All Covenant articles – Page 5
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NewsProfit warnings down but half of DB sponsors remain on life support
Profit warnings from listed companies with defined benefit schemes have dropped by two-thirds in the past six months, but more than half remain in the insolvency “danger zone”, according to figures from EY.
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NewsCould FSCS cope with a major bulk annuity provider default?
As sponsors offload their pension schemes to insurers, industry experts fear that an ever-increasing concentration of assets with a small group of players could lead to compensation schemes being overwhelmed in a major downturn.
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NewsUUK proposes USS governance reform, 20-year moratorium on exits
Universities UK, the employer group representing 340 Universities Superannuation Scheme members, has raised the prospect of a 20-year moratorium on scheme exits in a bid to show a greater commitment to covenant support.
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NewsTPR warns against hasty reactions to Covid-19 mortality figures
The Pensions Regulator has warned against hasty reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it is still “early days” in our understanding of how the virus has impacted longevity and life expectancy assumptions.
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NewsAviation scheme spared material detriment in sponsor’s acquisition
On the go: The trustee of the Signature Aviation Income and Protection Fund has been left satisfied after the pension scheme escaped any material detriment arising from its sponsor acquisition by Brown Bidco.
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NewsACA laments lack of guidance on TPR’s employer resources test
On the go: The Association of Consulting Actuaries has lamented a lack of guidance accompanying a consultation into new information-gathering powers by the Pensions Regulator, arguing that the consultation is too narrow to properly assess their consequences.
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FeaturesNew covenant support deal for Clarks as trustees approve CVA
New covenant support deal for Clarks as trustees approve CVA The shoe retailer has entered into a company voluntary arrangement as part of a package aimed at maintaining its obligations to the C&J Clark Pension FundEnterkeywords.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 * ...
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NewsJust 19 per cent say TPR criminal powers policy is 'adequately clear'
A mere 19 per cent of people said the Pensions Regulator’s draft policy on the use of its new criminal powers is “adequately clear”, while 65 per cent said they feared it could prompt companies to ditch their pension arrangements, leaving the regulator with much to do to win back industry trust.
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NewsIndustry calls again for clarity as TPR criminal consultation closes
The pensions industry has once again united in its calls for clarity as a consultation into the scope and application of the Pensions Regulator’s new criminal powers comes to a close.
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NewsAon criticises USS valuation assumptions as ‘overly prudent’
Aon has criticised the methodology and assumptions underlying the Universities Superannuation Scheme trustee’s response to the USS valuation, accusing it of being overly prudent and failing to properly justify several of its assumptions.
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Industrial action threats in response to new USS employer consultation
On the go: The University and College Union has once again hinted that industrial action may be called for after accusing Universities UK of failing to stand up for members.
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NewsUUK consults on way out of USS valuation wrangle
Universities UK, the employer group representing 340 Universities Superannuation Scheme employers, has opened a consultation on a range of measures intended to settle the long-running feud over the 2020 USS valuation.
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NewsTPR to beef up schemes’ climate change disclosure demands
The Pensions Regulator will demand that trustees add more climate change information to their scheme returns, and has promised enforcement action where pension funds do not comply with basic requirements.
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Over half of DB-listed sponsors at risk claimed pandemic support
More than half of defined benefit-listed sponsors that are currently at high risk of insolvency made a claim for government support in December, and could face uncertainty when this lifeline comes to an end, according to analysis from EY.
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NewsUSS rejects attempt to reopen controversial valuation
The Universities Superannuation Scheme has rejected a request by Universities UK, the advocacy group representing 340 higher education employers, to revisit the controversial assumptions behind its most recent valuation.
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NewsIndustry facing trustee exodus due to TPR’s new powers
Concerns about the reach and remit of the new powers afforded to the Pensions Regulator have not been addressed by its guidance or draft policy, and are even forcing some trustees to quit, Aon has said.
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Alternative funding structures attracting 75% of DB sponsors
On the go: As many as three in four defined benefit scheme sponsors could be using contingent funding as an alternative to the traditional deficit recovery contribution route, according to analysis from LCP.
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TPR to test employer resources in contribution regime
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions has proposed that the Pensions Regulator includes a new employer resources test in its contribution regime, which will be used to determine whether an act or failure to act has occurred.
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NewsTax ‘super-deduction’ could leave DB schemes short-changed
A “super-deduction” introduced in the Budget could see less money available to clear pension deficits, experts have warned, as businesses look to take advantage of the tax break.
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University employers urge USS to reconsider its valuation outcomes
On the go: Universities UK, which represents 340 Universities Superannuation Scheme employers, has written to the trustees of the scheme urging a rethink of its valuation outcomes.