Supporting the government through the pandemic
People from across the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) continued to support the government’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic over the past year.
We took part in bespoke projects, provided advice and analysis, and seconded people and expertise to government departments.
Analytical expertise
GAD’s expertise played a central role in a Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) policy area. This focused on people classed as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’. The cross-government team delivered the COVID-19 Population Risk Assessment, using a predictive risk model commissioned by England’s Chief Medical Officer and developed by Oxford University.
Other actuaries from GAD used modelling and analysis to support the NHS test and trace service. We assessed operational needs such as future demand for tests and contact tracers and provided additional analysis to support policy decisions.
We were also involved in discussions with DHSC about how best to ensure community pharmacists were indemnified throughout the vaccine roll out.
Wider impact
GAD actuaries were involved in a significant number of other COVID-related projects as we:
- collaborated with other government departments to produce a paper on the impact of COVID-19 on excess deaths for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies
- joined a multi-disciplinary team to help set up the government’s £500m film and TV production restart scheme
- worked with the Department for Education on analysis to quantify the expected costs in relation to UK and overseas travel claims from academies due to COVID-19 which fall under the risk protection arrangement
- undertook analysis, planning and discussions of the new life assurance scheme for frontline NHS staff and social care workers in England
- played a central role in the development of the Trade Credit Insurance schemes backed by £10 billion of government guarantees. This reinsurance scheme will help businesses continue to operate, protecting jobs and supply chains.
- focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the insurance policies and claims of several public sector organisations
Industry impact
GAD also played its part in supporting the actuarial profession’s own COVID-19 response.
Our actuaries were among more than 500 volunteers who joined the COVID-19 Action Taskforce set up by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
It sought to help the response to COVID-19 through specialised research and resource building.