All deficit articles – Page 15
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News
Pension questions raised after FirstGroup rejects takeover bid
FirstGroup’s rejection of a hostile takeover approach from US private equity group Apollo Management has sparked discussion on pensions.
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News
DB deficits slip back up
The UK's aggregate defined benefit deficit increased over March to £115.6bn from £72.1bn on a section 179 basis, according to Pension Protection Fund estimates.
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News
TPR fires warning shot over dividend to DRC balance
Defined benefit trustees and sponsoring employers should act sooner rather than later to secure members' pensions, the Pensions Regulator has said in its latest annual funding statement, and warned against prioritising dividends.
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News
Striking academics turn down pension offer
The University and College Union has voted to reject proposals agreed by the union and Universities UK over pension pay, meaning lecturers will continue to strike.
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News
DB deficits continue to decrease but tensions remain
Defined benefit deficits across UK private sector pension schemes have decreased to £105bn from £180bn last year.
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NewsUniversity of Oxford learns hard lesson with Care closure
The University of Oxford has introduced a defined contribution scheme for new joiners and is making a number of other changes to reduce costs as universities are waking up to their pension deficits. One expert called the education sector ‘a disaster’ in pension terms.
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News
Field: Carillion directors ‘contemptuous’ of pension obligations
Letters from trustees of the main Carillion pension schemes to the Pensions Regulator suggest that directors of Carillion were “contemptuous” of their pension obligations, according to chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, Frank Field.
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FeaturesBritish Coal members raise Capita admin concerns
The £9.4bn British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme has had to calm member concerns at its 2017 annual meeting over its decision to appoint Capita as its administrator last year.
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News
Box Clever trustees under scrutiny for scheme setup decisions
The trustees of failed TV rental business Box Clever’s defined benefit pension scheme have come under scrutiny for their decisions involving the fund’s setup, as part of an Upper Tribunal hearing on the company’s collapse.
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NewsMPs accuse Carillion of trying to 'wriggle out' of pension obligations
The Work and Pensions Committee has accused Carillion of trying to “wriggle out” of its pension obligations for the past decade, amid calls for stronger laws to prevent future scandals.
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NewsMay's promise to protect pensions lacks concrete solutions
Theresa May has pledged to stop executives who try to “line their own pockets” by putting pension schemes at risk, but questions over resourcing and legislative issues remain.
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News
Select committee questions TPR on Barclays scheme sponsorship
The Work and Pensions Committee is questioning the Pensions Regulator on the sponsorship of Barclays Bank’s pension scheme in relation to the company’s restructuring plans.
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Features
Do UK DB schemes have a covenant problem?
Analysis: Sponsor covenant and failed defined benefit promises are in the headlines again with the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion. Could the liquidation be indicative of a wider national inability to pay pensions, and how should trustees react to a deterioration in their covenant?
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NewsSouthampton uni's DB closure proposal poorly timed, experts say
The University of Southampton is consulting on the closure of its defined benefit scheme for non-academic staff, a move experts have said is not well timed given current scrutiny of senior pay packages at universities.
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FeaturesUnilever forks out £600m to tackle £1.2bn DB deficit
Unilever has contributed £600m to its scheme, after an actuarial valuation revealed a £1.2bn deficit. Meanwhile, the trustees have taken steps to ensure they can act quickly should there be a significant corporate event.
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News
DB deficits rise by £16bn in December
The latest Pension Protection Fund 7800 Index indicates a jump in the aggregate defined benefit deficit to £103.8bn at the end of December 2017, from a deficit of £87.6bn at the end of November 2017.
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News
Companies reduce scheme deficits by £8bn
The combined pension deficit of FTSE 350 companies improved by £8bn over 2017, while assets went up more than £44bn to £781bn, a pensions consultancy said.
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NewsPPF praised for tough line on Toys R Us insolvency talks
The pensions industry has welcomed the tough stance taken by the Pension Protection Fund in its negotiations with struggling retailer Toys R Us, saying it will encourage companies not to take their pension responsibilities lightly.
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Features
CPI, admin and Mums: Top 5 DB and derisking stories from 2017
Year in review: Funding and liability management took centre stage during 2017, as the debate over defined benefit pension scheme sustainability and member protection ramped up.
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FeaturesBAE actuarial switch sidesteps funding slump
BAE Systems has ditched gilts-based valuations for its UK defined benefit schemes after gaining regulatory approval, freezing its deficit at 2014 levels and sparking controversy in the pensions industry.