment of
the said facilities.
The Group also had committed securitisation facilities totalling £400 million which contain
clauses which require lender consent for any change of control. Should such consent not be
given, a change of control would trigger early amortisation of the facilities.
All the Company’s employee share plans contain provisions relating to a change of control.
Outstanding awards and options may vest and become exercisable on a change of control,
subject where appropriate to the satisfaction of any performance conditions at that time and
pro-rating of awards.
Payment practices and performance in respect to suppliers
The following information is provided under the Companies (Directors’ Report) (Payment
Reporting) Regulations 2025.
The payment period specified in the Company’s standard payment terms in its qualifying
contracts between it and its suppliers is 30 calendar days. The Company did not vary the standard
payment terms in its qualifying contracts between it and its suppliers in the financial year.
The average days taken to make payments in the reporting period was 17 days. The percentage
of payments made within 30 days was 91.6% (totalling £404.96m). The percentage of payments
made between 31 and 60 days was 7.0% (totalling £108.07m) and the percentage of payments
made on or after day 61 was 1.4% (totalling £16.57m). Regarding the payments which fell due
within the financial year 1 January to 31 December 2025, the total percentage of payments not
made within the payment period was 8.4%. The sum total of these payments was £124.64m.
Financial instruments
An indication of the Group’s use of financial instruments, and financial risk management
policies, can be found in Note 20 on pages 171 to 181.
Going concern
In conjunction with its assessment of longer-term viability as set out on page 38, the Board
concluded that it remained appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in
preparing the consolidated financial statements as it believes the Group will continue to be in
business, with neither the intention nor the necessity of liquidation, ceasing trading or seeking
protection from creditors pursuant to laws or regulations, for a period of at least 12 months from
the date of approval of the consolidated financial statements.
Board membership and appointments
Details of the Directors of the Company who were in office during the year and up to the date
of the signing of the financial statements can be found in the Corporate Governance report
on pages 55 to 58. During 2025, and up to the date of this report, the following changes in
Board membership occurred:
Emma Griffin and Lesley-Ann Nash resigned as Directors with effect from 13 May 2025
and Rosemary Hilary retired from the Board with effect from 31 December 2025.
Helen Beck and Penny James were appointed as Directors with effect from 1 July 2025.
Rules relating to the appointment and replacement of Directors are contained within the
Company’s Articles. A summary of the appointment process and rules relating to the election
and re-election of Directors at the Company’s AGM can be found on page 65 of the Corporate
Governance Report. The service agreements of current Executive Directors and the letters of
appointment of the Non-Executive Directors are available for inspection at the Company’s
registered office.
Directors’ indemnities
Details of the indemnity provisions in place for the Directors, including qualifying third-party
indemnity provisions, can be found on page 65.
Directors’ report continued
124
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Strategic report
Financial statements
Other information
Governance
Directors’ powers
The powers of the Directors are determined by the Companies Act 2006, the provisions of
the Articles and by any valid directions given by shareholders by way of special resolution.
Waiver of emoluments by a Director
During 2025, and up to the date of this Annual Report and Accounts, no Director has waived
emoluments, including future emoluments.
Directors’ remuneration and interests
A report on Directors’ Remuneration is presented within the Directors’ Remuneration Report on
pages 88 to 107. This includes details of the interests of the Directors, and any persons closely
associated with them, in the issued share capital of the Company.
Political and charitable donations
It is the Group’s policy not to make any donations to political parties within the definitions set
out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and sections 362 to 379 of the
Companies Act 2006. During the year no political donations were made. During the year we
have donated £3.6 million to the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, more details of which
can be found on page 40.
Annual General Meeting
The Company plans to hold its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 30 April 2026. Full details
of the meeting, including location, time and the resolutions to be put to shareholders at the
meeting, are included in a separate Notice of Annual General Meeting, which will be available
on our website at sjp.co.uk/shareholders/shareholder-information/shareholder-meetings.
Articles of Association
The Company’s Articles of Association were last adopted by special resolution on 13 May 2025.
Any amendments to the Articles may be made in accordance with the provisions of the
Companies Act 2006, by way of a special resolution at a general meeting of shareholders.
Important events since the financial year‑end
There have been no important events affecting the Group since 31 December 2025 to disclose.
Disclosure of information to auditors
Each of the Directors, at the date of approval of the financial statements, confirm that:
so far as each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the auditors
are unaware
each Director has taken all steps that he or she ought to have taken as a Director to make
himself or herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the
Company’s auditors are aware of such information.
This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of
section 418 of the Companies Act 2006.
On behalf of the Board:
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
24 February 2026
Directors’ report continued
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125
Strategic report
Financial statements
Other information
Governance
The Directors (as listed on pages 56 to 58 of this report) are responsible for preparing
the Annual Report and Accounts 2025 in accordance with applicable law and regulation.
Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year.
Under that law the Directors have prepared the Group financial statements in accordance with
UK-adopted international accounting standards and the Parent Company financial statements
in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom
Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101Reduced Disclosure Framework’, and applicable law).
Under company law, Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are
satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and Parent
Company and of the profit or loss of the Group for that period. In preparing the financial
statements, the Directors are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
state whether applicable UK-adopted international accounting standards have been
followed for the Group financial statements and United Kingdom Accounting Standards,
comprising FRS 101, have been followed for the Parent Company financial statements; subject
to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to
presume that the Group and Parent Company will continue in business.
The Directors are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and Parent Company
and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other
irregularities.
The Directors are also responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient
to show and explain the Group’s and Parent Company’s transactions and disclose with
reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Group and Parent Company and
enable them to ensure that the financial statements and the Directors’ remuneration report
comply with the Companies Act 2006.
The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Parent Company’s
website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination
of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Directors’ confirmations
The Directors consider that the Annual Report and Accounts 2025, taken as a whole, is fair,
balanced and understandable and provides the information necessary for shareholders
to assess the Group’s and Parent Company’s position and performance, business model
and strategy.
Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed in the Board of Directors section
on pages 56 to 58, confirms that, to the best of their knowledge:
the Group financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted
international accounting standards, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities,
financial position and profit of the Group
the Parent Company financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with
United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101, give a true and fair view of the
assets, liabilities and financial position of the Parent Company
the strategic report and this management report includes a fair review of the development
and performance of the business and the position of the Group and Parent Company,
together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that it faces.
In the case of each Director in office at the date the Directors’ report is approved:
so far as the Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Group’s
and Parent Company’s auditors are unaware
they have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a Director in order to make
themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Group’s and
Parent Company’s auditors are aware of that information.
Jonathan Dale
Company Secretary
24 February 2026
Statement of Directors responsibilities
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Strategic report
Financial statements
Other information
Governance
Financial statements
Independent Auditors’ Report to the
Members of St. James’s Place plc 128
Consolidated financial statements
prepared under International
Financial Reporting Standards as
adopted by the United Kingdom 135
Consolidated statement
of comprehensive income 135
Consolidated statement
of changes in equity 136
Consolidated statement
of financial position 137
Consolidated statement of cash flows 138
Notes to the consolidated financial
statements under International
Financial Reporting Standards 139
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Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Report on the audit of the financial statements
Opinion
In our opinion:
St. James’s Place plc’s consolidated financial statements and Parent Company financial
statements (the “financial statements”) give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s
and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2025 and of the group’s profit and
the group’s cash flows for the year then ended;
the consolidated financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with
UK-adopted international accounting standards as applied in accordance with the provisions
of the Companies Act 2006;
the Parent Company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance
with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting
Standards, including FRS 101Reduced Disclosure Framework, and applicable law); and
the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006.
We have audited the financial statements, included within the Annual Report and Accounts
2025 (the “Annual Report”), which comprise:
the Consolidated statement of financial position as at 31 December 2025;
the Parent Company statement of financial position as at 31 December 2025;
the Consolidated statement of comprehensive income for the year then ended;
the Consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended;
the Consolidated statement of changes in equity for the year then ended;
the Parent Company statement of changes in equity for the year then ended; and
the notes to the financial statements, comprising material accounting policy information
and other explanatory information.
Our opinion is consistent with our reporting to the Group Audit Committee.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK)
(ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under ISAs (UK) are further described
in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide
a basis for our opinion.
Independence
We remained independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that
are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, which includes the FRC’s Ethical
Standard, as applicable to listed public interest entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.
To the best of our knowledge and belief, we declare that non-audit services prohibited by the
FRC’s Ethical Standard were not provided.
Other than those disclosed in Note 5, we have provided no non-audit services to the company
or its controlled undertakings in the period under audit.
Our audit approach
Overview
Audit scope
The consolidated financial statements comprise the consolidation of approximately
75 components, each of which represents an individual legal entity within the Group
or consolidation adjustments.
We assessed each component and considered the contribution it made to the Group’s
performance in the year, whether it displayed any significant risk characteristics and/or
whether it contributed a significant amount to any individual financial statement line item.
The above assessment resulted in us identifying seven components significant by risk
or size that required full scope audit procedures for the purpose of the audit of the
consolidated financial statements.
Six components that are significant by risk or size are based in the UK. The other significant
component by risk or size is based in the Republic of Ireland. We also performed audit of
specific balances in four components with large individual balances.
We performed a full scope audit of all material line items in the Parent Company financial
statements.
Key audit matters
Provision for redress in respect of ongoing service evidence (group).
Valuation of level 3 investments, being investment properties and equities and fixed income
securities (group).
Recoverability of Parent Company’s investment in subsidiaries (parent).
Materiality
Overall group materiality: £23,250,000 (2024: £22,500,000) based on 5% of underlying
cash result.
Specific Group overall materiality: £1,081,000,000 (2024: £931,000,000) based on 0.5%
of Assets held to cover linked liabilities applies to assets held to cover linked liabilities,
investment contract liabilities and associated income statement line items.
Overall Parent Company materiality: £22,087,500 (2024: £20,250,000) based on 1% of total
assets (limited to 95% of group materiality).
Performance materiality: £17,437,500 (2024: £16,875,000) (group) and £16,565,625
(2024: £15,187,500) (Parent Company).
Specific performance materiality: £810,750,000 (2024: £698,250,000) applied to assets held
to cover linked liabilities, investment contract liabilities and associated income statement
line items.
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
The scope of our audit
As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements.
Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in the auditors’ professional judgement, were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and include the
most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) identified by the auditors, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy;
the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters, and any comments we make on the results of our procedures thereon, were
addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit.
Valuation of the Operational Readiness prepayment in respect of the development of an administration platform at an outsourced provider, which was a key audit matter last year, is no longer
included because of the Operational Readiness prepayment no longer having additional costs added, being subject to ongoing amortisation and there being no impairment indicators in the
current year. Otherwise, the key audit matters below are consistent with last year.
Key audit matter How our audit addressed the key audit matter
Provision for redress in respect of ongoing service evidence (Group)
As disclosed in the Group Audit Committee Report (Page 71) and Note 18 (page 168) to the Financial
Statements the Group holds an Ongoing Service Evidence provision related to the ongoing review
of a sub-population of clients that has been charged for ongoing advice services since the start
of 2018 but where the evidence of delivery of the ongoing advice service falls below an acceptable
standard.
As at 31 December 2025 the total provision in respect of the review was £272.3m (2024: £425.1m)
which represents the estimated refund of charges, interest and the administration costs associated
with completing the exercise. The estimation of the provision involves significant judgement and
subjectivity in relation to key assumptions.
Management has estimated the provision based on a sample of case record reviews undertaken
over a representative cohort of clients with the results from the sample applied to the wider
population.
Significant assumptions include:
extrapolation from a representative cohort – that the assessment, of a representative cohort
of client records, can be extrapolated to the wider review population;
opt-in response rate – the response rate by clients to an invitation to join the review, taking into
account internal and industry experience; and
administration costs – that in-house historic experience and wider market experience of similar
exercises can be used to estimate the cost to fulfil the exercise.
We have assessed and challenged the Group’s methodology and the assumptions applied in
arriving at the provision.
We performed procedures to verify that the representative cohort of clients used in the estimation
of the provision did not include any management bias.
We obtained the available evidence of ongoing advice for a sample of clients within the
representative cohort and evaluated this against the redress schemes parameters and assessed
whether we came to the same conclusion.
We obtained management’s calculation and tested the mathematical accuracy and agreed the
calculation back to source data.
We assessed whether any changes were required to be made to management’s assumptions
and estimates based on currently available evidence and information including latest industry
developments, and further data obtained through the ongoing project.
We independently performed sensitivity analysis on the significant assumptions and considered
alternative scenarios which could be considered reasonably possible.
We obtained and reviewed relevant regulatory correspondence with the Financial Conduct
Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority, discussing the content of any correspondence
considered to be pertinent to our audit with management. As part of our audit procedures
we met with each regulator.
We reviewed the minutes of the project meetings and performed inquiries throughout the
business as to the latest project status.
Given the inherent uncertainty in the estimation of the provision and its judgemental nature,
we evaluated the disclosures made in the financial statements.
Based on the procedures performed and evidence obtained, we found management’s assumptions
to be appropriate.
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Key audit matter How our audit addressed the key audit matter
Valuation of level 3 investments, being investment properties and equities (Group)
As disclosed in Note 20 (page 178) as at 31 December 2025 the Group held £218.8 billion of financial
assets and investment properties. The majority of these investments do not require significant
judgement in calculating their valuation in the financial statements.
Whilst there have been significant disposals of level 3 investments in the current period, included
in the total financial assets and investment properties are investment properties of £0.4 billion
(2024: £0.9 billion) and level 3 equities of £0.4 billion (2024: £1.0 billion). These require management
to use estimates and judgements in order to calculate the valuation at the year-end. The Group
engages independent experts for the investment valuation activities for each, with assets in the
DAF valued by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Inc (“KKR”), whilst the investment property portfolio
is managed by Invesco with regular valuations performed by CBRE.
We performed each of the following procedures:
Assessed the independence, objectivity and competency of management’s expert.
Obtained and reviewed the CBRE valuation report covering all the group’s investment properties.
We analysed the listing of individual property valuations for unusual or unexpected movements
compared to the prior year and, where such movements were identified we sought explanations
and supporting evidence from management.
Obtained independent confirmation, including valuation, of the level 3 equity investments direct
from the asset manager.
Tested a selection of disposals during the period for investment property and level 3 equity
investments.
Evaluated other available information relating to the valuation of the investments.
Based on the procedures performed and evidence obtained throughout the procedures outlined
above, we have found management’s valuation to be appropriate.
Recoverability of Parent Company’s investment in subsidiaries (Parent)
The carrying value of directly held investments in subsidiaries is £2,211.0m as at 31 December 2025
(2024: £2,102.4m) accounting for 81.3% of the Parent Company’s total assets. The investments in
subsidiaries are carried at cost stated after any impairment losses. Management is required to
review at least annually for indicators of impairment, or when circumstances or events indicate
there may be uncertainty over its value. When an impairment indicator exists, the determination of
recoverable amounts for subsidiaries requires assumptions to be made and the key assumptions
used are the value of in-force business and the discount rate applied. The carrying value of these
investments is not at a higher risk of significant misstatement or subject to significant judgement.
However, due to their materiality in the context of the Parent Company financial statements, this is
the area that had the greatest effect on our overall Parent Company audit.
For investments where impairment indicators existed, we obtained management’s value in
use impairment assessment and ensured the calculations were mathematically accurate.
We verified that the methodology used by the directors in arriving at the carrying value of each
subsidiary was compliant with applicable accounting standards.
We challenged management on key elements of the assessments including the value of in-force-
business and the discount rate. We further obtained and understood management’s value in use
and sensitivity calculations over the carrying value assessments, and have independently re-
performed the sensitivity ourselves.
Based on the procedures performed and evidence obtained, we have found management’s model
and assessments to be appropriate.
How we tailored the audit scope
We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give
an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the group
and the Parent Company, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which
they operate.
The Group is structured as an integrated wealth management business and operates
predominantly within the United Kingdom. Seven components within the group were considered
significant by risk or size and therefore required an audit of their complete financial information.
These were St. James’s Place UK plc, St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited, St. James’s Place
Investment Administration Limited, St. James’s Place Management Services Limited,
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc, St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group
Limited and St. James’s Place International plc.
Six of the components that are significant by risk or size are based in the United Kingdom
with audit procedures performed directly by the group audit team with St. James’s Place
International plc incorporated and regulated in the Republic of Ireland and audited by a
component audit team. At the planning stage of the audit we provided written instructions to
the component audit team to confirm the work we required them to complete. The instructions
set out respective responsibilities (including on actuarial work), our involvement in their work,
and the materiality level this work should be performed to. We held regular meetings with
the component engagement leader, director, and other senior members of the component
team through the planning, execution and completion phases of the audit to inform them of
developments at a Group level and to understand from them any local developments that were
relevant for our audit of the Group. During the execution phase, senior members of the group
audit team performed a review of the component teams audit working papers, reviewing
selected elements of their work focused on the significant and elevated risks identified.
In addition to the full scope audit of the seven components noted above, we also performed
audit procedures on certain financial statement line items within four other components.
These financial statement line items were selected for testing to ensure that we had sufficient
coverage of each financial statement line item within the consolidated financial statements.
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
The impact of climate risk on our audit
The Group has set out its approach and goals in respect of its Funds under Management in
the Investing responsibly section of the Strategic Report. This includes the goal of becoming
Net Zero” in investments by 2050 (with an interim target of a 25% reduction in the carbon
emissions of its investment proposition by 2025).
In planning our audit, we considered the extent to which climate change is impacting the
Group and how it impacted our risk assessment for the audit of the financial statements.
In making these considerations we:
Enquired of management in respect of their own climate change risk assessment, including
associated governance processes and understood how these have been implemented.
Obtained the latest Climate Report from the Group and checked it for consistency with our
knowledge of the Group based on our audit work and the disclosures made in the Strategic
Report.
Considered management’s risk assessment and the Climate Report in light of our
knowledge of the wider asset and wealth management industries.
Our conclusions were that the impact of climate change does not give rise to a Key Audit Matter
for the Group and it did not impact our risk assessment for any material Financial Statement
line item or disclosure.
Materiality
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set certain
quantitative thresholds for materiality. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped
us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures
on the individual financial statement line items and disclosures and in evaluating the effect of
misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole.
Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements
as a whole as follows:
Financial statements – group Financial statements – company
Overall materiality
£23,250,000 (2024: £22,500,000). £22,087,500 (2024: £20,250,000).
How we
determined it
5% of underlying cash result. 1% of total assets (limited to 95%
of group materiality).
Rationale for
benchmark applied
The engagement team
concluded that £23.25 million
is the most appropriate figure
when setting an overall
materiality on the engagement.
The quantum of £23.25 million
was determined by considering
the various benchmarks available
to us as auditors, our experience
of auditing the Group and our
experience of the group.
£23.25 million represents 5%
of the underlying cash result.
The purpose of the Parent
Company is to hold investments
in other Group companies.
As such PwC considers it
appropriate to use total assets
as the benchmark for overall
materiality, limited to 95% of
the overall group materiality.
For certain balances, our specific group overall materiality level was £1,081,000,000
(2024: £931,000,000) for assets held to cover linked liabilities applies to assets held to cover
linked liabilities, investment contract liabilities and associated income statement line items.
For each component in the scope of our group audit, we allocated a materiality that is less
than our overall group materiality. The range of materiality allocated across components
was between £3,700,000 and £22,100,000. Certain components were audited to a local
statutory audit materiality that was also less than our overall group materiality.
We use performance materiality to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that
the aggregate of uncorrected and undetected misstatements exceeds overall materiality.
Specifically, we use performance materiality in determining the scope of our audit and the
nature and extent of our testing of account balances, classes of transactions and disclosures,
for example in determining sample sizes. Our performance materiality was 75% (2024: 75%)
of overall materiality, amounting to £17,437,500 (2024: £16,875,000) for the group financial
statements and £16,565,625 (2024: £15,187,500) for the Parent Company financial statements.
In determining the performance materiality, we considered a number of factors – the history
of misstatements, risk assessment and aggregation risk and the effectiveness of controls –
and concluded that an amount in the middle of our normal range was appropriate.
For certain balances, our specific performance materiality was 75% of the specific overall
materiality for assets held to cover linked liabilities, investment contract liabilities and associated
income statement line items, amounting to £810,750,000 (2024: £698,250,000) for the consolidated
financial statements.
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Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
We agreed with the Group Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements
identified during our audit above £1,162,500 (group audit) (2024: £1,125,000) and £1,104,375
(Parent Company audit) (2024: £1,012,500) as well as misstatements below those amounts
that, in our view, warranted reporting for qualitative reasons. For balances where we apply our
specific performance materiality we agreed to report misstatements greater than £23,250,000
(2024: £22,500,000).
Conclusions relating to going concern
Our evaluation of the directors’ assessment of the group’s and the Parent Company’s ability
to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting included:
Obtaining the Directors’ going concern assessment for the consolidated and the Parent
Company financial statements and gaining an understanding of the Directors’ going
concern assessment process, including the preparation of the budget;
Obtaining the budget covering the period of the going concern assessment and evaluating
the forecasting method adopted by the Directors in assessing going concern;
Testing the mathematical accuracy of the model and evaluating the key assumptions using
our understanding of the Group and external evidence where appropriate. We also
performed a comparison of the 2025 budget and the actual results to assess the historical
accuracy of the budgeting process;
Evaluating the results of management’s analysis of the relevant solvency requirements and
liquidity position of the Group, including forward looking plausible downside scenarios within
the Group’s Own Risk and Solvency Assessment;
Evaluating the reasonableness of management’s downside assumptions using our
understanding of the Group and the external environment. We evaluated management’s
assumptions by performing independent stress testing to determine whether a reasonable
alternative stressed scenario would result in a breach of minimum regulatory requirements
or the Group’s liquidity requirements;
Evaluating the mitigating actions that management identified and assessing whether these
were in the control of management and possible in the going concern period of assessment;
Evaluating information obtained through review of regulatory correspondence, minutes of
meetings of the Board, Group Audit and Group Risk Committees, as well as publicly available
information to identify any information that would contradict management’s assessment; and
Assessing the adequacy of disclosures in the Going Concern Statement in note 1 of the
consolidated and Parent Company financial statements and within the Assessment of going
concern section of the Directors’ report on page 124.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties
relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt
on the group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period
of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors’ use of the going
concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this conclusion is not a
guarantee as to the group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
In relation to the directors’ reporting on how they have applied the UK Corporate Governance
Code, we have nothing material to add or draw attention to in relation to the directors’ statement
in the financial statements about whether the directors considered it appropriate to adopt the
going concern basis of accounting.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are
described in the relevant sections of this report.
Reporting on other information
The other information comprises all of the information in the Annual Report other than the
financial statements and our auditors’ report thereon. The directors are responsible for the
other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information
and, accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or, except to the extent otherwise explicitly
stated in this report, any form of assurance thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other
information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent
with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears
to be materially misstated. If we identify an apparent material inconsistency or material
misstatement, we are required to perform procedures to conclude whether there is a material
misstatement of the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement
of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report based
on these responsibilities.
With respect to the Strategic report and Directors’ report, we also considered whether the
disclosures required by the UK Companies Act 2006 have been included.
Based on our work undertaken in the course of the audit, the Companies Act 2006 requires
us also to report certain opinions and matters as described below.
Strategic report and Directors’ report
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given
in the Strategic report and Directors’ report for the year ended 31 December 2025 is consistent
with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal
requirements.
In light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and company and their environment
obtained in the course of the audit, we did not identify any material misstatements in the
Strategic report and Directors’ report.
Directors’ Remuneration
In our opinion, the part of the Report of the Group Remuneration Committee to be audited has
been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.
132
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Corporate governance statement
The Listing Rules require us to review the directors’ statements in relation to going concern,
longer-term viability and that part of the corporate governance statement relating to the
Parent Company’s compliance with the provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code
specified for our review. Our additional responsibilities with respect to the corporate
governance statement as other information are described in the Reporting on other
information section of this report.
Based on the work undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each of the
following elements of the corporate governance statement is materially consistent with the
financial statements and our knowledge obtained during the audit, and we have nothing
material to add or draw attention to in relation to:
The directors’ confirmation that they have carried out a robust assessment of the emerging
and principal risks;
The disclosures in the Annual Report that describe those principal risks, what procedures
are in place to identify emerging risks and an explanation of how these are being managed
or mitigated;
The directors’ statement in the financial statements about whether they considered it
appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing them, and their
identification of any material uncertainties to the group’s and Parent Company’s ability to
continue to do so over a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of the
financial statements;
The directors’ explanation as to their assessment of the group’s and Parent Company’s
prospects, the period this assessment covers and why the period is appropriate; and
The directors’ statement as to whether they have a reasonable expectation that the Parent
Company will be able to continue in operation and meet its liabilities as they fall due over
the period of its assessment, including any related disclosures drawing attention to any
necessary qualifications or assumptions.
Our review of the directors’ statement regarding the longer-term viability of the group and
Parent Company was substantially less in scope than an audit and only consisted of making
inquiries and considering the directors’ process supporting their statement; checking that the
statement is in alignment with the relevant provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code;
and considering whether the statement is consistent with the financial statements and our
knowledge and understanding of the group and Parent Company and their environment
obtained in the course of the audit.
In addition, based on the work undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each
of the following elements of the corporate governance statement is materially consistent with
the financial statements and our knowledge obtained during the audit:
The directors’ statement that they consider the Annual Report, taken as a whole, is fair,
balanced and understandable, and provides the information necessary for the members to
assess the group’s and Parent Company’s position, performance, business model and strategy;
The section of the Annual Report that describes the review of effectiveness of risk
management and internal control systems; and
The section of the Annual Report describing the work of the Group Audit Committee.
We have nothing to report in respect of our responsibility to report when the directors’ statement
relating to the Parent Company’s compliance with the Code does not properly disclose a
departure from a relevant provision of the Code specified under the Listing Rules for review
by the auditors.
Responsibilities for the financial statements and the audit
Responsibilities of the directors for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ responsibilities, the directors are
responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable
framework and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. The directors are also
responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation
of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the group’s
and the Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable,
matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the
directors either intend to liquidate the group or the Parent Company or to cease operations,
or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements
as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an
auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,
but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect
a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are
considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected
to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations.
We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material
misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures
are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Based on our understanding of the group and industry, we identified that the principal risks of
non-compliance with laws and regulations related to UK and Irish regulatory principles, such
as those governed by the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority and
the Central Bank of Ireland, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have
a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations
that have a direct impact on the financial statements such as the Companies Act 2006.
We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of
the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the
principal risks were related to posting of inappropriate journals and management bias in
accounting estimates and judgemental areas as shown in our key audit matter. The group
engagement team shared this risk assessment with the component auditors so that they could
include appropriate audit procedures in response to such risks in their work. Audit procedures
performed by the group engagement team and/or component auditors included:
Discussions with the Risk and Compliance function, Internal Audit and the company’s legal
counsel, including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with
laws and regulation and fraud;
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Reviewing the Group Audit Committee papers in which whistle blowing matters are reported
and considered the impact of these matters on the group’s compliance with laws and
regulations;
Reviewing key correspondence with the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial
Conduct Authority and the Central Bank of Ireland in relation to compliance with laws
and regulations;
Reviewing relevant meeting minutes including those of the Board, Risk and Group Audit
Committees;
Reviewing the company’s register of litigation and claims, in so far as they related to
non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud;
Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any journal entries posted with unusual
account combinations increasing reported revenues;
Designing audit procedures to incorporate unpredictability around nature, timing or extent
of our testing; and
Procedures relating to the estimates and judgements applied provision for redress in respect
of ongoing service evidence and recoverability of Parent Company’s investment in the
subsidiaries described in the related key audit matter.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to
become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely
related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not
detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one
resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery
or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
Our audit testing might include testing complete populations of certain transactions and
balances, possibly using data auditing techniques. However, it typically involves selecting a
limited number of items for testing, rather than testing complete populations. We will often seek
to target particular items for testing based on their size or risk characteristics. In other cases, we
will use audit sampling to enable us to draw a conclusion about the population from which the
sample is selected.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on
the FRC’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our
auditors’ report.
Use of this report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the Parent Company’s
members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and
for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for
any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it
may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.
Other required reporting
Companies Act 2006 exception reporting
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:
we have not obtained all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company, or returns
adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
the Parent Company financial statements and the part of the Report of the Group
Remuneration Committee to be audited are not in agreement with the accounting
records and returns.
We have no exceptions to report arising from this responsibility.
Appointment
We were first appointed by the company for the financial year ended 31 December 2009.
Our uninterrupted engagement covers 17 financial years.
Other matter
The Parent Company is required by the Financial Conduct Authority Disclosure Guidance
and Transparency Rules to include these financial statements in an annual financial report
prepared under the structured digital format required by DTR 4.1.15R – 4.1.18R and filed on the
National Storage Mechanism of the Financial Conduct Authority. This auditors’ report provides
no assurance over whether the structured digital format annual financial report has been
prepared in accordance with those requirements.
Gary Shaw
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
Bristol
24 February 2026
134
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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of St. Jamess Place plc continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
20252024
Note
£’Million
£’Million
Fee and commission income
4
3, 766 . 4
3 ,163.9
Expenses
5, 18
(2 ,551 .9)
(2 , 2 3 6 . 7)
Investment return
6
26, 37 1 .8
2 2,78 5. 3
Movement in investment contract benefits
6
(2 6 , 2 8 5 . 5)
(22,688.5)
Insurance revenue
7
24 . 2
25 .2
Insurance service expenses
8
(2 2 . 6)
(2 1 . 8)
Net reinsurance expense
(0 . 4)
(3 . 1)
Insurance service result
1.2
0. 3
Net insurance finance (expense)/income
(1 . 9)
2.7
Finance income
9
64.0
58 .5
Finance costs
9
(2 8 . 9)
(3 6 . 4)
Profit before tax
3
1, 335.2
1,0 49.1
Tax attributable to policyholders’ returns
10
(638.5)
(5 1 3 . 2)
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
696.7
535.9
Total tax charge
10
(8 0 3 . 8)
(6 5 0 . 7)
Less: tax attributable to policyholders’ returns
10
638.5
513 . 2
Tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
10
(1 6 5 . 3)
(1 3 7. 5)
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year
531. 4
398. 4
Profit attributable to non-controlling interests
0.3
Profit attributable to equity shareholders
531 .1
398 .4
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year
531. 4
398. 4
Note
Pence
Pence
Basic earnings per share
23
99.9
73 .0
Diluted earnings per share
23
98. 8
72. 6
The results relate to continuing operations.
The Notes and information on pages 139 to 193 form part of these consolidated financial statements.
As permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006, no statement of comprehensive income is presented for the Company.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
135
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Equity attributable to owners of the Parent Company
Capital Non-
Share redemption Shares in trust Retained controlling Total
Share capital
premiumreserve
reserve
Misc. reserves
earnings
Total
interests
equity
Note
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
At 1 January 2024
82. 3
233.9
(0 . 7)
2.5
665.4
983.4
0.1
983.5
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year
398 .4
398 .4
398.4
Dividends
23
(76 . 6)
(7 6 . 6)
(0 . 2)
(7 6 . 8)
Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes
23
(0 . 7)
0 .7
(3 3 . 1)
(3 3 . 1)
(3 3 . 1)
Consideration paid for own shares
(9 . 5)
(9 . 5)
(9 . 5)
Retained earnings credit in respect of share option charges
11 .2
11.2
11. 2
At 31 December 2024
81.6
233 .9
0.7
(1 0 . 2)
2 .5
9 65.3
1,273.8
(0 . 1)
1, 273 .7
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year
531 .1
531 .1
0.3
531 . 4
Dividends
23
(9 6 . 3)
(9 6 . 3)
(0 . 2)
(9 6 . 5)
Exercise of share options
1.5
1 .5
1.5
Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes
23
(2 . 5)
2.5
(1 8 9 . 2)
(1 8 9 . 2)
(1 8 9 . 2)
Consideration paid for own shares
(6 1 . 3)
(6 1 . 3)
(6 1 . 3)
Shares sold during the year
3 .0
(3 . 0)
Retained earnings credit in respect of share option charges
19.2
19.2
19. 2
At 31 December 2025
79.1
235. 4
3. 2
(6 8 . 5)
2 .5
1 , 2 2 7. 1
1, 47 8. 8
1 , 47 8. 8
The number of shares held in the shares in trust reserve is given in Note 23 Share capital, earnings per share and shareholder returns.
Miscellaneous reserves represent other non-distributable reserves.
The Notes and information on pages 139 to 193 form part of these consolidated financial statements.
136
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Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
As at As at
31 December 31 December
20252024
AssetsNote
£’Million
£’Million
Goodwill
11
18.5
23.3
Deferred acquisition costs
11
28 4. 1
286 .2
Intangible assets
11
8 .1
15. 5
Property and equipment, including leased assets
12
122 .3
134 .0
Investment property
14, 20
3 70. 3
892 .3
Deferred tax assets
10
10. 2
2 .7
Investment in associates
26
24 .0
21. 9
Reinsurance assets
17
11 .7
14 .9
Other receivables
15
2 , 861 .6
2 , 6 8 7. 4
Financial investments
14, 20
21 2,07 3.5
182, 320. 2
Derivative financial assets
14, 20
2, 90 8.7
2, 812 .8
Cash and cash equivalents
14
6 ,184.5
5 ,663.9
Total assets
2 2 4 , 8 7 7. 5
19 4, 875 .1
Liabilities
Borrowings
19
341 .5
516 .8
Deferred tax liabilities
10
966.2
679 .4
Insurance contract liabilities
17
566. 2
51 8.6
Deferred income
11
421 .6
4 69.5
Other provisions
18
298. 4
460. 3
Other payables
16
2,65 5.3
2,144.3
Investment contract benefits
14, 20
1 63 ,728 .7
14 1 ,0 38.8
Derivative financial liabilities
14, 20
2 , 412. 1
3,052.1
Net asset value attributable to unit holders
14, 20
51 ,9 82. 8
4 4, 699.5
Income tax liabilities
25. 9
22 .1
Total liabilities
223,398.7
193 ,601 . 4
Net assets
1 , 478 . 8
1 ,2 73 .7
As at As at
31 December 31 December
20252024
Shareholders’ equityNote
£’Million
£’Million
Share capital
23
79 .1
81. 6
Share premium
235 .4
233.9
Capital redemption reserve
3.2
0.7
Shares in trust reserve
(6 8 . 5)
(1 0 . 2)
Miscellaneous reserves
2.5
2.5
Retained earnings
1 , 2 2 7. 1
965 .3
Equity attributable to owners of the Parent Company
1 , 478 . 8
1 , 273 .8
Non-controlling interests
(0 . 1)
Total equity
1 , 478 . 8
1 ,2 73 .7
Pence
Pence
Net assets per share
280.5
23 4. 1
The consolidated financial statements on pages 135 to 193 were approved by the Board on
24 February 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
The Notes and information on pages 139 to 193 form part of these consolidated financial
statements.
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137
Consolidated statement of financial position
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025
2024
1
Note
£’Million
£’Million
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from/(used in) operations
21
1 ,396 .1
(5 2 8 . 5)
Interest received
224.5
236.6
Interest paid
(2 8 . 9)
(3 6 . 4)
Income taxes paid
10
(5 2 4 . 5)
(3 2 6 . 1)
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities
1
1 , 0 6 7. 2
(6 5 4 . 4)
Cash flows from investing activities
Payments for property and equipment
12
(1 . 1)
(3 . 6)
Payment of software development costs
11
(5 . 1)
Payments for acquisition of subsidiaries and other business combinations,
net of cash acquired
(0 . 8)
Payments for associates
(1 . 7)
(8 . 3)
Contingent consideration paid
1
20
(4 . 8)
(1 . 3)
Net cash outflow from investing activities
(8.4)
(1 8 . 3)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from the issue of share capital and exercise of options
1.5
Shares repurchased in share buy-back programmes
(1 8 9 . 2)
(3 3 . 1)
Consideration paid for own shares
(6 1 . 3)
(9 . 5)
Proceeds from borrowings
19
13 5.7
473 . 8
Repayment of borrowings
19
(3 1 1 . 7)
(208.1)
Principal elements of lease payments
13
(1 4 . 0)
(1 4 . 0)
Dividends paid to Company’s shareholders
23
(9 6 . 3)
(7 6 . 6)
Dividends paid to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries
(0 . 2)
(0 . 2)
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing activities
(5 3 5 . 5)
132 .3
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
523 .3
(5 4 0 . 4)
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January
5,663 .9
6 , 204. 3
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(2 . 7)
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December
14
6,184.5
5,663.9
1 Restated to reclassify £1. 3 million of Contingent consideration paid from operating activities to investing activities which better reflects the nature of the item.
The Notes and information on pages 139 to 193 form part of these consolidated financial statements.
138
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Consolidated statement of cash flows
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
1. Accounting policies
St. James’s Place plc (the Company) is a public company limited by shares which is incorporated
and registered in England and Wales, domiciled in the United Kingdom and whose shares are
publicly traded.
i. Statement of compliance
The Group financial statements consolidate those of the Company and its subsidiaries
(together referred to as the Group).
The Group financial statements have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted
International Accounting Standards and with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006
as applicable to companies reporting under those standards.
As at 31 December 2025 there were no new and amended standards, that became effective
on or after 1 January 2025, that were relevant to the Group.
ii. New and amended accounting standards not yet effective
As at 31 December 2025, the following new and amended standards, which are relevant to
the Group but have not been applied in the financial statements, were in issue but are not
yet effective. All of the below have been endorsed by the UK Endorsement Board:
Amendments to the classification and measurement of Financial Instruments –
Amendments to IFRS 9 Financial Instruments and IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures
IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements.
The Group is currently assessing the impact that the adoption of the above standards
and amendments will have on the Group’s results reported within the financial statements.
The only one expected to have a significant impact on the Group’s financial statements is
IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements. Further information on this standard
is given below.
IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements
The IASB issued IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements on 9 April 2024
which will replace IAS 1. IFRS 18 introduces three sets of new requirements to improve companies’
reporting of financial performance and gives investors better basis for analysing and
comparing companies:
improved comparability in the statement of comprehensive income
enhanced transparency of management defined performance measures
more useful grouping of information in the financial statements.
Management are currently assessing the impacts of adopting the new standard, however it is
only expected to have an impact on the presentation and disclosure of the financial statements
and is not expected to have an impact on recognition and measurement. The effective date of
the standard is 1 January 2027.
iii. Basis of preparation
The going concern basis has been adopted in preparing these financial statements.
The Group’s business activities, together with the factors likely to affect its future development,
performance and position, are set out in the Chief Executive Officer’s report and the Chief
Financial Officer’s report. The financial performance and financial position of the Group are
described in the financial review.
As shown in Note 22 Capital management and allocation, the Group’s capital position remains
strong and well in excess of regulatory requirements. In addition, it has continued to operate
within its external banking covenants. In addition, the Fitch rating remains at A+ for SJPUK (A at
SJP PLC level). Further, the long-term nature of the business results in considerable positive cash
flows arising from existing business.
The Board has considered the challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions which
continued during 2025, noting that the business continued to be successful in this environment.
Notwithstanding these challenges, gross inflows for 2025 were £21.9 billion, up 19% on 2024.
Retention of client funds under management remained strong at 94.9% resulting in net inflows
of £6.2 billion. These factors along with the performance of our key outsource providers,
monitored through our ongoing oversight, supports its view that the business will continue
to remain operationally resilient.
The Board has also considered a profitability forecast including base case scenario and severe
but plausible downside scenarios. In modelling these scenarios, the Group has considered its
liquidity, cash and IFRS results. The downside scenarios are severe but plausible and would still
leave the Group with a positive cash result and IFRS profit.
As a result of its review, the Board believes that the Group will continue to operate, with neither
the intention nor the necessity of liquidation, ceasing trading or seeking protection from creditors
pursuant to laws or regulations, for a period of at least 12 months from the date of approval of
the Group financial statements.
The financial statements are presented in pounds Sterling rounded to the nearest one hundred
thousand pounds. They are prepared on a historical cost basis, except for assets classified as
investment property and financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit and loss.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
139
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
1. Accounting policies continued
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with IFRSs requires management
to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and
reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and associated
assumptions are based on historical experience and various other factors that are believed
to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis of making
judgements about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent
from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to
accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised if the revision
affects only that year, or in the year of the revision and future years, if the revision affects both
current and future years.
Judgements made by management in the application of IFRSs that have material effect on
the financial statements and estimates with a significant risk of material adjustment in the next
year are discussed in Note 2.
The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 as
applicable to companies reporting under IFRS, and the accounting policies set out below have
been applied consistently to all years presented in these consolidated financial statements.
iv. Summary of significant accounting policies
(a) Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial information incorporates the assets, liabilities and results of the
Company and of its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries are those entities which the Group controls.
Control exists if the Group is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement
with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity
(including unit trusts in which the Group holds more than 30% of the units). Further information
on how control is assessed, including the judgement taken in consolidating SJP Partner Loans
No.1 Limited, the Group’s securitisation entity, is set out in Note 2.
Associates are all entities over which the Group has significant influence but not control, and
are accounted for at fair value through profit or loss. The Group uses the acquisition method of
accounting to account for business combinations and expenses all acquisition costs as they
are incurred. The financial information of subsidiaries is included in the consolidated financial
statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. Accounting
policies of subsidiaries have been changed where necessary to ensure consistency
with policies adopted by the Group.
Any contingent consideration to be transferred by the Group is recognised at fair value at the
acquisition date. Subsequent changes to the fair value of the contingent consideration that is
deemed to be an asset or liability is recognised in accordance with IFRS 9 in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
The treatment of transactions with non-controlling interests depends on whether, as a result of
the transaction, the Group alters control of the subsidiary. Changes in the Parent’s ownership
interest in a subsidiary that do not result in a loss of control are accounted for as equity
transactions; any difference between the amount by which the non-controlling interests are
adjusted and the fair value of the consideration paid or received is recognised directly in equity
and attributed to the owners of the Parent entity. Where the Group loses control of a subsidiary,
at the date when control is lost the amount of any non-controlling interest in that former
subsidiary is derecognised and any investment retained in the former subsidiary is remeasured
to its fair value; the gain or loss that is recognised in profit or loss on the partial disposal of the
subsidiary includes the gain or loss on the remeasurement of the retained interest.
Intra-Group balances, and any income and expenses or unrealised gains and losses arising from
intra-Group transactions, are eliminated in preparing the consolidated financial statements.
The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation is not consolidated within the financial information.
This is because the Company does not meet the control definitions required by IFRS 10.
(b) Fee and commission income
Fee and commission income comprises:
(i) advice charges (post-RDR) paid by clients who receive advice alongside their investment
in a St. James’s Place product. Advice may be provided at initial investment, and on an
ongoing basis;
(ii) third-party fee and commission income, due from third-party product providers in respect
of products sold on their behalf;
(iii) wealth management fees paid by clients for the ongoing administration of their investment
products;
(iv) investment management fees paid by clients for investment management, including
charges taken by the Group to pay third-party investment advisers;
(v) fund tax deductions, which are fees charged to clients to match the policyholder tax
expense;
(vi) policyholder tax asymmetry, which is the difference between the deferred tax position
and the offsetting client balances;
(vii) discretionary fund management (DFM) fees generated through the services provided
by our DFM business; and
(viii) amortisation of deferred income (DIR), the unwinding of income that has been deferred.
This relates to initial product charges and dealing margins from unit trusts.
The provision of initial advice is a distinct performance obligation. As a result, initial advice
charges are recognised in full on acceptance and inception of the associated policy by the
relevant product provider, which may be a Group company or a third-party. Ongoing advice
charges are recognised as revenue on an ongoing basis, consistent with the nature of the
performance obligation being discharged, rather than at a single point in time.
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Third-party fee and commission income is recognised in full on acceptance and inception of
the associated policy by the relevant third-party product provider. The performance obligation
is the initial advice provided to a client which leads to investment in a third-party product,
hence it is appropriate that this revenue stream is recognised on the same basis as initial
advice charges. Where the third-party product provider retains the right to clawback of
commission on an indemnity basis, revenue on sale of these products is recognised to the
extent that it is highly probable the revenue will not be clawed back. A provision is recognised
for any amounts received which do not meet the ‘highly probable’ threshold.
Wealth management fees, investment management fees, fund tax deductions, policyholder
tax asymmetry and DFM fees relate to services provided on an ongoing basis, and revenue
is recognised on an ongoing basis to reflect the nature of the performance obligations being
discharged.
When initial product charges and dealing margins do not relate to a distinct performance
obligation satisfied at inception of a contract, the income is deferred and amortised over
the anticipated period in which the services will be provided.
(c) Expenses
(i) Payments to Partners
Payments to Partners comprise initial commission and initial advice fees (IAF) (paid for initial
advice, at policy outset and within an initial period for regular contribution), renewal commission
and renewal advice fees (payable on regular contributions) and fund fee commission or ongoing
advice fees (OAF) (based on funds under management). Initial and renewal commission and
advice fees are recognised in line with the associated premium income, but initial commission
on insurance and investment contracts may be deferred, as set out in accounting policy (m).
Fund fee commission and ongoing advice fees are recognised on an accruals basis.
(ii) Lease expenses
Lease expenses under IFRS 16 comprise depreciation of the right-of-use asset. Further
information on depreciation of the right-of-use asset is set out in accounting policy (o).
The Group recognises lease payments associated with short-term leases and leases of
low-value assets on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
(d) Investment return
Investment return comprises investment income and investment gains and losses.
Investment income includes dividends, interest and rental income from investment properties
under operating leases. Dividends are accrued on an ex-dividend basis, and rental income is
recognised in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the term
of the lease. Interest on assets classified at fair value through profit or loss are accounted for
based on the actual coupon payments, whilst interest on financial assets measured at
amortised cost are accounted for using the effective interest method.
(e) Insurance revenue
Insurance revenue represents the expected income from the provision of insurance services.
The income is recognised during the coverage period in which the services will be provided.
(f) Insurance service expenses
Insurance service expenses comprise insurance claims and other insurance service expenses.
The expense is recognised during the relevant coverage period in which the services will be
provided, excluding any investment components.
(g) Finance income
Finance income comprises interest received on cash and cash equivalents and business
loans to Partners. Interest on assets classified at fair value through profit or loss is accounted
for based on the actual coupon payments, whilst interest on financial assets measured
at amortised cost is accounted for using the effective interest method.
(h) Finance costs
Finance costs comprise an interest expense on the lease liability and external borrowings.
Interest expense on the lease liability and external borrowings is calculated using the effective
interest method.
(i) Income taxes
Income tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current and deferred tax charge of the
Group in respect of policyholders and shareholders. Income tax is recognised in the statement
of comprehensive income except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly
in equity, in which case it is recognised in equity. Tax liabilities are recognised when it
is considered probable that there will be a future outflow of funds to a taxing authority,
and are measured using a best-estimate approach.
(i) Current tax
Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates
enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date, and any adjustment to tax payable
in respect of previous years.
(ii) Deferred tax
Deferred tax is provided using the liability method, providing for temporary differences between
the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts
used for taxation purposes. The following differences are not provided for: the initial recognition
of assets or liabilities that affect neither accounting nor taxable profit, and differences relating
to investments in subsidiaries to the extent that they will probably not reverse in the foreseeable
future. The amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected manner of realisation or
settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, using tax rates enacted or substantively
enacted at the reporting date and taking into account expected timing of utilisation.
A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits
will be available against which the asset can be utilised. Deferred tax assets are reduced to the
extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realised.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset
current tax assets against current tax liabilities, and when the deferred tax assets and liabilities
relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the taxable entity or
different taxable entities where there is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis.
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(iii) Policyholder and shareholder tax
The total income tax charge is a separate adjustment within the statement of comprehensive
income based on the movement in current and deferred income taxes in respect of income,
gains and expenses. The total charge reflects tax incurred on behalf of policyholders as well
as shareholders, and so it is useful to be able to identify these separately.
Shareholder tax is estimated by making an assessment of the effective rate of tax that is
applicable to the shareholders on the profits attributable to shareholders. This is calculated by
applying the appropriate effective corporate tax rates to the shareholder profits. The remainder
of the tax charge represents tax on policyholders’ investment returns.
(j) Dividends
Interim dividend distributions to the Company’s shareholders are recognised in equity in the
period in which they are paid. Final dividend distributions to the Company’s shareholders are
recognised in the period in which the dividends are declared: that is, when they are appropriately
authorised and no longer at the discretion of the Company. The final dividend for the financial
year is disclosed but shown as unpaid and awaiting approval by the Company’s shareholders
at the Annual General Meeting.
(k) Investment contract deposits and withdrawals
Investment contract payments in and out are not included in the statement of comprehensive
income but are reported as deposits to or deductions from investment contract benefits
in the statement of financial position. The movement in investment contract benefits within
the statement of comprehensive income principally represents the investment return credited
to policyholders.
Explicit advice charges are payable by most clients who wish to receive advice with their
investment in a St. James’s Place retail investment product. St. James’s Place facilitates the
payment of these charges for the client, by arranging withdrawals from the client’s policy,
which are then recognised as income to the Group. A proportion of the charge is then paid
to the St. James’s Place adviser who provides the advice (see (b) Fee and commission income
(i) and (c) Expenses (i)).
(l) Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquisition over the fair value of the Group’s
share of the identifiable net assets of the acquired entity at the date of acquisition. Where the
fair value of the Group’s share of the identifiable net assets of the acquired entity is greater
than the cost of acquisition, the excess is recognised immediately in the statement of
comprehensive income.
Goodwill is recognised as an asset at cost and is reviewed at least annually for impairment or
when circumstances or events indicate there may be uncertainty over this value. If an impairment
is identified, the carrying value of the goodwill is written down immediately through the
statement of comprehensive income and is not subsequently reversed. At the date of disposal
of a subsidiary, the carrying value of attributable goodwill is included in the calculation of the
profit or loss on disposal except where it has been written off directly to reserves in the past.
(m) Deferred acquisition costs
For investment contracts, only directly attributable acquisition costs, which vary with and are
related to securing new contracts and renewing existing contracts, are deferred, and only to
the extent that they are recoverable out of future revenue. These deferred acquisition costs,
which represent the contractual right to benefit from providing investment management
services, net of any impairment losses, are amortised to expenses in the statement of
comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the expected lifetime of the Group’s
investment contracts. All other costs are recognised as expenses when incurred. The period
over which costs are expected to be recoverable for investment contracts is 14 years.
(n) Intangible assets
(i) Purchased value of in-force business
The purchased value of in-force business represents the present value of profits that are
expected to emerge from business acquired on business combinations. It is calculated
at the time of acquisition using best-estimate actuarial assumptions for interest, mortality,
persistency and expenses, net of any impairment losses, and it is amortised on a straight-line
basis as profits emerge over the anticipated lives of the related contracts in the portfolio.
An intangible asset is also recognised in respect of acquired investment management contracts,
representing the fair value of contractual rights acquired under those contracts. The purchased
value of in-force business is expressed as a gross figure in the statement of financial position,
with the associated tax included within deferred tax liabilities. It is assessed for impairment at
each reporting date and any movement is charged to the statement of comprehensive income.
The estimated useful economic life of acquired in-force business is 20 years.
(ii) Computer software and other specific software developments
Computer software is stated at cost less accumulated amortisation and any recognised
impairment loss. The carrying value is reviewed for impairment when events or changes
in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
Computer software, including cloud customisation costs, is recognised as an intangible
asset during development, with amortisation commencing when the software is operational.
Amortisation is charged to the statement of comprehensive income to expenses on a straight-
line basis over 5 years, being the estimated useful life of the intangible asset.
(o) Property and equipment
Property and equipment comprises both assets which are owned and those which are leased.
(i) Initial and subsequent measurement of owned assets
Owned items of property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and
impairment. Cost includes the original purchase price of the asset and the costs attributable to
bringing the asset to its working condition for its intended use. Depreciation is charged to expenses
within the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the estimated
useful lives of the property and equipment, which are as follows:
Fixtures, fittings and office equipment: 5 to 15 years
Computer equipment: 3 years
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(ii) Initial and subsequent measurement of leased assets
A right-of-use asset is recognised within property and equipment for leased items which are
not subject to the short-term or low-value lease exemptions set out in IFRS 16. This comprises
the Group’s leased property portfolio. The right-of-use asset recognised on the commencement
date of the lease is the value of the lease liability (refer to accounting policy (ab), plus expected
dilapidation costs, initial direct costs (that is, incremental costs that would not have been
incurred if the lease had not been obtained, such as legal fees) and lease payments made
before or at the commencement date of the lease. Following initial recognition, depreciation
is charged to expenses within the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis
over the lease term.
(iii) Impairment of owned and leased assets
The carrying value of owned and leased assets is reviewed for impairment when events or
changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Any assets
that may have suffered impairment are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at
each reporting date.
(p) Investment property
Investment properties, which are all held within the unit-linked funds, are properties which
are held to earn rental income and/or for capital appreciation. They are stated at fair value.
An external, independent valuer, having an appropriate recognised professional qualification
and recent experience in the location and category of property being valued, values the
portfolio every month.
The fair values are based on open market values, being the estimated amount for which a
property could be exchanged on the date of valuation between a willing buyer and a willing
seller in an arm’s-length transaction after proper marketing wherein the parties had each
acted knowledgeably, prudently and without compulsion.
Any gain or loss arising from a change in fair value is recognised in the statement of
comprehensive income within investment income. Rental return from investment property
is accounted for as described in accounting policy (d).
(q) Reinsurance assets
Reinsurance assets represent amounts recoverable from reinsurers in respect of non-unit-
linked insurance contract liabilities, net of any future reinsurance premiums. See (v) Insurance
contract liabilities for further information.
The contract boundary for a reinsurance contract is dependent on the terms and conditions
of the reinsurance contract. Such terms have been assessed and considered to be the same
as for the underlying contracts.
(r) Other receivables
Other receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised
cost using the effective interest method.
Most shareholder other receivables are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently
held at amortised cost less impairment losses, as the business model for these assets is
to hold to collect contractual cash flows, which consist solely of payments of principal and
interest. The exception to this is renewal income assets, which are classified as fair value
through profit and loss and are initially, and subsequently, recognised at fair value. The value
of any impairment recognised is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the
present value of the estimated future cash flows, discounted at the original effective interest
rate. See accounting policy (af) for information relating to the treatment of impaired amounts.
Other receivables include prepayments, which are recognised where services are paid for in
advance of the benefit being received. The prepayment reduces, and an expense is recognised
in the statement of comprehensive income, as the service is received.
Commission and advice fees in respect of some insurance and investment business may be
paid to Partners in advance of renewal premiums and accelerated by up to 5 years. The unearned
element of this accelerated remuneration is recognised as advanced payments to Partners
within other receivables. Should the contributions reduce or stop within the initial period, any
unearned amount is recovered.
Derecognition
A financial asset is primarily derecognised when the rights to receive cash flows from the
asset have expired or the Group has transferred its rights to receive cash flows from the asset
or has assumed an obligation to pay the received cash flows in full without material delay to
a third-party under a ‘pass-through’ arrangement; and either (a) the Group has transferred
substantially all the risks and rewards of the asset, or (b) the Group has neither transferred
nor retained substantially all the risk and rewards of the asset, but has transferred control
of the asset.
When the Group has transferred its rights to receive cash flows from an asset or has entered
into a pass-through arrangement, it evaluates if, and to what extent, it has retained the risks
and rewards of ownership. When it has neither transferred nor retained substantially all of
the risks and rewards of the asset, nor transferred control of the asset, the Group continues
to recognise the transferred asset to the extent of its continuing involvement. In that case, the
Group also recognises an associated liability. The transferred asset and the associated liability
are measured on a basis that reflects the rights and obligations that the Group has retained.
(s) Financial investments
These financial assets are initially and subsequently recognised at fair value through profit
and loss, with all gains and losses recognised within investment income in the statement of
comprehensive income. The vast majority of these financial assets are quoted, and so the fair
value is based on the value within the bid-ask spread that is most representative of fair value.
If the market for a financial asset is not active, the Group establishes fair value by using valuation
techniques such as recent arm’s-length transactions, reference to similar listed investments,
discounted cash flow models or option pricing models.
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Subsequent measurement of these financial assets at fair value through profit and loss is
required by IFRS 9 for debt instruments for which the objectives of the Group’s business model
are not met by either holding the instrument to collect contractual cash flows or selling the
instruments, or where the contractual terms of the instrument do not give rise to cash flows
which are solely payments of principal and interest. Where both the ‘business model’ and
‘solely payments of principal and interest’ tests are met, management has made an irrevocable
decision to designate the debt instruments at fair value through profit and loss as doing so
aligns the measurement of the financial assets with the measurement of their associated
unit-linked liabilities.
Management has not made the irrevocable election to present changes in the fair value of
equity instruments in other comprehensive income, and so all equity instruments are also
designated at fair value through profit and loss.
The Group recognises purchases and sales of investments on trade date. The costs associated
with investment transactions are included within expenses in the statement of comprehensive
income.
(t) Derivative financial instruments
The Group uses derivative financial instruments within some unit-linked funds, with each contract
initially and subsequently recognised at fair value, based on observable market prices. All changes
in value are recognised within investment income in the statement of comprehensive income.
(u) Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks and other
short-term highly liquid investments.
Cash and cash equivalents held within unit-linked and unit trust funds are classified at fair
value through profit and loss, as management has made an irrevocable decision to designate
them as such in order to align the measurement of these financial assets with the measurement
of their associated unit-linked liabilities. Therefore, these cash and cash equivalents are initially
and subsequently recognised at fair value through profit and loss, with gains and losses
recognised within investment return in the statement of comprehensive income.
All other cash and cash equivalents are classified at amortised cost, as the business model
for these assets is to hold to collect contractual cash flows, which consist solely of payments
of principal and interest. They are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently measured
at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less impairment losses.
(v) Insurance contract liabilities
Insurance contract liabilities are determined by applying the default General Measurement
Model (GMM) to non-unit-linked insurance business and reassurance ceded, and the Variable
Fee Approach (VFA) to unit-linked insurance business measured under IFRS 17.
The contract boundary is assessed at transition and then reassessed only when there are
changes in features or circumstances that alter the commercial substance of the contract
or change the products within a portfolio.
Under the GMM (applicable to non-unit-linked insurance business and reassurance ceded),
groups of contracts are recognised and measured as:
the Fulfilment Cash Flows, comprising an estimate of future cash flows, adjusted to reflect
the time value of money, the financial risks associated with the future cash flows, and a risk
adjustment for non-financial risk (RA)
the Contractual Service Margin (CSM), comprising the unearned profit within a group of
contracts that will be recognised as the Group provides insurance services in the future.
The estimate of future cash flows represents the best estimate of the cost to fulfil cash flows
within the contract boundary, incorporating current non-financial assumptions.
The RA represents the compensation that an entity requires for bearing the uncertainty
about the amount and timing of cash flows that arise from non-financial risk as the entity fulfils
insurance contracts. It is calculated using a cost of capital approach, leveraging the Solvency II
view of non-financial risk.
The CSM is determined at contract outset or IFRS 17 transition and subsequently remeasured
for non-financial changes in the Fulfilment Cash Flows and the accretion of interest using a
discount rate locked in at transition. It is amortised over the period of the contract in line with
coverage units based upon the sum assured, which reflect the quantity of insurance services
provided. If a group of contracts is expected to be onerous (i.e. loss-making) over the remaining
coverage period, a loss is recognised immediately.
Under the VFA (applicable to unit-linked insurance business), the GMM is supplemented by an
adaptation for contracts with direct participation features. The Fulfilment Cash Flows for unit-linked
insurance business reflect an obligation to pay policyholders an amount equal to the fair value
of underlying assets, less the variable fee for future service. The RA reflects the compensation
for non-financial risk in relation to this variable fee only. The CSM is subsequently remeasured
for changes in the variable fee only, arising from both financial and non-financial risks.
(w) Investment contract benefits
All of the Group’s investment contracts are unit-linked. Unit-linked liabilities are measured at
fair value by reference to the value of the underlying net asset value of the Group’s unitised
investment funds, on a bid valuation basis, at the reporting date. An allowance for deductions
due to (or from) the Group in respect of policyholder tax on capital gains (and losses) in the
life assurance funds is also reflected in the measurement of unit-linked liabilities. Investment
contract benefits are recognised when units are first allocated to the policyholder; they are
derecognised when units allocated to the policyholder have been cancelled.
The decision by the Group to designate its unit-linked liabilities at fair value through profit and
loss reflects the fact that the matching investment portfolio, which underpins the unit-linked
liabilities, is recognised at fair value through profit and loss.
(x) Deferred income
The initial margin on financial instruments is deferred and recognised on a straight-line
basis over the expected lifetime of the financial instrument, which is between 6 and 14 years.
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(y) Net asset value attributable to unit holders
The Group consolidates unit trusts in which it holds more than 30% of the units and exercises
control. The third-party interests in these unit trusts are termed the net asset value attributable
to unit holders and are presented in the statement of financial position. They are classified at
fair value through profit and loss, hence are initially and subsequently measured at fair value.
The decision by the Group to designate the net asset value attributable to unit holders at fair
value through profit and loss reflects the fact that the underlying investment portfolios are
recognised at fair value through profit and loss.
Income attributable to the third-party interests is accounted for within investment return,
offset by a corresponding change in investment contract benefits.
(z) Other provisions
Provisions are made where an event has taken place that gives the Group a legal or
constructive obligation that probably requires settlement by a transfer of economic benefit,
and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. Provisions are charged
as an expense to the statement of comprehensive income in the year that the Group becomes
aware of the obligation, and are measured at the best estimate at the statement of financial
position date of the expenditure required to settle the obligation, taking into account relevant
risks and uncertainties. When payments are eventually made, they are charged to the provision
carried in the statement of financial position.
(aa) Borrowings
Borrowings are measured initially at fair value, net of directly attributable transaction costs,
and subsequently stated at amortised cost. The difference between the proceeds and the
redemption value is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income over the borrowing
period on an effective interest rate basis. Borrowings are recognised on drawdown and
derecognised on repayment.
(ab) Other payables
Other payables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised
cost using the effective interest method.
Other payables include lease liabilities calculated in accordance with IFRS 16. On the
commencement date of the lease the lease liability is measured as the present value of the
future lease payments to be made over the lease term. For the Group, future lease payments
include those which are fixed and those which vary depending on an index or rate. The future
lease payments are discounted at the Group’s incremental borrowing rate at the commencement
date of the lease, which varies depending on the lease term. The lease term includes the
non-cancellable period for which the Group has the right to use the leased asset, plus periods
covered by extension options where the option is reasonably certain to be taken. Conversely,
the non-cancellable period is reduced if it is reasonably certain that a termination option will
be taken.
The incremental borrowing rate is management’s judgement as to the rate of interest that
the Group would have to pay to borrow, over a similar term and with similar security, the funds
necessary to obtain an asset of a similar value to the cost of the right-of-use asset. This has
been determined with reference to the rate of interest of existing borrowings held by the Group
and market rates adjusted to take into account the security and term associated with the lease.
The Group applied the practical expedient on transition to IFRS 16 on 1 January 2019 of applying
a single discount rate to a portfolio of leases with reasonably similar characteristics by grouping
leases by asset type and remaining lease term on the date of transition. Similarly, the Group
periodically determines standard discount rates to apply for leases entered into since
1 January 2019 by asset type and lease term.
Derecognition
A financial liability is derecognised when the obligation under the liability is discharged,
cancelled or expired.
(ac) Employee benefits
(i) Pension obligations
The Group operates a defined contribution personal pension plan for its employees.
Contributions to this plan are recognised as an expense in the statement of comprehensive
income as incurred. The Group has no legal or constructive obligations to pay further
contributions if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits
relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
(ii) Share-based payments
The Group operates a number of share-based payment plans for employees, Partners and
advisers. The fair value of share-based payment awards granted is recognised as an expense
spread over the vesting period of the instrument, which accords with the period for which
related services are provided, with a corresponding increase in equity in the case of equity-
settled plans and the recognition of a liability for cash-settled plans.
The total amount to be expensed is determined by reference to the fair value of the awards,
which are measured using standard option pricing models as the fair value of the services
provided by employees, Partners and advisers cannot be reliably measured. For equity-settled
plans, the fair value is determined at grant date and not subsequently remeasured.
For cash-settled plans, the fair value is remeasured at each reporting date and at the date
of settlement, with any changes in fair value recognised in the statement of comprehensive
income for the period.
At each reporting date, the Group revises its estimate of the number of awards that are
expected to vest and it recognises the impact of the revision of original estimates, if any, in
the statement of comprehensive income, such that the amounts recognised for employee,
Partner and adviser services are based on the number of awards that actually vest. The
charge to the statement of comprehensive income is not revised for any changes in market
vesting conditions.
(ad) Share capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Where any Group entity purchases the Company’s
equity share capital (shares held in trust), the consideration paid is deducted from equity
attributable to shareholders, as disclosed in the Shares in trust reserve. Where such shares are
subsequently sold, reissued or otherwise disposed of, any consideration received is included
in equity attributable to shareholders, net of any directly attributable incremental transaction
costs and the related income tax effects.
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(ae) Product classification
The Group’s products are classified for accounting purposes as either insurance contracts
or investment contracts.
(i) Insurance contracts
Insurance contracts are contracts that transfer significant insurance risk. The Group’s historic
product range includes a variety of term assurance and whole-of-life protection contracts
involving significant insurance risk transfer.
(ii) Investment contracts
Contracts that do not transfer significant insurance risk are treated as investment contracts.
The majority of the business written by the Group is unit-linked investment business and is
classified as investment contracts.
(af) Impairment
(i) Non-financial assets
Assets that are subject to amortisation are reviewed for impairment when circumstances or
events indicate there may be uncertainty over their value. An impairment loss is recognised
for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount.
The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs to sell or its value-in-
use. Refer to accounting policy (l) for the Group’s impairment policy for goodwill.
(ii) Financial assets
Financial assets held at amortised cost are impaired using an expected credit loss model.
The model splits financial assets into performing, underperforming and non-performing
categories based on changes in credit quality since initial recognition. At initial recognition
financial assets are considered to be performing. They become underperforming where there
has been a significant increase in credit risk since initial recognition, and non-performing when
there is objective evidence of impairment. 12 months of expected credit losses are recognised
within expenses in the statement of comprehensive income and netted against the financial
asset in the statement of financial position for all performing financial assets, with lifetime
expected credit losses recognised for underperforming and non-performing financial assets.
Expected credit losses are based on the historic levels of loss experienced for the relevant
financial assets, with due consideration given to forward-looking information.
The most significant category of financial assets held at amortised cost for the Group are
business loans to Partners, which are explained in more detail in Note 15. The significant
increase in credit risk which triggers the move from performing to underperforming for these
assets is when they are more than 30 days past due, in line with the presumption set out in
IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, or when the loan facility has expired and is in the process of being
renegotiated. Business loans to Partners are classified as non-performing when the loan is to
a Partner who has left the St. James’s Place Partnership, or when the loan is to a Partner whom
management considers to be at significant risk of leaving the Partnership and where an orderly
settlement of debt is considered to be in question. The definition of non-performing loans in this
context is a critical accounting judgement, about which more information is set out in Note 2.
(ag) Foreign currency translation
The Group’s presentation and the Company’s functional currency is pounds Sterling.
The statement of comprehensive income and statement of cash flows for foreign subsidiaries
are translated into the Group’s presentation currency using exchange rates prevailing at the
date of the transaction. The statement of financial position for foreign subsidiaries is translated
at the year-end exchange rate. Exchange rate differences arising from these translations are
taken to the statement of comprehensive income.
Foreign currency transactions are translated into pounds Sterling using the exchange rate
prevailing at the date of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in
foreign currencies are translated using the rate of exchange ruling at the reporting date and
the gain or losses on translation are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income.
Non-monetary assets and liabilities which are held at historical cost are translated using
exchange rates prevailing at the date of the transaction; those held at fair value are translated
using exchange rates ruling at the date on which the fair value was determined.
(ah) Segment reporting
Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided
to the Chief Operating Decision-Maker. The Chief Operating Decision-Maker, responsible for
allocating resources and assessing performance of the operating segments, has been
identified as the Group Executive Committee.
(ai) Current and non‑current disclosure
Assets which are expected to be recovered or settled no more than 12 months after the reporting
date are disclosed as current within the Notes to the financial statements. Those expected to be
recovered or settled more than 12 months after the reporting date are disclosed as non-current.
Liabilities which are expected or due to be settled no more than 12 months after the reporting
date are disclosed as current within the Notes to the financial statements. Those liabilities which
are expected or due to be settled more than 12 months after the reporting date are disclosed
as non-current.
(aj) Alternative performance measures
Within the financial statements, a number of alternative performance measures (APMs) are
disclosed. An APM is a measure of financial performance, financial position or cash flows which
is not defined by the relevant financial reporting framework, which for the Group is International
Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the UK Endorsement Board. APMs are used to
provide greater insight into the performance of the Group and the way it is managed by the
Directors. A definition of each of the APMs is included in the glossary of alternative performance
measures section, which explains why it is used and, where applicable, explains how the
measure can be reconciled to the IFRS financial statements.
146
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
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Other information
Financial statements
2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements in applying
accounting policies
Estimates
Critical accounting estimates are those which give rise to a significant risk of material
adjustment to the balances recognised in the financial statements within the next 12 months.
The Group’s critical accounting estimates relate to:
determining the value of insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets
determining the fair value of investment property
determining the fair value of Level 3 fixed income securities and equities
determining the value of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision.
Estimates are also applied in calculating other assets of the financial statements, including
determining the value of deferred tax assets, investment contract benefits, the operational
readiness prepayment and other provisions.
Determining the value of insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets
In accordance with IFRS 17, the Group has used the following assumptions in the calculation
of insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets:
the assumed rate of investment return, which is based on current risk-free swap rates
the mortality and morbidity rates, which are based on the results of an investigation of
experience during the year
the level of expenses, which for the year under review is based on actual expenses in 2025
and expected rates in 2026 and over the long term
the lapse assumption, which is set based on an investigation of experience during the year
the risk adjustment, which is determined using a cost of capital approach with a 3% charge
(2024: 3%). There has been no change during the year.
Further details of the valuation of insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets,
including sensitivity analysis, are set out in Note 17.
Determining the fair value of investment property
In accordance with IAS 40, the Group initially recognises investment properties at cost, and
subsequently remeasures its portfolio to fair value in the statement of financial position. Fair
value is determined at least monthly by professional external valuers. It is based on anticipated
market values for the properties in accordance with the guidance issued by the Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), being the estimated amount that would be received from a sale
of the assets in an orderly transaction between market participants.
The valuation of investment property is inherently subjective as it requires, among other factors,
assumptions to be made regarding the ability of existing tenants to meet their rental obligations
over the entire life of their leases, the estimation of the expected rental income into the future,
the assessment of a property’s potential to remain as an attractive technical configuration to
existing and prospective tenants in a changing market and a judgement on the attractiveness
of a building, its location and the surrounding environment. Wherever appropriate, sustainability
and environmental matters are an integral part of the valuation approach. In a valuation
context, sustainability encompasses a wide range of physical, social, environmental and
economic factors that can affect value. The range of issues includes key environmental risks,
such as flooding, energy efficiency and climate, as well as design, configuration, accessibility,
legislation, management and fiscal considerations and, additionally, current and historical land
use. As such, investment properties are classified as Level 3 in the IFRS 13 fair value hierarchy
because they are valued using techniques which are not based on observable inputs.
During the prior year, SJP announced the decision to wind down the Property Unit Trust and
remove the Property Life and Pension fund options. The process of determining the fair value of
investment property remains unchanged.
Further details of the valuation of investment properties, including sensitivity analysis, are set
out in Note 20.
Determining the fair value of Level 3 fixed income securities and equities
In accordance with IFRS 9, the Group elects to classify its portfolio of policyholder fixed income
securities at fair value through profit and loss to match the accounting for policyholder liabilities.
Its portfolio of equities is required to be held at fair value through profit and loss. As a result,
all fixed income securities and equities are held at fair value, with the best evidence of the
fair value at initial recognition typically being the transaction price, i.e. the fair value
of the consideration given or received.
A number of investments are held in private credit and private equity assets, which are
recognised within fixed income securities and within equities, respectively, on the consolidated
statement of financial position. The fair value of these assets is determined following a monthly
valuation process which uses two different valuation models and includes verification by
professional external valuers. The models use suitable market comparatives and an estimate
of future cash flows expected to flow from the issuing entity.
The valuations are inherently subjective as they require a number of assumptions to be made,
such as determining which entities provide suitable market comparatives and their relevant
performance metrics (for example earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation),
determining appropriate discount rates and cash flow forecasts to use in models, the weighting
to apply to each valuation methodology, and the point in the range of valuations to select as
the fair value. As the inputs to the valuation models are unobservable, the investments in
private credit and private equity assets are classified as Level 3 in the IFRS 13 fair value hierarchy.
Further details about the valuation models, including sensitivity analysis, is set out in Note 20.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements in applying
accounting policies
continued
Determining the value of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision
The Group has committed to review the sub-population of clients that has been charged for
ongoing advice services since the start of 2018 but where the evidence of delivery falls below
the acceptable standard.
In accordance with IAS 37, the Group has quantified the Ongoing Service Evidence provision as
the best estimate of the amount necessary to settle the present obligation, taking into account
the associated risks and uncertainties.
The provision is based on an extrapolation of the experience of a representative cohort of
clients. The period for the review has been determined by the Group to commence from 2018
following an assessment of the regulatory regime in force during this period and the
requirement to retain evidence of delivery for this period of time.
During the year, following the FCA’s new industry guidance around ongoing financial advice
services, issued in February 2025, the Group revised the redress methodology. The Group have
updated the assumptions to reflect experience from the project to date, which includes a larger
representative cohort of clients.
Key estimates and assumptions in assessing the estimated value are:
extrapolation from a representative cohort – that the assessment, of a representative cohort
of client records, can be extrapolated to the wider review population
opt-In response rate – the response rate by clients to an invitation to join the review, taking
into account internal and industry experience
administration costs – that in-house historic experience and wider market experience of
similar exercises can be used to estimate the cost to fulfil the exercise.
Further details of the provision, including sensitivity analysis, are set out in Note 18.
Judgements
The primary areas in which the Group has applied judgement are as follows:
Consolidation
Entities are consolidated within the Group financial statements if they are controlled by
the Group. Control exists if the Group is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from
its involvement with the entity and the Group has the ability to affect those returns through
its power over the entity. Significant judgement can be involved in determining whether the
Group controls an entity, such as in the case of the structured entity set up for the Group’s
securitisation transaction, SJP Partner Loans No.1 Limited, and for the Group’s unit trusts.
A structured entity is one that has been designed so that voting or similar rights are not the
dominant factor in deciding who controls the entity. As a result, factors such as whether a
Group entity is able to direct the relevant activities of the entity and the extent to which the
Group is exposed to variability of returns are considered. In the case of SJP Partner Loans No.1
Limited, it was determined that the Group does control the entity and hence it is consolidated.
This is due to an entity in the Group holding the junior tranche of loan notes, hence being
subject to variability of returns, and the same entity being able to direct the relevant activities
of the structured entity through its role of servicer to the securitised portfolio.
Unit trusts are consolidated when the Group holds more than 30% of the units in that unit trust.
This is the threshold at which the Group is considered to achieve control, having regard to
factors such as:
the scope of decision-making authority held by St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited,
the unit trust manager
rights held by external parties to remove the unit trust manager
the Group’s exposure to variable returns through its holdings in the unit trusts and its ability
to influence the unit trust manager’s remuneration.
Determining non‑performing business loans to Partners
Business loans to Partners are considered to be non-performing (Stage 3), in the context
of the definition prescribed by IFRS 9, if they are in default. This is defined as a loan to either:
a Partner who has left the St. James’s Place Partnership; or
a Partner whom management considers to be at significant risk of leaving the Partnership
and where an orderly settlement of debt is considered to be in question.
Determining the derecognition of business loans to Partners
Business loans to Partners are derecognised, in the context of the definition prescribed
by IFRS 9, when:
the assets have been sold to a third-party
there is an obligation to pay received cash flows in full without material delay to a third-
party under a ‘pass-through’ arrangement
the originator has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of owning the assets.
See Note 15 for further information on the derecognition of business loans to Partners.
148
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
3. Segment reporting
IFRS 8 Operating Segments requires operating segments to be identified on the basis of internal
reports about components of the Group that are regularly reviewed by the Board, in order to
allocate resources to each segment and assess its performance.
The Group’s only reportable segment under IFRS 8 is a ‘wealth management’ business –
providing support to our clients through our network of advisers providing valuable face-to-
face financial advice, and financial solutions including (but not limited to) wealth management
products manufactured in the Group, such as insurance bonds, pensions, unit trust and ISA
investments, and a DFM service.
Separate geographical segmental information is not presented since the Group does not
segment its business geographically. Most of its customers are based in the United Kingdom,
as is management of the assets. In particular, the operation based in AME is not yet sufficiently
material for separate consideration.
Segment revenue
Revenue received from fee and commission income is set out in Note 4, which details the
different types of revenue received from our wealth management business.
Segment profit
Two separate measures of profit are monitored by the Board. These are the post-tax Underlying
cash result and the pre-tax European Embedded Value (EEV) profit. Further details can be found
within the glossary of alternative performance measures section.
Underlying cash result
The measure of cash profit monitored by the Board is the post-tax Underlying cash result.
For further information please refer to the glossary of alternative performance measures section.
More detail is provided in section 2.2 of the financial review.
The Cash result should not be confused with the IFRS consolidated statement of cash flows,
which is prepared in accordance with IAS 7.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Underlying cash result after tax
462.3
447.2
Ongoing Service Evidence provision
82.1
Movement in DAC/DIR/PVIF
35.2
(0.1)
Impact of policyholder tax asymmetry (see Note 4)
1
(35.4)
(38.9)
Equity-settled share-based payments
(19.2)
(11.2)
Impact of deferred tax
8.0
(9.0)
Other
(1.6)
10.4
IFRS profit after tax
531.4
398.4
Shareholder tax
165.3
137.5
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
696.7
535.9
Tax attributable to policyholder returns
638.5
513.2
IFRS profit before tax
1,335.2
1,049.1
1 Further information on policyholder tax asymmetry can also be found in the Glossary.
EEV operating profit
EEV operating profit is monitored by the Board. Further details on the EEV operating profit can be
found within the glossary of alternative performance measures section.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
EEV operating profit before tax after exceptional items
1,829.8
1,045.0
Investment return variance
709.4
533.7
Economic assumption changes
37.4
23.5
EEV profit before tax
2,576.6
1,602.2
Adjustments to IFRS basis:
Deduct: amortisation of purchased value of in-force business
(3.2)
(3.2)
Movement of balance sheet life value of in-force business (net of tax)
(383.8)
(354.5)
Movement of balance sheet unit trust and DFM value of in-force
business (net of tax)
(438.2)
(345.4)
Movement of balance sheet other value of in-force business
(net of tax)
(583.5)
(291.4)
Tax on movement in value of in-force business
(471.2)
(71.8)
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
696.7
535.9
Tax attributable to policyholder returns
638.5
513.2
IFRS profit before tax
1,335.2
1,049.1
The movement in life, unit trust and DFM, and other value of in-force business is the difference
between the opening and closing discounted value of the profits that will emerge from the
in-force book over time, after adjusting for DAC and DIR impacts which are already included
under IFRS.
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Financial statements
3. Segment reporting continued
Segment assets
Funds under management (FUM)
FUM, as reported in section 1 of the financial review, is the measure of segment assets which
is monitored on a monthly basis by the Board.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Investment bond
44,120.0
39,180.0
Pension
119,940.0
101,980.0
UT/ISA and DFM
55,950.0
49,050.0
Total FUM
220,010.0
190,210.0
Exclude client and third-party holdings
in non-consolidated unit trusts and DFM
(4,038.9)
(4,183.3)
Other
3,693.7
3,923.7
Gross assets held to cover unit liabilities
219,664.8
189,950.4
IFRS intangible assets
326.5
335.1
Shareholder gross assets
4,886.2
4,589.6
Total assets
224,877.5
194,875.1
Other represents liabilities included within the underlying unit trusts. The unit trust liabilities form
a reconciling item between total FUM, which is reported net of these liabilities, and total assets,
which exclude these liabilities.
More detail on IFRS intangible assets and shareholder gross assets is provided on page 211.
4. Fee and commission income
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Advice charges (post RDR)
1,396.0
1,089.2
Third-party fee and commission income
142.0
131.3
Wealth management fees
1,149.7
1,234.1
Investment management fees
276.6
74.5
Fund tax deductions
638.5
513.2
Policyholder tax asymmetry
(35.4)
(38.9)
Discretionary fund management fees
22.6
23.4
Fee and commission income before DIR amortisation
3,590.0
3,026.8
Amortisation of DIR
176.4
137.1
Total fee and commission income
3,766.4
3,163.9
Advice charges are received from clients for the provision of initial and ongoing advice
in relation to a post-Retail Distribution Review (RDR) investment into a St. James’s Place
or third-party product.
Third-party fee and commission income is received from the product provider where
an investment has been made into a third-party product.
Wealth management fees represent charges levied on manufactured business.
Investment management fees are received from clients for the provision of investment
management. Broadly, investment management fees are matched by investment
management expenses.
Fund tax deductions represent amounts credited to, or deducted from, the life insurance
business to match policyholder tax credits or charges. Market conditions will impact the level
of fund tax deductions. This may lead to significant year-on-year movements when markets
are volatile.
Life insurance tax incorporates a policyholder tax element, and the financial statements of a
life insurance group need to reflect the liability to HMRC, with the corresponding deductions
incorporated into policy charges (‘Fund tax deductions’ in the table on the left). The tax liability
to HMRC is assessed using IAS 12 Income Taxes, which does not allow discounting, whereas the
policy charges are designed to ensure fair outcomes between clients and so reflect a wide
range of possible outcomes. This gives rise to different assessments of the current value of
future cash flows and hence an asymmetry in the IFRS consolidated statement of financial
position between the deferred tax position and the offsetting client balance. The net tax
asymmetry balance reflects a temporary position, and in the absence of market volatility we
expect it will unwind as future cash flows become less uncertain and are ultimately realised.
External market conditions drive the movement in the policyholder tax asymmetry balances.
Net market gains in the year to 31 December 2025 have resulted in a negative policyholder
tax asymmetry.
Discretionary fund management fees are received from clients for the provision of DFM services.
Where an investment has been made in a St. James’s Place product, the initial product charge is
deferred and recognised as a deferred income liability. This liability is extinguished, and income
recognised, over the expected life of the investment. The income is the amortisation of DIR in the
table on the left.
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
5. Expenses
The following items are included within the expenses disclosed in the statement of
comprehensive income:
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Payments to Partners
1,347.6
1,134.8
Fees payable to the Company’s auditors and its associates:
For the audit of the Company and consolidated financial statements
0.5
0.5
For other services:
– Audit of the Company’s subsidiaries (excluding unit trusts)
0.9
0.8
– Audit of the Company’s unit trusts
0.9
0.8
– Audit-related assurance services
0.8
0.7
– Other assurance services
0.2
0.2
Total fees payable to the Company’s auditors and its associates
3.3
3.0
Employee costs:
Wages and salaries
267.1
255.5
Social security costs
37.8
29.2
Other pension costs
21.8
21.7
Cost of employee share awards and options
20.2
11.3
Total employee costs
346.9
317.7
Average monthly number of persons employed by the Group
during the year
3 ,102
3,206
Included within fees payable to the Company’s auditors and its associates for audit-related
assurance services is £0.2 million (2024: £0.2 million) for non-audit services as defined by the
Group’s policy on auditor independence.
The above employee costs information includes Directors’ remuneration. Full details of the
Directors’ remuneration, share options, pension entitlements and interests in shares are
disclosed in the Directors’ remuneration report, and further information is also provided below.
All pension costs related to defined contribution schemes and cash supplements in lieu
of contributions to defined contribution pension schemes. At 31 December 2025, the number
of Directors to whom retirement benefits are accruing, including those receiving a cash
supplement in lieu of contributions to defined contribution pension schemes, is two (2024: two),
with the total cost being £0.2 million (2024: £0.1 million).
The number of Directors who exercised options over shares in the Company during the
year is nil (2024: nil). The number of Directors in respect of whose qualifying services shares
were receivable under long-term incentive schemes is two (2024: three), and the total
amount receivable by the Directors under long-term incentive schemes is £0.3 million
(2024: £0.4 million). The aggregate gains made by Directors on the exercise of share
options and the receipt of deferred bonus plan shares during the year was £nil (2024: £nil).
6. Investment return and movement in investment contract benefits
The majority of the business written by the Group is unit-linked investment business, and so
investment contract benefits are measured by reference to the underlying net asset value of
the Group’s unitised investment funds. As a result, investment return on the unitised investment
funds and the movement in investment contract benefits are linked.
Investment return
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Attributable to unit-linked investment contract benefits:
£’Million
£’Million
Rental income
37.9
60.8
Loss on revaluation of investment properties
(7.4)
(3.3)
Net investment return on financial instruments classified at fair value
through profit and loss
20,024.1
15,594.6
20,054.6
15,652.1
Income attributable to third-party holdings in unit trusts
6,230.9
7,036.4
Investment return on net assets held to cover unit liabilities
26,285.5
22,688.5
Net investment return on financial instruments classified at fair value
through profit and loss
86.4
95.6
Net investment return on financial instruments held at amortised cost
(0.1)
1.2
Investment return on shareholder assets
86.3
96.8
Total investment return
26,371.8
22,785.3
Included in the net investment return on financial instruments classified as fair value through
profit and loss, within investment return on net assets held to cover unit liabilities, is dividend
income of £2,112.3 million (2024: £1,576.7 million).
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
6. Investment return and movement in investment contract benefits
continued
Movement in investment contract benefits
2025
2024
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
141,038.8
123,149.8
Deposits
16,858.3
14,451.6
Withdrawals
(12,752.0)
(10,778.2)
Movement in unit-linked investment contract benefits
20,054.6
15,652.1
Fees and other adjustments
(1,471.0)
(1,436.5)
Balance at 31 December
163,728.7
141,038.8
Current
7,826.1
6,762.1
Non-current
155,902.6
134,276.7
163,728.7
141,038.8
Movement in unit liabilities
Unit-linked investment contract benefits
20,054.6
15,652.1
Third-party unit trust holdings
6,230.9
7,036.4
Movement in investment contract benefits in the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income
26,285.5
22,688.5
See accounting policy (ai) for further information on the current and non-current disclosure.
7. Insurance revenue
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Amounts relating to changes in liabilities for remaining coverage
£’Million
£’Million
– Expected incurred claims and other insurance service expenses
22.2
23.2
– Change in risk adjustment for non-financial risk for risk expired
0.5
0.6
– CSM recognised for services provided
1.5
1.4
Total insurance revenue
24.2
25.2
8. Insurance service expenses
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Amounts relating to changes in liabilities for remaining coverage
£’Million
£’Million
– Incurred claims and other insurance service expenses
(22.6)
(21.8)
Total insurance services expenses
(22.6)
(21.8)
9. Finance income and finance costs
The following items are included within other finance income disclosed in the statement of
comprehensive income:
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Interest received on cash and cash equivalents
18.0
15.5
Interest received on business loans to Partners
46.0
43.0
Finance income
64.0
58.5
Interest paid on external borrowings
(24.0)
(33.0)
Interest paid on lease liabilities
(2.8)
(3.2)
Other interest paid
(2.1)
(0.2)
Finance costs
(28.9)
(36.4)
Finance income represents the interest received on shareholder cash and cash equivalents
and business loans to Partners. See Note 15 for further information on business loans to Partners.
Finance costs represent the cost of interest charges on the Group’s external borrowings and the
interest charge on the Group’s lease liabilities.
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Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
10. Income and deferred taxes
Tax for the year
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Current tax
£’Million
£’Million
UK corporation tax
– Current year charge
513.4
330.7
– Adjustment in respect of prior year
2.2
1.9
Overseas taxes
– Current year charge
12.2
17.0
– Adjustment in respect of prior year
0.1
(0.3)
Deferred tax
527.9
349.3
Unrealised capital gains in unit-linked funds
285.5
261.6
Unrelieved expenses
– Utilisation in the year
7.1
8.9
DAC, DIR and PVIF
(1.6)
(5.3)
Share-based payments
(13.3)
(5.3)
Renewal income assets
(3.1)
(3.9)
Fixed asset timing differences
0.5
UK trading losses
40.8
Other items
3.4
3.8
Transitional adjustment
(1.1)
3.4
Adjustment in respect of prior year
(1.0)
(3.1)
275.9
301.4
Total tax charge for the year
803.8
650.7
Attributable to:
– Policyholders
638.5
513.2
– Shareholders
165.3
137.5
803.8
650.7
The adjustment in respect of prior year of £2.3 million charge in current tax on the left represents
a £3.4 million charge in respect of policyholder tax (2024: £2.4 million charge) and a credit of
£1.1 million in respect of shareholder tax (2024: £0.8 million credit). The adjustment in respect
of prior year of £1.0 million credit in deferred tax on the left represents £nil in respect of
policyholder tax (2024: £0.1 million credit) and a credit of £1.0 million in respect of shareholder
tax (2024: £3.0 million credit).
In arriving at the profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns, it is necessary to
estimate the distribution of the total tax charge/(credit) between that payable in respect
of policyholders and that payable by shareholders. Shareholder tax is estimated by making
an assessment of the effective rate of tax that is applicable to the shareholders on the profits
attributable to shareholders. This is calculated by applying the appropriate effective corporate
tax rates to the shareholder profits. The remainder of the tax charge/(credit) represents tax on
policyholders’ investment returns. This calculation method is consistent with the legislation
relating to the calculation of tax on shareholder profits.
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Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
10. Income and deferred taxes continued
Reconciliation of tax charge to expected tax
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Profit before tax
1,335.2
1,049.1
Tax attributable to policyholders’ returns
(638.5)
(513.2)
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’
returns
696.7
535.9
Shareholder tax charge at corporate tax rate of
25% (2024: 25%)
174.2
25%
134.0
25%
Adjustments:
Lower rates of corporation tax
in overseas subsidiaries
(3.2)
(0.5%)
(1.2)
(0.2%)
Expected shareholder tax
171.0
24.5%
132.8
24.8%
Effects of:
Non-taxable income
(0.4)
(0.4)
Adjustment in respect of prior year
– Current tax
(1.1)
(0.8)
– Deferred tax
(1.0)
(3.1)
Differences in accounting and tax bases
in relation to employee share schemes
(12.2)
(3.1)
Disallowable expenses
5.9
6.1
Change in accounting base – Hong Kong
4.2
Provision for future liabilities
(0.6)
Tax losses not recognised
0.5
2.4
Other
2.6
(5.7)
(0.8%)
4.7
0.9%
Shareholder tax charge
165.3
23.7%
137.5
25.7%
Policyholder tax charge
638.5
513.2
Total tax charge for the year
803.8
650.7
Tax calculated on profit before tax at 25.0% (2024: 25.0%) would amount to a charge of
£333.8 million (2024: £262.3 million charge). The difference of £470.0 million (2024: £388.4 million)
between this number and the total tax charge of £803.8 million (2024: £650.7 million charge)
is made up of the reconciling items above which total a credit of £8.9 million (2024: £3.5 million
charge) and the effect of the apportionment methodology on tax applicable to policyholder
returns of £478.9 million (2024: £384.9 million).
Tax paid in the year
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Current tax charge for the year
527.9
349.3
Payments to be made in future years in respect of current year
(26.2)
(22.9)
Payments made in current year in respect of prior years
22.5
0.6
Other
0.3
(0.9)
Tax paid
524.5
326.1
Tax paid can be analysed as:
– Taxes paid in UK
404.3
252.4
– Taxes paid in overseas jurisdictions
5.4
5.9
– Withholding taxes suffered on investment income received
114.8
67.8
Total
524.5
326.1
154
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
10. Income and deferred taxes continued
Deferred tax balances
Deferred tax assets
Credit/(charge) to the statement Expected
of comprehensive income utilisation period
As at Utilised and Reanalysis As at As at
1 January created Total Impact of from deferred 31 December 31 December
2025 in year credit/(charge) acquisitions tax liabilities 2025 2025
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
0.9
0.5
0.5
(17.3)
(15.9)
14 years
Deferred income (DIR)
1.7
(3.6)
(3.6)
29.2
27.3
14 years
Fixed asset temporary differences
0.6
0.6
0.3
0.9
6 years
Renewal income assets
3.1
3.1
(3.9)
(17.3)
(18.1)
20 years
Share-based payments
13.2
13.2
0.4
10.1
23.7
3 years
Other temporary differences
0.1
(2.9)
(2.9)
(4.9)
(7.7)
Total
2.7
10.9
10.9
(3.5)
0.1
10.2
(Charge)/credit to the statement Expected
of comprehensive income utilisation period
As at Utilised and Reanalysis to As at As at
1 January created Total Impact of deferred tax 31 December 31 December
2024 in year (charge)/credit acquisitions liabilities 2024 2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
(18.6)
0.1
0.1
19.4
0.9
14 years
Deferred income (DIR)
35.1
(0.1)
(0.1)
(33.3)
1.7
14 years
Fixed asset temporary differences
1.3
(1.3)
6 years
Renewal income assets
(19.9)
19.9
20 years
Share-based payments
4.8
(4.8)
3 years
UK trading losses
36.1
(36.1)
(36.1)
Other temporary differences
(2.3)
2.4
0.1
Total
36.5
(36.1)
(36.1)
2.3
2.7
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155
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
10. Income and deferred taxes continued
Deferred tax liabilities
Charge/(credit) to the
statement of comprehensive Expected
income utilisation period
As at Utilised and Total Reanalysis to As at As at
1 January created charge/ Impact of deferred tax 31 December 31 December
2025 in year (credit) acquisitions assets 2025 2025
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
24.1
(3.8)
(3.8)
(17.3)
3.0
14 years
Deferred income (DIR)
(30.1)
(0.1)
(0.1)
29.2
(1.0)
14 years
Purchased value of in-force business (PVIF)
1.2
(0.8)
(0.8)
0.4
1 year
Unrealised capital gains on life insurance (BLAGAB) assets backing unit liabilities
684.9
285.5
285.5
970.4
6 years
Unrelieved expenses on life insurance business
(17.3)
7.1
7.1
0.1
(10.1)
3 years
Fixed asset temporary differences
(0.4)
0.4
6 years
Renewal income assets
17.4
(0.1)
(0.1)
0.1
(17.3)
0.1
20 years
Share based payments
(10.1)
10.1
3 years
Transitional adjustment
5.0
(1.1)
(1.1)
(0.4)
(0.3)
3.2
3 years
Other temporary differences
4.7
0.1
0.1
0.2
(4.8)
0.2
Total
679.4
286.8
286.8
(0.1)
0.1
966.2
Charge/(credit) to the
statement of comprehensive Expected
income utilisation period
As at Utilised and Total Reanalysis As at As at
1 January created charge/ Impact of from deferred 31 December 31 December
2024 in year (credit) acquisitions tax assets 2024 2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
12.3
(7.6)
(7.6)
19.4
24.1
14 years
Deferred income (DIR)
3.2
3.2
(33.3)
(30.1)
14 years
Purchased value of in-force business (PVIF)
2.0
(0.8)
(0.8)
1.2
2 years
Unrealised capital gains on life insurance (BLAGAB) assets backing unit liabilities
423.4
261.5
261.5
684.9
6 years
Unrelieved expenses on life insurance business
(26.2)
8.9
8.9
(17.3)
4 years
Fixed asset temporary differences
0.9
0.9
(1.3)
(0.4)
6 years
Renewal income assets
(2.5)
(2.5)
19.9
17.4
20 years
Share based payments
(5.3)
(5.3)
(4.8)
(10.1)
3 years
Transitional adjustment
3.4
3.4
1.6
5.0
4 years
Other temporary differences
0.2
3.6
3.6
0.1
0.8
4.7
Total
411.7
265.3
265.3
0.1
2.3
679.4
156
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
10. Income and deferred taxes continued
Appropriate investment income, gains or profits are expected to arise against which the tax
assets can be utilised. Whilst the actual rates of utilisation will depend on business growth
and external factors, particularly investment market conditions, they have been tested for
sensitivity to experience and are resilient to a range of reasonably foreseeable scenarios.
At the reporting date there were unrecognised deferred tax assets of £20.9 million (2024: £19.4 million)
in respect of £127.7 million (2024: £116.7 million) of losses in companies where appropriate profits
are not considered probable in the forecast period. These losses primarily relate to the Group’s
Asia-based businesses and can be carried forward indefinitely.
Future tax changes
In the UK Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced an increase to the rate of
income tax in relation to savings income from 20% to 22% for the savings basic rate band,
with effect from 1 April 2027. This change has yet to be substantively enacted and as a result
no remeasurement of deferred tax balances have taken place at 2025 year end. There remains
some uncertainty regarding the application of this change specifically in respect of life policies
so we continue to monitor developments. The potential impact, at 31 December 2025 of a
remeasurement in deferred tax would be a £71.3m policyholder tax charge as a result of an
increase to the deferred tax liabilities.
Global minimum tax – Pillar two
The SJP Group is subject to the Global minimum tax rules introduced by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2024 and adopted into local legislation
of various territories in which the Group operates, including the UK and Ireland. The group is
subject to a domestic top-up tax in relation to its operations in Ireland, where the statutory
corporate tax rate is 12.5%. This increases the effective tax rate for the SJP profits arising in
Ireland to 15% and an adjustment of £0.3 million additional Irish tax has been posted in this
respect (year to 31 December 2024: £0.1m charge). A Pillar Two adjustment is not required in
any other location in which SJP operates. The Company has applied the exception afforded
by the International Tax Reform – Pillar Two Model Rules (Amendments to IAS 12), and as such
does not recognise and disclose deferred tax impacts of any future top-up tax.
11. Goodwill, intangible assets, deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
and deferred income (DIR)
Computer
Purchased software and
value of other specific
in-force software
Goodwill business
developments
DAC
DIR
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Cost
At 1 January 2024
36.6
73.4
65.6
945.8
(1,636.3)
Additions
5.1
45.2
(115.1)
Disposals
(182.0)
153.0
At 31 December 2024
36.6
73.4
70.7
809.0
(1,598.4)
Additions
50.7
(128.5)
Disposals
(191.0)
165.4
At 31 December 2025
36.6
73.4
70.7
668.7
(1,561.5)
Accumulated amortisation and impairment
At 1 January 2024
3.0
65.4
37.6
641.4
(1,144.8)
Charge for the year
10.3
3.2
22.4
63.4
(137.1)
Eliminated on disposal
(182.0)
153.0
At 31 December 2024
13.3
68.6
60.0
522.8
(1,128.9)
Charge for the year
4.8
3.2
4.2
52.8
(176.4)
Eliminated on disposal
(191.0)
165.4
At 31 December 2025
18.1
71.8
64.2
384.6
(1,139.9)
Carrying value
At 1 January 2024
33.6
8.0
28.0
304.4
(491.5)
At 31 December 2024
23.3
4.8
10.7
286.2
(469.5)
At 31 December 2025
18.5
1.6
6.5
284.1
(421.6)
Current
1.6
3.5
42.1
(150.5)
Non-current
18.5
3.0
242.0
(271.1)
Outstanding amortisation period
At 31 December 2024
N/A
1 year
5 years
14 years
6 to 14 years
At 31 December 2025
N/A
1 year
5 years
14 years 6 to 14 years
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
157
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
11. Goodwill, intangible assets, deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
and deferred income (DIR)
continued
Goodwill
Goodwill is reviewed at least annually for impairment, or when circumstances or events
indicate there may be uncertainty over its value. The recoverable amount has been based on
value-in-use calculations using pre-tax cash flows. Details of the assumptions made in these
calculations are provided below:
Key assumptions based on experience: Value of new business and expenses
Projection period: Five years extrapolated into perpetuity/ten years
Pre-tax discount rate based on
a risk-free rate plus a risk margin: 7.8% to 10.8% (2024: 7.8% to 10.8%)
It is considered that no reasonably possible levels of change in the key assumptions
would result in a material impairment of the goodwill.
Purchased value of in‑force business/DAC/computer software
Amortisation is charged to expenses in the statement of comprehensive income.
Amortisation profiles are reassessed annually.
DIR
Amortisation is credited within fee and commission income in the statement of comprehensive
income. Amortisation profiles are reassessed annually.
12. Property and equipment, including leased assets
Fixtures, fittings
and office Computer Leased assets:
equipment equipment
properties
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Cost
At 1 January 2024
63.9
10.0
180.9
254.8
Additions
2.8
0.8
4.8
8.4
Disposals
(2.3)
(12.4)
(14.7)
At 31 December 2024
64.4
10.8
173.3
248.5
Additions
0.7
0.4
9.0
10.1
Disposals
(3.3)
(9.2)
(12.5)
At 31 December 2025
61.8
11.2
173.1
246.1
Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2024
31.8
7.5
62.4
101.7
Charge for the year
6.4
1.6
15.4
23.4
Eliminated on disposal
(2.2)
(8.4)
(10.6)
At 31 December 2024
36.0
9.1
69.4
114.5
Charge for the year
5.3
1.0
14.5
20.8
Eliminated on disposal
(2.6)
(8.9)
(11.5)
At 31 December 2025
38.7
10.1
75.0
123.8
Net book value
At 1 January 2024
32.1
2.5
118.5
153.1
At 31 December 2024
28.4
1.7
103.9
134.0
At 31 December 2025
23.1
1.1
98.1
122.3
Depreciation period (estimated useful life)
At 31 December 2024
5 to 15 years
3 years
1 to 17 years
At 31 December 2025
5 to 15 years
3 years
1 to 15 years
158
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
13. Leases
This note provides information on leases where the Group is a lessee. For information on leases
where the Group is a lessor, refer to Note 14.
The Groups leasing activities and how these are accounted for
The Group leases a portfolio of office properties, equipment and vehicles. The exemptions
available under IFRS 16 for low-value or short-term leases have been applied to all leased
equipment and vehicles, and so the leased assets and lease liabilities on the consolidated
statement of financial position, and the depreciation charge for leased assets and interest
expense on lease liabilities in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, relate
to the Group’s portfolio of office properties only.
Leases are negotiated on an individual basis and hence contain a variety of different terms and
conditions. They contain covenants and restrictions but generally these are standard and to be
expected in a modern, commercial lease created under open-market terms. Typical covenants
include paying the annual rent, insurance premiums, service charge, rates and VAT and keeping
the property in good repair and condition throughout the lease. Typical restrictions include
permitting office use only and not transferring or assigning the lease to a third-party without
the lessor’s consent. There are no residual value guarantees.
The Group is exposed to variability in lease payments, as a number of leases include rent
reviews during the lease term which are linked to an index or to market rates. In accordance
with IFRS 16, these variable lease payments are initially measured based on the index or rate
at the commencement date of the lease. Estimates of future rent changes are not made;
these changes are taken into account in the lease liabilities and leased assets only when
the lease payments change and so the variability is resolved. There are no variable lease
payments which are not linked to an index or to market rates.
The Group has not entered into any sale and leaseback transactions.
Details regarding the accounting policies applied to leases are set out in Note 1: refer to policies
(c)(ii) Lease expenses, (o) Property and equipment and (ab) Other payables.
Amounts recognised in the consolidated statement of financial position
The following amounts are recognised in the consolidated statement of financial position.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Within the property and equipment balance – refer to Note 12
£’Million
£’Million
Leased assets: properties
98.1
103.9
Within the other payables balance – refer to Note 16
Lease liabilities: properties
100.8
107.2
A movement schedule for leased assets, setting out additions during the year and depreciation
charged, is presented in Note 12. A movement schedule for lease liabilities is presented on
the right.
Amounts recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
The following amounts relating to leases are recognised within expenses in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Depreciation charge for leased assets: properties
14.5
15.4
Interest expense on lease liabilities: properties
2.8
3.2
Lease expense relating to short-term leases
0.2
0.3
Lease expense relating to low-value assets
2.7
2.3
Total lease expense for the year
20.2
21.2
Total cash outflow for leases during the year
16.8
17.2
Reconciliation of lease liabilities: properties
The following movement schedule reconciles the opening and closing lease liabilities relating
to properties in the consolidated statement of financial position.
2025
2024
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
107.2
120.5
Additions
7.7
4.4
Disposals
(0.1)
(3.7)
Interest charged
2.8
3.2
Lease payments made
(16.8)
(17.2)
Balance at 31 December
100.8
107.2
The principal lease payments disclosed in the table below link to the principal lease payments
set out in the consolidated statement of cash flows as follows:
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Interest payments
2.8
3.2
Principal lease payments
14.0
14.0
Lease payments made
16.8
17.2
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
159
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
14. Financial investments, investment property and cash and
cash equivalents
Financial investments
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Equities
147,807.5
130,549.0
Fixed income securities
31,564.1
26,118.5
Investments in Collective Investment Schemes
32,701.9
25,652.7
Total financial investments
212,073.5
182,320.2
Net assets held to cover unit liabilities
Included within the statement of financial position are the following assets and liabilities making
up the net assets held to cover unit liabilities. The assets held to cover unit liabilities are set out
in Adjustment 1 of the IFRS to Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet reconciliation on page 211.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Assets
£’Million
£’Million
Investment property
370.3
892.3
Equities
147,807.5
130,549.0
Fixed income securities
31,553.8
26,109.9
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
30,298.2
23,458.4
Cash and cash equivalents
5,854.9
5,311.3
Other receivables
871.4
816.7
Derivative financial assets
2,908.7
2,812.8
Total assets
219,664.8
189,950.4
Liabilities
Other payables
1,029.2
692.7
Derivative financial liabilities
2,412.1
3,052.1
Total liabilities
3,441.3
3,744.8
Net assets held to cover linked liabilities
216,223.5
186,205.6
Investment contract benefits
163,728.7
141,038.8
Net asset value attributable to unit holders
51,982.8
44,699.5
Unit-linked insurance contract liabilities
512.0
467.3
Net unit-linked liabilities
216,223.5
186,205.6
Net assets held to cover linked liabilities, and third-party holdings in unit trusts, are considered
to have a maturity of up to one year since the corresponding unit liabilities are repayable and
transferable on demand. See accounting policy (ai) for further information on current and
non-current disclosure.
Investment property
2025
2024
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
892.3
1,110.3
Capitalised expenditure on existing properties
14.4
15.8
Disposals
(529.0)
(230.5)
Changes in fair value
(7.4)
(3.3)
Balance at 31 December
370.3
892.3
The Group is the lessor for a portfolio of properties which meet the definition of investment
property. The portfolio is held within unit-linked funds, leased out under operating leases, and is
considered current. However, since investment properties are not traded in an organised public
market they are relatively illiquid compared with many other asset classes. There are no
restrictions on the realisability of the Group’s individual properties, or on the remittance of
income or disposal proceeds.
The Group follows various strategies to minimise the risks associated with any rights the Group
retains in the investment properties. These strategies include:
actively reviewing and monitoring the condition of the properties and undertaking
appropriate repairs, capital works projects and investments
engaging professional legal advisers in drafting prudent lease terms governing the use
of the properties and engaging specialist asset managers to oversee adherence to these
terms on an ongoing basis
actively reviewing and monitoring lessee financial covenant positions
maintaining appropriate and prudent insurance for the properties
senior management regularly reviewing the investment property portfolio to oversee
diversification and performance, and to maximise value and occupancy rates.
Investment property is valued at least monthly by external chartered surveyors in accordance
with the guidance issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The investment property
valuation has been prepared using the ‘market approach’ valuation technique: that is, using
prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical
or comparable (i.e. similar) assets.
The historical cost of investment properties held at 31 December 2025 is £547.5 million
(2024: £987.4 million). This represents the price paid for investment properties, prior to
any subsequent revaluation.
160
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
14. Financial investments, investment property and cash and
cash equivalents
continued
The rental income and direct operating expenses recognised in the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income in respect of investment properties are set out below. All expenses
relate to property generating rental income.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Rental income
37.9
60.8
Direct operating expenses
11.0
9.5
At the year-end contractual obligations to purchase, construct or develop investment property
amounted to £nil (2024: £6.4 million).
Contractual obligations to dispose of investment property amounted to £nil (2024: £28.0 million).
A maturity analysis of undiscounted contractual rental income to be received on an annual
basis for the next five years, and the total to be received thereafter, is set out below.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Undiscounted contractual rental income to be received in:
£’Million
£’Million
Year 1
20.2
45.7
Year 2
18.3
42.6
Year 3
16.7
38.3
Year 4
15.3
33.8
Year 5
13.0
29.9
Year 6 onwards
132.7
156.2
Total undiscounted contractual rental income to be received
216.2
346.5
Cash and cash equivalents
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Cash and cash equivalents not held to cover unit liabilities
329.6
352.6
Balances held to cover unit liabilities
5,854.9
5,311.3
Total cash and cash equivalents
6,184.5
5,663.9
All cash and cash equivalents are considered current.
15. Other receivables
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Receivables in relation to unit liabilities excluding policyholder interests
715.3
656.4
Other receivables in relation to life and unit trust business
90.4
55.9
Operational readiness prepayment
228.1
256.3
Advanced payments to Partners
124.3
137.4
Other prepayments and accrued income
34.8
37.8
Business loans to Partners
639.9
557.3
Renewal income assets
119.8
121.0
Miscellaneous
34.7
45.3
Total other receivables on the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
1,987.3
1,867.4
Policyholder interests in other receivables (see Note 14)
871.4
816.7
Other
2.9
3.3
Total other receivables
2,861.6
2,687.4
Current
1,913.0
1,781.3
Non-current
948.6
906.1
2,861.6
2,687.4
All items within other receivables meet the definition of financial assets with the exception
of prepayments and advanced payments to Partners. The fair value of those financial assets
held at amortised cost is not materially different from amortised cost.
Receivables in relation to unit liabilities relate to outstanding market trade settlements (sales)
in the life unit-linked funds and the consolidated unit trusts. Other receivables in relation to
insurance and unit trust business primarily relate to outstanding policy-related settlement
timings. Both of these categories of receivables are short-term.
The operational readiness prepayment consists of directly invoiced operational readiness
costs advanced and relates to the Bluedoor administration platform which has been
developed by our key outsourced back-office administration provider. Management has
assessed the recoverability of this prepayment against the expected cost saving benefit of
lower future tariff costs arising from the platform. It is believed that no reasonably possible
change in the assumptions applied within this assessment, notably levels of future business,
the anticipated future service tariffs and the discount rate, would have an impact on the
carrying value of the asset.
Renewal income assets represent the present value of future cash flows associated with
business combinations or books of business acquired by the Group.
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161
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Financial statements
15. Other receivables continued
Business loans to Partners
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Business loans to Partners directly funded by the Group
370.1
386.6
Securitised business loans to Partners
269.8
170.7
Total business loans to Partners
639.9
557.3
Business loans to Partners are interest-bearing (linked to Bank of England base rate plus a margin),
repayable in line with the terms of the loan contract and secured against the future income
streams of the respective Partners.
Reconciliation of the business loans to Partners’ opening and closing gross loan balances
Stage 2: Stage 3:
Stage 1: under- non-
performing performing
performing
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Gross balance at 1 January 2025
484.2
48.5
33.1
565.8
Business loans to Partners classification
changes:
– Transfer to underperforming
(10.8)
10.8
– Transfer to non-performing
(7.1)
(0.3)
7.4
– Transfer to performing
19.5
(19.0)
(0.5)
New lending activity during the year
175.7
1.9
1.5
179.1
Interest charged during the year
40.5
2.7
2.8
46.0
Repayment activity during the year
(132.4)
(5.9)
(3.5)
(141.8)
Gross balance at 31 December 2025
569.6
38.7
40.8
649.1
Stage 2: Stage 3:
Stage 1: under- non-
performing performing
performing
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Gross balance at 1 January 2024
359.7
44.6
8.5
412.8
Business loans to Partners classification
changes:
– Transfer to underperforming
(19.0)
19.0
– Transfer to non-performing
(21.0)
(2.5)
23.5
– Transfer to performing
16.5
(16.4)
(0.1)
New lending activity during the year
215.0
7.8
2.6
225.4
Interest charged during the year
37.4
3.6
2.0
43.0
Repayment activity during the year
(104.4)
(7.6)
(3.4)
(115.4)
Gross balance at 31 December 2024
484.2
48.5
33.1
565.8
Business loans to Partners: provision
The expected loss impairment model for business loans to Partners is based on the levels of
loss experienced in the portfolio, with due consideration given to forward-looking information.
For those business loans to Partners sold to a third-party in 2022, full credit risk was transferred.
The provision held against business loans to Partners as at 31 December 2025 was £9.2 million
(2024: £8.5 million). During the year, £1.7 million of the provision was released (2024: £1.1 million),
£nil was utilised (2024: £3.1 million) and new provisions and adjustments to existing provisions
increased the total by £2.4 million (2024: £7.9 million).
There is no provision held against any other receivables held at amortised cost.
Business loans to Partners as recognised on the statement of financial position
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Gross business loans to Partners
649.1
565.8
Provision
(9.2)
(8.5)
Net business loans to Partners
639.9
557.3
Renewal income assets
Movement in renewal income assets
2025
2024
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
121.0
138.3
Additions
16.2
4.8
Disposals
(0.3)
(0.7)
Revaluation
(17.1)
(21.4)
Balance at 31 December
119.8
121.0
The key assumptions used for the assessment of the fair value of the renewal income are as follows:
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Lapse rate – SJP Partner renewal income
1
5.0% to 15.0%
5.0% to 15.0%
Lapse rate – non-SJP renewal income
1
10.4% to 25.0%
6.5% to 25.0%
Discount rate
17.3%
15.8%
1 Future income streams are projected making use of retention assumptions derived from the Group’s experience of
the business or, where insufficient data exists, from external industry experience. These assumptions are reviewed
on an annual basis.
These assumptions have been used for the analysis of each business combination classified
within renewal income.
162
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Strategic report
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Financial statements
16. Other payables
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Payables in relation to unit liabilities excluding policyholder interests
179.6
216.7
Other payables in relation to life and unit trust business
602.5
590.4
Accrual for ongoing advice fees
267.6
168.9
Other accruals
210.0
138.5
Contract payment
59.9
72.2
Lease liabilities: properties (see Note 13)
100.8
107.2
Other payables in relation to Partner payments
91.5
88.9
Miscellaneous
99.0
62.6
Total other payables on the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
1,610.9
1,445.4
Policyholder interests in other payables (see Note 14)
1,029.2
692.7
Other (see adjustment 2 on page 211)
15.2
6.2
Total other payables
2,655.3
2,144.3
Current
2,517.0
1,992.5
Non-current
138.3
151.8
2,655.3
2,144.3
Payables in relation to unit liabilities relate to outstanding market trade settlements (purchases)
in the life unit-linked funds and the consolidated unit trusts. Other payables in relation to
insurance and unit trust business primarily relate to outstanding policy-related settlement
timings. Both of these categories of payables are short-term.
The contract payment of £59.9 million (2024: £72.2 million) represents payments made by
a third-party service provider to the Group as part of a service agreement, which are non-
interest-bearing and repayable over the life of the service agreement. The contract payment
received prior to 2020 is repayable on a straight-line basis over the original 12-year term,
with repayments commencing on 1 January 2017. The contract payment received in 2020 is
repayable on a straight-line basis over 13 years and 4 months, with repayments commencing
on 1 September 2020.
The lease liabilities: properties line item represents the present value of future cash flows
associated with the Group’s portfolio of property leases.
The fair value of financial instruments held at amortised cost within other payables is not
materially different from amortised cost.
Policyholder interests in other payables are short-term in nature and can vary significantly
from period to period due to prevailing market conditions and underlying trading activity.
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets
Risk
Insurance risk arises from inherent uncertainties as to the occurrence, amount and timing of
insurance liabilities. The Group assumes insurance risk by issuing insurance contracts under
which the Group agrees to compensate the client (or other beneficiary) if a specified future
event (the insured event) occurs. The Group insures mortality and morbidity risks but has no
longevity risk as we have never written any annuity business. The Group has a low appetite
for insurance risk, only actively pursuing it where financially beneficial, or in support of
strategic objectives.
Risk
Description
Management
Underwriting Failure to price appropriately The Group ceased writing new protection
for a risk, or the impact of business in April 2011 and the remaining UK
anti-selection. insurance risk is substantially covered by
quota share reinsurance with a low level of
retention. Experience is monitored regularly
and for most business the premium or
deduction rates can be reviewed.
Epidemic/ An unusually large number Protection is provided through reinsurance.
disaster of claims arising from a single The Group has fully reinsured the UK
incident or event. insurance risk.
Expense Administration costs exceed Administration is outsourced and a tariff of
expense allowance. costs is agreed. The contract is monitored
regularly to rationalise costs incurred.
Internal overhead expenses are monitored
and closely managed.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Other information
Financial statements
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets continued
Insurance contract liabilities
Reconciliation of the liability for remaining coverage and the liability for incurred claims
2025
2024
Liability for remaining coverage Liability for Liability for remaining coverage
Excluding loss Loss incurred Excluding loss Loss Liability for
component component
claims
Total
component component incurred claims Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
504.3
14.3
518.6
477.8
18.2
496.0
Insurance revenue
(24.2)
(24.2)
(25.2)
(25.2)
Insurance service expenses
22.6
22.6
21.8
21.8
Finance income from insurance contracts recognised in profit or loss
(0.9)
(0.9)
(2.1)
(2.1)
Total changes in the statement of comprehensive income
(25.1)
22.6
(2.5)
(27.3)
21.8
(5.5)
Investment components excluded from insurance revenue and insurance service expenses
41.4
30.4
71.8
25.0
46.0
71.0
Premiums received
27.2
27.2
28.8
28.8
Claims and other insurance service expenses paid
(48.9)
(48.9)
(71.7)
(71.7)
Total cash flows
27.2
(48.9)
(21.7)
28.8
(71.7)
(42.9)
Balance at 31 December
547.8
18.4
566.2
504.3
14.3
518.6
Current
90.5
77.8
Non-current
475.7
440.8
566.2
518.6
164
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Financial statements
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets continued
Reconciliation of the measurement components
2025
2024
Estimates of Risk adjustment Estimates of Risk adjustment
present value of for non- present value of for non-
future cash flows
financial risk
CSM
Total
future cash flows
financial risk
CSM
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
488.8
4.6
10.9
504.3
463.0
6.0
8.8
477.8
Insurance revenue
(26.3)
(0.4)
2.5
(24.2)
(26.1)
(1.1)
2.0
(25.2)
Finance income from insurance contracts recognised in profit or loss
(0.9)
(0.9)
(1.9)
(0.3)
0.1
(2.1)
Total changes in the statement of comprehensive income
(27.2)
(0.4)
2.5
(25.1)
(28.0)
(1.4)
2.1
(27.3)
Investment components excluded from insurance revenue and insurance service
expenses
41.4
41.4
25.0
25.0
Premiums received
27.2
27.2
28.8
28.8
Total cash flows
27.2
27.2
28.8
28.8
Balance at 31 December
530.2
4.2
13.4
547.8
488.8
4.6
10.9
504.3
Less than 1 year
0.6
0.6
In 2 to 5 years
2.0
1.8
>5 years
10.8
8.5
Expected recognition of the CSM
13.4
10.9
The analysis above shows the expected recognition of the CSM remaining at the end of the reporting year.
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Financial statements
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets continued
Reinsurance assets
Reconciliation of the remaining coverage and incurred claims components
2025
2024
Remaining Recoverable Remaining Recoverable
coverage for claims coverage for claims
component
reinsured
Total
component reinsured Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
4.1
10.8
14.9
6.3
6.7
13.0
Net reinsurance expense
(18.4)
18.0
(0.4)
(22.6)
19.5
(3.1)
Finance (expenses)/income from reinsurance
contracts recognised in profit or loss
(0.8)
(0.8)
0.5
0.5
Total changes in the statement of comprehensive income
(19.2)
18.0
(1.2)
(22.1)
19.5
(2.6)
Premiums paid
18.0
18.0
19.9
19.9
Reinsurance recapture
Amounts received from reinsurers relating to incurred claims
(20.0)
(20.0)
(15.4)
(15.4)
Total cash flows
18.0
(20.0)
(2.0)
19.9
(15.4)
4.5
Balance at 31 December
2.9
8.8
11.7
4.1
10.8
14.9
Current
8.1
10.2
Non-current
3.6
4.7
11.7
14.9
166
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Strategic report
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Financial statements
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets continued
Reconciliation of the measurement components
2025
2024
Estimates of Risk adjustment Estimates of Risk adjustment
present value of for non- present value of for non-
future cash flows
financial risk
CSM
Total
future cash flows
financial risk
CSM
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
(1.8)
0.7
5.2
4.1
1.1
5.2
6.3
Net reinsurance expense
(18.0)
(0.2)
(0.2)
(18.4)
(22.3)
(0.3)
(22.6)
Finance (expenses)/income from reinsurance contracts recognised in profit or loss
(0.9)
0.1
(0.8)
0.6
(0.1)
0.5
Total changes in the statement of comprehensive income
(18.9)
(0.1)
(0.2)
(19.2)
(21.7)
(0.4)
(22.1)
Premiums paid
18.0
18.0
19.9
19.9
Total cash flows
18.0
18.0
19.9
19.9
Balance at 31 December
(2.7)
0.6
5.0
2.9
(1.8)
0.7
5.2
4.1
Less than 1 year
0.1
0.1
In 2 to 5 years
0.6
0.6
>5 years
4.3
4.5
Expected recognition of the CSM
5.0
5.2
All reinsurance contracts are measured using the fair value approach.
The analysis above shows the expected recognition of the CSM remaining at the end of the reporting year.
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Financial statements
17. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets continued
Assumptions used in the calculation of insurance contract liabilities and
reinsurance assets
The principal assumptions used in the calculation of insurance contract liabilities and
reinsurance assets are:
Assumption
Description
Interest rate The valuation interest rate is calculated by reference to the long-term
risk-free swap rate at the balance sheet date. The specific rates used are
between 3.4% and 4.5% depending on the tax regime (2024: 3.4% and 4.5%).
Mortality Mortality is based on Group experience and is set at 65% of the TM/F92 tables
with an additional loading for smokers.
Morbidity – Morbidity is based on Group experience. There has been no change during
critical illness
2025
. Sample annual rates per £ for a male non-smoker are:
Age
Rate
25
0.063%
35
0.111%
45
0.266%
Morbidity – Morbidity is based on Group experience. There has been no change during
permanent
2025
. Sample annual rates per £ income benefit for a male non-smoker are:
health insurance
Age
Rate
25
0.228%
35
0.603%
45
1.308%
Expenses Contract liabilities are calculated allowing for the actual costs of
administration of the business.
Annual cost
31 December 31 December
Product 2025 2024
Onshore protection business
£37.02
£35.69
Offshore protection business
£73.32
£71.76
Persistency of the liabilities. There has been no change in rates during 2025. Sample Allowance is made for a best-estimate level of lapses within the calculation
annual lapse rates are:
Lapse
Product
All durations
Onshore protection business
9%
Offshore whole of life
8%
Offshore critical illness
13%
Risk adjustment The risk adjustment is determined using a cost of capital approach
with a 3% charge. There has been no change during 2025.
Sensitivity analysis
The table below sets out the sensitivity of the profit on insurance business and net assets to
changes in key assumptions. The levels of sensitivity tested are consistent with those proposed
in the EEV principles and reflect reasonable possible levels of change in the assumptions.
The analysis reflects the change in the variable/assumption shown while all other variables/
assumptions are left unchanged. In practice variables/assumptions may change at the same
time, as some may be correlated (for example, an increase in interest rates may also result
in an increase in expenses if the increase reflects higher inflation). It should also be noted
that in some instances sensitivities are non-linear. The sensitivity percentage has been applied
in proportion to the assumption: for example, application of a 10% sensitivity to a withdrawal
assumption of 8% will increase it to 8.8%.
Change in Change in
profit profit Change in Change in
Change in before tax before tax net assets net assets
assumption 2025 2024 2025 2024
Sensitivity analysis
Percentage
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Interest rates
(1%)
(5.2)
(5.5)
(4.0)
(4.2)
Mortality/morbidity
10%
(1.7)
(0.9)
(1.3)
(0.6)
A change in withdrawal rates and expense assumptions will have no material impact on
insurance profit or net assets.
18. Other provisions and contingent liabilities
Complaints Ongoing Service Lease Clawback Total
provision Evidence provision provision provision provisions
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
At 1 January 2024
56.1
426.0
14.9
3.1
500.1
Additional provisions
21.8
0.3
0.3
22.4
Utilised during the year
(24.9)
(18.5)
(0.1)
(43.5)
Impact of discounting
17.6
17.6
Release of provision
(35.3)
(1.0)
(36.3)
At 31 December 2024
17.7
425.1
14.1
3.4
460.3
Additional provisions
45.4
1.2
0.6
47.2
Utilised during the year
(38.9)
(52.5)
(0.5)
(91.9)
Impact of discounting
9.2
9.2
Release of provision
(16.4)
(109.5)
(0.5)
(126.4)
At 31 December 2025
7.8
272.3
14.3
4.0
298.4
Other provisions
Complaints provision
The provision represents the best estimate of the complaint redress, based on complaints
identified, an assessment of the proportion redressed, and an estimated cost of redress based
on historic experience. A reasonably possible change of 10% in the key assumption, being the
proportion requiring redress, would result in an increase/decrease of circa £0.6 million to the
total complaints provision.
168
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Financial statements
18. Other provisions and contingent liabilities continued
It is estimated that significantly all the provision will be utilised over a one year period from
the reporting date.
Ongoing Service Evidence provision
The Group has committed to review the sub-population of clients that have been charged
for ongoing servicing since the start of 2018 but where the evidence of delivery falls below
the acceptable standard.
The provision represents the best estimate of the redress exercise, and includes refund of
charges, together with interest, plus the administration costs associated with completing this
work. The provision is based on an extrapolation of the experience of a representative cohort
of clients. See Note 2 for further information. The provision that has been recognised includes
an estimated refund of charges, together with interest at FOS rates, plus the administration
costs associated with completing this work. Allowance is also made for discounting over the
expected duration of the exercise.
The release of £109.5 million during the year reflects the impacts of a) the Group’s revised
redress methodology implemented during the first half of the year, which better aligns to new
industry guidance from the FCA and b) the Group’s experience gained from the project across
the year.
IAS 37 and IAS 1 requires the Group to set out sensitivities. In compliance with these requirements,
the following table sets out the potential change to the provision balance at 31 December 2025
if the key assumptions were to vary as described:
Change in profit/(loss) before tax
Change in 31 December 31 December
assumption 2025 2024
Sensitivity analysis
Percentage
£’Million
£’Million
Extrapolation from a representative cohort
+2%
(18.6)
(22.0)
Variation in proportion of client population subject
to the review
-2%
18.6
22.0
Extrapolation from a representative cohort
+10%
(25.7)
(31.0)
Variation in the level of charges, subject to refund
-10%
25.7
31.0
Opt-In response rate
+10%
(10.3)
(17.0)
Variation in response rate
-10%
10.3
17.0
Administration costs
+10%
(2.0)
(12.0)
Change in estimation of the cost to fulfil the exercise
(cost per claim)
-10%
2.0
12.0
It is estimated that significantly all the provision will be utilised within one year from the
reporting date.
Lease provision
The lease provision represents the value of expected future costs of reinstating leased property
to its original condition at the end of the lease term. The estimate is based on the square
footage of leased properties and typical costs per square foot of restoring similar buildings
to their original state. The Group expects £2.1 million (2024: £1.3 million) of the provision to be
utilised within one year. The majority of the provision relates to leased property with a maturity
date of greater than five years.
Clawback provision
The clawback provision represents amounts due to third parties less amounts recovered from
Partners. The provision is based on estimates of the indemnity commission that may be repaid.
The Group expects to utilise the provision on a straight-line basis over four years.
With the exception of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision, it is considered that no reasonably
possible level of changes in estimates would have a material impact on the value of the best
estimate of the provisions.
Contingent liabilities
Complaints and disputes
The Group is committed to achieving good client outcomes but does, in the normal course
of business receive complaints and claims. The Group also engages with relevant regulators
and other government authorities such as HMRC on specific matters. Also, and as described in
the strategic report, the FCA continues to reinforce the need for firms to embed the Consumer
Duty regulation and there remains a risk that we fail to provide quality suitable advice to clients,
or that we fail to evidence the provision of good quality service and advice, which could result
in regulatory sanction and/or a need to refund or compensate clients. These issues, as they
arise, can be significant and where appropriate, provisions for any potential redress, legal
and administration costs, and related tax implications, have been established in accordance
with IAS 37.
Guarantees
During the normal course of business, the Group may from time to time provide guarantees to
Partners, clients or other third parties. However, based upon the information currently available
to them, the Directors do not believe there are any guarantees which would have a material
adverse effect on the Group’s financial position, and so the fair value of any guarantees has
been assessed as £nil (2024: £nil).
For further information, see the list of principal risks and uncertainties in the risk and control
management section of the strategic report.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
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Other information
Financial statements
19. Borrowings and financial commitments
Borrowings
Borrowings are a liability arising from financing activities. The Group has two different types
of borrowings:
senior unsecured corporate borrowings which are used to manage working capital,
bridge intra-Group cash flows and fund investment in the business
securitisation loan notes which are secured only on a legally segregated pool of the
Group’s business loans to Partners, and hence are non-recourse to the Group’s other assets.
Further information about business loans to Partners is provided in Note 15.
Senior unsecured corporate borrowings
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Corporate borrowings: bank loans
250.0
Corporate borrowings: loan notes
125.6
138.3
Senior unsecured corporate borrowings
125.6
388.3
The primary senior unsecured corporate borrowings are:
an undrawn revolving credit facility (RCF) of £345.0 million which is repayable at maturity
in 2028 with variable interest rates. At 31 December 2025 the undrawn credit available under
this facility was £345.0 million (2024: £345.0 million).
a Note Purchase Agreement for £25.6 million. The notes are repayable in two equal
instalments before maturity in 2027, with variable interest rates.
a Note Purchase Agreement for £100.0 million. The notes are repayable at maturity in 2031,
with variable interest rates.
During the year the fully drawn £250.0 million bridging loan was repaid in full and the facility
closed.
The combined drawn carrying value of the senior unsecured corporate borrowings as at
31 December 2025 is £125.6 million (2024: £388.3 million). The Group is required to comply with
financial covenants that are linked to (i) balance sheet leverage, (ii) total FUM, (iii) a minimum
level of net assets; and (iv) our Solvency II ratio at the end of each annual and interim reporting
period. The Group has complied with these covenants throughout the reporting period. There
are no indications that the Group would have difficulties complying with the covenants when
they will be next tested at 30 June 2026.
Total borrowings
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Senior unsecured corporate borrowings
125.6
388.3
Senior tranche of non-recourse securitisation loan notes
215.9
128.5
Total borrowings
341.5
516.8
Current
55.5
41.3
Non-current
286.0
475.5
341.5
516.8
The senior tranche of securitisation loan notes are repayable over the expected life of the
securitisation (estimated to be five years) with a variable interest rate. They are held by
third-party investors and secured on a legally segregated portfolio of business loans to
Partners, and on the other net assets of the securitisation entity SJP Partner Loans No.1 Limited.
Holders of the securitisation loan notes have no recourse to the assets held by any other entity
within the Group. For further information on business loans to Partners, including the sale of
securitised business loans to Partners during the year, refer to Note 15.
In addition to the senior tranche of securitisation loan notes, a junior tranche has been issued
to another entity within the Group. The junior notes were eliminated on consolidation in the
preparation of the Group financial statements and so do not form part of Group borrowings.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Junior tranche of non-recourse securitisation loan notes
63.7
48.2
Senior tranche of non-recourse securitisation loan notes
215.9
128.5
Total non-recourse securitisation loan notes
279.6
176.7
Backed by
Securitised business loans to Partners (see Note 15)
269.8
170.7
Other net assets of SJP Partner Loans No.1 Limited
9.8
6.0
Total net assets held by SJP Partner Loans No.1 Limited
279.6
176.7
170
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Financial statements
19. Borrowings and financial commitments continued
Movement in borrowings
Borrowings are liabilities arising from financing activities. The cash and non-cash movements
in borrowings over the year are set out below, with the cash movements also set out in the
consolidated statement of cash flows.
2025
2024
Senior Senior Senior Senior
unsecured tranche of unsecured tranche of
corporate securitisation Total corporate securitisation Total
borrowings loan notes borrowings borrowings loan notes borrowings
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
388.3
128.5
516.8
201.1
50.3
251.4
Additional borrowing
during the year
135.7
135.7
360.0
113.8
473.8
Repayment of borrowings
during the year
(262.7)
(49.0)
(311.7)
(172.8)
(35.3)
(208.1)
Costs on additional
borrowings during
the year
(0.1)
(0.1)
(0.7)
(1.0)
(1.7)
Unwind of borrowing costs
(non-cash movement)
0.4
0.8
1.2
0.9
0.7
1.6
Reclassification of
prepaid loan facility
expense to prepayments
(0.4)
(0.4)
(0.2)
(0.2)
Balance at 31 December
125.6
215.9
341.5
388.3
128.5
516.8
The fair value of the outstanding borrowings is not materially different from amortised cost.
Interest expense on borrowings is recognised within Finance costs in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
Financial commitments
Guarantees
The Group guarantees loans provided by third parties to Partners. In the event of default on
any individual Partner loan, the Group guarantees to repay the full amount of the loan, with the
exception of Metro Bank. For this third-party the Group guarantees to cover losses up to 50% of
the value to the total loans drawn. These loans are secured against the future income streams
of the Partner. The value of the loans guaranteed is as follows:
Loans guaranteed
Facility
31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December
2025 2024 2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Bank of Scotland
8.0
12.3
16.0
16.0
Investec
24.1
26.5
50.0
50.0
Metro Bank
6.7
10.6
20.0
35.0
NatWest
23.8
27.5
75.0
75.0
Santander
165.3
171.4
210.6
206.6
Total loans
227.9
248.3
371.6
382.6
The fair value of these guarantees has been assessed as £nil (2024: £nil).
20. Financial risk
Risk management objectives and risk policies
The Group’s financial risk can usefully be considered by looking at two categories of assets:
Assets backing unit liabilities (see Note 14)
Shareholder assets.
In general, the policyholder bears the financial risk arising on assets backing the unitised
business, and risk arising on shareholder assets is minimised through investment in liquid
assets with a strong credit rating.
Exposure to the following risks for the two categories of assets is analysed separately in the
following sections, in line with the requirements of IFRS 7:
Credit risk
Liquidity risk
Market risk
Currency risk
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtor’s non-payment of a loan or other line of credit.
Credit risk also arises from holdings of cash and cash equivalents, deposits and formal loans
with banks and financial institutions. The Group has adopted a risk-averse approach to such
risk and has a stated policy of not actively pursuing or accepting credit risk except when
necessary to support other objectives.
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Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Risk
Description
Management
Shareholders’ Loss of assets Shareholder funds are predominantly invested in AAA-
assets or reduction rated unitised money market funds, which are classified
in value. as investments in Collective Investment Schemes (CIS),
and deposits with approved banks, but may be invested
in sovereign fixed interest securities such as UK gilts where
regulatory constraints on other assets apply. Maximum
counterparty limits are set for each company within the
Group and aggregate limits are also set at a Group level.
Reinsurance Failure of Credit ratings of potential reinsurers must meet or exceed
counterparty, AA-. Consideration is also given to size, risk concentrations/
or counterparty exposures and ownership in the selection of reinsurers.
unable to meet The Group also seeks to diversify its reinsurance credit
liabilities. risk through the use of a spread of reinsurers.
Business loans Inability of Partners Loans and advances are managed in line with the Group’s
to Partners to repay loans or Secured Lending policy. Loans are secured on the future
advances from the renewal income stream expected from a Partner’s portfolio,
Group. and loan advances vary in relation to the projected future
income of the relevant Partner. Outstanding balances are
regularly reviewed and assessed on a conservative basis.
Support is provided to help Partners manage their
businesses appropriately. Expected credit losses are
recognised as provisions against the loans.
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group, although solvent, either does not have available sufficient
financial resources to enable it to meet its obligations as they fall due, or can secure such
resources only at excessive cost. The Group is averse to liquidity risk and seeks to minimise
this risk by not actively pursuing it except where necessary to support other objectives.
Risk
Description
Management
Cash or A significant cash The majority of free assets are invested in cash or cash
expense or expense equivalents and the cash position and forecast are
requirement requirement needs monitored on a monthly basis. The Group also maintains
to be met at short a margin of free assets in excess of the minimum required
notice. solvency capital within its regulated entities. Further, the
Group has established committed borrowing facilities
(see Note 19) intended to further mitigate liquidity risk.
Market risk is the impact a fall in the value of equity or other asset markets may have on
the business. The Group adopts a risk-averse approach to market risk, with a stated Solvency
policy of not actively pursuing or accepting market risk except where necessary to support
other objectives. However, the Group accepts the risk that a fall in equity or other asset markets
will reduce the level of annual management charge income derived from policyholder assets
and the consequent risk of lower future profits.
The table below summarises the main market risks that the business is exposed to and the
methods by which the Group seeks to mitigate them.
Risk
Description
Management
Client liabilities
As a result of a reduction
This risk is substantially mitigated by the Group’s
in equity values, the strategic focus on unitised business, by not
Group may be unable providing guarantees to clients on policy values
to meet client liabilities. and by the matching of assets and liabilities.
Retention Loss of future profit on Retention of investment contracts is closely
investment contracts monitored and unexpected experience
due to more clients than variances are investigated. Retention has
anticipated withdrawing remained consistently strong throughout
their funds, particularly 2025 despite the volatile market conditions
as a result of poor experienced.
investment performance.
New business Poor performance in The benefit to clients of longer-term equity
the financial markets investment as part of a diversified portfolio
in absolute terms, of assets is fundamental to our philosophy.
and relative to inflation, Advice becomes even more important when
leads to existing and market values fall, and greater attention is
future clients rejecting required to support and give confidence to
investment in longer- existing and future clients in such circumstances.
term assets. In addition, as controls against poor performance
the Group monitors asset allocations across
portfolios to ensure they are working as expected
to meet long-term goals, and monitors funds
against their objectives to ensure an appropriate
level of investment risk. Where necessary, fund
managers are changed.
The Group is not subject to any significant direct currency risk, since all material shareholder
financial assets and financial liabilities are denominated in pounds Sterling. However, since
future profits are dependent on charges based on funds under management (FUM), changes
in FUM as a result of currency movements will impact future profits.
172
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Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Shareholder assets
Categories of financial assets and financial liabilities
The categories and carrying values of the shareholder financial assets and financial liabilities held in the Group’s statement of financial position are summarised in the table below.
The impact of climate change does not have a material impact on the fair values of the assets summarised below.
2025
2024
Financial assets Financial Financial Financial assets Financial Financial
at fair value liabilities at fair Financial assets liabilities at fair value liabilities at fair Financial assets liabilities
through profit value through measured at measured at through profit value through measured at measured at
and loss profit and loss amortised cost
amortised cost
Total
and loss profit and loss amortised cost
amortised cost
Total
Financial assets
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Fixed income securities
10.3
10.3
8.6
8.6
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
1
2,403.7
2,403.7
2,194.3
2,194.3
Other receivables
2
– Business loans to Partners
639.9
639.9
557.3
557.3
– Renewal income assets
119.8
119.8
121.0
121.0
– Other
843.3
843.3
760.9
760.9
Total other receivables
119.8
1,483.2
1,603.0
121.0
1,318.2
1,439.2
Cash and cash equivalents
329.6
329.6
352.6
352.6
Total financial assets
2,533.8
1,812.8
4,346.6
2,323.9
1,670.8
3,994.7
Financial liabilities
Borrowings
341.5
341.5
516.8
516.8
Other payables
– Lease liabilities : properties
100.8
100.8
107.2
107.2
– Contingent consideration
8.1
8.1
5.3
5.3
– Other
1,517.2
1,517.2
1,339.1
1,339.1
Total other payables
8.1
1,618.0
1,626.1
5.3
1,446.3
1,451.6
Total financial liabilities
8.1
1,959.5
1,967.6
5.3
1,963.1
1,968.4
1 All assets included as shareholder investment in Collective Investment Schemes are holdings of high-quality, highly liquid money market funds, containing assets which are cash and cash equivalents.
2 Other receivables exclude prepayments and advanced payments to Partners, which are not considered financial assets.
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173
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Other information
Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Income, expense, gains and losses arising from financial assets and financial liabilities
The income, expense, gains and losses arising from shareholder financial assets and financial liabilities are summarised in the table below:
2025
2024
Financial assets Financial Financial assets Financial
at fair value Financial assets liabilities at fair value Financial assets liabilities
through profit measured at measured at through profit measured at measured at
and loss amortised cost
amortised cost
Total
and loss amortised cost
amortised cost
Total
Financial assets
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Fixed income securities
1.3
1.3
1.1
1.1
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
96.6
96.6
108.7
108.7
Other receivables
– Business loans to Partners
43.5
43.5
36.2
36.2
– Renewal income assets
(17.2)
(17.2)
(21.4)
(21.4)
Total other receivables
(17.2)
43.5
26.3
(21.4)
36.2
14.8
Cash and cash equivalents
18.0
18.0
15.5
15.5
Total financial assets
80.7
61.5
142.2
88.4
51.7
140.1
Financial liabilities
Borrowings
(24.0)
(24.0)
(33.0)
(33.0)
Other payables
– Lease liabilities: properties
(2.8)
(2.8)
(3.2)
(3.2)
– Other
(2.1)
(2.1)
(0.2)
(0.2)
Total other payables
(4.9)
(4.9)
(3.4)
(3.4)
Total financial liabilities
(28.9)
(28.9)
(36.4)
(36.4)
Losses on renewal income assets have been recognised within the investment return line in the statement of comprehensive income.
174
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Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Fair value estimation
Financial assets and liabilities which are held at fair value in the financial statements are
required to have disclosed their fair value measurements by level from the following fair
value measurement hierarchy:
quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1)
inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or
liability, either directly (that is, as prices) or indirectly (that is, derived from prices) (Level 2)
inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (that is,
unobservable inputs) (Level 3).
The following table presents the Group’s shareholder assets and liabilities measured at fair
value.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total balance
2025
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Financial assets
Fixed income securities
10.3
10.3
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
1
2,403.7
2,403.7
Renewal income assets
119.8
119.8
Total financial assets
2,414.0
119.8
2,533.8
Financial liabilities
Contingent consideration
8.1
8.1
Total financial liabilities
8.1
8.1
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total balance
2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Financial assets
Fixed income securities
8.6
8.6
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
1
2,194.3
2,194.3
Renewal income assets
121.0
121.0
Total financial assets
2,202.9
121.0
2,323.9
Financial liabilities
Contingent consideration
5.3
5.3
Total financial liabilities
5.3
5.3
1 All assets included as shareholder investment in Collective Investment Schemes are holdings of high-quality, highly
liquid unitised money market funds, containing assets which are cash and cash equivalents.
The fair value of financial instruments traded in active markets is based on quoted bid prices
at the reporting date. These instruments are included in Level 1.
Level 2 financial assets and liabilities are valued using observable prices for identical current
arm’s-length transactions.
The renewal income assets are classified as Level 3 and are valued using a discounted cash
flow technique and the assumptions outlined in Note 15. The effect of applying reasonably
possible alternative assumptions of a movement of 200bps on the discount rate and a 10%
movement in the lapse rate would result in an unfavourable change in valuation of £10.8 million
(2024: £10.0 million) and a favourable change in valuation of £13.1 million (2024: £12.0 million),
respectively.
The contingent consideration liability is classified as Level 3 and is valued based on the
terms set out in the various sale and purchase agreements. Given the nature of the valuation
basis the effect of applying reasonably possible alternative assumptions would result in an
unfavourable change of £nil (2024: £nil) and favourable change of £8.1 million (2024: £5.3 million).
There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year, nor into or out of Level 3.
The following tables present the changes in Level 3 financial assets and liabilities at fair value
through the profit and loss:
Financial assets
2025
2024
Renewal income assets
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
121.0
138.3
Additions during the year
16.2
4.8
Disposals during the year
(0.3)
(0.7)
Unrealised losses recognised in the statement of comprehensive
income
(17.1)
(21.4)
Balance at 31 December
119.8
121.0
Unrealised losses on renewal income assets are recognised within investment return in the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
Financial liabilities
2025
2024
Contingent consideration
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January
5.3
3.2
Additions during the year
8.2
3.4
Payments made during the year
(4.8)
(1.3)
Released during the year
(0.6)
Balance at 31 December
8.1
5.3
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Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Credit risk
The following table sets out the maximum credit risk exposure and ratings of shareholder financial and other assets which are susceptible to credit risk:
2025
2024
AAA
AA
A
BB
Unrated
Total
AAA
AA
A
BB
Unrated
Total
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Fixed income securities
10.3
10.3
8.6
8.6
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
1
2,403.7
2,403.7
2,194.3
2,194.3
Other receivables
8.8
1,594.2
1,603.0
10.8
1,428.4
1,439.2
Cash and cash equivalents
157.6
172.0
329.6
187.9
164.7
352.6
Total
2,403.7
176.7
172.0
1,594.2
4,346.6
2,194.3
207.3
164.7
1,428.4
3,994.7
1 Investment of shareholder assets in Collective Investment Schemes refers to investment in unitised money market funds, containing assets which are cash and cash equivalents.
Other receivables includes £639.9 million (2024: £557.3 million) of business loans to Partners, which are interest-bearing (linked to Bank of England base rate plus a margin), repayable in line with
the terms of the loan contract and secured against the future renewal income streams of the respective Partners.
Impairment of these loans is determined using the expected loss model set out in IFRS 9. Expected credit losses are based on the historic levels of loss experienced on business loans to Partners,
with due consideration given to forward-looking information. A range of factors, including the nature or type of the loan and the security held, are taken into account in calculating the provision.
The loan balance is presented net of a £9.2 million provision (2024: £8.5 million); see Note 15. The movement in the impairment provision will reflect utilisation of the existing provision during the
year, but the overall cost of business loans to Partners (including new provisions) recognised within administration expenses in the statement of comprehensive income during the year was a
charge of £0.7 million (2024: £6.8 million).
176
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Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Contractual maturity and liquidity analysis
The following table sets out the contractual maturity analysis of the Group’s financial assets and financial liabilities. All financial liabilities are undiscounted:
2025
2024
Up to 1 year
1 to 5 years
Over 5 years
Total
Up to 1 year
1 to 5 years
Over 5 years
Total
Financial assets
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Fixed income securities
10.3
10.3
8.6
8.6
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
2,403.7
2,403.7
2,194.3
2,194.3
Other receivables
– Business loans to Partners
79.6
293.3
267.0
639.9
88.1
247.8
221.4
557.3
– Renewal income
22.6
51.3
45.9
119.8
23.1
52.2
45.7
121.0
– Other
843.3
843.3
760.9
760.9
Total other receivables
945.5
344.6
312.9
1,603.0
872.1
300.0
267.1
1,439.2
Cash and cash equivalents
329.6
329.6
352.6
352.6
Total financial assets
3,689.1
344.6
312.9
4,346.6
3,427.6
300.0
267.1
3,994.7
Financial liabilities
Borrowings
76.2
167.9
174.1
418.2
58.4
389.7
141.8
589.9
Other payables
– Lease liabilities: properties
18.4
60.2
65.9
144.5
14.6
60.6
74.1
149.3
– Contingent consideration
0.2
7.9
8.1
2.3
3.0
5.3
– Other
1,471.8
38.0
13.5
1,523.3
1,281.7
48.0
18.0
1,347.7
Total other payables
1,490.4
106.1
79.4
1,675.9
1,298.6
111.6
92.1
1,502.3
Total financial liabilities
1,566.6
274.0
253.5
2,094.1
1,357.0
501.3
233.9
2,092.2
Sensitivity analysis to market risks
Financial assets and liabilities held outside unitised funds primarily consist of fixed interest securities, units in money market funds, cash and cash equivalents, and other accounting assets and
liabilities. The fixed interest securities are short-term and are held as an alternative to cash. Similarly, cash held in unitised money market funds and at bank is valued at par and is unaffected by
movements in interest rates. Other assets and liabilities are similarly unaffected by market movements.
As a result of these combined factors, the Group’s financial assets and liabilities held outside unitised funds are not materially subject to market risk, and movements at the reporting date
in interest rates and equity values have an immaterial impact on the Group’s profit after tax and equity. However, future profits from annual management charges may be affected by movements
in interest rates and equity values.
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Other information
Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Unit liabilities and associated assets
Categories of financial assets and financial liabilities
Assets held to cover unit liabilities are summarised in Note 14, and all are held at fair value
through profit or loss. Equities, investments in unit trusts which sit within investment in Collective
Investment Schemes, and derivative financial assets are required to be held at fair value
through profit or loss by IFRS 9, as they are equity instruments or derivatives. All other assets
held to cover unit liabilities are elected to be held at fair value through profit or loss to match
the fair value through profit or loss classification which is required for unit liabilities. They are
designated as such upon initial recognition.
Income, expense, gains and losses arising from financial assets, investment properties
and financial liabilities
The income, expense, gains and losses arising from financial assets, investment properties and
financial liabilities are summarised in the table below:
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Financial assets and investment properties
£’Million
£’Million
Investment properties
19.5
48.0
Other assets backing unit liabilities
20,024.1
15,594.6
Total financial assets and investment properties
20,043.6
15,642.6
Financial liabilities
1
Unit liabilities
(20,054.6)
(15,652.1)
Total financial liabilities
(20,054.6)
(15,652.1)
1 None of the change in the fair value of financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss is attributable to
changes in their credit risk.
The investment properties figure of £30.5 million for the year ended 31 December 2025
(2024: £48.0 million) includes direct operating expenses of £11.0 million (2024: £9.5 million).
Gains/(losses) have been recognised within the investment return line in the statement of
comprehensive income.
Fair value estimation
Financial assets and liabilities which are held at fair value in the financial statements are
required to have disclosed their fair value measurements, split by level in the fair value
measurement hierarchy. The following table presents the Group’s unit liabilities and associated
assets measured at fair value:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total balance
31 December 2025
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Financial assets and investment properties
Investment property
370.3
370.3
Equities
147,423.5
384.0
147,807.5
Fixed income securities
7,741.1
23,772.7
40.0
31,553.8
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
30,284.5
13.7
30,298.2
Derivative financial assets
2,908.7
2,908.7
Cash and cash equivalents
5,854.9
5,854.9
Total financial assets and investment properties
191,304.0
26,681.4
808.0
218,793.4
Financial liabilities
Investment contract benefits
163,728.7
163,728.7
Derivative financial liabilities
2,412.1
2,412.1
Net asset value attributable to unit holders
51,982.8
51,982.8
Total financial liabilities
51,982.8
166,140.8
218,123.6
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total balance
31 December 2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Financial assets and investment properties
Investment property
892.3
892.3
Equities
129,554.8
994.2
130,549.0
Fixed income securities
6,938.3
19,059.7
111.9
26,109.9
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
23,447.1
11.3
23,458.4
Derivative financial assets
2,812.8
2,812.8
Cash and cash equivalents
5,311.3
5,311.3
Total financial assets and investment properties
165,251.5
21,872.5
2,009.7
189,133.7
Financial liabilities
Investment contract benefits
141,038.8
141,038.8
Derivative financial liabilities
3,052.1
3,052.1
Net asset value attributable to unit holders
44,699.5
44,699.5
Total financial liabilities
44,699.5
144,090.9
188,790.4
178
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
In respect of the derivative financial liabilities, £7.5 million of collateral had been posted as at
31 December 2025 (2024: £158.8 million), comprising cash and treasury bills, in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the derivative contracts.
The fair value of financial instruments traded in active markets is based on quoted bid prices
at the reporting date. These instruments are included in Level 1.
The Group closely monitors the valuation of assets in markets that have become less liquid.
Determining whether a market is active requires the exercise of judgement and is determined
based upon the facts and circumstances of the market for the instrument being measured.
Where it is determined that there is no active market, fair value is established using a valuation
technique. The techniques applied incorporate relevant information available and reflect
appropriate adjustments for credit and liquidity risks. These valuation techniques maximise
the use of observable market data where it is available and rely as little as possible on entity-
specific estimates. The relative weightings given to differing sources of information and the
determination of non-observable inputs to valuation models can require the exercise of
significant judgement.
If all significant inputs required to fair-value an instrument are observable, the instrument is
included in Level 2. If one or more of the significant inputs is not based on observable market
data, the instrument is included in Level 3.
Note that all of the resulting fair value estimates are included in Level 2, except for certain
equities, fixed income securities, investments in Collective Investment Schemes and investment
properties as detailed below.
Specific valuation techniques used to value Level 2 financial assets and liabilities include
the use of observable prices for identical current arm’s-length transactions, specifically:
the fair value of fixed income securities is determined by inputs including interest rates
and market-observable yield curves of similar instruments in the market
the fair value of unit-linked liabilities is assessed by reference to the underlying net asset
value of the Group’s unitised investment funds, determined on a bid value basis, at the
reporting date
the Group’s derivative financial instruments are valued using valuation techniques
commonly used by market participants. These consist of discounted cash flow and option
pricing models, which typically incorporate observable market data, principally interest
rates, basis spreads, foreign exchange rates, equity prices and counterparty credit.
Specific valuation techniques used to value Level 3 financial assets and liabilities include:
the use of unobservable inputs, such as expected rental values and equivalent yields
other techniques, such as discounted cash flow and historic lapse rates, which are used
to determine fair value for the remaining financial instruments.
There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the year.
Transfers into and out of Level 3 portfolios
The Group’s policy is to recognise transfers into and out of levels as of the end of each reporting
period except for material transfers which are recognised as of the date of the event or change
in circumstances that caused the transfer. Transfers out of Level 3 portfolios arise when inputs
that could have a significant impact on the instrument’s valuation become market-observable;
conversely, transfers into the portfolios arise when consistent sources of data cease to
be available.
Transfers in of certain investments in Collective Investment Schemes occur when asset
valuations can no longer be obtained from an observable market price; e.g. where they have
become illiquid, in liquidation, suspended, etc. The converse is true if an observable market
price becomes available.
The following table presents the changes in Level 3 financial assets and liabilities at fair value
through profit and loss:
Fixed Collective
Investment income Investment
property
securities
Equities
Schemes
2025
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January 2025
892.3
111.9
994.2
11.3
Transfer into Level 3
5.4
2.8
Additions during the year
14.4
31.9
29.7
Disposals during the year
(529.0)
(101.8)
(557.4)
(0.2)
Losses recognised in the income statement
(7.4)
(7.4)
(82.5)
(0.2)
Balance at 31 December 2025
370.3
40.0
384.0
13.7
Realised gains
/(
losses
)
21.1
(8.6)
146.4
Unrealised (losses)/gains
(28.5)
1.2
(228.9)
(0.2)
Losses recognised in the income statement
(7.4)
(7.4)
(82.5)
(0.2)
Fixed Collective
Investment income Investment
property
securities
Equities
Schemes
2024
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
Balance at 1 January 2024
1,110.3
346.5
1,627.0
7.4
Transfer into Level 3
4.8
4.0
Additions during the year
15.8
33.9
62.7
Disposals during the year
(230.5)
(270.2)
(724.4)
(0.5)
(
Losses
)/
gains recognised in the income statement
(3.3)
(3.1)
28.9
0.4
Balance at 31 December 2024
892.3
111.9
994.2
11.3
Realised
(
losses
)/
gains
(95.3)
(2.0)
177.6
Unrealised gains
/(
losses)
92.0
(1.1)
(148.7)
0.4
(
Losses
)/
gains recognised in the income statement
(3.3)
(3.1)
28.9
0.4
Unrealised and realised (losses)/gains for all Level 3 assets are recognised within investment
return in the statement of comprehensive income.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
179
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Level 3 valuations
Investment property
At 31 December 2025 the Group held £370.3 million (2024: £892.3 million) of investment property,
all of which is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. It is initially measured at cost
including related acquisition costs and subsequently valued at least monthly by professional
external valuers at the properties’ respective fair values at each reporting date. The fair values
derived are based on anticipated market values for the properties in accordance with guidance
issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, being the estimated amount that would
be received from a sale of the assets in an orderly transaction between market participants.
The valuation of investment property is inherently subjective as it requires, among other factors,
assumptions to be made regarding the ability of existing tenants to meet their rental obligations
over the entire life of their leases; the estimation of the expected rental income into the future;
the assessment of a property’s potential to remain as an attractive technical configuration to
existing and prospective tenants in a changing market; and a judgement on the attractiveness
of a building, its location and the surrounding environment.
Investment property classification
31 December 2025
Office
Industrial
Retail and leisure
All
Gross ERV (per sq ft)
1
Range
£28.43-£63.50
£12.00-£24.00
£1.86-£80.00
£1.86-£80.00
Weighted average
£41.25
£16.46
£19.15
£19.34
True equivalent yield
Range
7.0%-9.5%
5.0%-10.0%
4.5%-32.5%
4.5%-32.5%
Weighted average
8.2%
5.5%
8.0%
7.4%
Investment property classification
31 December 2024
Office
Industrial
Retail and leisure
All
Gross ERV (per sq ft)
1
Range
£31.00 to £120.00
£5.50 to £24.00
£1.86 to £80.00
£1.86 to £120.00
Weighted average
£49.70
£14.46
£13.96
£17.70
True equivalent yield
Range
4.7% to 10.5%
4.6% to 7.0%
5.7% to 9.1%
4.7% to 10.5%
Weighted average
6.8%
5.6%
7.3%
6.3%
1 Equivalent rental value (per square foot).
Fixed income securities and equities
At 31 December 2025 the Group held £40.0 million (2024: £111.9 million) in private credit investments,
and £384.0 million (2024: £994.2 million) in private market investments through the St. James’s Place
Diversified Assets (FAIF) Unit Trust. These are recognised within fixed income securities and
equities, respectively, in the consolidated statement of financial position. They are measured
at fair value, with the best evidence of the fair value at initial recognition being the transaction
price, i.e. the fair value of the consideration given or received. Following initial recognition, a
monthly valuation process occurs which includes verification by suitably qualified professional
external valuers, who are members of various industry bodies including the British Private Equity
and Venture Capital Association.
The fair values of the private credit investments are principally determined using two
valuation methods:
1. The shadow rating method, which assigns a shadow credit rating to the debt-issuing entity
and determines an expected yield with reference to observable yields for comparable
companies with a public credit rating in the loan market.
2. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) method, which determines the debt-issuing
entity’s WACC with reference to observable market comparatives.
The expected yield and WACC are used as the discount rates to calculate the present value
of the expected future cash flows under the shadow rating and WACC methods respectively,
which is taken to be the fair value.
The fair values of the private market investments are principally determined using two
valuation methods:
1. A market approach with reference to suitable market comparatives.
2. An income approach using discounted cash flow analysis which assesses the fair value
of each asset based on its expected future cash flows.
The output of each method for both the private credit and private market investments is a
range of values, from which the mid-point is selected to be the fair value in the majority of
cases. The mid-point will not be selected if further information is known about an investment
which cannot be factored into the valuation method used. A weighting is assigned to the values
determined following each method to determine the final valuation.
The valuations are inherently subjective as they require a number of assumptions to be made,
such as determining which entities provide suitable market comparatives and their relevant
performance metrics (for example earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation),
determining appropriate discount rates and cash flow forecasts to use in models, the weighting
to apply to each valuation methodology, and the point in the range of valuations to select as
the fair value.
Sensitivity of Level 3 valuations
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
The valuations of certain investments in Collective Investment Schemes are based on the latest
observable price available. Whilst such valuations are sensitive to estimates, it is believed that
changing the price applied to a reasonably possible alternative would not change the fair
value significantly.
Investment property
As set out on the left of this page, investment property is initially measured at cost including
related acquisition costs and subsequently valued at least monthly by professional external
valuers at the properties’ respective fair values at each reporting date. The following table sets
out the effect of applying reasonably possible alternative assumptions, being a 10% movement
in estimated rental value and a 50bps movement in relative yield, to the valuation of the
investment properties. Any change in the value of investment property is matched by an
associated movement in the policyholder liability, and therefore would not impact the
shareholder net assets.
180
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
20. Financial risk continued
Effect of reasonably possible
alternative assumptions
Carrying Favourable Unfavourable
Investment property value changes changes
significant unobservable inputs
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
31 December 2025
Expected rental value/relative yield
370.3
412.4
303.2
31 December 2024
Expected rental value/relative yield
892.3
1,064.5
747.0
Fixed income securities and equities
As set out on the previous page, the fair values of the Level 3 fixed income securities and
equities are selected from the valuation range determined through the monthly valuation
process. The following table sets out the effect of valuing each of the assets at the high and low
point of the range. As with investment property, any change in the value of these fixed income
securities or equities is matched by an associated movement in the policyholder liability, and
therefore would not impact on the shareholder net assets.
Effect of reasonably possible
alternative assumptions
Carrying Favourable Unfavourable
value changes changes
£’Million
£’Million
£’Million
31 December 2025
Fixed income securities
40.0
42.7
37.2
Equities
384.0
434.7
333.6
31 December 2024
Fixed income securities
111.9
115.6
108.1
Equities
994.2
1,128.1
911.7
Credit risk
Credit risk relating to unit liabilities is borne by the unit holders.
Contractual maturity and liquidity analysis
Unit liabilities (and the associated assets) are deemed to have a maturity of up to one year
since they are repayable and transferable on demand. In practice the contractual maturities
of the assets may be longer than one year, but the majority of assets held within the unit-linked
and unit trust funds are highly liquid and the Group also actively monitors fund liquidity.
Sensitivity analysis to market risks
The majority of the Group’s business is unitised and the direct associated market risk is
therefore borne by unit holders. For completeness, we note that there is an indirect risk
associated with market performance as future shareholder income is dependent upon
markets; however, the direct risk has been mitigated through the Group’s approach to
matching assets and liabilities.
21. Cash generated from operations
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Cash flows from operating activities Note
£’Million
£’Million
Profit before tax for the year
1,335.2
1,049.1
Adjustments for:
Amortisation of purchased value of in-force business
11
3.2
3.2
Amortisation of computer software
11
4.2
22.4
Depreciation
12
20.8
23.4
Impairment of goodwill
11
4.8
10.3
Loss on disposal of property and equipment, including leased
assets
12
1.0
4.1
Share-based payment charge
24
20.2
11.2
Interest income
(224.5)
(236.6)
Interest expense
9
28.9
36.4
Decrease in provisions
18
(161.9)
(39.8)
Exchange rate losses/(gains)
3.0
(0.2)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(300.3)
(165.6)
Decrease in deferred acquisition costs
11
2.1
18.2
Decrease in investment property
522.0
218.0
Increase in other investments
(29,849.2)
(23,738.7)
Increase in investments in associates
(0.3)
(3.5)
Decrease/(increase) in reinsurance assets
3.2
(1.9)
(Increase)/decrease in other receivables
(170.2)
310.3
Increase in insurance contract liabilities
47.6
22.6
Increase in financial liabilities (excluding borrowings)
22,049.9
17,868.1
Decrease in deferred income
11
(47.9)
(22.0)
Increase/(decrease) in other payables
520.7
(246.1)
Increase in net assets attributable to unit holders
7,283.3
4,163.0
361.2
(1,412.0)
Cash generated from/(used in) operations
1,396.1
(528.5)
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
181
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
22. Capital management and allocation
The Group’s capital management policy, set by the Board, is to maintain a strong capital base
in order to:
protect clients’ interests
meet regulatory requirements
protect creditors’ interests
create shareholder value through support for business development.
The policy requires that each subsidiary manages its own capital, in particular to maintain
regulatory solvency, in the context of a Group capital plan. Any capital in excess of planned
requirements is returned to the Group’s Parent Company, St. James’s Place plc, normally by
way of dividends. The Group capital position is monitored by the Audit Committee on behalf
of the St. James’s Place plc Board.
Regulatory capital
The Group’s capital management policy, for each subsidiary, is to hold the management
capital coverage assessment (previously known as the management solvency buffer) which is
the higher of:
the capital required by any relevant supervisory body, uplifted by a specified margin
to absorb changes
the capital required based on the Company’s internal assessment.
For our insurance companies, we hold capital based on our own internal assessment,
recognising the regulatory requirement. For other regulated companies we generally
hold capital based on the regulatory requirement uplifted by a specified margin.
The following entities are subject to regulatory supervision and have to maintain a minimum
level of regulatory capital:
Entity
Regulatory body and jurisdiction
Perennial Financial Management Limited
FCA: Personal Investment Firm
Policy Services Limited
FCA: Personal Investment Firm
St. James’s Place Investment Management FCA: Investment Firm
Limited (formerly Rowan Dartington & Co. Limited)
St. James’s Place (Hong Kong) Limited
Securities and Futures Commission
(Hong Kong):
Insurance Authority (Hong Kong)
St. James’s Place (Middle East) Limited
Dubai Financial Services Authority
St. James’s Place International
(Hong Kong) Limited
Insurance Authority (Hong Kong)
St. James’s Place International plc
Central Bank of Ireland: Life Insurance
St. James’s Place Investment Business
Administration Limited
FCA: Investment Firm
St. James’s Place Partnership Services Limited
FCA: Consumer Credit Firm
St. James’s Place (Singapore) Private Limited
Monetary Authority of Singapore: Member
of the Association of Financial Advisers
St. James’s Place UK plc
PRA and FCA: Long-term insurance business
St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited
FCA: UCITS Management Company
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc
FCA: Personal Investment Firm
182
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
22. Capital management and allocation continued
In addition, the St. James’s Place Group is regulated as an insurance group under Solvency II,
with the PRA as the lead regulator. More information about the capital position of the Group
under Solvency II regulations is set out in the separate Solvency and Financial Condition Report
document. The overall capital position for the Group at 31 December 2025, assessed on the
standard formula basis, is presented in the following table:
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
IFRS total assets
224,877.5
194,875.1
Less Solvency II valuation adjustments and unit-linked liabilities
(223,266.4)
(193,434.5)
Solvency II net assets
1,611.1
1,440.6
Solvency II value of in-force (VIF)
3,463.1
2,992.4
Risk margin
(441.9)
(373.0)
Own funds (A)
4,632.3
4,060.0
Standard formula SCR (B)
(2,508.9)
(2,104.1)
Solvency II free assets
2,123.4
1,955.9
Solvency II ratio (A/B)
185%
193%
The solvency ratio after payment of the proposed Group final dividend is 182% at 31 December
2025 (31 December 2024: 190%).
An overall internal capital assessment is required for insurance groups. This is known as an
ORSA (Own Risk and Solvency Assessment) and is described in more detail in the ORSA section
within the risk and control management section.
The regulatory capital requirements of companies within the Group, and the associated
solvency of the Group, are assessed and monitored by the Finance Oversight Group with
oversight by the Audit Committee on behalf of the Group Board. Ultimate responsibility for
individual companies’ regulatory capital lies with the relevant subsidiary boards.
All regulated entities exceeded the minimum solvency requirements at the reporting date
and during the year. The required minimum regulatory capital, and analysis of the assets
that qualify as regulatory capital, is outlined in the databook on our website sjp.co.uk/full-
year-results-2025-databook, which demonstrates that the Group has met its internal
capital objectives. The Group and its individually regulated operations have complied
with all externally and internally imposed capital requirements throughout the year.
See section 3 of the financial review for further information on capital and liquidity.
23. Share capital, earnings per share and shareholder returns
Share capital
Number of Called-up
ordinary shares share capital
£’Million
At 1 January 2024
548,604,794
82.3
– Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes
(4,590,083)
(0.7)
At 31 December 2024
544,014,711
81.6
– Issue of shares
136,975
– Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes
(17,039,551)
(2.5)
At 31 December 2025
527,112,135
79.1
Ordinary shares have a par value of 15 pence per share (2024: 15 pence per share) and are
fully paid.
Included in the called-up share capital are 8,686,829 (2024: 4,876,364) shares held in the
Shares in trust reserve with a nominal value of £1.3 million (2024: £0.7 million). The shares
are held by the SJP Employee Benefit Trust and the St. James’s Place 2010 Share Incentive
Plan Trust to satisfy certain share-based payment schemes. The Trustees of the SJP Employee
Benefit Trust retain the right to dividends on the shares held by the Trust but have chosen to
waive their entitlement to the dividends on 5,766,265 shares at 31 December 2025 and 2,135,521
shares at 31 December 2024. The trustees of St. James’s Place Share Incentive Plan Trust retain
the right to dividends on forfeited shares held by the Trust but have chosen to waive
their entitlement to the dividend on 1,028 shares at 31 December 2025 (2024: 1,034).
Share capital increases are included within the issue of shares line.
During the year, the Company repurchased and cancelled 17,039,551 shares (2024: 4,590,083)
for a total consideration of £188.1 million (2024: £32.9 million) and incurred transaction costs of
£1.1 million (2024: £0.2 million). The cancelled shares, which had a nominal value of £2.5 million
(2024: £0.7 million), have been reflected as a decrease in share capital with a corresponding
increase in the capital redemption reserve as required by the Companies Act 2006.
The number of shares reserved for issue under options and contracts for sale of shares,
including terms and conditions, is included within Note 24.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
183
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
23. Share capital, earnings per share and shareholder returns
continued
Earnings per share
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Earnings
£’Million
£’Million
Profit after tax attributable to equity shareholders
(for both basic and diluted EPS)
531.1
398.4
Weighted average number of shares
Million
Million
Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue (for basic EPS)
531.5
545.4
Adjustments for outstanding share options
6.3
3.6
Weighted average number of ordinary shares (for diluted EPS)
537.8
549.0
Earnings per share (EPS)
Pence
Pence
Basic earnings per share
99.9
73.0
Diluted earnings per share
98.8
72.6
Dividends
The following dividends have been paid by the Group:
Year ended Year ended Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December
2025 2024 2025 2024
Pence per Pence per
share
share
£’Million
£’Million
Final dividend in respect of 2023
8.00
43.8
Interim dividend in respect of 2024
6.00
32.8
Final dividend in respect of 2024
12.00
64.4
Interim dividend in respect of 2025
6.00
31.9
Total dividends
18.00
14.00
96.3
76.6
In respect of 2025 the Directors have recommended a 2025 final dividend of 12 .00 pence per
share. This amounts to £63.3 million based on the number of shares in issue on 31 December
2025 and will, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting, be paid on
8 May 2026 to those shareholders on the register as at 27 March 2026.
In addition, under the authority granted by shareholders at the 2025 Annual General Meeting,
the Directors have resolved to undertake:
a final share buy-back programme in respect to 2025, committing to purchase shares
up to a maximum value of £103.9 million.
an additional share buy-back programme to return capital to shareholders following
a release of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision, committing to purchase shares
up to a maximum value of £18.7 million.
These share buy-backs will commence in March 2026.
184
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
24. Share‑based payments
During the year ended 31 December 2025, the Group operated a number of different equity-
settled and cash-settled share-based payment arrangements, which are aggregated as follows:
Share option schemes
Save As You Earn (SAYE) Plan – this is an equity-settled scheme that is available to all
employees where individuals may contribute up to £500 per month over the three-year
vesting period to purchase shares at a price not less than 80% of the market price at
the date of the invitation to participate. A total of 441,555 (2024: 3,204,991) SAYE options
were granted on 30 September 2025 (2024: two grants made on 22 March 2024 and 25
September 2024). There are no other vesting conditions.
Associate Partner Plan this is an equity-settled scheme that was launched during 2017
whereby Partners and advisers are entitled to purchase a set number of shares in the future
at the market price at the date of the invitation if they meet the required business volumes
over the following three years. No grants were made in 2025 (2024: nil).
Executive Performance Share Plan – the Group Remuneration Committee may make
awards of performance options to the Executive Directors and other senior managers.
Two thirds of options awarded to Executive Directors are subject to an earnings growth
condition(s) of the Group and one third of options awarded to Executive Directors are subject
to a comparative total shareholder return condition, both measured over a three-year
performance period. Further information regarding the vesting conditions of the earnings-
growth-dependent and total-shareholder-return-dependent portions of the award is given
in the Report of the Group Remuneration Committee. Awards made to senior managers are
typically subject to the same performance conditions as the awards to Executive Directors.
Alternatively, awards made to senior managers may be subject to personal performance
conditions. This is predominantly an equity-settled scheme. A total of 1,697,851
(2024: 3,394,380) options were granted under the Performance Share Plan across four grants
made on 25 March 2025, 12 May 2025, 14 April 2025 and 11 August 2025 (2024: two grants made
on 25 March 2024 and 27 November 2024).
Buyout Awards – under these plans recently recruited Executive Directors or members of
the Group Executive Committee have been awarded conditional and performance-related
shares. The vesting of conditional awards is subject to employment related conditions.
Performance awards include both Group and external performance conditions. The Group
performance targets are outlined in the details of the Executive Performance Share Plan
above and in the Report of the Group Remuneration Committee. The external performance
conditions are the original performance conditions relating to forfeited awards which had
an outstanding performance period of less than two years at the time of award. The plans
are predominantly equity-settled. 138,293 (2024: 241,181) awards were granted under the
Buyout award plans on 12 May 2025 (2024: 10 December 2024).
Share awards
Share Incentive Plan (SIP) – this is an equity-settled scheme, available to all employees,
where individuals may invest up to an annual limit of £1,800 of pre-tax salary in
St. James’s Place plc shares, to which the Group will add a further 10%. The vesting period
is three years; however, if the shares are held for five years they may be sold free of income
tax or capital gains tax. There are no other vesting conditions. A total of 8,478 (2024: 19,385)
shares were granted under the SIP on 25 March 2025 (2024: 25 March 2024).
Executive Deferred Bonus Plan (DBP) – under these plans the deferred element of the
annual bonus is used to purchase shares at market value in the Company. The shares are
held in trust over the three-year vesting period and may be subject to further non-market-
based performance conditions. The plans are predominantly equity-settled. A total of
887,787 (2024: 1,079,020) shares were granted under the Deferred Bonus Plan on 25 March
2025 (2024: 25 March 2024).
Restricted Share Plan – under this plan employees are awarded performance-related
shares with the vesting condition being linked to Group funds under management.
The plan is predominantly equity-settled. A total of 4,608 (2024: 576,010) awards were
granted under the Restricted Share Plan on 25 March 2025 (2024: 25 March 2024).
Share options and awards outstanding under the various share-based payment schemes
set out above at 31 December 2025 amount to 15.7 million shares (2024: 17.6 million). Of these,
2.6 million (2024: 2.8 million) are under option to Partners and advisers of the St. James’s Place
Partnership, 9.8 million (2024: 11.6 million) are under option to Executive Directors and senior
management (including 1.2 million (2024: 1.1 million) under option to Directors as disclosed in
the Directors’ remuneration report) and 3.3 million (2024: 3.2 million) are under option through
the SAYE and SIP schemes. These are exercisable on a range of future dates.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
185
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
24. Share‑based payments continued
Financial assumptions underlying the calculation of fair value
The fair value expense has been based on the fair value of the instruments granted, as calculated using appropriate derivative pricing models.
The table below shows the weighted average assumptions and models used to calculate the grant-date fair value of each award:
Executive Buyout
Share Executive Performance Restricted Buyout Awards Awards –
SAYE Plan
3
Incentive Plan Deferred Bonus
Share Plan
3,4
Share Plan – Conditional
Performance
4,5
Valuation model
Black-Scholes
Black-Scholes
Black-Scholes
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Black-Scholes
Monte Carlo
Awards in 2025
Fair value (pence)
506.0
1,030.0
1,030.0
660.2/901.3
978.5
1,064.0
N/A
Share price (pence)
1,270.0
1,030.0
1,030.0
1,030.0
1,030.0
1,064.0
N/A
Exercise price (pence)
971.0
Expected volatility (% per annum)
1
39.9
N/A
N/A
39.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
Expected dividends (% per annum)
2
1.4
1.7
1.7
N/A
Risk-free interest rate (% per annum)
4.0
N/A
N/A
4.3
N/A
N/A
N/A
Expected life (years)
3.5
3
3
3
3
1-3.5
N/A
Volatility of competitors (% per annum)
N/A
N/A
N/A
20 -70
N/A
N/A
N/A
Correlation with competitors (%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
28
N/A
N/A
N/A
Executive
Share Executive Performance Restricted Buyout Awards Buyout Awards
SAYE Plan
3
Incentive Plan Deferred Bonus
Share Plan
3, 4
Share Plan – Conditional – Performance
Valuation model
Black-Scholes
Black-Scholes
Black-Scholes
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Black-Scholes
Monte Carlo
Awards in 2024
Fair value (pence)
114.2/266.4
470.0
470.0
105.3/418.8
403.3
864.0
194.0/770.0
Share price (pence)
458.6/725.0
470.0
470.0
470.0
470.0
864.0
864.0
Exercise price (pence)
405.0/578.0
Expected volatility (% per annum)
1
36.9/39.9
N/A
N/A
36.9
N/A
N/A
36.9
Expected dividends (% per annum)
2
5.2/1.9
5.1
5.1
5.1
Risk-free interest rate (% per annum)
3.91/3.74
N/A
N/A
4
N/A
N/A
4.0
Expected life (years)
3.5
3
3
3
3
1-6
3-6
Volatility of competitors (% per annum)
N/A
N/A
N/A
20-69
N/A
N/A
20-69
Correlation with competitors (%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
32
N/A
N/A
32
1 Expected volatility is based on an analysis of the Company’s historical share price volatility over a period which is commensurate with the expected term of the options or the awards.
2 For schemes where dividends are payable on the shares during the vesting period, the dividend yield assumption in the Black-Scholes option pricing model is set at zero.
3 The awards made under the Executive Performance Share Plan are dependent upon earnings growth in the Company (two-thirds of the award) and a total shareholder return of
a comparator group of companies (one-third of the award). This results in having two fair values for each of the awards made in the table above: the first being in relation to the
comparator total shareholder return, which is a market-based performance condition and so valued using a Monte Carlo simulation; and the second relating to the Company’s
earnings growth, which is a non-market-based performance condition and so valued using the Black-Scholes model.
4 The awards made under the Executive Performance Share Plan and Buyout Awards – Performance, to recently recruited Executive Directors or members of the Group Executive
Committee (GEC), are subject to a two-year holding period once the award has vested. This results in discounted fair values for the Executive Director and GEC population of
660.2/901.3 (2024: 105.3/418.8) to reflect the reduced marketability of the awards.
5 The awards made under Buyout Awards – Performance are significantly dependent upon earnings growth in the Company (two-thirds of the award) and a total shareholder
return of a comparator group of companies (one-third of the award). This results in having two fair values for each of the awards made in the table above, the first being in
relation to the comparator total shareholder return which is a market-based performance condition and so valued using a Monte Carlo simulation, and the second relating
to the Company’s earnings growth, which is a non-market-based performance condition and so valued using the Black-Scholes model.
186
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
24. Share‑based payments continued
Share option schemes
Year ended Year ended Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December
2025 2025 2024 2024
Weighted Weighted
Number average Number average
of options exercise price of options exercise price
SAYE Plan
Outstanding at start of year
3,184,995
£4.43
862,956
£10.26
Granted
441,555
£9.71
3,204,991
£4.20
Forfeited
(285,079)
£5.45
(882,952)
£9.32
Exercised
(61,756)
£5.76
Outstanding at end of year
3,279,715
£5.02
3,184,995
£4.43
Exercisable at end of year
664
£11.11
8,829
£12.81
Associate Partner Plan
Outstanding at start of year
2,834,683
£10.91
2,842,183
£10.91
Granted
Forfeited
(85,750)
£10.88
(7,500)
£10.83
Exercised
(107,100)
£10.94
Outstanding at end of year
2,641,833
£10.91
2,834,683
£10.91
Exercisable at end of year
2,641,833
£10.91
2,834,683
£10.91
The average share price during the year was 1,158.2 pence (2024: 639.4 pence).
The SAYE Plan options outstanding at 31 December 2025 had exercise prices of 1,111 pence
(664 options), 988 pence (52,357 options), 405 pence (2,553,282 options), 578 pence (236,250
options) and 971 pence (437,162 options), and a weighted average remaining contractual life
of 1.6 years.
The options outstanding under the Associate Partner Plan at 31 December 2025 had an exercise
price of 1,083 pence (2,226,858 options) and 1,135 pence (414,975 options), and a weighted
average remaining contractual life of nil years.
All share options under the below schemes have exercise prices of nil.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Number Number
of shares of shares
Executive Performance Share Plan
Outstanding at start of year
8,284,244
6,660,214
Granted
1,697,851
3,394,380
Forfeited
(2,870,551)
(1,405,649)
Exercised
(914,873)
(364,701)
Outstanding at end of year
6,196,671
8,284,244
Exercisable at end of year
311,858
2,230,261
Buyout Awards – conditional
Outstanding at start of year
149,372
Granted
138,293
149,372
Forfeited
Exercised
(19,091)
Outstanding at end of year
268,574
149,372
Exercisable at end of year
Buyout Awards – performance
Outstanding at start of year
91,809
Granted
91,809
Forfeited
(6,486)
Exercised
Outstanding at end of year
85,323
91,809
Exercisable at end of year
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
187
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
24. Share‑based payments continued
Share awards
All share awards under the below schemes have exercise prices of nil.
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
Number Number
of shares of shares
Share Incentive Plan
Outstanding at start of year
53,024
38,707
Granted
8,478
19,385
Forfeited
(1,259)
Exercised
(19,945)
(5,068)
Outstanding at end of year
40,298
53,024
Exercisable at end of year
8,044
Executive Deferred Bonus Plan
Outstanding at start of year
2,113,350
1,091,624
Granted
887,787
1,079,020
Forfeited
(520,305)
(57,294)
Exercised
Outstanding at end of year
2,480,832
2,113,350
Exercisable at end of year
Restricted Share Plan
Outstanding at start of year
921,023
417,973
Granted
4,608
576,010
Forfeited
(199,154)
(72,960)
Exercised
Outstanding at end of year
726,477
921,023
Exercisable at end of year
Early exercise assumptions
An allowance has been made for the impact of early exercise once options have vested in the
SAYE Plan, where all option holders are assumed to exercise half-way through the six-month
exercise window.
Allowance for performance conditions
The Executive Performance Share Plan includes a market-based performance condition
based on the Company’s total shareholder return relative to an index of comparator
companies. The impact of this performance condition has been modelled using Monte Carlo
simulation techniques, which involve running many thousands of simulations of future share
price movements for both the Company and the comparator index. For the purpose of these
simulations it is assumed that the share price of the Company and the comparator index
are 28% (2024: 32%) correlated and that the comparator index has volatilities ranging between
20% per annum and 70% per annum (2024: 20% per annum and 69% per annum).
The performance condition is based on the Company’s performance relative to the comparator
index over a three-year period commencing on 1 January each year. The fair-value calculations
for the awards that were made in 2025 therefore include an allowance for the actual performance
of the Company’s share price relative to the index over the period between 1 January 2025 and
the various award dates.
Charge to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
The table below sets out the charge to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
in respect of the share-based payment awards:
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Equity-settled share-based payment expense
19.2
11.2
Cash-settled share-based payment expense
1.0
0.2
Total share-based payment expense
20.2
11.4
Liabilities recognised in the statement of financial position
The liabilities recognised in the statement of financial position in respect of the cash-settled
share-based payment awards, and National Insurance obligations arising from share-based
payment awards, are as follows. These liabilities are included within other payables on the face
of the statement of financial position.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Liability for cash-settled share-based payments
2.2
1.5
Liability for employer National Insurance contributions
on cash-settled and equity-settled share-based payments
9.9
4.8
188
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
25. Interests in unconsolidated entities
Unconsolidated structured entities
The Group operates investment vehicles, such as unit trusts. Clients are able to invest in
these directly, but also indirectly through products offered by St. James’s Place UK plc and
St. James’s Place International plc. As a result, the Group’s insurance companies can be
significant investors in the unit trusts. Note 2 sets out the judgements inherent in determining
when the Group controls, and therefore consolidates, the relevant investment vehicles.
The majority of the risk from a change in the value of the Group’s investment in unconsolidated
unit trusts is matched by a change in unit holder liabilities. The maximum exposure to loss,
prior to considering unit holder liabilities, is equal to the carrying value of the investment.
This is recognised within investments in Collective Investment Schemes.
The following unit trust is not consolidated within the Group financial statements; however,
the Group does act as the fund manager of this unit trust.
Percentage of Net asset value
ownership interest as at 31 December
2025
2024
Principal place Nature of Measurement
2025
2024
%
%
of business relationship method
£’Million
£’Million
St. James’s Place
2.21
1.47
United
Manager of Fair value
165.7
586.8
Property Unit Trust Kingdom unit trust through
profit or loss
As at 31 December 2025 the value of the Group’s interests in St. James’s Place Property Unit Trust
was £3.7 million (2024: £8.6 million).
26. Interests in other entities
Principal subsidiaries
Investment Holding Companies
St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group Limited
1
St. James’s Place DFM Holdings Limited
1
Life Assurance
St. James’s Place UK plc
St. James’s Place International plc (incorporated in Ireland)
2
Unit Trust Management
St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited
Unit Trust Administration
and ISA Management
St. James’s Place Investment Administration Limited
Distribution
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc
Management Services
St. James’s Place Management Services Limited
3
Treasury Company
St. James’s Place Partnership Services Limited
Adviser Acquisitions
St. James’s Place Acquisition Services Limited
AME Distribution
St. James’s Place International Distribution Limited
St. James’s Place Investment Management Limited (formerly
Discretionary Fund Management Rowan Dartington & Co. Limited)
1 Directly held by St. James’s Place plc.
2 The Company also operates a branch in Singapore.
3 The Company also operates a branch in the Republic of Ireland.
Ongoing solvency requirements within the life assurance, unit trust and financial services
companies of the Group restrict their ability to distribute all their distributable reserves.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
189
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
26. Interests in other entities continued
Included below is a full list of the entities within the St. James’s Place plc Group at 31 December 2025:
Company Country of Audit
Entity
number
Registered office
incorporation
Principal activity
exemption
Cabot Portfolio Nominees Limited
03636010
2610
The Quadrant, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, England, BS32 4AQ
England and Wales
Nominee company
Yes
Capstone Financial (HK) Limited
1256431
8F Kailey Tower, 16 Stanley Street Central, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Financial advice
No
CGA Financial & Investment Services Limited
02666180 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Dartington Portfolio Nominees Limited
01489542
2610
The Quadrant, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, England, BS32 4AQ
England and Wales
Nominee company
Yes
Edwards Wealth Ltd
09229694 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Fortura Financial Partners Limited
14320641 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Future Proof Limited
07608319 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Ian Cockbain Wealth Management Limited
04639701 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Lewington Wealth Management Limited
04290504 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Linden House Financial Services Limited
02990295 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Ludian Financial Planning Limited
16709363 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
No
M.H.S. (Holdings) Limited
00559995 *
England and Wales
Non-trading
Yes
Perennial Financial Management Limited
04609753 *
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
Policy Services Limited
SC230167
Oracle Campus, Blackness Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 7BF,
Scotland
Financial advice
No
Reflect Financial Limited
04373946 *
United Kingdom
England and Wales
Financial advice
Yes
St. James’s Place Investment Management Limited
02752304 *
England and Wales
Stockbroker and
No
(formerly Rowan Dartington & Co. Limited) investment manager
Rowan Dartington Holdings Limited
07470226 *
England and Wales
Holding company
Yes
SJP Legacy Holdings Ltd
SC492906
Oracle Campus, Blackness Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 7BF,
Scotland
Holding company
Yes
United Kingdom
SJP Partner Loans No. 1 Limited
11390901
10th Floor, 5 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HU, United Kingdom
England and Wales
Securitisation
No
St. James’s Place (Hong Kong) Limited
275275
1st Floor, Henley Building, 5 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Overseas distribution
No
St. James’s Place (Middle East) Limited
6826
Gate District Precinct Building 03, Unit Precinct 3-7th Floor-Units 706, 707
United Arab
Overseas distribution
No
&
708
Level 7, Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates,
Emirates
St. James’s Place (PCP) Limited
02706684 *
PO Box 507256
England and Wales
Transaction and servicing
Yes
of SJP income streams
St. James’s Place (Singapore) Private Limited
20040639
8R
1 Raffles Place, #15-61 One Raffles Place, 048616, Singapore
Singapore
Financial advice
No
190
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Company Country of Audit
Entity
number
Registered office
incorporation
Principal activity
exemption
St. James’s Place Acquisition Services Limited
07730835 *
England and Wales
Adviser acquisitions
Yes
St. James’s Place Corporate Secretary Limited
09131866 *
England and Wales
Corporate secretary
Yes
St. James’s Place DFM Holdings Limited
09687687 *
England and Wales
Holding company
Yes
St. James’s Place International (Hong Kong) Limited
64458142
1st Floor, Henley Building, 5 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Life assurance
No
St. James’s Place International Distribution Limited
08798683 *
England and Wales
Holding company
Yes
St. James’s Place International plc
185345
Fleming Court, Flemings Place, Dublin 4, Ireland
Ireland
Life assurance
No
St. James’s Place Investment Administration Limited
08764231 *
England and Wales
Unit trust administration
No
and ISA manager
St. James’s Place Management Services Limited
02661044 *
England and Wales
Management services
No
St. James’s Place Nominees Limited
08764214 *
England and Wales
Nominee company
Yes
St. James’s Place Partnership Services Limited
08201211 *
England and Wales
Treasury company
No
St. James’s Place UK plc
02628062 *
England and Wales
Life assurance
No
St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited
00947644 *
England and Wales
Unit trust management
No
St. James’s Place Wealth Management (Shanghai)
1511517
1st Floor, Henley Building, 5 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Overseas distribution
No
Limited
St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group Limited
02627518 *
England and Wales
Holding company
No
St. James’s Place Wealth Management International
20132345
3N
1 Raffles Place, #15-61 One Raffles Place, 048616, Singapore
Singapore
Holding company
No
Pte. Ltd
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc
04113955 *
England and Wales
UK distribution
No
Technical Connection Limited
03178474 *
England and Wales
Tax and advisory services
Yes
Tring Financial Management Limited
05487108 *
England and Wales
Policy administration
Yes
Virtue Money Limited
SC346827
Oracle Campus, Blackness Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 7BF,
Scotland
Holding company
Yes
United Kingdom
* Indicates that the registered office is St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England, GL7 1FP.
26. Interests in other entities continued
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
191
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
26. Interests in other entities continued
The Group incorporated Ludian Financial Planning Limited (16709363) on 10 September 2025,
with its first accounts to be made up to 31 December 2026.
On 18 February 2026 Capstone Financial (HK) Limited (1256431) was dissolved.
Where indicated in the table, subsidiaries of St. James’s Place plc have taken advantage,
or are expected to take advantage, of the exemption from statutory audit granted by section
479A of the Companies Act 2006. In accordance with section 479C, St. James’s Place plc has
guaranteed all the outstanding liabilities as at 31 December 2025 of these companies.
All Group companies have an accounting reference date of 31 December. The tax residency
of each subsidiary is the same as the country of incorporation.
100% of the equity share capital is held for the subsidiaries listed in the preceding table,
with the exception of:
SJP Partner Loans No. 1 Limited (11390901), where 100% of the equity share capital is held by a
third-party entity outside the Group. Note that all assets and liabilities of SJP Partner Loans
No.1 Limited are restricted and ring-fenced from the other assets and liabilities of the Group.
Lewington Wealth Management Limited (04290504) where 25% of the equity share capital
is held by a third-party entity outside the Group.
Following an assessment of control in accordance with IFRS 10 it was determined that SJP
Partner Loans No. 1 Limited and Lewington Wealth Management Limited are controlled by
the Group and thus consolidated.
In addition, the Group financial statements consolidate the following unit trusts,
all of which are registered in England and Wales. The registered address of the unit
trust manager, St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited, is St. James’s Place House,
1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1FP, United Kingdom.
St. James’s Place Adventurous Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Adventurous International Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Asia Pacific Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Balance InRetirement Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Balanced Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Balanced International Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Balanced Managed Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Conservative Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Conservative International Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Continental European Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Corporate Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Diversified Assets (FAIF) Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Diversified Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Emerging Markets Equity Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Absolute Return Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Emerging Markets Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Equity Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Government Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Government Inflation Linked Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global High Yield Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Quality Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Smaller Companies Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Global Value Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Greater European Progressive Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Growth InRetirement Unit Trust
St. James’s Place International Equity Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Investment Grade Corporate Bond Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Japan Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Managed Growth Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Money Market Unit Trust
St. James’s Place North American Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris 1 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris 2 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris 3 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris 4 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris Multi-Index 1 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris Multi-Index 2 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris Multi-Index 3 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Polaris Multi-Index 4 Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Prudence InRetirement Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Strategic Income Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Strategic Managed Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Sustainable & Responsible Equity Unit Trust
St. James’s Place UK Equity Income Unit Trust
St. James’s Place UK Unit Trust
St. James’s Place Worldwide Income Unit Trust
Individually immaterial associates
The Group also has interests in individually immaterial associates that are accounted for using
the equity method.
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Aggregate carrying value of individually immaterial associates
24.0
21.9
Aggregate amounts of the Group’s share of total
comprehensive income
0.5
0.3
192
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Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
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Other information
Financial statements
27. Related‑party transactions
Transactions with associates and non‑wholly‑owned subsidiaries
Associates
Outstanding at the year-end were business loans of £11.0 million (2024: £11.9 million) to
associates of the Group. During the year £nil (2024: £8.9 million) was advanced and £1.8 million
(2024: £4.3 million) was repaid. Business loans to associates are interest-bearing (linked to the
Bank of England base rate plus a margin) and repayable in line with the terms of the loan
contract. Interest of £0.9 million was received during 2025 (2024: £0.6 million).
In addition, commission, advice fees and other payments of £12.3 million were paid
(2024: £10.0 million paid), under normal commercial terms, to associates of the Group.
The outstanding amount at 31 December 2025 was £1.0 million payable (2024: £0.7 million
payable).
Non‑wholly owned subsidiaries
Commission, advice fees and other payments of £4.6 million were paid (2024: £4.3 million paid),
under normal commercial terms, to non-wholly-owned Group companies. The outstanding
amount at 31 December 2025 was £0.4 million payable (2024: £0.5 million payable).
Transactions with key management personnel
Key management personnel have been defined as the Board of Directors and members
of the Group Executive Committee. The remuneration paid to the Board of Directors of
St. James’s Place plc is set out in the Directors’ remuneration report, in addition to the
disclosure in this note.
The Directors’ remuneration report also sets out transactions with the Directors under the
Group’s share-based payment schemes, together with details of the Directors’ interests in
the share capital of the Company.
Compensation of key management personnel is as follows:
Year ended Year ended
31 December 31 December
2025 2024
£’Million
£’Million
Short-term employee benefits
12.9
10.2
Post-employment benefits
0.5
0.6
Share-based payments
6.3
(0.7)
Total
19.7
10.1
The total value of Group FUM held by related parties of the Group as at 31 December 2025
was £17.7 million (2024: £25.2 million). The total value of St. James’s Place plc dividends paid
to related parties of the Group during the year was £0.1 million (2024: £0.2 million).
Commission, advice fees and other payments of £nil (2024: £1.3 million) were paid, under
normal commercial terms, to St. James’s Place advisers who were related parties by virtue of
being connected persons with key management personnel. The outstanding amount payable
at 31 December 2025 was £nil (2024: £0.1 million).
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
193
Notes to the consolidated financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Design to be reviewed
In this section
Parent Company statement
of financial position 194
Parent Company statement
of changes in equity 195
Notes to the Parent Company
financial statements 196
Note
As at
31 December
2025
As at
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Investment in subsidiaries 3 2,211.0 2,102.4
Current assets
Amounts owed by Group undertakings 7 728.2 274.8
Corporation tax assets 0.1
Other receivables 0.1 0.1
Cash and cash equivalents 0.9
Current liabilities
Corporation tax liabilities (4.8)
Other payables (0.4)
Net current assets 724.0 275.0
Amounts due to Group undertakings 7 (213.9) (201.3)
Net assets 2,721.1 2,176.1
Equity
Share capital 4 79.1 81.6
Share premium 235.4 233.9
Capital redemption reserve 4 3.2 0.7
Share option reserve 309.9 290.7
Miscellaneous reserves 0.1 0.1
Retained earnings 2,093.4 1,569.1
Total shareholders’ funds 2,721.1 2,176.1
In publishing the Parent Company financial statements, the Company has taken advantage
of the exemption in section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present its individual income
statement and related notes that form part of these Parent Company financial statements.
The Company is not required to present a statement of comprehensive income. The Company’s
profit after tax for the financial year was £8 09 .8 million (2024: £559 .6 million) which can be seen
in the statement of changes in equity.
The Parent Company financial statements on pages 194 to 199 were approved by the Board
of Directors on 24 February 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
Mark FitzPatrick
Chief Executive Officer
The Notes and information on pages 196 to 199 form part of these Parent Company
financial statements.
Parent Company
financial statements
194
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Parent Company statement of financial position
Registered number: 03183415.
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Note
Share
capital
Share
premium
Capital
redemption
reserve
Share option
reserve
Miscellaneous
reserves
Retained
earnings
Total
shareholders’
funds
£’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million
At 1 January 2024 82.3 233.9 279.5 0.1 1,119.2 1,715.0
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year 559.6 559.6
Dividends 6 (76.6) (76.6)
Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes 4 (0.7) 0.7 (33.1) (33.1)
Cost of share options expensed in subsidiaries 11.2 11.2
At 31 December 2024 81.6 233.9 0.7 290.7 0.1 1,569.1 2,176.1
Profit and total comprehensive income for the year 809.8 809.8
Dividends 6 (96.3) (96.3)
Issue of share capital 4 1.5 1.5
Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes 4 (2.5) 2.5 (189.2) (189.2)
Cost of share options expensed in subsidiaries 19.2 19.2
At 31 December 2025 79.1 235.4 3.2 309.9 0.1 2,093.4 2,721.1
The Notes and information on pages 196 to 199 form part of these Parent Company financial statements.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
195
Parent Company statement of changes in equity
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
1. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
St. James’s Place plc (the Company) is a public company limited by shares which is incorporated
and registered in England and Wales, domiciled in the United Kingdom and whose shares
are publicly traded. The Company offers a range of insurance, investment and other wealth
management services through its subsidiaries, which are incorporated in the UK, Ireland,
Middle East and Asia.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, on a going
concern basis and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 101 (FRS 101) Reduced
Disclosure Framework and the Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies using FRS 101.
The preparation of these financial statements in compliance with FRS 101 requires the use of certain
critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise judgement in applying
the Company’s accounting policies. No significant accounting judgements have been made.
Adoption of new and amended accounting standards
As at 31 December 2025, the were no relevant new and amended standards, which the
Company adopted as of 1 January 2025.
FRS 101 – reduced disclosure exemptions
The Company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemptions under FRS 101:
the requirements of paragraphs 45(b) and 46 to 52 of IFRS 2 Share-based Payment
the requirements of IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures
the requirements of paragraphs 91 to 99 of IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement
the requirement in paragraph 38 of IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements to present
comparative information in respect of paragraph 79(a)(iv) of IAS 1
the requirements of paragraphs 10(d), 10(f), 16, 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 111
and 134-136 of IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements
the requirements of paragraphs 1 to 44E, 44H(b)(ii) and 45 to 65 of IAS 7 Statement of
Cash Flows
the requirements of paragraphs 44F, 44G, 44H(a), 44H(b)(i), 44H(b)(iii) and 44H(c) of IAS 7
Statement of Cash Flows, provided that equivalent disclosures are included in the
consolidated financial statements of the Group, in which the entity is consolidated.
the requirements of paragraphs 6B, 30 and 31 of IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes
in Accounting Estimates and Errors
the requirements of paragraph 17 and 18A of IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures
the requirements in IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures to disclose related-party transactions
entered into between two or more members of a group, provided that any subsidiary which
is a party to the transaction is wholly owned by such a member
the requirements of paragraphs 130(f)(ii), 130(f)(iii), 134(d) to 134(f) and 135(c) to 135(e) of IAS 36
Impairment of Assets, provided that equivalent disclosures are included in the consolidated
financial statements of the Group, in which the entity is consolidated.
Going concern
The Company is a non-trading investment holding company which has positive net assets.
Going concern has been evaluated by the Directors of the Company. As part of this the
Directors have reviewed and take comfort from the Group’s assessment of going concern as
set out in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. The Board believes the Company will
continue to be in business, with neither the intention nor the necessity of liquidation, ceasing
trading or seeking protection from creditors pursuant to laws or regulations, for a period of at
least 12 months from the date of approval of the company financial statements. As a result, the
Company continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing these financial statements.
Significant accounting policies
The following principal accounting policies have been applied consistently to all the years presented.
(a) Investment return
Investment return comprises dividends from subsidiaries. Interim dividends are accounted for
when received. Final dividends are accounted for when the dividend has been declared and
approved by the subsidiary.
(b) Taxation
Taxation is based on profits and income for the year as determined in accordance
with the relevant tax legislation, together with adjustments to provisions for prior years.
(c) Investment in subsidiaries
Investments in subsidiaries are carried at cost stated after any impairment losses,
plus the cost of equity-settled share awards granted by the Company of its own shares.
(d) Financial instruments
The Company recognises financial instruments when it becomes a party to the contractual
arrangements of the instrument. Financial instruments are de-recognised when they are
discharged or when the contractual terms expire. The Company’s accounting policies in
respect of financial instruments transactions are explained below:
Financial assets
The Company classifies its financial assets at amortised cost.
At amortised cost
Financial assets held at amortised cost are non-derivative financial assets with fixed
or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. The most significant
category of financial assets held at amortised cost for the Company is amounts owed by
Group undertakings. They are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs that are
directly attributable to their acquisition or issue, and are subsequently carried at amortised
cost using the effective interest rate method, less provision for impairment.
Financial assets held at amortised cost are impaired using an expected credit loss model.
Expected credit losses are based on the historic levels of loss experienced for the relevant
financial assets, with due consideration given to forward looking information.
196
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Notes to the Parent Company financial statements
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
1. Accounting policies continued
Financial liabilities
The Company classifies all of its financial liabilities at amortised cost.
At amortised cost
Financial liabilities at amortised cost are initially recognised at fair value net of any transaction
costs directly attributable to the issue of the instrument. Such interest-bearing liabilities are
subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, which
ensures that any interest expensed over the period to repayment is at a constant rate on
the balance of the liability carried into the statement of financial position.
2. Income from shares in Group undertakings
Dividend income received during the year was £900.0 million (2024: £560.0 million).
3. Investment in subsidiaries
Investment in
subsidiaries
£’Million
Cost or valuation
At 1 January 2024
1,576.2
Additions 526.2
At 31 December 2024 2,102.4
Additions 213.1
At 31 December 2025 2,315.5
Impairment
At 1 January 2024
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2024
Charge for the year 104.5
At 31 December 2025 104.5
Carrying value
At 31 December 2024 2,102.4
At 31 December 2025 2,211.0
During the year the Group completed a reorganisation of the Group structure, resulting in the
Company now directly holding nine subsidiaries, seven of which were previously indirectly held
through a subsidiary company, St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group Limited (SJPWMG).
In lieu of FRS 101 providing specific guidance on the accounting of the reorganisation of a
Group structure, the Company has considered the most recent pronouncements of other
relevant standard-setting bodies. The Company considers the principles set out within
FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ to
be the most relevant to the Company and applied the merger accounting method to the
relevant transactions. In line with the principles of merger accounting, the reorganisation
transactions had nil impact to the statement of comprehensive income.
The carrying value of the investment in subsidiaries is reviewed at least annually for impairment,
or when circumstances or events indicate there may be uncertainty over its value. The investments
are supported by the value in use of the subsidiaries. The key assumptions used are the value
of in-force business together with a discount rate of 7.8% (2024: 7.8%).
It is considered that any reasonably possible levels of change in the key assumptions would not
result in an impairment.
4. Share capital
Number of
ordinary shares
Called-up
share capital
£’Million
At 1 January 2024 548,604,794 82.3
– Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes (4,590,083) (0.7)
At 31 December 2024 544,014,711 81.6
– Issue of shares 136,975
– Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes (17,039,551) (2.5)
At 31 December 2025 527,112,135 79.1
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
197
Notes to the Parent Company financial statements continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
4. Share capital continued
Ordinary shares have a par value of 15 pence per share (2024: 15 pence per share) and are fully
paid. The Company received consideration of £1.5 million (2024: £nil) for the shares issued during
the year, including those issued to satisfy the exercise of options.
During the year, the Company repurchased and cancelled 17,039,551 shares (2024: 4,590,083)
for a total consideration of £188.1 million (2024: £32.9 million) and incurred transaction costs of
£1.1 million (2024: £0.2 million). The cancelled shares, which had a nominal value of £2.5 million
(2024: £0.7 million), have been reflected as a decrease in share capital and a corresponding
increase in the capital redemption reserve as required by the Companies Act 2006.
5. Auditors’ remuneration
The total audit fee in respect of the Group is set out in Note 5 to the consolidated financial
statements. The audit fee charged to the Company for the year ended 31 December 2025
is £34,649 (2024: £33,316), which is borne by another entity within the Group.
6. Dividends
The following dividends have been paid by the Company:
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
Pence per
share
Pence per
share £’Million £’Million
Final dividend in respect of 2023 8.00 43.8
Interim dividend in respect of 2024 6.00 32.8
Final dividend in respect of 2024 12.00 64.4
Interim dividend in respect of 2025 6.00 31.9
Total dividends 18.00 14.00 96.3 76.6
In respect of 2025 the Directors have recommended a 2025 final dividend of 12.00 pence per
share. This amounts to £63.3 million based on the number of shares in issue on 31 December 2025
and will, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting, be paid on 8 May 2026
to those shareholders on the register as at 27 March 2026.
In addition, under the authority granted by shareholders at the 2025 Annual General Meeting,
the Directors have resolved to undertake:
a final share buy-back programme in respect to 2025, committing to purchase shares
up to a maximum value of £103.9 million.
an additional share buy-back programme to return capital to shareholders following
a release of the Ongoing Service Evidence provision, committing to purchase shares
up to a maximum value of £18.7 million.
These share buy-backs will commence in March 2026.
7. Related‑party transactions and balances
At the year-end the following related-party balances existed, in addition to the investments in
subsidiaries which are set out in Note 3.
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Amounts owed by Group undertakings
St. James’s Place Partnership Services Limited 728.2 274.8
Total 728.2 274.8
The amounts owed by Group undertakings are loans granted by the Company which are
unsecured and repayable on demand. The loans incur interest at an agreed rate above the
Bank of England’s base rate, as stated in the loan agreements.
Amounts owed by Group undertakings continue to be classified as performing; see accounting
policy (d).
31 December
2025
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Amounts due to Group undertakings
St. James’s Place UK plc (213.9) (201.3)
Total (213.9) (201.3)
Amounts due to Group undertakings are unsecured with a variable interest rate and repayable
after ten years.
During the year, the Company received £900.0 million (2024: £560.0 million) of dividends
from subsidiary undertakings. The total value of St. James’s Place funds under management
(FUM) held by related parties of the Company as at 31 December 2025 was £17.7 million
(2024: £25.2 million). The total value of dividends paid to related parties of the Company
during the year was £0.1 million (2024: £0.2 million).
The following wholly-owned subsidiaries of St. James’s Place plc have taken advantage, or are
expected to take advantage, of the exemption from statutory audit granted by section 479A of
the Companies Act 2006.
198
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Notes to the Parent Company financial statements continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
7. Related‑party transactions and balances continued
In accordance with section 479C, St. James’s Place plc has therefore guaranteed all the
outstanding liabilities as at 31 December 2025 of:
Cabot Portfolio Nominees Limited 03636010
CGA Financial & Investment Services Limited 02666180
Dartington Portfolio Nominees Limited 01489542
Edwards Wealth Ltd 09229694
Fortura Financial Partners Limited 14320641
Future Proof Limited 07608319
Ian Cockbain Wealth Management Limited 04639701
Lewington Wealth Management Limited 04290504
Linden House Financial Services Limited 02990295
M.H.S. (Holdings) Limited 00559995
Perennial Financial Management Limited 04609753
Reflect Financial Limited 04373946
Rowan Dartington Holdings Limited 07470226
SJP Legacy Holdings Ltd SC492906
St. James’s Place (PCP) Limited 02706684
St. James’s Place Acquisition Services Limited 07730835
St. James’s Place Corporate Secretary Limited 09131866
St. James’s Place DFM Holdings Limited 09687687
St. James’s Place International Distribution Limited 08798683
St. James’s Place Nominees Limited 08764214
Technical Connection Limited 03178474
Tring Financial Management Limited 05487108
Virtue Money Limited SC346827
8. Directors’ emoluments
The Directors’ responsibilities relate primarily to the trading companies of the Group and
accordingly their costs are charged to those companies and none are met by the Parent Company.
Disclosure of the Directors’ emoluments is made within the Directors’ remuneration report.
9. Company information
In the opinion of the Directors there is not considered to be any ultimate controlling party.
Copies of the consolidated financial statements of St. James’s Place plc may be obtained
from the Company Secretary, St. James’s Place plc, St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road,
Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1FP, United Kingdom.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
199
Notes to the Parent Company financial statements continued
Strategic report
Governance
Other information
Financial statements
Other information
Shareholder information 201
How to contact us and our advisers 202
Aligning our progress with
recognised frameworks 203
Full emissions disclosure 207
Glossary of alternative
performance measures 208
Supplementary information: Cash result 211
Glossary of terms 213
39%
of parents expect they will have
to bear the financial costs of any
childcare for potential grandchildren
Find out more about the value
of financial advice on page 09
Find out more in our Real Life Advice
Report sjp.co.uk/real-life-advice
Real advice that
gave Maggie the
confidence to handle
her family’s wealth
When Maggie was widowed tragically young, she found
herself making decisions that would impact the financial
security of the whole family. Maggie’s SJP Partner, Lee, helped
her protect her wealth and gave her the confidence to spend,
as well as save and invest.
Watch and read Maggie’s and other stories
sjp.co.uk/client-stories
200
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Analysis of shareholder holdings as of 31 December 2025
Analysis by number of shares Holders Percentage Shares held Percentage
1–999 1,787 49.26% 610,922 0.12%
1,000–9,999 1,244 34.29% 3,610,349 0.68%
10,000–99,999 309 8.52% 10,813,648 2.05%
100,000 and above 288 7.93% 512,077,216 97.15%
3,628 100.00% 527,112,135 100.00%
2026 financial calendar
Ex-dividend date for 2025 final dividend 26 March 2026
Record date for 2025 final dividend 27 March 2026
Announcement of first-quarter new business 29 April 2026
Annual General Meeting 30 April 2026
Payment date for 2025 final dividend 8 May 2026
Announcement of half-year results and second-quarter new business 29 July 2026
Ex-dividend date for 2026 interim dividend 6 August 2026
Record date for 2026 interim dividend 7 August 2026
Payment date for 2026 interim dividend 18 September 2026
Announcement of third-quarter new business 29 October 2026
The above dates are subject to change and further information on the 2026 financial calendar can
be found on the shareholders section of the Company’s website, at sjp.co.uk/financial-calendar.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
If you would prefer to receive new shares instead of cash dividends, please complete a
Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) form, which is available from our Registrars, Computershare
Investor Services PLC. Their contact details are overleaf.
Dividend mandate
Shareholders can arrange to have their dividends paid directly into their bank or building society
account by completing a bank mandate form. The advantages to using this service are: the
payment is more secure than sending a cheque through the post; it avoids the inconvenience
of paying in a cheque; and it reduces the risk of lost, stolen or out-of-date cheques. A mandate
form can be obtained from Computershare or you will find one on the reverse of your last
dividend confirmation.
Share dealing
A postal and web-based dealing service has been established with the Registrars,
Computershare Investor Services PLC, which provides shareholders with a simple
way of buying and selling St. James’s Place plc shares on the London Stock Exchange.
Further information about share dealing services can be obtained by logging on to:
www-uk.computershare.com/Investor/#ShareDealingInfo.
Electronic communications
If you would like to have access to shareholder communications such as the Annual Report
and Accounts and the Notice of Annual General Meeting through the internet rather than
receiving them by post, please register at www.investorcentre.co.uk/ecomms.
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
201
Shareholder information
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
How to contact us
Registered office
St. James’s Place House
1 Tetbury Road
Cirencester
Gloucestershire
GL7 1FP
Tel: 01285 640302
sjp.co.uk
Chair
Paul Manduca
Email: chair@sjp.co.uk
Chief Executive Officer
Mark FitzPatrick
Email: ceooffice@sjp.co.uk
Chief Financial Officer
Caroline Waddington
Email: cfooffice@sjp.co.uk
Company Secretary
Jonathan Dale
Email: jonathan.dale@sjp.co.uk
Client services
Sharon Rowe
Tel: 01285 878921
Email: sharon.rowe@sjp.co.uk
Analyst enquiries
Hugh Taylor
Email: hugh.taylor@sjp.co.uk
Media enquiries
St. James’s Place
Angela Warburton
Tel: 07442 479542
Email: angela.warburton@sjp.co.uk
Brunswick Group
Eilís Murphy
Tel: 020 7404 5959
Email: sjp@brunswickgroup.com
Advisers
Registrar and transfer office
Computershare Investor Services PLC
The Pavilions
Bridgwater Road
Bristol
BS99 6ZZ
Tel: 0370 702 0197
Email: webqueries@computershare.co.uk
www.investorcentre.co.uk/contactus
Independent auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
2 Glass Wharf
Bristol
BS2 0FR
Brokers
Citigroup Global Markets Limited
33 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LB
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc
25 Cabot Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 4QA
202
St. James’s Place plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025 | sjp.co.uk
How to contact us and our advisers
Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
We want to make it easy for all our stakeholders to understand the work we are doing and how we are measuring our performance. We align our approach to key external
frameworks which help broaden our impact. Since 2018, we aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) as a blueprint to achieve a better and
more sustainable future for all. Within our responsible business framework, our material topics each contribute to progress against these goals. We believe we can have the
greatest impact on the six UNSDGs listed below.
SDG Our promise and progress
Target 4.4
By 2030, substantially
increase the number
of youth and adults
who have relevant skills,
including technical
and vocational skills
for employment,
decent jobs and
entrepreneurship.
Our promise
To improve money management in the next generation by supporting
schools and other organisations to deliver financial education to
children and young people. Alongside this, we aim to provide our
advisers with the resources and knowledge to teach financial
education in their local community.
To provide relevant financial skills and education to our clients
to empower them to realise bolder ambitions.
Our progress
In 2025, we were delighted to donate £500,000 of unclaimed dividends
to the SJP Charitable Foundation. This funding will primarily focus on
supporting disadvantaged individuals and communities with their
financial wellbeing over the next three years. This reflects our ongoing
commitment to financial wellbeing and belief in its positive wider
societal impact. We also continued our support of MoneyReady’s
longitudinal study on the impact of embedding financial education
into the national curriculum.
Our collaboration with key industry leaders including The Investing and
Saving Alliance (TISA), and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), has
enabled us to be part of influencing policy, with the addition of FE into
the primary school curriculum, and support FE resource development.
Target 5.5
Ensure women’s full and
effective participation
and equal opportunities
for leadership at all levels
of decision-making in
political, economic and
public life.
Our promise
To ensure equal opportunities for women through our diversity, equity
and inclusion programmes and by ensuring we align to national
commitments.
Our progress
We reached 44.4% female representation on the Board and 42.5% senior
female representation this year. We continued our commitment to
supporting female development by facilitating the 30% Club cross-
sector mentoring programme. We offered 20 mentors and matched
20 female mentees with mentors outside of the company. We extended
our mandatory Equality Act training beyond our employees, to our
Partnership of advisers and their support staff. This ensures clarity on
our expectations in relation to this. Our female experience working group
remains a key forum for us to listen to their lived experiences as we work
to address the challenges identified. This year the group also reviewed
our family-friendly policies and supported employees returning to work.
We continue to work on reducing our gender pay gap. Our Pay Gap
Report is hosted on our website.
SDG Our promise and progress
Target 8.5
By 2030, achieve full and
productive employment
and decent work for
all women and men,
including for young
people and persons
with disabilities, and
equal pay for work
of equal value.
Our promise
To invest in our employees through training and development.
To increase the aspirations of young people by working with schools and
charities to support employability and provide positive work experiences.
To support social mobility diversity in financial services, we actively seek
to support disadvantaged young people into financial services careers.
Our progress
We continue to empower employees to grow their career through our
in-house learning platform. Our Learning and Development Content
Design team focuses on making our learning content accessible to all
by conducting accessibility audits. We remain an accredited Real Living
Wage employer and conduct periodic equal pay reviews to ensure
that we are paying employees doing like-for-like roles equally. We are
a Disability Confident employer and were reaccredited with Leader
status in 2023. We are focused on attracting diverse talent into our
early careers pool and this year refreshed our early careers strategy
to extend awareness of our programmes. We also continued to support
a mentoring programme, with the Aleto Foundation, for young talent
from either ethnically diverse or lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Target 9.2
Promote inclusive
and sustainable
industrialisation and,
by 2030, significantly
raise industry’s share
of employment and
gross domestic product,
in line with national
circumstances,
and double its share
in least developed
countries.
Our promise
To encourage responsible practice among our suppliers and investment
managers in the areas of environmental impact, societal impact
and governance.
To support our Partner practices in operating responsibly and aligning
to national standards.
Our progress
We continue to highlight sustainability considerations in our due
diligence, in conversations with our suppliers and outsourcers, and
within our investment management approach. Where possible, we aim
to procure through small, local suppliers to support our communities.
This year we have streamlined our due diligence process to ensure
efficiencies for all parties. We have engaged directly with some of our
largest suppliers, continuing meaningful conversations around long-
term sustainability aspirations including carbon emissions and net zero
transition plan disclosures. We also ran a carbon accounting pilot with a
small group of Partner practices, allowing them to see their individualised
estimated carbon emissions and receive recommendations on how to
effectively reduce their carbon footprint.
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Signatory of
SDG Our promise and progress
Target 10.2
By 2030, empower
and promote the social,
economic and political
inclusion of all,
irrespective of age,
sex, disability, race,
ethnicity, origin,
religion or economic
or other status.
Our promise
To support the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, through funding
and volunteering, as its grants support charities that reduce social
inequality and promote economic inclusion.
To support employability programmes throughout our business.
Our progress
In 2025, the SJP community raised £6.7 million for the SJP Charitable
Foundation. The Charitable Foundation distributed £5.9 million to 755
charities during the year to support inclusion and social mobility.
In addition, a further £4.4 million was pledged to support ongoing
service delivery, embedding and developing services over the next
three years.
We continued to build on our inclusion and employability partnerships,
through the Diversity Project, LGBT Great, Stonewall, GAIN, Career
Returners, the Aleto Foundation, Progress Together, the Business
Disability Forum, Disability Confident, RARE recruitment and MyGwork.
Target 13.2
Integrate climate
change measures
into national policies,
strategies and planning.
Our promise
To control and reduce our environmental impact and promote
sustainable business practices.
Our progress
We remain committed to our Group net zero by 2050 goal, and launched
new 2030 interim targets this year for our combined Scope 1 and Scope
2 emissions, plus for our investments. In 2025, our Scope 1 emissions fell
by 31% and our Scope 2 (market-based) emissions decreased by 14%.
These were mainly driven by our targeted efforts to reduce our reliance
on natural gas and introduce energy efficiency measures in our offices.
The carbon intensity of our investment portfolio also continues to
improve, now down over 37.5%
1
compared to our baseline year (2019).
1 This metric covers 82.4% of our overall FUM as at 31 December 2025. 82.4% represents the total market value of the
funds considered in the reduction of weighted average carbon intensity calculations, expressed as a proportion of
the total AUM for SJP’s core fund range. This includes all funds investing predominantly in equity and debt for listed
corporates, as well as third-party funds held within funds of funds.
Memberships and partnerships
We collaborate with external initiatives for guidance on various sustainability issues.
This has influenced our investment strategy, engagement activities, colleague education,
and the assessment of our overarching responsible business goals. We are proud
members and supporters of many organisations advancing positive change, including
climate change mitigation, as displayed below.
ESG ratings disclaimer statements
Sustainalytics
Copyright ©2022 Sustainalytics. All rights reserved.
This publication contains information developed by Sustainalytics (www.sustainalytics.com).
Such information and data are proprietary of Sustainalytics and/or its third party suppliers
(Third Party Data) and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not constitute
an endorsement of any product or project, nor an investment advice and are not warranted
to be complete, timely, accurate or suitable for a particular purpose. Their use is subject to
conditions available at www.sustainalytics.com/legal-disclaimers.
MSCI
The use by St. James’s Place plc of any MSCI Solutions LLC or its affiliates (MSCI) data, and
the use of MSCI logos, trademarks, service marks or index names herein, do not constitute
a sponsorship, endorsement, recommendation, or promotion of St. James’s Place plc by
MSCI. MSCI services and data are the property of MSCI or its information providers and
are provided ‘as-is’ and without warranty. MSCI names and logos are trademarks or service
marks of MSCI.
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Other information
We are pleased to continue to align our responsible business reporting to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework for our
industry. The standards offer a consistent method of reporting and we engage with the framework for the benefit of all our stakeholders, sharing
sustainability data in a consistent and transparent way. Given our focus on wealth management we have responded to the reporting standards
under the Asset Management & Custody Activities.
Topic Accounting metric 2025 status Code
Transparent
information &
fair advice for
customers
(1) Number and (2) percentage of covered employees with
a record of investment-related investigations, consumer-
initiated complaints, private civil litigations, or other
regulatory proceedings
We publish complaints data half-yearly and this can be found on our website
at sjp.co.uk/individuals/help-centre/make-complaint.
We do not currently publish further information.
FN-AC-270a.1
Total amount of monetary losses as a result of legal
proceedings associated with marketing and communication
of financial-product-related information to new and
returning customers
We do not currently publish this, however any losses are not material in the overall context
of SJP’s financial results.
FN-AC-270a.2
Description of approach to informing customers about
products and services
We aim to support our clients’ understanding of our products and services, through their
adviser relationship, or information available to them, enabling them to make informed
decisions in line with regulatory requirements. The FCA’s Consumer Duty further strengthens
expectations across the industry. We welcome the FCA’s approach and continue to embed
robust practices that prioritise good client outcomes across the Group. All clients can
access a range documents and wider information on our website.
FN-AC-270a.3
Employee diversity
and inclusion
Percentage of gender and racial/ethnic group representation
for (1) executive management, (2) non-executive management,
(3) professionals, and (4) all other employees
This data breakdown can be found on in the Our Responsible Business section. FN-AC-330a.1
Incorporation of
environmental,
social and governance
factors in investment
management
and advisory
Amount of assets under management, by asset class,
that employ (1) integration of environmental, social
and governance (ESG) issues, (2) sustainability-themed
investing, and (3) screening
1. 100% of our manufactured funds employ some degree of ESG integration. All of our
investment managers must meet our minimum standard of being a Principles of
Responsible Investment signatory. We believe integration is the consideration of
ESG risk and opportunity, but we do not rely upon divestment other than in extreme
circumstances.
2. £4.1 billion (Sustainable and Responsible Equity Fund).
3. Our preference is for engagement over divestment wherever possible due to compelling
evidence for this being the best means of driving positive change. However, we do we
have an exclusions policy which covers all of our manufactured funds, where applicable.
Our exclusions policy can be found on our website at sjp.co.uk/responsibleinvesting.
FN-AC-410a.1
Description of approach to incorporation of environmental,
social and governance (ESG) factors in investment and/or
wealth management processes and strategies
As outlined in the Our Responsible Business section responsible investing can be an
important component in creating long-term value for our clients. Our approach to
responsible investing can be found on our website at sjp.co.uk/responsibleinvesting.
FN-AC-410a.2
Description of proxy voting and investee engagement
policies and procedures
Details on proxy voting and investee engagement policies and procedures are publicly
disclosed in our:
Stewardship and Engagement Report
Stewardship, engagement and shareholder voting policy.
These and further statements can be found on our website
at sjp.co.uk/responsibleinvesting.
FN-AC-410a.3
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Topic Accounting metric 2025 status Code
Business ethics
Total amount of monetary losses as a result of legal
proceedings associated with fraud, insider trading, anti-
trust, anti-competitive behaviour, market manipulation,
malpractice, or other related financial industry laws
or regulations
Fraud:
There have been no losses that fall within the definition of ‘legal proceedings’ outlined in the
SASB criteria. We hold data on monetary loss in respect of fraud, but this is categorised as a
‘loss’ due to our corporate decision to reimburse our clients for any losses suffered depending
on the root cause of the fraud. The frauds we reimburse generally materialise because of a
breakdown in SJP’s control environment as a result of a mistake by an adviser or premeditated
intent. This data is not disclosed publicly. See more detail on our approach to anti-bribery,
corruption and fraud in the Report of the Group Audit Committee and the Our Responsible
Business section.
Malpractice:
We currently hold data on the monetary losses accrued in respect of claims brought
against SJP by clients for negligent financial advice provided to clients by our advisers.
We do not disclose this publicly, and these amounts are not material in the overall context
of SJP’s financial results. We are progressing our significant programme of work to review
historic client servicing records. More information can be found in the Chief Executive
Officer’s and Chief Financial Officer’s reports. We are not currently aware of any litigation
in relation to anti-trust, anti-competitive behaviour or market manipulation that we would
be required to disclose.
Insider trading:
There have been no losses as a result of insider trading claims.
FN-AC-510a.1
Description of whistleblowing policies and procedures Whistleblowing is discussed in the Report of the Group Audit Committee and the Our
Responsible Business section. Further details can be found in our Speak Up Policy, which is
available to members of our internal community through the SJP intranet and, for external
parties, can be found on our website at sjp.co.uk/corporate-governance.
FN-AC-510a.2
Activity
Total assets under management (AUM) £220.0 billion
The majority of AUM is retail unit trusts authorised by the FCA in the UK, with the balance
primarily being insurance company assets.
FN-AC-000.A
Total assets under custody and supervision Our closing 2025 funds under management stood at £220.0 billion. FN-AC-000.B
Financed emissions
Absolute gross financed emissions, disaggregated
by (1) Scope 1, (2) Scope 2 and (3) Scope 3
Our total absolute gross financed emissions are 112,829,393 tCO
2
e. We currently
disaggregate this as combined Scope 1&2: 11,833,538 tCO
2
e, and Scope 3: 100,995,855 tCO
2
e.
FN-AC-410b.1
Total amount of assets under management (AUM)
included in the financed emissions disclosure
£171.4 billion FN-AC-410b.2
Percentage of total assets under management (AUM)
included in the financed emissions calculation
In 2025 this is 82.8% of AUM. This 82.8% reflects the percentage of net asset value of the funds
included in our total financed emissions, measured as a proportion of the total AUM for our
core fund range. This covers all funds investing predominantly in equity and debt for listed
corporates but excludes the third-party funds held within funds of funds.
FN-AC-410b.3
Description of the methodology used to calculate financed
emissions
We use carbon emissions data provided by MSCI. Emissions from our investments are
calculated by allocating emissions to us based on how much of the company our funds
own. We follow the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) guidance for our
financed emissions calculations.
FN-AC-410b.4
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board continued
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Category Scope 2024/25 2023/24
4
2022/23
(baseline)
4
Scope 1 Natural gas 302 507 500
Company vehicles 28 84 71
Other fuels 6 2
Total Scope 1 emissions (tCO
2
e) 330 597 573
Scope 2 Scope 2 (location-based) emissions (tCO
2
e) 1,175 1,761 1,497
Scope 2 (market-based) emissions (tCO
2
e) 731 852 689
Scope 3 Category 1: Purchased goods & services
1
124,288 143,796 135,622
Category 2: Capital goods 4,017 4,222 8,240
Category 3: Fuel- and energy-related activities 493 677 577
Category 5: Waste generated in operations 53 40 46
Category 6: Business travel 2,548 5,942 6,808
Category 7: Employee commuting
2
1,483 1,754 1,470
Category 15: Investments
3
11,860,924 10,394,073 15,295,929
Total Scope 3 emissions (tCO
2
e) above 11,993,806 10,550,504 15,448,692
Total
4
Total emissions above (location-based) (tCO
2
e) 11,995,311 10,552,862 15,450,762
Total emissions above (market-based) (tCO
2
e) 11,994,867 10,551,953 15,449,954
1 Category 1 emissions have been restated for 2022/23 (from 68,383 to 135,622) and 2023/24 (from 74,289 to 143,796)
to include emissions from our investment managers and Partnership of financial advisers.
2 Category 7 emissions have been reported for the first time this year, which includes figures for 2022/23 and 2023/24.
3 Category 15 emissions have been restated for 2022/23 (from 43,723 to 15,295,929) and 2023/24 (from 42,237
to 10,394,073) to follow the revised methodology used this year. This now accounts for our financed emissions in
addition to emissions from our investment properties, which provides a more complete picture of the impact of our
portfolio. Our financed emissions figure is calculated excluding real estate and DFM assets and covers 82.8% of AUM.
4 Total emissions have been restated to reflect the specific changes in footnotes 1-3 above.
Absolute emissions targets
We remain committed to achieving net zero as a Group by 2050. This year, we set the below
interim target for 2030 as an important part of that journey. This replaces our previous Scope 1
and 2 targets, which expired in 2025. For more details about our expired targets, please see the
Appendix section of our Climate Report 2025.
ID Scope Description
% of
emissions
in scope
% decrease
from base
year
Base
year
Base year
emissions
Target
year
Abs4
Scope 1 and
Scope 2
65% combined
reduction in absolute
emissions
100% 65% 2023 1,262 2030
Progress against absolute emissions targets
The table below shows our progress against our new 2030 interim target.
ID Scope
Actual
emissions in
year (tonnes
CO
2
e)
% of target
achieved Comment
Abs4
Scope 1 and
Scope 2
1,061 16%
Absolute Scope 1 emissions fell by 44.7% this
year, with Scope 2 (market-based) emissions
decreasing by 14.2%. These reductions were
supported by our targeted energy efficiency
initiatives, which we aim to continue in 2026.
Normalised emissions
Scope
Normalised
emissions in
prior year
(tonnes CO
2
e
per '000 sq ft)
Normalised
emissions in
current year
(tonnes CO
2
e
per '000 sq ft) Comment
1 0.95 0.63
Our normalised emissions show our emissions
intensity relative to the size of our estate. Normalised
Scope 1 emissions and operational Scope 3 emissions
(that is, excluding investments and supply chain)
improved this year. This encouragingly reflects
emissions reductions across various aspects of our
operations. In particular, business travel emissions
fell considerably and we continued to reduce our
reliance on natural gas. Unfortunately, our normalised
Scope 2 emissions increased marginally this year.
However, we hope to bring Scope 2 emissions
intensity back on track in 2026. We aim to achieve
this through the renewable energy Power Purchase
Agreement implemented across ten of our offices
in Q4 2025.
2 (market-based) 1.36 1.39
3 10.61 5.88
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Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
Other information
Within the Annual Report and Accounts various alternative performance measures (APMs) are disclosed.
An APM is a measure of financial performance, financial position or cash flows which is not defined by the relevant financial reporting framework, which for the Group is International Financial
Reporting Standards as adopted by the UK (adopted IFRSs). APMs are used to provide greater insight into the performance of the Group and the way it is managed by the Directors. The tables
below defines each APM, explains why it is used and, if applicable, details where the APM has been reconciled to IFRS:
Financial‑position‑related APMs
APM Definition Why is this measure used?
Reconciliation
to the financial statements
Solvency II
net assets
Based on IFRS Net Assets, but with the following adjustments:
1. Adjustment to remove the matching client assets and the liabilities as these
do not represent shareholder assets.
2. Reflection of the recognition requirements of the Solvency II regulations for
assets and liabilities. In particular this removes deferred acquisition costs
(DAC), deferred income (DIR), purchased value of in-force (PVIF) and their
associated deferred tax balances, other intangibles and some other small
items which are treated as inadmissible from a regulatory perspective.
No adjustment is made to deferred tax, except for that arising on DAC, DIR
and PVIF, as this is treated as an allowable asset in the Solvency II regulation.
Solvency II net assets is not the same as Solvency II own funds as it excludes
Solvency II value of in-force (VIF) and risk margin.
Our ability to satisfy our liabilities to clients, and consequently our solvency,
is central to our business. By removing the liabilities which are fully matched
by assets, this presentation allows the reader to focus on the business
operation. It also provides a simpler comparison with other wealth
management companies.
Refer to page 211.
EEV net asset
value (NAV)
per share
EEV NAV per share is calculated as the EEV net assets divided by the year-end
number of ordinary shares.
Total embedded value provides a measure of total economic value of the
Group, and assessing the EEV NAV per share allows analysis of the overall
value of the Group by share.
Not applicable.
IFRS NAV per share
IFRS NAV per share is calculated as the IFRS net assets divided by the year-end
number of ordinary shares.
Total IFRS net assets provides a measure of value of the Group, and
assessing the IFRS NAV per share allows analysis of the overall value
of the Group by share.
Not applicable.
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Other information
Financial‑performance‑related APMs
APM Definition Why is this measure used?
Reconciliation
to the financial statements
Cash result
and Underlying
cash result
The Cash result is defined as the movement between the opening and closing
Solvency II net assets adjusted as follows:
1. The movement in deferred tax is excluded, except that in relation to the
exceptional Ongoing Service Evidence provision;
2 The movements in goodwill and other intangibles are excluded; and
3 Other changes in equity, such as dividends paid in the year and equity-
settled share option costs, are excluded.
The Underlying cash result reflects the regular emergence of cash from the
business, excluding any items of a one-off nature and temporary timing
differences.
The Cash result reflects all other cash items, including items of a one-off nature
and temporary timing differences.
Neither the Cash result nor the Underlying cash result should be confused with
the IFRS consolidated statement of cash flows, which is prepared in accordance
with IAS 7.
IFRS income statement methodology recognises non-cash items such as
deferred tax. By contrast, dividends can only be paid to shareholders from
appropriately fungible assets. The Board therefore uses the Cash results to
monitor the level of cash generated by the business.
While the Cash result gives an absolute measure of the cash generated in
the year, the Underlying cash result is particularly useful for monitoring the
expected long-term rate of cash emergence, which supports dividends
and sustainable dividend growth.
Refer to page 28 and
also see Note 3 to
the consolidated
financial statements.
Underlying cash
basic and diluted
earnings per
share (EPS)
These EPS measures are calculated as Underlying cash divided by the number
of shares used in the calculation of IFRS basic and diluted EPS.
As Underlying cash is the best reflection of the cash generated by the
business, Underlying cash EPS measures allow analysis of the shareholder
cash generated by the business by share.
Not applicable.
EEV profit
A discounted cash flow valuation methodology, assessing the long-term
economic value of the business.
Our embedded value is determined in line with the EEV principles originally
set out by the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Forum in 2004, and amended for
subsequent changes to the principles, including those published in April 2016,
following the implementation of Solvency II.
Both the IFRS and Cash results reflect only the cash flows in the year.
However, our business is long-term, and activity in the year can generate
business with a long-term value. We therefore believe it is helpful to
understand the full economic impact of activity in the year, which is
the aim of the EEV methodology.
See Note 3 to
the consolidated
financial statements.
EEV operating
profit
The EEV operating profit reflects the EEV profit with an adjustment to strip
out the impact of stock market and other economic effects during the year.
Within EEV operating profit is new business contribution, which is the change
in embedded value arising from writing new business during the year.
Within the EEV, many of the future cash flows derive from fund charges,
which change with movements in stock markets. Since the impact of
these changes is typically unrelated to the performance of the business,
we believe that the EEV operating profit (reflecting the EEV profit, adjusted
to reflect only the expected investment performance and no change in
economic basis) provides the most useful measure of embedded value
performance in the year.
See Note 3 to
the consolidated
financial statements.
Policyholder and
shareholder tax
Shareholder tax is estimated by making an assessment of the effective rate
of tax that is applicable to the shareholders on the profits attributable to the
shareholders. This is calculated by applying the appropriate effective corporate
tax rates to the shareholder profits.
The remainder of the tax charge represents tax on policyholders’ investment returns.
This calculation method is consistent with UK legislation relating to the
calculation of the tax on shareholders’ profits.
The UK tax regime facilitates the collection of tax from life insurance
policyholders by making an equivalent charge within the corporate tax of
the Company. The total tax charge for the insurance companies therefore
comprises both this element and an element more closely related to
normal corporation tax.
Life insurance business impacted by this tax typically includes policy
charges which align with the tax liability, to mitigate the impact on the
corporate entity. As a result, when policyholder tax increases, the charges
also increase. Since these offsetting items can be large, and typically do
not perform in line with the business, it is beneficial to be able to identify
the two elements separately. We therefore refer to that part of the overall
tax charge which is deemed attributable to policyholders as policyholder
tax, and the rest as shareholder tax.
Disclosed as separate
line items in the
statement of
comprehensive income.
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Other information
APM Definition Why is this measure used?
Reconciliation
to the financial statements
Profit before
shareholder tax
A profit measure which reflects the IFRS result adjusted for policyholder tax,
but before deduction of shareholder tax. Within the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income the full title of this measure is ‘profit before tax
attributable to shareholders’ returns’.
The IFRS methodology requires that the tax recognised in the financial
statements should include the tax incurred on behalf of policyholders in our
UK life assurance company. Since the policyholder tax charge is unrelated
to the performance of the business, we believe it is also useful to separately
identify the profit before shareholder tax, which reflects the IFRS profit
before tax, adjusted only for tax paid on behalf of policyholders.
Disclosed as a separate
line item in the statement
of comprehensive
income.
Controllable
expenses
The total of expenses which reflects establishment, development,
and our Academy.
We are focused on managing long-term growth in controllable expenses. Full details of the
breakdown of
expenses is provided
in the databook
sjp.co.uk/full-year-
results-2025-databook.
Change in APM disclosures
As part of the simplification of our financial reporting, we have moved most European Embedded
Value (EEV)-based APMs out of the Annual Report & Accounts and into the databook, which is
available here: sjp.co.uk/full-year-results-2025-databook.
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Included below is further information on the Cash result alternative profit measure.
Reconciliation of Cash result to IFRS profit before shareholder tax
The Cash result reconciles to IFRS profit before shareholder tax, as presented in section 2.1 of the
financial review, as follows:
Year ended
31 December 2025
Year ended
31 December 2024
Before
shareholder
tax After tax
Before
shareholder
tax After tax
£’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million
Underlying cash result 596.6 462.3 580.9 447.2
Ongoing Service Evidence provision release 109.5 82.1
Cash result 706.1 544.4 580.9 447.2
Movements in DAC, DIR and PVIF 46.8 35.2 0.5 (0.1)
Impact of policyholder tax asymmetry (35.4) (35.4) (38.9) (38.9)
Equity-settled share-based payments (19.2) (19.2) (11.2) (11.2)
Impact of deferred tax 8.0 (9.0)
Other (1.6) (1.6) 4.6 10.4
IFRS profit 696.7 531.4 535.9 398.4
Movements in DAC, DIR and PVIF is the amortisation of upfront expenses incurred, and income
received which IFRS requires to be deferred. DAC, DIR and PVIF represent timing differences
between the recognition of income and expenses and the cash being received or paid. Further
information can be found in the databook available on our website sjp.co.uk/full-year-results-
2025-databook.
The impact of policyholder tax asymmetry is a temporary effect caused by asymmetries
between fund tax deductions and the policyholder tax due to HMRC. Movement in the
asymmetry can be significant in volatile markets.
Equity-settled share-based payments represent the expense associated with a number
of equity-settled share schemes across the Group.
The impact of deferred tax is the recognition in the Cash result of the benefit from realising
tax relief on various items including share options, capital allowances and deferred expenses.
These have already been recognised under IFRS through the establishment of deferred tax
assets. More information can be found in Note 10 to the IFRS consolidated financial statements.
Other represents a number of small items, including the removal of other intangibles
and the difference between the lease expense recognised under IFRS 16 Leases and
lease payments made.
The Cash result is derived from the IFRS consolidated statement of financial position in
a two-stage process:
Stage 1: Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
Firstly, the IFRS consolidated statement of financial position is adjusted to remove policyholder
assets and liabilities, and non-cash ‘accounting’ balances such as DIR, DAC and associated
deferred tax. The result of these adjustments is the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet. The way
this reconciles to the IFRS consolidated statement of financial position at 31 December 2025 is
shown below.
Note
31 December 2025
31 December
2024
IFRS Balance
Sheet Adjustment 1 Adjustment 2
Solvency II
Net Assets
Balance
Sheet
Solvency II
Net Assets
£’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million £’Million
Assets
Goodwill 18.5 (18.5)
Deferred acquisition costs 284.1 (284.1)
Intangible assets 8.1 (8.1)
Property and equipment,
including leased assets 122.3 122.3 134.0
Investment property 370.3 (370.3)
Deferred tax assets 10.2 (10.0) 0.2 0.1
Investment in associates 24.0 24.0 21.9
Reinsurance assets 11.7 (2.9) 8.8 10.7
Other receivables 2,861.6 (871.4) (2.9) 1,987.3 1,867.4
Financial investments 212,073.5 (209,659.5) 2,414.0 2,202.9
Derivative financial assets 2,908.7 (2,908.7)
Cash and cash equivalents 6,184.5 (5,854.9) 329.6 352.6
Total assets 224,877.5 (219,664.8) (326.5) 4,886.2 4,589.6
Liabilities
Borrowings 341.5 341.5 516.8
Deferred tax liabilities 966.2 13.8 980.0 690.1
Insurance contract liabilities 566.2 (512.0) (35.8) 18.4 14.3
Deferred income 421.6 (421.6)
Other provisions 298.4 298.4 460.3
Other payables 2,655.3 (1,029.2) (15.2) 1,610.9 1,445.4
Investment contract benefits 163,728.7 (163,728.7)
Derivative financial liabilities 2,412.1 (2,412.1)
Net asset value attributable
to unit holders 51,982.8 (51,982.8)
Income tax liabilities 25.9 25.9 22.1
Total liabilities 223,398.7 (219,664.8) (458.8) 3,275.1 3,149.0
Net assets 1,478.8 132.3 1,611.1 1,440.6
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Adjustment 1 strips out policyholder assets and liabilities, to present solely shareholder-
impacting balances.
Adjustment 2 removes items such as DAC, DIR, PVIF and their associated deferred tax balances
from the IFRS statement of financial position to bring it in line with Solvency II recognition
requirements.
Stage 2: Movement in Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
After the Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet has been determined, the second stage in the
derivation of the Cash result identifies a number of movements in that balance sheet which
do not represent cash flows for inclusion within the Cash result. The following table explains
how the overall Cash result reconciles to the total movement.
Year ended
31 December
2025
Year ended
31 December
2024
£’Million £’Million
Opening Solvency II net assets 1,440.6 1,133.0
Dividend paid (96.5) (76.8)
Issue of share capital and exercise of options 1.5
Consideration paid for own shares (61.3) (9.5)
Current tax on DAC/DIR (8.8)
Change in deferred tax 7.5 (9.6)
Impact of policyholder tax asymmetry (35.4) (38.9)
Change in goodwill, intangibles and other non-cash movements 8.3 28.3
Shares repurchased in buy-back programmes (189.2) (33.1)
Cash result 544.4 447.2
Closing Solvency II net assets 1,611.1 1,440.6
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Administration platform, also Bluedoor
A client-centric administration system, which has been developed in conjunction with our
third-party outsourced administration provider, SS&C Technologies, Inc. (SS&C). The system
is owned by SS&C.
Adviser or financial adviser
An individual who is authorised by an appropriate regulatory authority to provide financial
advice. In the UK our advisers are authorised by the FCA.
Chief Operating Decision‑Maker (CODM)
The Group Executive Committee (GEC) of the Board, which is responsible for allocating
resources and assessing the performance of the operating segments.
Client numbers
The number of individuals who have received advice from a St. James’s Place Partner
and own a St. James’s Place wrapper.
Company
The Company refers to St. James’s Place plc, which is also referred to as ‘St. James’s Place
and ‘SJP’ throughout the Annual Report and Accounts.
Controllable expenses
The total of expenses which reflects establishment, development, and our Academy.
Core employees
Employees of the main employing entity in the UK, St. James’s Place Management Services.
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC)
An intangible asset required to be established through the application of IFRS to our long-term
business. The value of the asset is equal to the amount of all costs which accrue in line with
new business volumes. The asset is amortised over the expected lifetime of the business.
Deferred income (DIR)
Deferred income, which arises from the requirement in IFRS that initial charges on long-term
financial instruments should only be recognised over the lifetime of the business. The initial
amount of the balance is equal to the charge taken.
Discretionary fund management (DFM)
A generic term for a form of investment management in which buy and sell decisions are made
(or assisted) by a portfolio manager for a client’s account. Within St. James’s Place, the services
provided by SJP Investment Management (formerly Rowan Dartington) (including discretionary
fund management and stockbroking) are collectively referred to as discretionary fund
management, distinguishing them from the services provided by our Partners and from
our investment management approach (IMA).
Environmental, social and governance (ESG)
A framework used to assess how organisations manage risks and opportunities relating to
environmental, social and governance factors.
European Embedded Value (EEV)
EEV reflects the fact that the expected shareholder income from the sale of wealth
management products emerges over a long period of time, by bringing into account the
net present value of the expected future cash flows. EEV is calculated in accordance with the
EEV principles originally issued in May 2004 by the Chief Financial Officers Forum (CFO Forum),
supplemented in both October 2005 and, following the introduction of Solvency II, in April 2016.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
The FCA is a company limited by guarantee and is independent of the Bank of England. It is a
UK Government regulator and is responsible for the conduct of business regulation of all firms
(including those firms subject to prudential regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority
(PRA)) and the prudential regulation of all firms not regulated by the PRA. The FCA has three
statutory objectives: securing an appropriate degree of protection for consumers, protecting
and enhancing the integrity of the UK financial system, and promoting effective competition in
the interests of consumers.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
The FSCS is the UK’s statutory compensation scheme for customers of authorised financial
services firms. This means that the FSCS can pay compensation if a firm is unable, or is likely to
be unable, to pay claims against it. The FSCS is an independent body, set up under the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000, and funded by a levy on ‘authorised financial services firms’.
The scheme covers deposits, insurance policies, insurance brokering, investments, mortgages
and mortgage arrangement.
Free liquidity held at Group centre
The liquidity held within St. James’s Place Partnership Services Limited and St. James’s Place
Management Services Limited which is not set aside to cover specific items needed to run the
business.
Funds under management (FUM)
Represents all assets actively managed or administered by or on behalf of the Group, including
all life insurance and unit trust assets, but not assets managed by third parties where we have
only introduced or advised on the business. Assets managed by SJP Investment Management
(formerly Rowan Dartington) count as FUM from the date of acquisition.
FUM retention rate
The proportion of FUM retained over the period after allowing for the effect of full and partial
surrenders, but excluding the effect of intrinsic regular income withdrawals and maturity
payments.
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Gestation FUM
This represents FUM on which no ongoing product charges are taken. Under our previous
charging structure, most of our investment bond and pension business enters a six-year
gestation period following initial investment. Under our new charging structure, no new business
flows into gestation. FUM which is not gestation FUM is known as mature FUM, which is defined
later in this section.
Gross inflows
Total new funds under management accepted in the period.
Group
The term ‘Group’ refers to the Company together with its subsidiaries as listed in Note 26 to the
consolidated financial statements.
Group Executive Committee (GEC)
The GEC comprises the Executive Directors of the Board and other members of senior
management. It is via the GEC that operational matters are delegated to management.
The GEC is responsible for communicating and implementing the Group’s business plan
objectives, ensuring that the necessary resources are in place in order to achieve those
objectives, and managing the day-to-day operational activities of the Group.
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
These are accounting regulations issued by the International Accounting Standards Board
(IASB) designed to ensure comparable preparation and disclosure of statements of financial
position. The Group financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the UK (adopted IFRSs).
Investment business
This refers to onshore and offshore investment bond business written by the life insurance
entities in the Group.
Investment management approach (IMA)
The IMA is how St. James’s Place manages clients’ investments. It is overseen by the
St. James’s Place Investment Committee, which empowers specialist internal investment teams
– under the management of our Chief Investment Officer – to identify the third-party fund
managers best placed to manage assets on our behalf. This involves detailed research and
ongoing monitoring to ensure the highest of standards are met; and will, at times, result in the
replacement of an incumbent fund manager.
Mature FUM
This represents FUM on which ongoing product charges are taken. All business written on our
new charging structure flows into mature FUM from initial investment, However, most investment
bond and pension business written on our previous charging structure only becomes mature
FUM after a six-year gestation period, during which time it is known as gestation FUM.
Maturities
Those sums paid out where a plan has reached the intended, pre-selected, maturity event
(e.g. retirement).
Net inflows
Net inflows are gross inflows less the amount of FUM withdrawn by clients during the same
period. The net inflows are the growth in FUM not attributable to investment performance.
Policyholder and shareholder tax
The UK tax regime facilitates the collection of tax from life insurance policyholders by making an
equivalent charge within the corporate tax of the Company. This part of the overall tax charge,
which is attributable to policyholders, is called policyholder tax. The rest of the Company’s tax
liability is attributable to shareholders, so is known as shareholder tax.
Policyholder tax asymmetry
The financial statements of a life insurance group need to reflect the liability to HMRC and the
corresponding deductions incorporated into policy charges. In particular, the tax liability to
HMRC is assessed using IAS 12 Income Taxes, which does not allow discounting, whereas the
policy charges are designed to ensure fair outcomes between clients and so reflect a wide
range of possible outcomes.
This gives rise to different assessments of the current value of future cash flows and hence
an asymmetry in the consolidated statement of financial position between the deferred tax
position and the offsetting client balance. The net balance reflects a temporary position, and
in the absence of market volatility we expect it will unwind as future cash flows become less
uncertain and are ultimately realised. Movement in the asymmetry is recognised in the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income and analysed in Note 4 Fee and commission
income. We refer to it throughout this Annual Report and Accounts as the impact of policyholder
tax asymmetry.
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
The PRA is a part of the Bank of England and is responsible for the prudential regulation of
deposit-taking institutions, insurers and major investment firms. The PRA has two statutory
objectives: to promote the safety and soundness of these firms and, specifically for insurers,
to contribute to the securing of an appropriate degree of protection for policyholders.
Purchased value of in‑force (PVIF)
An intangible asset established on takeover or acquisition, reflecting the present value of the
expected emergence of profits from a portfolio of long-term business. The asset is amortised
in line with the emergence of profits.
Regular income withdrawals
Those amounts, pre-selected by clients, which are paid out by way of periodic income.
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Responsible investment (RI)
Principles and practices that consider broader sustainability themes and specific
environmental, social and corporate governance factors within the investment process.
Retirement Account (RA)
A St. James’s Place pension product which incorporates both pre-retirement pension saving
and post-retirement benefit receipts in the same investment product.
Solvency II
Insurance regulations designed to harmonise EU insurance regulation which became effective
on 1 January 2016. The key concerns of the regulation are to ensure robust risk management in
insurance companies and to use that understanding of risk to help determine the right amount
of capital for UK and European insurance companies to hold to ensure their ongoing viability
in all but the most severe stressed scenarios. Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU these
regulations have been adopted by the UK.
SS&C Technologies, Inc. (SS&C)
A provider of investor and policyholder administration and technology services. SS&C is our
third-party outsourced provider, responsible for the administration of our UK life insurance
company SJPUK, our Irish life insurance company SJPI, our unit trust manager SJPUTG,
our investment administration company SJPIA and our discretionary fund manager SJP
Investment Management (formerly Rowan Dartington).
St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation
The independent grant-making charity established at the same time as the Company in 1992.
More information about the Charitable Foundation can be found on its website sjpfoundation.co.uk.
St. James’s Place International plc (SJPI)
A life insurance entity in the Group which is incorporated in the Republic of Ireland.
St. James’s Place Investment Administration Limited (SJPIA)
An entity in the Group which is responsible for unit trust administration and ISA management,
which is incorporated in England and Wales.
St. James’s Place Investment Management Limited (SJPIM) (formerly Rowan
Dartington & Co. Limited)
A wealth management business providing discretionary fund management and stockbroking
services, acquired by St. James’s Place in 2016.
St. James’s Place Partner
A member of the St. James’s Place Partnership. Specifically, the individual or business
that is registered, on the relevant regulatory register, as an appointed representative
of St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc, St. James’s Place (Hong Kong) Limited,
St. James’s Place (Middle East) Limited or St. James’s Place (Singapore) Private Limited.
St. James’s Place Partnership
The collective name for all of our advisers, who are appointed representatives
of St. James’s Place.
St. James’s Place UK plc (SJPUK)
A life insurance entity in the Group which is incorporated in England and Wales.
St. James’s Place Unit Trust Group Limited (SJPUTG)
An entity in the Group which is responsible for unit trust management, and which
is incorporated in England and Wales.
St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (SJPWM)
The UK distribution entity within the Group, which is responsible for the St. James’s Place
Partnership and the advice it provides to clients. It is incorporated in England and Wales.
Surrenders and part‑surrenders
Those amounts of money which clients have chosen to withdraw from their plan,
which were not pre-selected regular income withdrawals or maturities.
Designed and produced by TEAM LEWIS teamlewis.com/uk
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St. James’s Place plc
St. James’s Place House
1 Tetbury Road
Cirencester
Gloucestershire
GL7 1FP
T: 01285 640302
sjp.co.uk