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Royal London insures Oxford Instruments scheme in £213m buy-in
The deal marks the insurer’s second biggest buy-in to date and secures the benefits of more than 1,600 pension scheme members.
LGPS Central hires Dowdall to lead local investment drive
LGPS Central, one of the asset pooling companies for the Local Government Pension Scheme, has named Paddy Dowdall as investment director for local investment.
FRC issues guide to section 37 fix for actuaries [updated]
Audit and actuarial regulator the Financial Reporting Council has issued new technical guidance to help actuaries assess schemes affected by the Virgin Media case.
Appointments: Aptia, LPFA, PPF, TPT, Aon, Sackers, Allspring
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 23 January 2026.
Help shape Value for Money framework, TPR tells trustees
The Pensions Regulator’s director of policy has called on trustees to engage with the ongoing Value for Money framework consultation to “help shape the standards that will define saver outcomes for years to come”.
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Comment
Rory Murphy: Should pension funds be more Machiavellian?
Experienced trustee and chair Rory Murphy challenges pension funds to be daring and embrace innovative ideas in order to best serve members’ interests.
AMNT: When is your pension like a Mars bar?
Maggie Rodger, co-chair of the Association of Member-Nominated Trustees, highlights the effects of changes to accruals and contributions made in the wake of the financial crisis, and how these should influence surplus discussion.
Scale in workplace pensions is good – but not at the expense of innovation
Darren Philp looks ahead to the Pension Schemes Bill’s latest stage in the House of Lords and hopes for a pragmatic approach to the scale test for workplace DC pension schemes.
Closing the gap between promise and proof on pensions
Archie Pritchett, an analyst at PensionPay, highlights a ‘delivery gap’ as the pensions industry focuses on ‘plumbing’ rather than the end products for consumers.
Latest features
Keep calm and carry on: Schemes urged to tread carefully over US investment calls
The US government has started 2026 in controversial style, deposing the leader of Venezuela and demanding control over the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland. How can pension schemes assess these events?
Outlook 2026: Making collective DC a reality
Pensions Expert asked CDC experts for their views on what 2026 holds for the nascent CDC sector, what challenges are still to be met, and how proponents should communicate this new model to savers.
Global investment outlook: Navigating a complex landscape
Pensions Expert asked consultants and asset managers for their views on the continued dominance of US equities in investment portfolios, how to mitigate geopolitical risks, and whether private markets have been overdone.
Outlook 2026: How pension schemes can support the UK economy
Pensions Expert explores the opportunities and challenges for investors seeking to increase their domestic allocations in 2026, with the help of master trusts and asset managers.
A Christmas wishlist for the pensions industry
With the festive break upon us, it’s time to find out what the pensions industry really wants for Christmas this year. Pensions Expert asked representatives of 21 organisations from across the UK retirement industry to come up with one ‘Christmas wish’ – something they would like to see over the next 12 months.
Keep calm and carry on: Schemes urged to tread carefully over US investment calls
Outlook 2026: Making collective DC a reality
Global investment outlook: Navigating a complex landscape
Outlook 2026: How pension schemes can support the UK economy
A Christmas wishlist for the pensions industry
People news
LGPS Central hires Dowdall to lead local investment drive
LGPS Central, one of the asset pooling companies for the Local Government Pension Scheme, has named Paddy Dowdall as investment director for local investment.
Appointments: Aptia, LPFA, PPF, TPT, Aon, Sackers, Allspring
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 23 January 2026.
Pension Protection Fund names new chief risk officer
The Pension Protection Fund has hired Jeremy Lee from HSBC in a key senior risk role. He joined the organisation earlier this month.
Appointments: Opperman joins Aptia as strategic adviser
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 16 January 2026.
Latest videos from Pensions Expert
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Latest on Defined Contribution
Help shape Value for Money framework, TPR tells trustees
The Pensions Regulator’s director of policy has called on trustees to engage with the ongoing Value for Money framework consultation to “help shape the standards that will define saver outcomes for years to come”.
Should savers be allowed to use pension pots to access the housing market?
With more and more people expected to have to rent into their retirement, Nest Insight has conducted a year-long study into whether savers should be given early access to their pensions to fund a house purchase.
PMI seeks to upskill offshore pension administration provision
The PMI’s chief customer officer is to visit India to meet with staff from administration providers as part of a plan to “raise professional standards across the UK pensions ecosystem”.
Industry backs ‘nuanced’ changes to Value for Money proposals
The pensions industry has broadly welcomed the new Value for Money approach outlined in this week’s consultation set out by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Latest on Defined Benefit
Royal London insures Oxford Instruments scheme in £213m buy-in
The deal marks the insurer’s second biggest buy-in to date and secures the benefits of more than 1,600 pension scheme members.
Small scheme buy-ins driving bulk annuity market as streamlined services thrive
More than 350 bulk annuity transactions were completed in 2025, according to a new estimate, as streamlined processes have opened up the market to smaller pension schemes.
M&G eyes bulk annuity expansion after crossing £1bn mark in 2025
Bulk annuity providers M&G and Just Group have reported on their new business volumes for 2025 amid increasing competition among insurance companies.
Bulk annuities latest: PIC ties up Dr Martens scheme; PMI seals buyout
Plus: Broadstone reveals five micro deals completed in the second half of 2025 as part of the test of Aviva’s new Clarity service for small schemes.
Latest on Dashboards
PDP consultation aims to bring private sector providers into dashboard universe
The ABI has welcomed a move from the Pensions Dashboards Programme aimed at encouraging private sector dashboard providers.
TPR urges action to support millions of people ‘under-saving’ for retirement
Speaking at the Pensions Expert Annual Conference on 26 November, TPR’s Nausicaa Delfas said the UK’s pensions system was “unfinished business”, with approximately 14.6 million people under-saving for retirement.
One year until the dashboards deadline: What’s still to do?
There is less than 12 months to go until the 31 October 2026 deadline, when all pension schemes and providers in scope must connect to the pensions dashboards Central Digital Architecture.
TPR hires for crucial admin and dashboards role
Taylor Brightwell-Smith joined the regulator this week from the Government Actuary’s Department to oversee TPR’s work on administration, pensions dashboards, and cybersecurity.
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