All Defined benefit articles – Page 175
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News
Regulator aims to 'eradicate surprises' with risk management guide
The Pensions Regulator has issued a practical guide on integrated risk management to help trustees assess and respond to covenant, investment and funding risks, but experts have said schemes will need additional help.
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News
Scapa saves £600k through flexible retirement exercise
Adhesive tape manufacturer Scapa Group has saved around £600,000 by offering flexible retirement options to some deferred members of its defined benefit scheme, clearing more than £10m of liabilities.
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Opinion
Rob Gardner: Three Christmas wishes…
Talking Head: Redington’s Rob Gardner lays bare his wants for the future of pension saving, including a truly long-term plan and financial education.
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News
Fid man assets surpass £100bn but cynicism persists
Pension assets under fiduciary management hit £114bn during 2015, but independent trustees remain sceptical of the alignment of interests underpinning such arrangements.
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Opinion
Derisking dead ends
Editorial: If you’re short of gift ideas for your favourite veteran trustee or scheme manager, the Pension Protection Fund’s Purple Book could be a good shout.
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Opinion
DB-DC transfers are not always a bad idea
With freedom and choice giving greater access to defined contribution members’ assets, JLT’s Hugh Nolan asks if transfers-out can be seen as positive for defined benefit members.
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News
DB funding pressure rises but scheme closures plateau
Data Analysis: The aggregate funding level of UK defined benefit schemes has deteriorated again despite asset allocation trends moving towards lower-risk investments, but the number of schemes open to new members has stayed level.
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Features
Royal Mail closure plan flags pulldown effect of low rates
The perennial question of whether it is possible to keep defined benefit schemes open to accrual has resurfaced after Royal Mail Group said it could not afford to keep its DB scheme open beyond 2018.
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Features
Cash flow crisis: How to avoid becoming a forced seller
Sweeping closures of defined benefit schemes across the UK will limit the pain of future liabilities for sponsors, but have created a growing problem many pension funds have been slow to recognise: a cash flow crisis is on the horizon.
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News
Brewer's 'salami' derisking tactic is no small beer for liabilities
Midlands-based brewer Marston’s has bought in more than a third of its pension scheme liabilities since 2013 through a series of deals aimed at reducing volatility across its long-dated obligations and providing added security for members.
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News
Shire funds ‘keeping options open’ for asset pooling
A group of seven Local Government Pension Scheme funds has appointed a manager to run a joint £6.5bn passive mandate, but funds involved in the arrangement say longer-term plans for pooling are still under discussion.
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News
The Pensions Trust tackles state pension confusion
The Pensions Trust has updated member communications to prepare for the end of contracting out, as research has shown low levels of understanding about the state pension changes.
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News
Tough timescales for asset pooling put LGPS on the spot
The government’s much-anticipated criteria for the reform of Local Government Pension Scheme investment contains few surprises, but industry experts have raised concerns over the tight timescales for funds to prepare and implement complex proposals.
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Features
Shropshire profits from infra but schemes struggle to fill targets
Shropshire County Pension Fund’s infrastructure investment gained 40 per cent during 2014/15, but entry into the asset class remains a challenge for some UK pension funds.
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Opinion
What difference can switching to CPI make?
Historically, there was only one measure of inflation in the UK – the ubiquitous retail price index. Indeed, the letters RPI became entirely synonymous with the notion of price inflation.
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News
Shared pain, shared gain: Will risk-sharing get its day in the sun?
News Analysis: Collective defined contribution schemes have been put on ice by the pensions minister though the idea could come back on the agenda in the future. But are UK employers ready for risk-sharing?
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News
SPV helps Johnson Matthey reduce deficit by £145m
Johnson Matthey Pension Scheme has reduced its deficit by around £145m after taking a raft of measures to address its funding shortfall, including the creation of an asset-backed contribution vehicle comprised of third-party bonds.
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News
LGPS pooling puts in-house investment in the spotlight
News Analysis: Local authority pension fund pooling activity is gathering pace ahead of an upcoming government consultation on criteria for cutting costs, bringing with it a push towards greater in-house investment capability.
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News
Smiths uses escrow to help slash £250m from scheme deficit
Technology and engineering conglomerate Smiths Group has signed over its £153m escrow account to its scheme in a deal that demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved through strong trustee and employer collaboration.
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Opinion
How does the use of DGFs differ between DB and DC portfolios?
Roundtable: Aberdeen Asset Management’s Mike Brooks, Aon’s James Monk, Buck Consultants’ Nick Ridgway, Capital Cranfield’s Jonathan Reynolds, LCP’s Kevin Frisby and PTL’s David Hosford, review how DB and DC schemes use DGFs in different ways, in the second part of this roundtable.