Government Actuary's Department - History

History

In 1912 the Government appointed a chief actuary to the National Health Insurance Joint Committee, following the Old Age Pensions Act 1908 and the National Insurance Act 1911. As the role of the Chief Actuary expanded the post of Government Actuary was created in 1917. Two years later the Government Actuary’s Department was formed.

The role of GAD within government expanded significantly in the 1940s and 1950s, coinciding with an expansion of the state’s role in pensions, social security and health care. By the 1980s GAD had grown into a significant actuarial consultancy within government and in 1989 the financing of GAD through an annual Parliamentary vote of funds was replaced by a system of directly charging users of GAD’s services. The calculation of GAD's fees is based solely on the recovery of its costs.

Today, GAD has offices in London and Edinburgh and employs 140 staff of whom 50 are qualified actuaries.

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