RNS Number : 2951N
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office PLC
28 September 2021
 

2021 INTERIM RESULTS

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc                                                                                        28 September 2021

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc ("Ecclesiastical"), the specialist financial services group, today announces its 2021 interim results. A copy of the results will be available on the Company's website at www.ecclesiastical.com

Group overview

·      Profit before tax of £46.5m (H1 2020: loss before tax £59.7m), primarily driven by investment returns as a result of improving market conditions. 

·      Gross Written Premiums (GWP) grew 12% to £226.5m (H1 2020: £202.5m), supported by strong retention and rate increases as well as new business wins.

·      Underwriting profit of £2.5m (H1 2020: loss of £1.3m). The overall underwriting result was impacted by a strengthening of reserves in our Australian business.

·      We remained in a robust and strong capital position with AM Best and S&P affirming our excellent and strong ratings.

·      We continued to prioritise the wellbeing of our colleagues and in June, we were awarded Best Companies' 2 star accreditation demonstrating 'outstanding' levels of employee engagement.

·      Continued external recognition of the Group as a trusted and specialist financial services organisation. This included being named as the UK's most trusted home insurer for the 13th time by independent ratings agency Fairer Finance, and our Canadian team was named one of the Top Employers for Young People for the ninth consecutive year. Ecclesiastical UK won Digital Insurance Innovation of the Year Award at the British Insurance Awards for Smart Properties, while EdenTree was named Best Ethical Investment Provider at the 2021 Investment Life and Pensions Moneyfacts Awards for the 13th time.

 

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecclesiastical, said:

"After a challenging year in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, I'm delighted that the Group has made an excellent start to 2021 and reports a profit before tax of £46.5m (H1 2020: loss before tax £59.7m). Our decision to hold to our long-term investment strategy was validated as financial markets recovered from the lows of last year, helping us to deliver impressive investment returns and outperform the indices for most asset classes. We remain in a robust and strong capital position with AM Best and S&P affirming our excellent and strong ratings.

"In the UK and Canada, our GI businesses have reported robust growth due to rate increases, solid retention and new business. In Australia, we have strengthened our reserving following a rise in historic liability claims in the first half of the year. This has resulted in an overall underwriting performance of £2.5m (H1 2020: underwriting loss £1.3m).

"Increasing investor confidence saw strong inflows of money into our award-winning investment management business EdenTree. Bolstered by new recruits, EdenTree maintained its reputation as one of the leading responsible and sustainable investment firms with the launch of three new funds in July.

"With an ambition to grow our business to give more to those in need, the Group has remained committed to supporting charities and communities throughout the pandemic and we're proposing to make a donation to our charitable owner in the weeks ahead. We launched our third annual Movement for Good awards, which will see us give £1m to charities across the UK and Ireland. On behalf of all our charitable beneficiaries, I would like to thank all those who continue to support the Group's work.

"The first half of 2021 continued to be a challenging period for our colleagues and customers due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions. I'm proud of the way our teams across the business have continued to show great resilience and adaptability to deliver for our customers, brokers and communities. For the first time in May, we ran the b-Heard survey to give colleagues an opportunity to have their say on working at Ecclesiastical. I'm delighted that we were awarded Best Companies' 2 star accreditation demonstrating 'outstanding' levels of employee engagement. As we return to a more normal way of life, we will continue to prioritise the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees as we embrace new and more flexible ways of working.

"The easing of restrictions and the improving economic conditions are helping many of our customers recover from the financial impact of successive lockdowns and we are settling the small number of business interruption claims, where cover exists, as quickly as possible.

"We continue to make good progress against our strategic priorities. We launched a new visual identity for the Ecclesiastical Insurance brand and opened our head office in Gloucestershire, which is now welcoming colleagues with flexible ways of working. We are also continuing to invest in new systems to improve our efficiency and enhance the customer experience.

"As a responsible insurer, we are not only supporting and protecting customers, but we are also building our climate change commitments for the long-term too. We've been members of voluntary initiative ClimateWise for a number of years, and have established a climate strategy group that is considering how we can best respond to the climate crisis. Already, as part of our strategy we have committed to managing our portfolio of investments in a responsible and sustainable way. In January of this year, we adopted a new investment strategy that not only avoids investment in businesses that cause social harm but also proactively seeks to invest in markets that have positive impacts, as well as considering environmental, social and governance factors in every investment case.

"Another way we support our climate change commitments is by helping our customers reduce their impact through our risk management advice and guidance. We recently launched our Ecclesiastical Smart Properties proposition, which uses cutting-edge technology to protect properties. This technology not only protects customers from fires and escape of water, but can also help to save money and reduce the building's carbon footprint as well.

"Looking ahead, I'm excited about the future of the business. In the UK, we are investing significantly and have the appetite and capacity to grow across all the sectors we operate in, with an ambition to be the first choice for brokers placing business in our specialist markets.  By growing our business and generating profits to donate to charity, we are fulfilling our purpose as an organisation committed to the greater good of society."

 

 

Results summary


H1 2021

H1 2020

Gross written premiums

£226.5m

£202.5m

Group underwriting profit/(loss)*

£2.5m

(£1.3m)

Group combined operating ratio*

98.1%

101.1%

Investment return/(losses)

£58.2m

(£48.9m)

Profit/(loss) before tax

£46.5m

(£59.7m)


30 June 2021

31 Dec 2020

Net asset value

 

£621m

£569m

Solvency II capital cover (solo)

224%

197%

\* The Group uses APMs to help explain performance. More information on APMs is included in note 16.

Financial highlights

General Insurance - UK and Ireland

UK and Ireland GWP grew by 7% to £143m in the six months to 30 June 2021 (H1 2020: £134m). This has been driven by rate growth and new business, particularly across education and our regions. The business reported an underwriting profit of £15.3m and a net combined ratio of 81.5% (H1 2020: £2.7m profit, COR 96.7%) representing the strong performance in both property and casualty accounts.

The property result benefited from relatively benign weather conditions, despite some storm and freeze events earlier in the year. Our liability business has continued to perform well into 2021 with prior year claims broadly as expected and a current year claims experience similar to last year.

General Insurance - Canada

The Canadian business has reported GWP of £32.4m (H1 2020: £28.3m), delivering premium growth of 15.1% in local currency, driven by high retention and rate strengthening.

Adverse development of prior year liability claims has resulted in a small underwriting loss of £0.4m (H1 2020: £0.1m profit) and a COR of 101.5% (H1 2020: 99.9%). However, benign weather in 2021 has led to good returns in the property portfolio, helping to offset the adverse development of prior year liability claims.

General Insurance - Australia

Our Australian business continues to be successful in generating new business and strengthening rate, with premium growth of 21.9% in local currency leading to reported GWP of £49.6m (H1 2020: £38.3m).

The business reported an underwriting loss of £3.9m (H1 2020: £2.1m). The result was impacted by the Western Australia bushfires and New South Wales storms, as well as strengthening of historic liability claims.

Investment Returns

Our Investment portfolio has performed exceptionally well in the first half of the year, with the markets bouncing back from 2020 where worldwide markets were impacted by COVID-19. The Group's net investment return was a profit of £58.2m (H1 2020: £48.9m loss) predominantly driven by unrealised fair value gains as markets returned to close to pre-pandemic levels together with a change to valuation inputs for some unlisted equities. Income from financial assets was £14.2m (H1 2020: £16.8m) reflecting the continued low interest rate environment and downwards pressure on yields.

We discount some of our liability claims reserves at a rate that reflects the yield on long-term investment grade bonds. The reserves relate to liability policies, written over many decades, and represent very long-tail risks. The movement in yields from the year end resulted in a gain of £7.6m in the first six months of the year.

As economic reopening continues after the dual headwinds from the pandemic and Brexit, this has continued to be beneficial for our investment return. We continue to take a long-term view of risk and our approach to the management of risks resulting from the Group's exposure to financial markets is outlined in note 4 to our latest annual report.

Asset Management - EdenTree

In our investment management business, EdenTree, fee income grew by 9.8% to £6.8m (H1 2020: £6.2m) reflecting positive market movements and new flows. As expected, our emphasis on the continued investment in the business and people contributed to a loss of £1.2m (H1 2020: £0.2m). EdenTree were pleased to report net new money for funds not held by the Group of £46.8m.

Broking and Advisory - SEIB Insurance Brokers

Despite the competitive market, SEIB has continued to perform well and reported a half year profit before tax of £1.7m (H1 2020: £1.4m). SEIB general commission and fees, excluding profit share commission, has increased by 17.0% in the first half of the year to £5.6m (H1 2020: £4.8m) as a result of new business.

Life Business

Our life insurance business, reported a profit before tax of £0.7m at the half year (H1 2020: £0.2m loss). Assets and liabilities are well matched, though we expect small variances as the margins in reserves unwind.

Taxation

The Group's taxation charge in the period of £18.1m (H1 2020: £8.3m credit) is principally due to deferred tax charges from a change in the carrying value of the Group's pension obligations and as a result of the UK corporation tax rate changing to 25% from 1 April 2023 and its impact on the calculation of deferred tax liabilities.

Balance Sheet and Capital Position

Total shareholders' equity increased by £51.6m to £620.8m in the first six months of the year. Profits in the period were primarily driven by the investment return. There were also actuarial gains, net of tax of £28.2m, on retirement benefit plans. In February 2021 the Group raised EUR 30m in nominal amount of Tier 2 Capital by way of a privately-placed issue of 20-year subordinated bonds.

Strategic highlights

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Group continued to focus on its ambition to become the most trusted and ethical specialist financial services group. Our charitable purpose remains at the core of our Group, offering distinctive positioning and support for our customers and our communities. This is evident in our strategy which was adapted in mid-2020 to respond to the challenges faced by customers, brokers and wider society as a result of the pandemic.

We have continued to invest in our Group and people to drive business benefit and enable charitable giving to our communities. This is underpinned by our resilience and financial strength that support our trusted and ethical approach which is central to our strategy. Our current strategy is based on three themes, which encompass our longer-term ambitions, our short term priorities and our response to the pandemic.

Support and protect: the first strategic theme seeks to support and protect our customers, communities and our colleagues.  This is a key focus area given the backdrop of the pandemic and provides a range of commercial and business activities that support our customers and our core purpose. This theme also focuses on our people, our teams and their well-being.

Innovate and grow: the world around us has changed over the past few decades and the needs of our customers and communities continue to change as part of this evolution. The Group continues to innovate to find new ways to meet the changing needs of our customers and communities. We have been building new propositions, including new product launches in our risk management and loss prevention solutions which support our growth ambitions. Together these propositions also deepen understanding of our portfolio which drive underwriting actions and improve profitability as well as improving outcomes for our customers.

Transform and thrive: the third strategic theme focuses on investment in our Group, helping our businesses to transform and thrive by investing in new technology, our people and our premises. Our new head office building enables flexible ways of working and highlights our drive to provide opportunities to increase our efficiency across the Group. Some of our investment spans several years, particularly the development of our new strategic platform for the UK & Ireland general insurance businesses. This new platform will provide improved processes and capacity, enabling an enhanced experience for our customers and broker partners.

The Group continues to evolve and its Next Chapter strategy is expected to be launched shortly. This refreshed strategy builds on our existing strategy and will consider some exciting new opportunities for the Group. It supports our ambitions to give even more to those in need and will enable us to continue our support for charities and communities in all our geographies.  

Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The principal risks and uncertainties faced by the Group and our approach to managing them are outlined in our latest annual report and in note 4 to these condensed financial statements. There has been no change to the principal risks and uncertainties since the year end.

Group Outlook

In the first half of the year we have seen a strong performance in our investment result, reflecting the economic reopening seen since the start of the year. We recognise that whilst there has been a strong rebound there remains economic uncertainty and this has the potential to create short-term volatility. The Group remains well placed to withstand such potential future volatility and continues to take a long-term view of risk. Throughout the pandemic the Group has proven to be both operationally and financially resilient and expects this to continue.

As restrictions in the UK gradually ease we are optimistic about the opportunities to continue to grow and evolve our business. We continue to invest in our people and technology, streamlining our processes and providing a more agile and responsive service for our customers and brokers.

Owned by a charity, Ecclesiastical is a commercial business with a purely charitable purpose. Core to our purpose is to deliver strong and sustainable returns to our ultimate shareholder, and to benefit not only our customers but also the wider communities we serve. Our third Movement for Good awards are currently underway and we will grant a further £500,000 to 10 charities during the second half of the year. We will also make a donation to our charitable owner in the weeks ahead.

Despite the challenges we face, we will continue to pursue our long-term charitable objective and fulfil our purpose as an organisation committed to the greater good of society.

 

 

By order of the Board

Mark Hews

Group Chief Executive

28 September 2021



 

CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS

For the 6 months to 30 June 2021


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


6 months

6 months

12 months


£000

£000

£000


(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

Revenue




Gross written premiums

 226,529

 202,487

437,299

Outward reinsurance premiums

(97,571)

(80,313)

(173,074)

Net change in provision for unearned premium

 2,444

(980)

(16,562)





Fee and commission income

 37,275

 33,444

 69,582

Other operating income

 1,000

 1,960

 2,126

Net investment return

 58,177

(48,859)

 (4,298)

Expenses




Claims and change in insurance liabilities

(151,188)

(139,152)

(222,794)

Reinsurance recoveries

 77,711

 68,104

 94,581

Fees, commissions and other acquisition costs

(45,211)

(38,826)

(85,444)

Other operating and administrative expenses

(61,613)

(57,319)

(116,393)

Operating profit/(loss)

 47,553

(59,454)

 (14,977)

Finance costs

(1,090)

(258)

(769)

Tax (expense)/credit

(18,050)

 8,275

526

Profit/(loss) for the financial period from continuing operations attributable to equity holders of the Parent

28,413

(51,437)

 (15,220)

 

 



 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

For the 6 months to 30 June 2021         


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


6 months

6 months

12 months


£000

£000

£000


(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)





Profit/(loss) for the period

28,413

 (51,437)

 (15,220)





Other comprehensive expense




Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:




Fair value losses on property

  -

-

(15)

Actuarial gains/(losses) on retirement benefit plans

 35,510

(15,433)

(17,318)

Attributable tax

(7,314)

3,100

 3,521

Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:




(Losses)/gains on currency translation differences

(1,491)

 2,283

1,980

Gains/(losses) on net investment hedges

 1,258

(2,653)

 (2,339)

Attributable tax

(183)

 367

265

Other comprehensive income/(expense)

27,780

(12,336)

(13,906)

Total comprehensive income/(expense) attributable to equity holders of the Parent

56,193

(63,773)

(29,126)

 

 

 



 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

For the 6 months to 30 June 2021





Translation




Share

Share

Revaluation

and hedging

Retained



capital

premium

reserve

reserve

earnings

Total


£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

2021 (Unaudited)







At 1 January

 120,477

 4,632

599

 18,230

 425,290

 569,228

Profit for the period

  -

  -

  -

  -

28,413

28,413

Other net (expense)/income

  -

  -

  (21)

(416)

28,217

27,780

Total comprehensive (expense)/income

  -

  -

 (21)

(416)

56,630

56,193

Dividends on preference shares

  -

  -

  -

  -

(4,591)

(4,591)

Reserve transfers

-

-

(313)

-

313

-

At 30 June

 120,477

 4,632

 265

 17,814

477,642

620,830








2020 (Unaudited)







At 1 January

 120,477

 4,632

 565

 18,324

 463,537

 607,535

Loss for the period

  -

  -

  -

  -

 (51,437)

 (51,437)

Other net expense

  -

  -

  (14)

(3)

(12,319)

(12,336)

Total comprehensive expense

  -

  -

  (14)

(3)

 (67,756)

 (63,773)

Dividends on preference shares

  -

  -

  -

  -

(4,591)

(4,591)

At 30 June

 120,477

 4,632

 551

 18,321

 395,190

 539,171








2020 (Audited)







At 1 January

 120,477

 4,632

 565

 18,324

 463,537

 607,535

Loss for the year

  -

  -

  -

  -

 (15,220)

 (15,220)

Other net income/(expense)

  -

  -

 34

(94)

(13,846)

 (13,906)

Total comprehensive income/(expense)

  -

  -

 34

(94)

 (29,066)

 (29,126)

Dividends on preference shares

  -

  -

  -

  -

(9,181)

(9,181)

At 31 December

 120,477

 4,632

 599

 18,230

 425,290

569,228

 

 

The revaluation reserve represents cumulative net fair value gains on owner-occupied property. Further details of the translation and hedging reserve are included in note 11.

 



 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

At 30 June 2021


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


£000

£000

£000


(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

Assets




Goodwill and other intangible assets

 59,277

 46,197

 54,353

Deferred acquisition costs

 42,082

 39,075

 41,989

Deferred tax assets

 3,028

 2,973

 1,078

Pension assets

 25,241

  -

 1,053

Property, plant and equipment

 37,973

 18,487

 38,316

Investment property

 146,266

 143,331

 142,142

Financial investments

 847,561

 779,619

 820,777

Reinsurers' share of contract liabilities

 258,464

 210,079

 208,677

Current tax recoverable

 7,981

 7,322

 7,986

Other assets

 252,836

 226,651

 216,570

Cash and cash equivalents

 108,148

 94,574

 104,429





Equity




Share capital

 120,477

 120,477

 120,477

Share premium account

 4,632

 4,632

 4,632

Retained earnings and other reserves

 495,721

 414,062

 444,119





Liabilities




Insurance contract liabilities

 921,131

 855,630

 868,649

Lease obligations

 24,319

 11,688

 25,450

Provisions for other liabilities

 9,350

 7,424

 6,499

Pension liabilities

  -

 7,226

 10,406

Retirement benefit obligations

 6,283

 6,166

 6,530

Deferred tax liabilities

 54,641

 24,569

 29,846

Current tax liabilities

 104

 1,005

 1,293

Deferred income

 26,867

 24,217

 25,908

Subordinated liabilities

 24,981

-

-

Other liabilities

 100,351

 91,212

 93,561





 

 



CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For the 6 months to 30 June 2021


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


6 months

6 months

12 months


£000

£000

£000


(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)





Profit/(loss) before tax

 46,463

(59,712)

(15,746)

Adjustments for:




Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

 3,128

 2,511

 5,486

Revaluation of property, plant and equipment

  -

-

(10)

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

 28

  -

 172

Amortisation of intangible assets

 413

 477

 1,468

Net fair value (gains)/losses on financial instruments and investment property

(34,285)

 54,641

 18,602

Dividend and interest income

(9,733)

(12,080)

(21,814)

Finance costs

 1,090

 258

 769

Adjustment for pension funding

 713

 455

 1,003





Changes in operating assets and liabilities:




Net increase in insurance contract liabilities

 58,895

 78,161

 94,180

Net increase in reinsurers' share of contract liabilities

(52,761)

(45,280)

(45,101)

Net increase in deferred acquisition costs

(317)

(152)

(3,352)

Net increase in other assets

(37,376)

(44,557)

(35,369)

Net increase in operating liabilities

 9,452

 7,142

 16,642

Net increase in other liabilities

 2,778

 2,562

 1,298





Purchases of financial instruments and investment property

(60,478)

(36,735)

(121,754)

Sale of financial instruments and investment property

 62,504

 76,313

 151,531

Dividends received

 2,929

 3,940

 6,255

Interest received

 6,689

 7,170

 14,519

Tax paid

(4,042)

(2,076)

(2,756)





Cash flows from investing activities




Purchases of property, plant and equipment

(3,380)

(405)

(6,028)

Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment

 27

-

 1

Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired

-

-

(822)

Purchases of intangible assets

(5,557)

(7,813)

(15,602)

Proceeds from the sale of intangible assets

 62

  -

-





Cash flows from financing activities




Interest paid

(1,090)

(258)

(769)

Payment of principal element of lease liabilities

(1,560)

(1,455)

(5,090)

Proceeds from issue of subordinate debt, net of expenses

 25,014

-

-

Dividends paid to Company's shareholders

(4,591)

(4,591)

(9,181)





Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

 5,015

 18,516

 28,532

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 

 104,429

 74,775

 74,775

Exchange (losses)/gains on cash and cash equivalents

(1,296)

 1,283

 1,122

 

NOTES TO THE CONDENSED SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. General information and basis of preparation

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (hereafter referred to as the "Company"), a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in England, together with its subsidiaries (collectively the "Group") operates principally as a provider of general insurance and in addition offers a range of financial services, with offices in the UK & Ireland, Australia and Canada.

The annual financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) applicable at 31 December 2020 issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in conformity with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applies in the European Union (EU). The condensed set of financial statements included in the 2021 interim results has been prepared in accordance with UK adopted IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting.

The information for the year ended 31 December 2020 does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. A copy of the statutory accounts for that year has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditor reported on those accounts: its report was unqualified, did not draw attention to any matters by way of emphasis without qualifying the report, and did not contain a statement under section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

These condensed consolidated interim financial statements were approved by the Board on 28 September 2021 and were reviewed by the Group's statutory auditor but not audited.

The Directors have assessed the going concern status of the Group. The Directors have considered the Group's plans and forecasts, financial resources, investment portfolio and solvency position. The Directors have also had consideration of the possible challenging market conditions due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, pricing and customers. The Group's forecasts and projections, taking into account plausible scenarios, show that the group will have adequate resources to continue operating over a period of at least 12 months from the approval of the condensed consolidated interim financial statements. Accordingly, the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the consolidated interim financial statements.

2. Accounting policies

The same accounting policies and methods of computation are followed in the consolidated interim financial statements as applied in the Group's latest audited annual financial statements.

The following standards were in issue but not yet effective and have not been applied to these condensed financial statements.

IFRS 17, Insurance Contracts, was issued in May 2017 and is effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023. The standard establishes revised principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of insurance contracts. The Group's long-term business is expected to be the most affected by the new standard. The Group expects to be able to use the simplified premium allocation approach to the majority of its general business insurance contracts, which applies mainly to short-duration contracts.

IFRS 9, Financial Instruments, which provides a new model for the classification and measurement of financial instruments, is effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018. The Group has taken the option available to insurers to defer the application of IFRS 9 until the implementation of IFRS 17, which is now on or after 1 January 2023.

The Group continues to assess the impact of the application of both IFRS 17 and IFRS 9. As of 30 June 2021, it was not practicable to quantify what the potential impact would be on the Group's financial position or performance once these standards are adopted.

Other standards in issue but not yet effective are not expected to materially impact the Group.

 

3. Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In preparing these interim financial statements and applying the Group's accounting policies, the Directors have made judgements and estimates based on their best knowledge of current circumstances and expectation of future events. The judgements made in applying the Group's accounting policies and the key sources of estimation uncertainty were the same as those that applied to the 31 December 2020 consolidated financial statements. In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic had a significant impact on market conditions and the business. Estimates and their underlying assumptions continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis with revisions to estimates being recognised prospectively. There have been no significant changes since 31 December 2020, however, as the pandemic continues, the following areas are those where specific consideration continues to be given:

-  Valuation of insurance contract liabilities: the assumptions used in the estimated ultimate cost of all claims incurred but not settled include any suitable adjustments for the potential impact of COVID-19.

- Measurement of pension liabilities: although COVID-19 has impacted on the key assumptions in the valuation, the methodology used to determine key actuarial assumptions has remained consistent. A 0.6% increase in the discount rate, partially offset by a 0.3% increase in the inflation assumption at 30 June 2021, resulted in a net pension asset of £25.2m (31 December 2020: net pension liability of £9.4m).

- Valuation of investment properties: the emergence of COVID-19 increased the uncertainty surrounding the valuation of properties, leading to the valuation of investment properties to be considered a critical accounting estimate at 31 December 2020. The carrying value of investment properties has been updated as at 30 June 2021 and a gain of £3.1m (H1 2020: loss of £4.8m) has been recognised.

4. Risk management

The principal risks and uncertainties, together with details of the financial risk management objectives and policies of the Group, are disclosed in the latest annual report.

 

5. Segment information

The Group segments its business activities on the basis of differences in the products and services offered and, for general insurance, the underwriting territory. Expenses relating to Group management activities are included within 'Corporate costs'. This reflects the management and internal Group reporting structure.

The activities of each operating segment are described below.

-  General business



United Kingdom and Ireland



The Group's principal general insurance business operation is in the UK, where it operates under the Ecclesiastical and Ansvar brands. The Group also operates an Ecclesiastical branch in the Republic of Ireland underwriting general business across the whole of Ireland.













Australia



The Group has a wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia underwriting general insurance business under the Ansvar brand.






Canada



The Group operates a general insurance Ecclesiastical branch in Canada.






Other insurance operations



This includes the Group's internal reinsurance function and operations that are in run-off or not reportable due to their immateriality.











-  Investment management



The Group provides investment management services both internally and to third parties through EdenTree Investment Management Limited.











-  Broking and Advisory



The Group provides insurance broking through SEIB Insurance Brokers Limited and financial advisory services through Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services Limited.  











-  Life business



Ecclesiastical Life Limited provides long-term policies to support funeral planning products.











-  Corporate costs



This includes costs associated with Group management activities.

Inter-segment and inter-territory transfers or transactions are entered into under normal commercial terms and conditions that would also be available to unrelated third parties.

Segment revenue

The Group uses gross written premiums as the measure for turnover of the general and life insurance business segments. Turnover of the non-insurance segments comprises fees and commissions earned in relation to services provided by the Group to third parties. Segment revenues do not include net investment return or general business fee and commission income, which are reported within revenue in the consolidated statement of profit or loss.

Revenue is attributed to the geographical region in which the customer is based.

 

 



 


6 months ended

6 months ended


30.06.21

30.06.20


Gross

Non-


Gross

Non-



written

insurance


written

insurance



premiums

services

Total

premiums

services

Total


£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

General business







   United Kingdom and Ireland

 142,751

  -

 142,751

 133,735

  -

 133,735

   Australia

 49,594

  -

 49,594

 38,263

  -

 38,263

   Canada

 32,399

  -

 32,399

 28,255

  -

 28,255

   Other insurance operations

 1,784

  -

 1,784

 2,225

  -

 2,225








Life business

 1

  -

 1

 9

  -

 9

Investment management

  -

 6,848

 6,848

  -

 6,238

 6,238

Broking and Advisory

  -

 5,624

 5,624

  -

 4,556

 4,556












12 months ended





31.12.20





Gross

Non-






written

insurance






premiums

services

Total





£000

£000

£000

General business







   United Kingdom and Ireland




 276,618

  -

 276,618

   Australia




 80,178

  -

 80,178

   Canada




 75,953

  -

 75,953

   Other insurance operations




 4,538

  -

 4,538








Life business




 12

  -

 12

Investment management




  -

 12,382

 12,382

Broking and Advisory




  -

 9,458

 9,458

 

Segment result

General business segment results comprise the insurance underwriting profit or loss, investment activities and other expenses of each underwriting territory. The Group uses the industry standard net combined operating ratio (COR) as a measure of underwriting efficiency. The COR expresses the total of net claims costs, commission and underwriting expenses as a percentage of net earned premiums. Further details on the underwriting profit or loss and COR, which are alternative performance measures that are not defined under IFRS, are detailed in note 16.

The life business segment result comprises the profit or loss on insurance contracts (including return on assets backing liabilities in the long-term fund), shareholder investment return and other expenses.

All other segment results consist of the profit or loss before tax measured in accordance with IFRS.



 

6 months ended

Combined





30 June 2021

operating

Insurance

Investments

Other

Total


ratio

£000

£000

£000

£000

General business






   United Kingdom and Ireland

81.5%

 15,349

 51,179

(952)

 65,576

   Australia

180.5%

(3,929)

 104

(19)

(3,844)

   Canada

101.5%

(446)

 349

(80)

(177)

   Other insurance operations


(8,466)

  -

  -

(8,466)







Life business


 719

 3,108

  -

 3,827

Investment management


  -

  -

(1,249)

(1,249)

Broking and Advisory


  -

  -

 1,681

 1,681

Corporate costs


  -

  -

(10,885)

(10,885)













6 months ended

Combined





30 June 2020

operating

Insurance

Investments

Other

Total


ratio

£000

£000

£000

£000

General business






   United Kingdom and Ireland

96.7%

2,680

(48,701)

(108)

(46,129)

   Australia

115.8%

(2,054)

(213)

(16)

(2,283)

   Canada

99.9%

 24

 2,037

(91)

 1,970

   Other insurance operations


(1,964)

  -

  -

(1,964)







Life business


(233)

(3,031)

  -

(3,264)

Investment management


  -

  -

(200)

(200)

Broking and Advisory


  -

  -

 1,373

 1,373

Corporate costs


  -

  -

(9,215)

(9,215)













12 months ended

Combined





31 December 2020

operating

Insurance

Investments

Other

Total


ratio

£000

£000

£000

£000

General business






   United Kingdom and Ireland

92.5%

 12,254

(12,123)

(479)

(348)

   Australia

102.2%

(620)

 1,678

(31)

 1,027

   Canada

91.2%

 4,521

 3,003

(176)

 7,348

   Other insurance operations


(4,103)

  -

  -

(4,103)







Life business


 468

 29

  -

 497

Investment management


  -

  -

(1,031)

(1,031)

Broking and Advisory


  -

  -

 2,397

 2,397

Corporate costs


  -

  -

(21,533)

(21,533)

 



6. Tax

Income tax for the six month period is calculated at rates representing the best estimate of the average annual effective income tax rate expected for the full year, applied to the pre-tax result of the six month period.

7. Preference shares

Interim dividends paid on the 8.625% Non-Cumulative Irredeemable Preference shares amounted to £4.6m (H1 2020: £4.6m). At the point these dividends were paid, consideration was given to the distributable reserves and capital position.

8. Financial investments

Financial investments summarised by measurement category are as follows:


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


£000

£000

£000


(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

Financial investments at fair value through profit or loss




Equity securities




- listed

 280,270

 238,225

 262,598

- unlisted

 68,499

 47,544

 59,288

Debt securities




- government bonds

 165,705

 152,142

 160,381

- listed

 330,016

 331,195

 334,732

- unlisted

 551

 270

 552

Derivative financial instruments




- options

 790

 4,388

 1,407

- forwards

 628

  -

 672

Financial investments at fair value through other comprehensive income




Derivative financial instruments




- forwards

475

-

 401





Loans and receivables




Cash held on deposit

 -

 5,032

  -

Other loans

 627

 823

 746





Total financial investments

847,561

779,619

 820,777

 

9. Financial instruments' held at fair value disclosures

IAS 34 requires that interim financial statements include certain of the disclosures about the fair value of financial instruments set out in IFRS 13, Fair Value Measurement and IFRS 7, Financial Instruments Disclosures.

The fair value measurement basis used to value those financial assets and financial liabilities held at fair value is categorised into a fair value hierarchy as follows:

Level 1: fair values measured using quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. This category includes listed equities in active markets, listed debt securities in active markets and exchange-traded derivatives.

Level 2: fair values measured using inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices). This category includes listed debt or equity securities in a market that is not active and derivatives that are not exchange-traded.

Level 3: fair values measured using inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs). This category includes unlisted debt and equities, including investments in venture capital, and suspended securities. Where a look-through valuation approach is applied, underlying net asset values are sourced from the investee, translated into the Group's functional currency and adjusted to reflect current market conditions.

There have been no transfers between investment categories in the current period.


Fair value measurement at the 



end of the reporting period based on



Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

30 June 2021

£000

£000

£000

£000

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss





Financial investments





   Equity securities

 279,688

 183

 68,898

 348,769

   Debt securities

 494,253

 1,467

 551

 496,271

   Derivative securities

-

 1,418

-

 1,418






Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income





Financial assets





   Derivative securities

  -

475

  -

475

Total financial assets at fair value

773,941

3,543

69,449

846,933






30 June 2020





Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss





Financial investments





   Equity securities

 237,620

 205

 47,944

 285,769

   Debt securities

 482,307

 898

 402

 483,607

   Derivative securities

-

 4,388

-

 4,388






Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss





Financial liabilities





   Derivative securities

  -

(3,327)

  -

(3,327)






Financial liabilities at fair value through other comprehensive income





Other liabilities





   Derivative securities

  -

(3,194)

  -

(3,194)






31 December 2020





Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss





Financial investments





   Equity securities

 262,014

 185

 59,687

 321,886

   Debt securities

 493,601

 1,512

 552

 495,665

   Derivative securities

  -

 2,079

  -

 2,079


 755,615

 3,776

 60,239

 819,630






Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income





 

The derivative liabilities of the Group at the end of the current period and prior year were measured at fair value through profit or loss and categorised as level 2.

Fair value measurements in level 3 consist of financial assets, analysed as follows:


Financial assets at fair value


through profit or loss


Equity

Debt



securities

securities

Total


£000

£000

£000

2021




At 1 January

59,688

551

60,239

Total gains/(losses) recognised in profit or loss

9,210

-

9,210

Total gains for the period included in profit or loss for assets held at the end of the reporting period

9,210

-

9,210





2020




At 1 January

 66,703

 404

 67,107

Total losses recognised in profit or loss

(18,759)

(2)

(18,761)

Total gains/(losses) for the period included in profit or loss for assets held at the end of the reporting period

(18,759)

(2)

18,761





2020




At 1 January

 66,703

 404

 67,107

Total (losses)/gains recognised in profit or loss

(7,015)

 147

(6,868)

Total (losses)/gains for the period included in profit or loss for assets held at the end of the reporting period

 (7,015)

 147

 (6,868)

 

All the above gains included in profit or loss for the period are presented in net investment return within the statement of profit or loss.

The valuation techniques used for instruments categorised in Levels 2 and 3 are described below.

Listed debt and equity securities not in active market (Level 2)

These financial assets are valued using third party pricing information that is regularly reviewed and internally calibrated based on management's knowledge of the markets.

Non exchange-traded derivative contracts (Level 2)

The Group's derivative contracts are not traded in active markets. Foreign currency forward contracts are valued using observable forward exchange rates corresponding to the maturity of the contract and the contract forward rate. Over-the-counter equity or index options and futures are valued by reference to observable index prices.

Unlisted equity securities (Level 3)

These financial assets are valued using observable net asset data, adjusted for unobservable inputs including comparable price-to-book ratios based on similar listed companies, and management's consideration of constituents as to what exit price might be obtainable.

The valuation is sensitive to the level of underlying net assets, the Euro exchange rate, the price-to-book ratio chosen, an illiquidity discount and a credit rating discount applied to the valuation to account for the risks associated with holding the asset. If the illiquidity discount or credit rating discount applied changes by +/-10%, the value of unlisted equity securities could move by +/-£8m (H1 2020: +/-£5m).

Unlisted debt (Level 3)

Unlisted debt is valued using an adjusted net asset method whereby management uses a look-through approach to the underlying assets supporting the loan, discounted using observable market interest rates of similar loans with similar risk, and allowing for unobservable future transaction costs.

The valuation is most sensitive to the level of underlying net assets, but it is also sensitive to the interest rate used for discounting and the projected date of disposal of the asset, with the exit costs sensitive to an expected return on capital of any purchaser and estimated transaction costs. Reasonably likely changes in unobservable inputs used in the valuation would not have a significant impact on shareholders' equity or the net result.

10. Changes in estimates

The estimation of the ultimate liability arising from claims made under general insurance business contracts is a critical accounting estimate. There are various sources of uncertainty as to how much the Group will ultimately pay with respect to such contracts. There is uncertainty as to the total number of claims made on each class of business, the amounts that such claims will be settled for and the timing of any payments.

During the six month period, changes to claims reserve estimates made in prior years as a result of reserve development resulted in a net increase of £20.0m (H1 2020: £10.8m) partially offset by a £7.6m decrease (H1 2020: £6.5m increase) in reserves due to discount rate movements.

The estimation of the ultimate liability arising from claims made under life insurance business contracts is also a critical accounting estimate. Estimates are made as to the expected number of deaths in each future year until claims have been paid on all policies, as well as expected future real investment returns from assets backing life insurance contracts. During the six month period there was a £2.1m decrease (H1 2020: £4.5m increase) in reserves due to discount rate movements.

 

11. Translation and hedging reserve


Translation

Hedging



reserve

reserve

Total


£000

£000

£000

2021




At 1 January

 15,552

 2,678

 18,230

Losses on currency translation differences

(1,491)

  -

(1,491)

Gains on net investment hedges

  -

 1,258

 1,258

Attributable tax

  -

(183)

(183)





2020




At 1 January

 13,572

 4,752

 18,324

Gains on currency translation differences

 2,283

  -

 2,283

Losses on net investment hedges

  -

(2,653)

(2,653)

Attributable tax

  -

 367

 367





2020




At 1 January

 13,572

 4,752

 18,324

Gains on currency translation differences

 1,980

  -

 1,980

Losses on net investment hedges

  -

(2,339)

(2,339)

Attributable tax

  -

 265

 265

 

The translation reserve arises on consolidation of the Group's foreign operations. The hedging reserve represents the cumulative amount of gains and losses on hedging instruments in respect of net investments in foreign operations.

 



12. Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurers' share of contract liabilities

 


30.06.21

30.06.20

31.12.20


6 months

6 months

12 months


£000

£000

£000

Gross




Claims outstanding

 614,960

 565,121

 560,992

Unearned premiums

 233,808

 210,916

 230,800

Life business provision

 72,363

 79,593

 76,857





Recoverable from reinsurers




Claims outstanding

 173,042

 135,565

 129,284

Unearned premiums

 85,422

 74,514

 79,393

Net




Claims outstanding

 441,918

 429,556

 431,708

Unearned premiums

 148,386

 136,402

 151,407

Life business provision

 72,363

 79,593

 76,857

Total net insurance liabilities

 662,667

 645,551

 659,972

 

13. Subordinated debt

In February 2021 the Group raised EUR 30m in nominal amount of Tier 2 Capital by way of a privately-placed issue of 20-year subordinated bonds, callable after year 10. The rate of interest until the call date is fixed at 6.3144%.

 

14. Related party transactions

Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries, which are related parties, have been eliminated on consolidation.

Charitable grants to the ultimate parent company are disclosed in the condensed consolidated statement of changes in equity.

There have been no material related party transactions in the period or changes thereto since the latest annual report which require disclosure.

15. Holding company

The ultimate holding company is Allchurches Trust Limited, a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity incorporated in England and Wales.

 



16. Reconciliation of Alternative Performance Measures

The Group uses alternative performance measures (APM) in addition to the figures which are prepared in accordance with IFRS. The financial measures in our key financial performance data include the combined operating ratio (COR). This measure is commonly used in the industries we operate in and we believe it provides useful information and enhances the understanding of our results.

Users of the accounts should be aware that similarly titled APM reported by other companies may be calculated differently. For that reason, the comparability of APM across companies might be limited.

In line with the European Securities and Markets Authority guidelines, we provide a reconciliation of the combined operating ratio to its most directly reconcilable line item in the financial statements.



30.06.21








Broking








Invt.

Invt.

and

Corporate





Insurance

return

mngt

Advisory

costs

Total




General

Life









£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000


Revenue










Gross written premiums


 226,528

 1

  -

  -

  -

  -

 226,529


Outward reinsurance premiums


(97,571)

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

(97,571)


Net change in provision for unearned premiums


 2,444

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 2,444












Fee and commission income


 24,803

  -

  -

 6,848

 5,624

  -

 37,275


Other operating income


 1,000

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 1,000


Net investment return


  -

 1,528

 56,276

(5)

 378

  -

 58,177












Expenses










Claims and change in insurance liabilities


(150,545)

(643)

  -

  -

  -

  -

(151,188)


Reinsurance recoveries


 77,711

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 77,711


Fees, commissions and other acquisition costs


(45,027)

  -

  -

(481)

 297

  -

(45,211)


Other operating and administrative expenses


(36,835)

(167)

(1,536)

(7,611)

(4,579)

(10,885)

(61,613)












Operating profit/(loss)

[2]

 2,508

 719

 54,740

(1,249)

 1,720

(10,885)

 47,553


Finance costs


(1,051)

  -

  -

  -

(39)

  -

(1,090)


 

The underwriting profit of the Group is defined as the operating profit of the general insurance business.

The Group uses the industry standard net combined operating ratio as a measure of underwriting efficiency. The COR expresses the total of net claims costs, commission and underwriting expenses as a percentage of net earned premiums. It is calculated as
( [1] - [2] ) / [1].

 

 



 


30.06.20


 






Broking




 




Invt.

Invt.

and

Corporate



 


Insurance

return

mngt

Advisory

costs

Total


 


General

Life







 


£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000


 

Revenue










 

Gross written premiums


 202,478

 9

  -

  -

  -

  -

 202,487


Outward reinsurance premiums


(80,313)

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

(80,313)


Net change in provision for unearned premiums


(980)

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

(980)












Fee and commission income


 22,650

  -

  -

 6,238

 4,556

  -

 33,444


Other operating income


 1,960

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 1,960


Net investment return


  -

(660)

(48,595)

(13)

 409

  -

(48,859)












Expenses










Claims and change in insurance liabilities


(139,715)

 563

  -

  -

  -

  -

(139,152)


Reinsurance recoveries


 68,104

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 68,104


Fees, commissions and other acquisition costs


(38,448)

  -

  -

(535)

 157

  -

(38,826)


Other operating and administrative expenses


(37,050)

(145)

(1,313)

(5,890)

(3,706)

(9,215)

(57,319)












Operating (loss)/profit

[2]

(1,314)

(233)

(49,908)

(200)

 1,416

(9,215)

(59,454)


Finance costs


(215)

  -

  -

  -

(43)

  -

(258)


 



 



31.12.20








Broking








Invt.

Invt.

and

Corporate





Insurance

return

mngt

Advisory

costs

Total




General

Life









£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000

£000


Revenue










Gross written premiums


 437,287

 12

  -

  -

  -

  -

 437,299


Outward reinsurance premiums


(173,074)

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

(173,074)


Net change in provision for unearned premiums


(16,562)

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

(16,562)












Fee and commission income


 47,742

  -

  -

 12,382

 9,458

  -

 69,582


Other operating income


 2,126

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 2,126


Net investment return


  -

(484)

(4,600)

(25)

 811

  -

(4,298)












Expenses










Claims and change in insurance liabilities


(224,127)

 1,333

  -

  -

  -

  -

(222,794)


Reinsurance recoveries


 94,581

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

 94,581


Fees, commissions and other acquisition costs


(84,852)

(13)

  -

(939)

 360

  -

(85,444)


Other operating and administrative expenses


(71,069)

(380)

(2,813)

(12,449)

(8,149)

(21,533)

(116,393)












Operating profit/(loss)

[2]

 12,052

 468

(7,413)

(1,031)

 2,480

(21,533)

(14,977)


Finance costs


(686)

  -

  -

  -

(83)

  -

(769)


 

 

 



RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:

(a)  the consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standard 34, 'Interim Financial Reporting';

(b)  the interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.7R (indication of important  events  during  the  first  six  months  and  description  of  principal  risks  and  uncertainties  for  the remaining six months of the year); and

(c)  the interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.8R (disclosure of related party transactions and changes therein).

The Board of Directors is as per the latest audited annual financial statements, with the following changes:

-       Mrs Rita Bajaj was appointed as a Non-Executive Director on 15 July 2021

-       Mrs Caroline Taylor resigned as a Non-Executive Director on 8 September 2021

By order of the Board,

 

 

Mark Hews                                                                        David Henderson

Group Chief Executive                                                      Chairman

28 September 2021

 

 


INDEPENDENT REVIEW REPORT TO ECCLESIASTICAL INSURANCE OFFICE PLC

Report on the condensed consolidated interim financial statements

Our conclusion

We have reviewed Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc's condensed consolidated interim financial statements (the "interim financial statements") in the 2021 Interim Results of Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc for the 6 month period ended 30 June 2021 (the "period").

Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the interim financial statements are not prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standard 34, 'Interim Financial Reporting' and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority.

What we have reviewed

The interim financial statements comprise:

·    the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2021;

·    the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income for the period then ended;

·    the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the period then ended;

·    the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity for the period then ended; and

·    the explanatory notes to the interim financial statements.

The interim financial statements included in the 2021 Interim Results of Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc have been prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standard 34, 'Interim Financial Reporting' and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority.

Responsibilities for the interim financial statements and the review

Our responsibilities and those of the directors

The 2021 Interim Results, including the interim financial statements, is the responsibility of, and has been approved by the directors. The directors are responsible for preparing the 2021 Interim Results in accordance with the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority.

Our responsibility is to express a conclusion on the interim financial statements in the 2021 Interim Results based on our review. This report, including the conclusion, has been prepared for and only for the company for the purpose of complying with the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving this conclusion, 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.

What a review of interim financial statements involves

We conducted our review in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK and Ireland) 2410, 'Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity' issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. A review of interim financial information consists of making enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures.

A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and, consequently, does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.

We have read the other information contained in the 2021 Interim Results and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the information in the interim financial statements.

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Chartered Accountants

Bristol

28 September 2021

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