UK insurer Aviva will close three offices as part of its Friends Life takeover to save $225m by the end of 2017.

Over the next 18 months the company will close offices in Salisbury, Stretford and Salford. It will also downsize its office in Dorking, but this will remain Aviva's site for its corporate pensions business. Other offices to be downsized are Exeter and Manchester City Centre.
The firm said core locations in the UK will be Bristol, Norwich, Perth, Sheffield and York. The group's headquarters will remain in London.
The closures form part of downsizing plans first announced in January, when the firm said it would be shedding 1,500 jobs.
"We appreciate this is disappointing and difficult news for some of our employees and we are helping our people through this process, providing a range of support and advice, and consulting with employee representative bodies about these changes," said the firm in a statement.
According to the insurer, the changes will take place between now and the end of 2016. It added: "We will look to minimise the impact by offering redeployment opportunities where possible".
The firm said the job losses and property closures formed part of its "long-term strategy to become more efficient and strengthen our position as the leader in our home market".