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Latest DB news
‘Landmark moment’ as PPF confirms zero levy for 2026-27
The vast majority of the almost 5,000 DB schemes eligible for PPF protection won’t pay a conventional levy next year – the second year in a row this has happened.
How a hybrid DC scheme tapped into the bulk annuity market
A £13m DC pension scheme with a DB underpin has derisked through an “innovative” deal involving insurer Just Group and master trust Smart Pension.
Moving from buy-in to buyout: How fast can schemes go?
The pensions industry seems split over how quickly insurers can convert the huge number of buy-ins completed in recent years to full buyouts.
Bulk annuities latest: Mirror publisher locks in £270m buy-in with M&G
A round-up of the latest bulk annuity announcements, including a £60m deal for Bodycote’s UK pension scheme and a £7m deal for financing and leasing company Black Arrow’s retirement fund.
Bulk annuities news in association with Canada Life
What AI is telling your members about their pension scheme
PensionBee has flagged the increasing prevalence of ‘zero click’ searches that rely on AI-generated content, while consultancy Quietroom warns on serious flaws in how large language models summarise pension scheme information.
Smiths News faces TPR action over collapsed firm’s DB scheme
The media distribution company could receive a bill from the regulator related to the DB scheme of a former subsidiary, which entered administration after being sold in 2020.
Technology giants download pension risk through buy-ins
Technology companies IBM and Sopra Steria have insured defined benefit liabilities through buy-ins announced today, as the flurry of bulk annuity announcements continues.
Bulk annuities latest: L&G and Just Group announce transactions
Four schemes secure member benefits with buy-ins, with more than 1,000 pensions insured in deals worth a combined £97.4m.
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
The growing importance of member service through buy-ins
Insurers need to provide greater transparency around their member services provision, according to a new report, as post-transaction considerations are becoming increasingly important in bulk annuity deals.
M&G insures engineering firm’s DB scheme; Canada Life reveals bumper Q4
Engineering company Senior has insured its defined benefit scheme through a £180m buy-in deal with M&G, while Canada Life has unveiled its 2025 results including a bumper fourth quarter for bulk annuity activity.
Cosmetics company insures DB scheme with M&G in £235m deal
Avon Cosmetics has secured its defined benefit pension scheme through a £235m buy-in with M&G, covering more than 3,000 members.
DC expansion driving pension growth worldwide, study shows
The Thinking Ahead Institute’s latest study of global pension assets shows the UK to have slipped down the rankings in terms of assets under management.
Bulk annuities roundup: Trio of deals announced insuring 3,600 members
Rothesay, PIC and Just Group announce buy-ins worth a combined £407m as the competitive de-risking market continues to offer options to trustees.
Standard Life targets full buyout in four months for £700m Deloitte scheme
The insurance company has agreed to take on GMP equalisation work as part of efforts to meet a buyout deadline of April 2026.
Harwich docks scheme with £45m Royal London buy-in
Royal London has insured the Harwich Haven Authority Pension Fund through a £45m full scheme buy-in covering all 170 members.
Schroders lands £3bn fiduciary mandate from E.ON scheme
Schroders will take on the management of the portfolio for the £3bn E.ON UK Group pension fund, which is part of the £29bn Electricity Supply Pension Scheme.
Maritime company anchors DB scheme with £55m buy-in
The deal covers 667 members of the Bibby Line Group Ltd Pension Scheme, sponsored by Liverpool-based financial services and maritime company Bibby Line Group.
DB members confident in pensions but unsettled by buyout, research finds
Standard Life’s latest research suggests that members may need greater reassurance when their pension scheme is going through a bulk annuity transaction.
Comment & opinion
PMI: Investing in admin skills to protect savers as outsourcing increases
The Friday Takeaway: DB isn’t dead, it’s just resting
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