William Annison’s career in financial services began in 1998, driven by an interest in personal finance. Over the years, that initial curiosity developed into extensive experience across financial planning, workplace pensions and employee benefits, giving him a practical understanding of the financial decisions that affect both businesses and the people who work for them.
Having completed his financial planning qualifications and become a qualified adviser, William gained experience across the industry, including at Standard Life and employee benefits consultancies. Through this experience, he developed a clear understanding of what employers need from their advisers and where the service businesses receive does not always meet expectations.
In 2011, William established HWWA Consulting with a straightforward ambition: to provide employers with knowledgeable, dependable advice and a more personal approach to managing employee benefits. He wanted to build a business where clients could develop lasting relationships with the people looking after their affairs, receive clear explanations and know exactly what they were paying for.
For William, this means putting consistency, transparency and practical support at the heart of the service. HWWA offers an alternative to the impersonal approach that can sometimes exist within larger organisations, focusing on understanding each client's circumstances and providing support that reflects their needs. Clients have direct access to a small, dedicated team they can trust to help them navigate the complexities of employee benefits, explore suitable options and provide sound advice when they need it.
A different approach to fees and service
Transparency is central to how HWWA operates. The firm uses a fixed-fee approach, giving clients greater clarity about the cost of their advice and support, and helping them avoid unexpected charges.
Transparency is central to how HWWA operates. The firm uses a fixed-fee approach, giving clients greater clarity about the cost of their advice and support, and helping them avoid unexpected charges.
William has seen the difference this can make for businesses that have experienced inconsistent service or unclear fees elsewhere. By helping clients move towards more transparent arrangements, HWWA gives employers a clearer understanding of their costs, the service they can expect and who is accountable for delivering it.
This philosophy extends beyond pricing. William has also helped employers navigate longstanding issues with existing benefit providers, demonstrating the value of having an adviser who takes ownership, follows matters through and works to get clients the answers they need.
For William, good advice does not end when a product is recommended or a contract is signed. It means building lasting relationships, providing ongoing support and helping people navigate problems as and when they arise.
Making employee benefits work for people
When HWWA was established, the employee benefits landscape was changing. The introduction of workplace pension auto-enrolment created new responsibilities for employers, many of whom needed practical guidance to understand their obligations and put suitable arrangements in place.
When HWWA was established, the employee benefits landscape was changing. The introduction of workplace pension auto-enrolment created new responsibilities for employers, many of whom needed practical guidance to understand their obligations and put suitable arrangements in place.
Since then, the conversation has broadened. Pensions, group life assurance, income protection, private medical insurance and other benefits can play an important role in helping businesses attract and retain employees, support their wellbeing and provide financial security. However, the real value of these arrangements depends on more than simply having them available.
William has observed that employees do not always understand the benefits provided by their employer or feel confident using them. Even something as important as a pension can cause unnecessary anxiety when people struggle to interpret the figures or understand what they mean for their future. Employees may also be unaware of the additional support available through employee assistance programmes (EAPs), insurers and other workplace benefits.
This creates a challenge for employers. They may invest considerable sums in supporting their workforce, yet employees can miss out on valuable support simply because they do not know it exists or understand how to access it.
HWWA's approach therefore looks beyond the initial selection and implementation of benefits. It considers how those benefits are communicated, how employees can access them and how employers can help their workforce understand the support available. Clear information, timely reminders and practical guidance can make a meaningful difference, particularly when employees are facing financial worries or difficult personal circumstances.
Support when it matters most
The importance of this approach becomes especially clear when an employee or their family experiences a bereavement.
The importance of this approach becomes especially clear when an employee or their family experiences a bereavement.
Group life assurance can provide vital financial protection, but making a claim may involve complex paperwork, sensitive family circumstances and difficult decisions at an already distressing time. Employers and HR teams can find themselves navigating unfamiliar processes while also trying to support grieving colleagues and manage their responsibilities.
HWWA helps employers understand the process, clarify their responsibilities and identify the support available through their insurers. Depending on the policy, this may include bereavement counselling, group support sessions or practical assistance such as a funeral concierge service. These services can be invaluable to people facing some of life's most difficult moments, but they are not always well understood or readily brought to an employer's attention when they are needed most.
William's role is to help clients navigate these situations with clarity and compassion, ensuring they understand the next steps and know where to turn for appropriate support. This includes helping HR teams understand the distinction between their own responsibilities and those of pension scheme trustees or other relevant decision-makers.
For William, this is an important part of the responsibility that comes with advising employers on employee benefits. The arrangements made in advance need to work when people are at their most vulnerable, not simply look good on paper.
Planning for life beyond work
William's interest in the wider needs of employees also informs HWWA's work around retirement planning. Leaving employment is a significant transition, involving much more than financial preparation. Retirement can mean losing the routine, identity and social connections that work provides, as well as having to reconsider how to spend time and maintain a sense of purpose.
HWWA's future planning courses encourage employees to consider the financial, practical and lifestyle implications of retirement before the transition arrives. By helping people think through these questions in advance, employers can offer a more rounded approach to supporting their workforce throughout their working lives and into the next chapter, helping employees feel better prepared for the opportunities and challenges that retirement can bring.
William's interest in the wider needs of employees also informs HWWA's work around retirement planning. Leaving employment is a significant transition, involving much more than financial preparation. Retirement can mean losing the routine, identity and social connections that work provides, as well as having to reconsider how to spend time and maintain a sense of purpose.
HWWA's future planning courses encourage employees to consider the financial, practical and lifestyle implications of retirement before the transition arrives. By helping people think through these questions in advance, employers can offer a more rounded approach to supporting their workforce throughout their working lives and into the next chapter, helping employees feel better prepared for the opportunities and challenges that retirement can bring.
Combining personal service with practical innovation
Today, William leads HWWA Consulting alongside a small, experienced team, including Laura, Head of Client Support, who has worked with him for ten years, and Marietta. Their work reflects the firm's emphasis on continuity, accessible support and lasting client relationships.
Today, William leads HWWA Consulting alongside a small, experienced team, including Laura, Head of Client Support, who has worked with him for ten years, and Marietta. Their work reflects the firm's emphasis on continuity, accessible support and lasting client relationships.
HWWA has also developed Benefits Buddy, a live app designed to help employers organise and communicate employee benefits more effectively. The platform reflects William's belief that benefits should be easier to understand and manage, helping employers make information more accessible to the people who need it.
For William, this technology has a practical purpose: to improve the way benefits are communicated and accessed, while maintaining the human support that remains essential when questions are complicated or circumstances are sensitive.
After more than 25 years in financial services, William's focus remains on helping employers make informed decisions, understand their options and get meaningful value from their investment in their people. Through HWWA Consulting, he combines professional expertise with transparent fees, consistent relationships and hands-on support.
The principle behind the business is simple. Employee benefits should not be a box-ticking exercise, and advice should not end when a contract is signed. Employers deserve to know who is looking after them, what they are paying for and where to turn when they need help. Most importantly, the people those benefits are designed to protect should be able to understand and use them, giving them greater confidence in the support available to them and their families.
For William, that is what makes employee benefits count: not just having the right arrangements in place, but making sure they deliver meaningful support for businesses, employees and their families.
For William, that is what makes employee benefits count: not just having the right arrangements in place, but making sure they deliver meaningful support for businesses, employees and their families.
Media Contact:
Danielle Windecker-Hilton
Sycamore Communications
danielle@sycamorecommunications.co.uk
07704.763269
Danielle Windecker-Hilton
Sycamore Communications
danielle@sycamorecommunications.co.uk
07704.763269