All Covid-19 articles
-
OpinionTurbulent weather ahead for DB schemes
We live in a world right now that seems fraught with risks.
-
NewsTwo-fifths of sponsors uncertain on accounting for Covid-19
On the go: A significant proportion of defined benefit pension scheme sponsors are still working out whether and how to make an allowance for Covid-19 in their year-end accounts due to a range of issues, according to LCP.
-
NewsTruss commits to pensions triple lock as inflation hits 10.1%
Prime minister Liz Truss has confirmed that the triple lock will be maintained, even as September’s figures showed inflation rising to 10.1 per cent.
-
NewsInflation presents ‘considerable risk’ to DC pension pots
Skyrocketing inflation figures pose unique challenges for defined contribution pension schemes as memberships surge to record highs, according to the Pensions Policy Institute’s DC Future Book.
-
NewsCovid-hit fiduciary management market gains 70% in 5 years
Although the UK fiduciary management market has risen by 11 per cent a year over the past five years, its growth is still below the previous period’s figures, with Covid-19 having an impact on selection processes in 2021, according to a survey by IC Select.
-
News‘Disingenuous’ pension proposals will not fix NHS staffing crisis
The government’s proposed pension rules tweaks around “retire and return” for some NHS Pension Scheme members, in a bid to tackle the mounting staff retention crisis, have been criticised by commentators who argue that the changes do not go far enough.
-
NewsWaiting times a problem as demand for Pensions Ombudsman rises
The Pensions Ombudsman has been successful in its application for additional funding, part of which will go towards establishing its new pensions dishonesty unit, and tackling customer waiting times as demand is expected to rise by at least 10 per cent over the next year.
-
OpinionFive years on the ‘pensions horse’, is Opperman winning the race?
Almost five years have passed since Guy Opperman assumed the role of pensions minister, which we all know he asked for. What we can hope is that after all these years he knows what a guaranteed minimum pension is.
-
NewsNumber of NHS workers claiming pension benefits hits record high
On the go: The number of NHS workers claiming their pension benefits reached an all-time high in April 2022, which Quilter has said suggests more people are deciding to retire.
-
News‘Flurry of activity’ expected in the bulk annuity market
On the go: The buy-in and buyout market is expected to have a “flurry of activity” over the next 12 months as defined benefit schemes look to accelerate their derisking plans, according to LCP.
-
NewsCrisis-driven mortality increase to reduce scheme liabilities
On the go: An increase in mortality rates brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, pressures on the healthcare system, and the cost of living crisis could see schemes’ liabilities reduced by around 2 per cent in the coming years, according to analysis from LCP.
-
NewsTPR funding statement flags uncertainty impact for valuations
High levels of uncertainty surrounding inflation, interest rates, mortality, energy prices and economic growth will put additional pressure on trustees completing their tranche 17 valuations this year, according to the Pensions Regulator’s annual funding statement.
-
OpinionInflation fears could see schemes move to lock in equity gains
Many trustees will have witnessed some remarkable gains from their global equity allocations.
-
NewsGovt pledges to honour triple lock for rest of this parliament
On the go: The state pension triple lock will be honoured for the remainder of this parliament, Thérèse Coffey has said.
-
News‘Build back better’ hits wall as trustees report trouble aligning
On the go: Trustees and investment managers are struggling to bring their investment strategies into line with the government’s ‘build back better’ initiative, citing a lack of opportunities and long-term planning.
-
PodcastsPodcast: Is this really the right time for auto-enrolment expansion?
Podcast: Expanding auto-enrolment is a great idea in theory, but with sky-high inflation, a cost of living crisis and the potential for a global recession to exacerbate it, is now the right time to pursue it? LCP partner Mary Spencer and Cartwright’s director of investment consulting Sam Roberts debate the merits, discuss pension schemes’ reaction to war in Ukraine, and explore the industry’s readiness for long-term inflation.
-
NewsCoronavirus triggers medium-term uncertainty over liabilities
On the go: The coronavirus pandemic is driving uncertainty over life expectancies over the next five to 10 years, according to new research.
-
NewsPension rules extended to October for returning NHS staff
On the go: The government has extended its relaxation of pension rules by seven months for NHS staff returning to work so they are not hit by reduced pension payments.
-
NewsOmicron drives interest rate and inflation hedging in Q4
On the go: Interest rate liability hedging activity surged by more than a quarter in the last three months of 2021, according to new data from BMO Global Asset Management, a jump which the asset manager attributed to Omicron-driven pessimism about the economy.
-
NewsFiduciary managers downplay pandemic disruptions
More than three-quarters of fiduciary managers endured control failures in 2020, despite “widespread claims” to the contrary, according to a new report from IC Select.