Your client could qualify for Annuity Plus rates on our Pension Annuity based on five common lifestyle health risks. In our experience, clients are just as likely to have multiple risks as they are to have just one. The more health risks and the more serious those risks, the more income we could offer.

Download our Annuity Plus questionnaire.

You can read more about the qualifying risks below, including just how common they are and how your client could qualify for extra income:

Smoking

Around 10 million adults in Britain smoke cigarettes. Cancer research, 2011

• 22% of men and 21% of women are smokers. Action on Smoking and Health, 2011
• In 2009, men smoked on average 14 cigarettes a day, compared with 13 for women. Office of National Statistics, 2011
• Smoking is an underlying cause of many medical conditions. If your client has smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day for at least the last 10 years, they could qualify for our Annuity Plus rates. 

Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes affects 2.8 million people in the UK. It is thought that a further one million people have the condition but are not aware of it. National Health Service (NHS), 2011

• Since 1996 the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has doubled and by 2025 it is estimated that over four million people will have diabetes. Diabetes UK, 2011
• Around 90% of all adults in the UK with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. It is often associated with obesity and more common in older people. NHS, 2011 
• If your client has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and even if their condition is controlled by diet alone, they may still qualify for our Annuity Plus rates.
• More serious diabetes cases could qualify for larger uplifts through our enhanced annuity.

High blood pressure

One in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure. Around one third of them don't know that they have it as there are no obvious symptoms. Blood Pressure Association (BPA), 2011

• High blood pressure is blood pressure that is 140/90 mmHg or above each time it is taken. Patient.co.uk, 2011
• 32% of men and 29% of women have high blood pressure. The only way to know if you have the condition is to have your blood pressure regularly measured. BPA, 2011
• If your client has been diagnosed as having high blood pressure and prescribed drugs for their condition then they may qualify for our Annuity Plus rates. We’ll need a recent blood pressure reading from them.

High cholesterol

In the UK, two out of three adults have a cholesterol level that is higher than recommended. National Health Service (NHS), 2011

• The Government recommends that cholesterol levels should be less than 5mmol/L. On average, men in England have a cholesterol of 5.5mmol/L and women have a level of 5.6mmol/L. NHS, 2011
• Cholesterol levels generally rise with age. Men are more likely to have high cholesterol.
• If your client has been diagnosed with high cholesterol and prescribed drugs for their condition then they may qualify for our Annuity Plus rates. We will need a recent cholesterol reading from them.

High or low weight (body mass index)

In 2009, over 60% of adults in England were overweight or obese. Department of Health, 2011

• BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It gives you an idea whether you're underweight, overweight or ideal weight for your height. If your BMI is outside of the ideal range, health risks may increase. British Heart Foundation, 2011
• In adults, a BMI over 25 means that a person is considered to be overweight. A BMI of 30 or more means that a person is considered to be obese. NHS, 2011
• In the UK, between 6 and 7 out of 10 men have a BMI over 25. This figure is between 5 and 6 out of 10 for women. Around 1 in 4 men and women in the UK have a BMI of 30 or above. Patient.co.uk, 2011
• If your client’s BMI score is above a certain level, they could qualify for our Annuity Plus rates. They could also qualify if their BMI suggests they’re underweight.

If your client has one or more qualifying medical condition(s), they should consider completing the common medical form for consideration for our enhanced rates.

The income we offer will be based on their health at the time they buy and we may request a report from their doctor (after their annuity has started) to check the medical information that they provided. If the report does not support the information provided, then we may remove some or all of the enhancement from their future pension payments and recover any overpaid amounts.