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Latest news and analysis
DB schemes end first half with £264bn surplus on PPF measure
Despite the broadly positive position, the PPF’s data showed that the aggregate position of schemes in deficit on a PPF basis worsened over the course of June.
Bulk annuities: Large deals could return in H2, says Standard Life
Bulk annuity market capacity and pricing dynamics could shift in the months ahead as larger pension schemes seek to tap the insurance market, according to Standard Life.
DC consolidation: Four providers hold 70% of assets, study finds
As the government pushes forward with its £25bn scale requirement for DC schemes, new research shows that the sector is already dominated by a small number of providers.
Government pushes back VfM, guided retirement deadlines in ‘roadmap’ shift
Pensions minister Torsten Bell has announced changes to the “sequencing” of pension reforms to support the implementation of developments related to Value for Money, guided retirement, and superfunds.
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Pensions Expert analysis shows which law firms, professional trustees and consultants are most active in the bulk annuity market.
Appointments: Zedra, Aptia, PASA, Cartwright, Hargreaves
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 10 July 2026.
PPF reserves hit £15bn ahead of pre-97 compensation change
The lifeboat fund for defined benefit pension schemes has begun contacting members with pre-97 benefits regarding inflation-linked uplifts that will begin in January.
Nest enters venture capital market with with an eye on £1bn allocation
The £68bn master trust is seeking to formalise its four-year-old venture capital and growth equity investment strategy through an extension of its partnership with Schroders.
Your views needed: DC and private markets survey
Pensions Expert has teamed up with leading custodian CACEIS to explore how DC schemes are investing in private markets. Take part in our research and be in with a chance of winning a £100 M&S voucher by clicking here and filling in a short survey.
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Comment
Cushon: Meeting the adequacy challenge in a changing DC world
Accumulating a pension pot and choosing how to draw it down should not be treated as two distinctly separate issues, according to Cushon policy and research director Steve Watson.
IFS: How to boost pension saving among the self-employed
Getting more self-employed people saving for retirement is a key focus for the pensions minister and the Pensions Commission. Laurence O’Brien of the Institute for Fiscal Studies explores how this could be done.
Sackers: Kicking off the second half of a year of DC pension reform
Helen Ball, partner at Sackers, looks ahead to the next few months and what they could bring for different sections of the DC market as reform implementation kicks off.
How much does it really cost to retire? The case for career-level pension planning
Philip Hodges, a director at Guiide, makes the case for pension schemes providing greater assistance to members to understand all their retirement savings and prepare to draw an income.
Latest features
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Pensions Expert analysis shows which law firms, professional trustees and consultants are most active in the bulk annuity market.
Keep on running: How will endgame options affect the bulk annuity market?
With appetite for ‘run on’ and other alternative endgame solutions on the rise, will there be a knock-on effect on the bulk annuity market? Jon Yarker reports.
How mega-IPOs could reshape equity portfolios as SpaceX secures record listing
Elon Musk’s technology giant SpaceX has debuted on US investment markets with one of the largest initial public offerings in history. But what does it mean for UK pension investors?
In Depth: Surplus release could be limited by governance needs, industry says
Guardrails included in the government’s surplus release proposals may limit the scope and frequency of payments, according to several consultants.
Always A Pensions Angle: The World Cup of Pensions
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in North America, Pensions Expert has joined forces with LAPF Investments through the Always A Pensions Angle podcast to find out which of the countries represented in the tournament can boast the ultimate retirement system.
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Keep on running: How will endgame options affect the bulk annuity market?
How mega-IPOs could reshape equity portfolios as SpaceX secures record listing
In Depth: Surplus release could be limited by governance needs, industry says
Always A Pensions Angle: The World Cup of Pensions
Latest on Defined Benefit
DB schemes end first half with £264bn surplus on PPF measure
Despite the broadly positive position, the PPF’s data showed that the aggregate position of schemes in deficit on a PPF basis worsened over the course of June.
Bulk annuities: Large deals could return in H2, says Standard Life
Bulk annuity market capacity and pricing dynamics could shift in the months ahead as larger pension schemes seek to tap the insurance market, according to Standard Life.
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Pensions Expert analysis shows which law firms, professional trustees and consultants are most active in the bulk annuity market.
PPF reserves hit £15bn ahead of pre-97 compensation change
The lifeboat fund for defined benefit pension schemes has begun contacting members with pre-97 benefits regarding inflation-linked uplifts that will begin in January.
People news
Appointments: Zedra, Aptia, PASA, Cartwright, Hargreaves
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 10 July 2026.
Appointments: New faces on trustee boards at Aon, Now Pensions
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 3 July 2026.
Dame Kate Barker to leave USS as part of senior reshuffle
Next year will see new faces take over chairing the UK’s largest pension scheme and its wholly-owned investment management subsidiary.
Appointments: SuperChoice hires adviser; Carne Group names president
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 26 June 2026.
Latest videos from Pensions Expert
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Latest on Defined Contribution
DC consolidation: Four providers hold 70% of assets, study finds
As the government pushes forward with its £25bn scale requirement for DC schemes, new research shows that the sector is already dominated by a small number of providers.
Cost of renting will wipe out auto-enrolment savings for future retirees, research warns
Future generations retiring with a minimum auto-enrolment pension will see their workplace savings wiped out by the cost of renting, according to research by Hymans Robertson.
Auto-enrolment reforms could introduce unwelcome complexity, study finds
Introducing flexible approaches to auto-enrolment contributions risks introducing complexities and would not be popular among savers or employers, according to a major study led by Pensions UK.
A blueprint for megafunds: How consolidation will shape the future of DC pensions
The drive towards “fewer, larger pension schemes” being driven by the Pension Schemes Act could boost individual pension pots by up to 20% if executed well, according to new research by WPI Economics and Standard Life.
Latest on Dashboards
Bell says dashboard ‘has improved data quality’ as launch confirmed for 2027
The DWP has confirmed that 85% of schemes have connected to the dashboard ecosystem, with all in-scope schemes expected to meet the 31 October statutory connection deadline.
Always A Pensions Angle: Fit for the Future, Dashboards, and Retirement Living Standards
This week sees the podcast team looking at the LGPS, which has a little more time to get Fit for the Future as some important deadlines have been extended. There are also updates on dashboards, AI, and Retirement Living Standards.
Major master trusts collaborate to cut pension transfer times
Providers including Nest, the People’s Pension, Smart Pension, and Now Pension have established Pathfinder, a working group that will explore “practical ways to improve pension transfers”.
Dashboards update: Connection coverage reaches 85% as final deadlines approach
The Money and Pensions Service expects the MoneyHelper dashboard to become available to the general public during the 2027-28 financial year.
