Nest Insight conference 2025
Sessions from this event are available to watch back on YouTube.
Our annual conferences bring together academics, industry, policymakers and other experts working towards improving people’s long-term financial security. These interactive convenings aim to promote a better understanding of the needs of low-moderate-income households; while also sparking debate and fresh conversations to encourage join up across the system so that it better supports people throughout their lives.
In this, our ninth annual conference, we heard all about the latest findings from our research programmes, including a blueprint to real world solutions we’ve been testing. And made the case for action that demonstrates the multitude benefits across various policy interests.
Speaker
Will Sandbrook, Nest Insight
Panel 1 | Watch session
The morning panel explored the business and economic case for supporting worker financial wellbeing. Joanna Legg from the Financial Conduct Authority set out the scale of the challenge, sharing data on the millions of UK adults facing serious financial difficulty. Nida Broughton from the Behavioural Insights Team reflected on how financial strain affects staff performance and inclusion. Rob Lovesey, I-CUDE from Serve and Protect Credit Union shared how frontline workers felt a stronger sense of belonging when saving regularly. And Vivien Burrows of Nest Insight spoke about the link between financial resilience and better relationships, improved wellbeing, and increased participation in financial systems.
Speakers
- Moderator: Nida Broughton, interim UK Managing Director of Behavioural Insights Team
- Jo Legg, Head of Department at Financial Conduct Authority
- Rob Lovesey, Business Development Manager at Serve and Protect Credit Union
- Vivien Burrows, Senior Research Economist at Nest Insight
Keynote speech | Watch session
Our keynote speaker, Helen Undy from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, highlighted the two-way link between poor mental health and low financial resilience. She shared research showing that people with mental health problems who take extended sick leave see household income fall by 50 percent, with more than half falling behind on essentials like rent, bills, food and fuel. She asked what it would mean for people and for the economy if we could break that link.
Panel 2 | Watch session
In the afternoon, we turned to bold, practical approaches to building resilience. Kate Pender from Fair4All Finance argued that current efforts only address half the problem, and that we also need to tackle spending behaviours. Alex Christopoulos from the Aviva Foundation introduced Variable Recurring Payments as a way to help people repay what they can, when they can, giving borrowers greater control while reducing arrears. Simon Bocca from PayCaptain made the case for rethinking payroll systems built on outdated assumptions. Nest Insight’s Sope Otulana and Jo Phillips shared insights on hybrid solutions that combine long-term and short-term needs, such as pension saving linked with emergency funds.
Speakers
- Moderator: Sope Otulana, Associate Director, Research and Innovation at Nest Insight
- Kate Pender, CEO, Fair4All Finance
- Jo Phillips, Director of Research and Innovation at Nest Insight
- Simon Bocca, Founder and CEO of PayCaptain
- Alex Christopoulos, Lead & Senior Strategic Advisor and Consultant at Aviva Foundation
Watch the day’s live-streamed sessions:
