Charlotte Moore
FeaturesDC consolidation: A complex picture
With the government – and the opposition – set on consolidating defined contribution schemes, Pensions Expert explores some of the complicating factors that have yet to be addressed.
FeaturesMaking net zero a reality
A net zero commitment means putting climate change at the heart of how portfolios are managed. Are UK DC schemes ready?
NewsThe future of TCFD
The urgent steps the pensions industry must take to make TCFD reports effective
NewsOmbudsman fines NHS trust £1,000 over additional pension ‘distress’
The Pensions Ombudsman has ordered the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust to pay £1,000 to a scheme member for distress and inconvenience caused when payments were taken for an additional pension, which the complainant had wanted to set up but had not been actioned.
NewsNest Insight launches emergency savings trial
On the go: Nest Insight, the research arm of the Nest master trust, has launched an emergency savings trial with financial wellbeing provider Wagestream to examine employee financial resilience and the impact of different nudges to encourage people to save.
NewsBMA warns of spike in early retirements over tax relief reforms
The British Medical Association has warned that the number of doctors choosing to reduce hours or retire early would increase were the government to proceed with reported plans to freeze the pensions lifetime allowance past 2026.
NewsSchemes urged to revisit buyout plans in rising rate environment
Rising interest rates and the subsequent fall in liability valuations and deficits have now made buyouts more affordable for a larger number of pension funds, with consultants urging schemes to restructure their investment strategy to make it more palatable to an insurance company.
NewsRising rates pose challenges for closed DB schemes’ LDI portfolios
While interest rate and inflation hedges have helped many defined benefit schemes stabilise their funding positions, the current macroeconomic environment is creating challenges for some closed plans, which might not have the necessary collateral in place to meet high payments.
NewsClara-Pensions plans Q3 deal after regulatory approval
Clara-Pensions is planning to announce its first transaction in the third quarter of this year, as founder and outgoing chief executive Adam Saron details the types of pension schemes that are likely to find value in the defined benefit consolidator’s business model.
NewsCorporate bond managers urged to explain climate transition risks
As defined benefit schemes are increasingly expected to replace their equity portfolios with corporate bond holdings in their journey to reach funding targets, pension funds and their asset managers are being urged to carefully assess companies’ attitudes to climate transition risks.
NewsPension funds advised to keep close eye on inflation
Recent spikes in inflation have led consultants to advise schemes against buying overpriced hedges and urging them to stay underhedged over the next three years, while looking elsewhere for inflation-linked returns.
- News
Border to Coast set to focus on fixed income in 2020
The Border to Coast investment pool is looking to widen the range of fixed income products it offers to local authority pension scheme clients in 2020, according to its chief executive.
- Features
Authorised master trusts look ahead to supervision
The newly authorised master trust sector is bracing itself for a further increase in regulatory scrutiny as the supervision regime takes hold, since one-to-one supervision and annual statement requirements could amount to something approaching a “mini-authorisation” once a year.
- Opinion
Choppy waters: How schemes can invest in volatile markets
Pension schemes have been grappling with the impact of low returns since the global financial crisis, but the environment became even trickier to navigate when the equity market fell sharply at the start of this year.
OpinionWould Brexit mean less red tape for UK schemes?
Analysis: The volume of European regulatory changes has radically increased the governance burden on UK pension schemes in recent years; voting to leave the European Union must be tempting for trustees keen to cut the red tape.
- Opinion
How global events hit your pension fund
Despite many months of turbulent news stories – the continuing advance of Islamic State, pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong and the spread of Ebola – the markets failed to react to this increased uncertainty until last month.
- Opinion
Schemes make tackling uncertainty a priority
Strip away the complexity and at the heart of investing lies a simple concept: the reward for putting capital into a risky asset is to receive higher returns than opting for the safe bet.
FeaturesHow local authority schemes manage political risk
Following the loss of West Yorkshire Pension Fund’s chair at this month’s council elections, a number of local authority schemes outline what steps they take to ensure board continuity.
FeaturesBAE property portfolio suffers due to lack of London exposure
The £9.5bn BAE Systems Pension Scheme has seen its property portfolio lag its benchmark due to underexposure to certain assets.
- Features
Local government schemes respond to AE safeguards
Norfolk Pension Fund has issued each of its employers with a guide to complying with new auto-enrolment legislation to ensure members are not induced to leave the scheme.