All articles by Angus Peters – Page 13

  • News

    Ministers mulling 50/50 solution for NHS scheme

    2019-05-13T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The chancellor and health secretary are reportedly considering introducing greater flexibility to the NHS pension scheme, in a bid to stave off a wave of early retirements without changing tax rules.

  • Features

    Morgan Sindall ditches ‘pension’ in comms to boost engagement

    2019-05-07T00:00:00Z

    Construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall has described the boost to pensions engagement it saw after revamping its member communications, notably replacing mentions of ‘pension’ with ‘retirement saving’.

  • Features

    Anglo American dials down equities even further

    2019-05-07T00:00:00Z

    The UK defined benefit schemes of mining multinational Anglo American have halved their already minimal exposure to equities, as the plans near self-sufficiency and reduced risk.

  • Features

    Private debt inflows continue as storm clouds gather

    2019-04-25T00:00:00Z

    Data crunch: Patrick Marshall is worried about the prospects for the private debt sector. The direct lending veteran and head of private debt at Hermes Investment Management says the possibility of markets coming back down to earth could leave some of his peers, and by extension the reputation of the industry, facing serious damage.

  • News

    STV agrees new £127m DB funding package

    2019-04-24T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Scottish broadcaster STV has agreed to pay off its £127m defined benefit pension deficit over 12 years, including additional contributions if its cash flow improves, after completing triennial valuations of its schemes.

  • News

    TPR warns on chair's statements after master trust fines upheld

    2019-04-23T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Fines issued by the Pensions Regulator against two master trusts have been upheld by courts, as the watchdog warned providers to ensure their chair's statements comply with the law.

  • News

    Government releases guidance on GMP equalisation

    2019-04-18T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions has set out a 10-stage process for UK pension schemes to equalise guaranteed minimum pensions.

  • Features

    Active managers unable to mitigate late 2018 volatility

    2019-04-18T00:00:00Z

    For active managers, the ultimate test of mettle will always be whether they can beat their benchmark. As of the end of 2018 the news looks good for stockpickers specialising in UK equities, but analysts say there are still concerns behind the numbers.

  • Angus Peters
    Opinion

    In pensions as in Brexit, it pays to plan for the worst

    2019-04-16T00:00:00Z

    Editorial: The government would not be expected to flirt with the prospect of not achieving a Brexit deal without prior contingency planning. It is time for pension fund trustees to think carefully about what they would do if their sponsor goes under.

  • Source: Getty Images
    News

    Select committee turns focus to Railways Pension Scheme deficit

    2019-04-15T00:00:00Z

    The Work and Pensions Committee has written to the Pensions Regulator over what it called the “staggering, parlous state” of the £25.5bn Railways Pension Scheme.

  • News

    NHS staff get cash instead of contributions options

    2019-04-15T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Doctors at risk of being caught by the tapered annual allowance will reportedly be offered cash instead of an employer contribution under new plans to reverse the trend for doctors retiring early.

  • News

    Debenhams scheme survives pre-pack administration

    2019-04-10T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Trustees of the Debenhams pension schemes have reassured members that they still have a sponsoring employer after the retailer went into a pre-pack administration on Tuesday.

  • News

    Govt greenlights dashboards but timetable questioned

    2019-04-05T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Pension schemes will be allowed up to four years to submit data to the pensions dashboard, sparking concerns that services appearing later this year will not be comprehensive.

  • News

    Clara eyes Q2 transaction after consultation delays clearance

    2019-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Commercial consolidator Clara Pensions expects to complete its first transaction within the next three months, according to the company’s founder and chief executive officer Adam Saron.

  • News

    Debenhams trustees see hope for schemes after sponsor refinancing

    2019-03-29T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Trustees of the Debenhams pension schemes have welcomed the news that its sponsor has agreed a £200m refinancing of its debt, including packages to improve the security of member benefits.

  • Features

    John Laing divests asset-backed funding from former sponsor

    2019-03-25T00:00:00Z

    The John Laing Pension Fund has sold its remaining stake in infrastructure company John Laing Environmental Assets Group, a holding initially contributed to the scheme as part of a contingent funding plan in 2015.

  • News

    L&G master trust default goes green due to member demand

    2019-03-13T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Legal & General Mastertrust is switching its default investment strategy to take account of environmental, social and governance risks, after a study revealed almost 60 per cent of its members favour the approach.

  • News

    Delivery date for vital CMA reforms questioned

    2019-03-12T00:00:00Z

    The government has welcomed reforms to the fiduciary management and investment consulting industry suggested by the Competition and Markets Authority, but experts fear it may be some time before at least one of the recommendations is implemented.

  • Angus Peters
    Opinion

    Keep in mind the member impact of pension changes

    2019-03-12T00:00:00Z

    There is a danger that we in the industry focus on numbers and theory when discussing the latest pension trends – for those not on the frontline dealing with members it can be all too easy to miss the human impact of decisions made by trustees, sponsors, advisers, providers and government.

  • News

    DB schemes creep back towards full PPF funding

    2019-03-12T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The 5,450 defined benefit schemes in the UK are inching back towards surplus on the Pension Protection Fund's measure, with an aggregate deficit of just £8.6bn.