All articles by Benjamin Mercer – Page 21
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NewsDWP’s stronger nudge is not ‘fit for purpose’
On the go: The “stronger nudge” towards guidance recently proposed by the Department for Work and Pensions is inadequate on its own and will impact members too late in the process to have a real effect, according to industry experts.
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NewsUSS employers pledge greater covenant support
Universities UK, the group representing 340 Universities Superannuation Scheme employers, has pledged additional covenant support to the pension scheme, in a move it said will spare its members the crippling contribution rate rises announced following the scheme’s 2020 valuation.
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NewsOmbudsman slaps fine on ‘reckless’ trustee for multiple breaches
The Pensions Ombudsman has upheld a complaint against the trustee of a small pension scheme for multiple breaches of trust and instances of malpractice, while demanding they reimburse the scheme to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
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NewsIndustry experts predict limited roll-out of CDC schemes
The government's consultation on regulations governing collective defined contribution schemes was received as a welcome step forward in the industry, but experts have cautioned that initial demand is likely to be low due to the restrictive conditions and high costs imposed on the market.
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NewsDWP’s ‘vision’ for superfunds to be published later this year
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions intends to set out its “vision” for the future regulation of superfunds in autumn/winter this year, according to its annual report published on Thursday.
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NewsDWP’s move to DC universal charge structure could do ‘serious damage’
Industry commentators are worried about the Department for Work and Pensions’ proposal to introduce a universal annual management charge in defined contribution default funds, warning that the move is premature and could do “serious damage” to the pensions market.
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NewsFour out of five investors to increase fixed income exposure
On the go: Eighty per cent of institutional investors intend to increase their fixed income exposure over the next three years, with one in six expecting this increase to be “significant”, according to a study by Aviva Investors.
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NewsPension tax change proposals branded ‘tragic’ and ‘crazy’
On the go: Rumours that the Treasury is planning to raid pensions have been branded “tragic” and “crazy” by speakers at a Hymans Robertson webinar, who warned that any reforms harming incentives to save could undo the work put in to boost retirement standards.
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NewsPPF 7800 Index shows surplus and funding improvements
On the go: The PPF 7800 Index for June shows improvements in the surplus and funding positions (on a section 179 basis) for the more than 5,000 schemes potentially eligible for entry to the Pension Protection Fund.
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NewsCovid-19 sees drop in sponsor support for DB schemes
On the go: The economic damage and uncertainty wrought by Covid-19 has seen a drop in employer support for defined benefit pension schemes, suggesting they will find it harder to meet their pension obligations as the pandemic’s fallout continues.
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NewsGreener pensions are ‘most effective’ way to fight climate change
On the go: Making a pension “green” is more effective than going vegan, stopping flying, and switching to a renewable energy provider combined, according to new research.
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NewsPASA launches GMP conversion guidance
The Pensions Administration Standards Association has published guidance on guaranteed minimum pension conversion for trustees striving to achieve GMP equality, providing examples of approaches that have been adopted or considered by “early movers”.
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NewsDWP issues ‘stronger nudge’ to pensions guidance consultation
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions has opened a consultation into regulations requiring trustees and scheme managers to “nudge” individuals to obtain pensions guidance.
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NewsCalls for a ‘rethink’ as dashboards call for input closes
The Pensions Dashboards Programme’s latest call for input closed on Friday. Industry figures, though encouraged by progress made on timescales, said problems stemming from inadequate disclosure regulations and estimated retirement income remain, leading LCP to call for an implementation “rethink”.
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PodcastsPodcast: Tapping DC for Long-Term Assets Fund requires ‘rigorous’ scrutiny
Podcast: HM Treasury’s proposals to tap defined contribution schemes for its new Long-Term Assets Fund is not a bad idea, but problems with daily dealing remain, and it requires the kind of “rigorous” scrutiny applied to other new asset classes. PensionBee chief executive Romi Savova and Jonathan Parker, head of DC and financial wellbeing at Redington, discuss the LTAF, rumours of a tax raid, and the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s new Responsible Investment Quality Mark.
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NewsCovid-19 pressures accelerate rate of DB scheme closures
On the go: Analysis by the Pensions Policy Institute, sponsored by the Trades Union Congress, has shown that the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic have accelerated the rate of defined benefit scheme closures, but member outcomes are far less reliable in defined contribution schemes.
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NewsPoor choices under pension freedoms cost savers £2bn
Savers taking advantage of pension freedoms to cash out before retirement have suffered £2bn in lost returns, spurring calls for better financial education, according to analysis by LCP.
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NewsCovid-19 spurs wave of interest in sustainable investing
Almost two-thirds of European asset and investment managers believe that the pandemic has made sustainable investing more important, according to Schroders’ Institutional Investor Study 2021.
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NewsNearly a third of Gen Xers have inadequate pension savings
Almost one in three Generation Xers — individuals aged between 41 and 56 — have inadequate pension savings and face a minimum-at-best standard of living in retirement, according to research by the International Longevity Centre and Standard Life.
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NewsGovt rejects calls for £1.2bn pension boost for mineworkers
On the go: The government has rejected calls to reform the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme that could have seen its members share an additional £1.2bn, a decision critics have branded “intransigent” and a “slap in the face”.