9. Dividends


	2018 cents per share		2017 cents per share		2016 cents per share		2018 $m		2017 $m		2016 $m
Paid during the year:
Final (declared for previous year)		71.0		64.0		57.5		130		127		137
Interim		36.3		33.0		30.0		69		62		56
Special (note 27)		0		202.5		632.9		0		404		1,500

		107.3		299.5		720.4		199		593		1,693

Proposed (not recognised as a liability at 31 December):
Final		78.1		71.0		64.0		141		135		126

The final dividend of 78.1¢ per ordinary share is proposed for approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 3 May 2019 and is payable on the shares in issue at 29 March 2019.

In October 2018, the Board announced a $500m return of funds to shareholders by way of a special dividend of $2.621 per ordinary share, together with a share consolidation. On 11 January 2019, shareholders approved the share consolidation on the basis of 19 new ordinary shares of 20³⁴⁰⁄₃₉₉ pence per share for every 20 existing ordinary shares of 19¹⁷⁄₂₁ pence, which became effective on 14 January 2019 and resulted in the consolidation of 10m shares. The special dividend was paid on 29 January 2019 at a cost of $510m. The dividend and share consolidation had the same economic effect as a share repurchase at fair value, therefore reported earnings per share has not been restated.