All articles by Benjamin Mercer – Page 30
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NewsIndustry body proposes general levy cap
Industry body proposesgeneral levy capThe Society of Pension Professionals has criticised the government's plans to introduce a 120 per cent general levy hike for defined benefit schemesEnterkeywords.sh_embed {position: relative;height: auto;width:100%;z-index: 0;overflow: hidden;background-color: #222;color: white;font-family: 'Lato', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;}.sh_embed * {-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;-moz-box-sizing: border-box;box-sizing: border-box;}.sh_embed .sh-embed-bg {position: absolute;width: 110%;height: 110%;top: ...
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Trustees demand greater access to technology to support their role
On the go: The coronavirus pandemic has seen off the quarterly meeting cycle, with 80 per cent of trustees agreeing that ad hoc and online meetings are the way forward, according to new research.
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NewsDWP proceeds with ‘revolutionary’ climate change agenda
The Department for Work and Pensions has proposed broadening the scope of climate risk analysis to cover not just the environmental impact of pension schemes’ portfolios, but also sponsor covenants and actuarial valuations.
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Thousands warn of ‘unjustified’ USS discount rate rises
More than 3,000 people have written to the trustees of the Universities Superannuation Scheme to criticise proposed changes to the valuation methodology that, they say, will result in its members and employers being overcharged by the scheme.
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Debenhams’ schemes to remain in PPF despite Boohoo acquisition
On the go: Struggling high street retailer Debenhams has been brought out of administration by online ‘fast fashion’ outlet Boohoo, but the transaction is understood to leave its two pension schemes in the Pension Protection Fund.
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How schemes can navigate the post-Covid recovery
Defined benefit schemes should use the post-Covid recovery to conduct a thorough postmortem of the effects of 2020’s events on their portfolios and strategies, according to Barnett Waddingham.
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‘Challenging’ 2020 forces 80% of DB schemes to reassess portfolios
On the go: Eighty per cent of defined benefit pension schemes plan to reassess their investment portfolios after the events of 2020 put returns in doubt, according to research by the Pensions Management Institute and River and Mercantile.
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Clarity on dashboards, but delays taint Pension Schemes Act
The government fought off opposition amendments to the Pension Schemes Act in the House of Lords on Tuesday, keeping its dashboards options open — but experts have warned that many of the act’s more substantive changes could be delayed until 2022.
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PodcastsPodcast: New powers in Pension Schemes Act could cause bankruptcies
Podcast: New criminal provisions in the Pension Schemes Act are so broadly drafted that they could strangle legitimate business activity, potentially resulting in unnecessary bankruptcies. So says Arc Pensions Law partner Jane Kola, who, along with Society of Pension Professionals president James Riley, warn about the potentially dire consequences and call for more clarity from the regulator. More cheerfully, this inauguration day episode also covers the future of actuaries, small pots, and Donald Trump’s pension.
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NewsBiden and EU to act as ESG ‘catalyst’ for UK schemes
The confluence of Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president this week and a new raft of rules from the EU in March will serve as a catalyst for the development of environmental, social and governance standards, experts have said.
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New pensions act offences have ‘far-reaching consequences’, LCP warns
On the go: New powers granted to the Pensions Regulator by the Pension Schemes Act could see directors, lenders and trustees made criminally liable for their mistakes, LCP has warned.
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Flat fees ban is a ‘sticking plaster’ on small pots wound
The Department for Work and Pensions’ proposed ban on flat fees on pots under £100 should be seen as a temporary stopgap, not a permanent solution to the small pots problem, industry figures have warned.
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NewsNew DB funding code could be delayed until 2022
The Pensions Regulator has issued an interim response that experts say could presage meaningful changes to the final version of the defined benefit funding code, which is likely to be delayed until 2022.
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NewsDWP to ban flat fees for small pots
The Department for Work and Pensions is to ban the charging of flat fees on pension pots under £100 in an attempt to stop their erosion by charges and administration costs.
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Trustees should monitor sponsor longevity when assessing covenant
On the go: Sponsor longevity is a vital part of covenant assessment, requiring professional judgement and a range of strategic tools, according to a new report by the Employer Covenant Practitioners’ Association.
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Nest to boost private market holdings by 6%
On the go: Nest is to expand its private market holdings from 9 per cent to 15 per cent by March next year, with its investments in illiquids and infrastructure assets expected to exceed a fifth of its £13bn portfolio.
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Barclays integrates ESG into £1.3bn sustainable growth fund
On the go: The Barclays Bank UK Retirement Fund has announced the integration of environmental, social and governance factors, as well as climate risk, into its diversified Multi-asset Growth Fund.
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Calls for actuaries to offer strategic advice as schemes target endgame
An industry group is proposing a radical change in the actuarial role, suggesting these professionals should step away from a technical specialist position to offer strategic advice, while moving away from triennial valuations.
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PodcastsPodcast: Economic uncertainty, DC consolidation, ESG to mark 2021
Podcast: Economic uncertainty from the pandemic and the aftereffects of Brexit, solving the small pots problem and consolidation in the defined contribution universe, and yet more environmental, social and governance regulation are the themes to watch out for this year. These are the predictions for the pensions industry in 2021 from Marc Hommel, senior pensions adviser at EY-Parthenon, and Sue Pemberton, head of technology and DC consulting at Premier Pensions.
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Industry needs to do more to combat scams, TPR says
While the Pensions Regulator has pointed the finger at industry saying all parties must do more to tackle the problem of pension scams, members of the Work and Pensions Committee have questioned whether the regulator has itself done enough to help.