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Latest DB news
Vidett acquires corporate governance firm Bridgehouse
Professional trustee group Vidett has acquired Bridgehouse Company Secretaries, a corporate governance, risk and regulatory compliance service provider, as it seeks to expand its service provision.
Ferry firm secures £35m bulk annuity deal with Just Group
Cross-channel transport company Brittany Ferries has secured its defined benefit pension scheme through a £35m buy-in, insuring 444 members’ benefits.
Healthcare equipment firm seals £213m buy-in with PIC
Siemens Healthineers secures a full-scheme buy-in covering more than 1,600 members’ benefits and protecting bespoke retirement options.
DB schemes navigate volatile 2025 to finish with stronger funding position
Defined benefit pension schemes finished 2025 with an aggregate surplus of £259.7bn, according to the latest data from the Pension Protection Fund’s 7800 index.
Bulk annuities news
Engineering firm secures buy-in with PIC worth £155m
Engineering company NG Bailey has secured a £155m buy-in for its defined benefit pension scheme with Pension Insurance Corporation.
LCP forecasts record buy-in volume of £55bn in 2026
Buy-in volumes could reach a record £55bn in 2026, according to a new forecast from LCP, as strong insurer pipelines and competitive pricing continue to support high levels of pension risk transfer activity.
TPT raises ‘serious concerns’ over PPF levy on superfunds
The provider, which announced plans to launch a DB superfund last year, argued that carve-outs for “alternative covenant schemes” could hamper innovation and penalise employers and members.
Bulk annuities roundup: Peel Ports, Skanska complete major derisking deals
Pensions Expert rounds up a number of bulk annuity deals from the past fortnight, ranging from £4m to £525m in size, with around 9,000 members’ benefits secured in total.
Features and analysis
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.
Outlook 2026: The changing face of DB endgame options
Defined benefit experts give their views on the challenges and opportunities presented by the Pension Schemes Bill and other industry developments.
The unknown cost of pre-97 indexation to DB schemes
Potential changes to the way the PPF’s compensation is calculated and paid could have an impact on its 7800 index and some schemes in its assessment period, as Nick Reeve reports.
The PPF Purple Book: Six key charts for the corporate DB sector
The 20th edition of the Pension Protection Fund’s Purple Book shows a gradual but consistent decline in the number of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. But below the surface, the sector remains dynamic with millions of people’s retirements at stake.
Five Questions For… Morten Nilsson, Brightwell
Pensions Expert spoke to Brightwell chief executive Morten Nilsson about the government’s surplus release plans, and how he envisages sharing the BT Pension Scheme’s experiences with the wider market.
A Christmas wishlist for the pensions industry
Outlook 2026: The changing face of DB endgame options
The unknown cost of pre-97 indexation to DB schemes
The PPF Purple Book: Six key charts for the corporate DB sector
Five Questions For… Morten Nilsson, Brightwell
More defined benefit news
Surplus sharing dominating scheme decision-making, study shows
UK pension schemes are at a crossroads as surplus distribution challenges dominate decision-making, according to new research from PwC.
Aviva to support surplus sharing into DC master trust
Aviva’s £15bn defined contribution master trust has launched a service to make it easier for defined benefit trustees to use surplus assets to top up DC benefits.
Trusteeship standards face overhaul as DWP launches consultation
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a consultation on improving standards of trusteeship, governance and administration across trust-based pension schemes, as consolidation accelerates and trustee responsibilities continue to expand.
Lloyds DB schemes secure further longevity reinsurance deals
Three transactions cover £4.8bn in liabilities across three schemes and come on top of two deals announced in March worth £5.1bn.
Stagecoach transfers DB scheme to Aberdeen in innovative run-on deal
Stagecoach has agreed an innovative deal with financial services giant Aberdeen to transfer the bus company’s £1.2bn defined benefit pension scheme into a ‘run on’ arrangement.
How the PPF will pay inflation-linked compensation to FAS members
The PPF expects to begin paying inflation-linked compensation to members with pre-97 benefits from January 2027, subject to the progress of the Pension Schemes Bill.
Budget round-up: Leaks, sacrifices, and unexpected changes
Pensions Expert gathers all the essential pensions reading from chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Budget speech in one place, from salary sacrifice to surplus release, and pre-1997 indexation to the financial market reaction.
Government to introduce pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS members
The chancellor has pledged to allow the Pension Protection Fund to share its reserves with members whose benefits do not automatically increase in line with inflation.
British Coal pensioners to share in £2.3bn investment reserve
Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the investment reserve would be transferred to British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme members, following a similar decision last year affecting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Budget to reduce tax bill for DB surplus sharing from 2027
The change means that schemes can share surpluses with pensioner members without recipients incurring large tax bills and without permanently increasing pension payments.
Comment & opinion
AMNT: When is your pension like a Mars bar?
SPP: Pre-1997 indexation is a complex issue to be handled with care
Superfunds stepping into the spotlight through Pension Schemes Bill
Why pensions administration is having a ‘Cinderella moment’
SPP: Is tail risk starting to wag the dog?