All Defined benefit articles – Page 194
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News
Greater intermediary fee transparency needed to assess value, experts urge
News analysis: Investment management and consultant fees need to be more transparent to allow schemes to more accurately measure whether they are getting value for money, industry figures have said.
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FeaturesMineworkers scheme extends cash buffer to battle rising longevity
The Mineworkers Pension Scheme has secured a 10-year extension to the repayment deadline of its government-backed investment reserve, as it works to manage increased longevity among scheme members.
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News
Schemes delay mergers over tax risk concerns
Schemes are thinking twice about undertaking bulk transfers of benefits to avoid the risk of passing on individual tax charges to members as they await final official rules.
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News
The Cut – Four lessons from the latest ONS pensions data
The Office for National Statistics revealed last week auto-enrolment has so far boosted the proportion of employees that belong to a workplace pension to 50 per cent from 47 per cent.
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FeaturesStrathclyde rebalances bond portfolio in drive for greater returns
Strathclyde Pension Fund has decreased its allocation to corporate bonds in favour of a wider absolute return bond strategy, to rebalance its portfolio as spreads tighten.
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Opinion
A scheme guide to changing longevity risk
In the latest Technical View, the Biogerontology Research Foundation’s Alex Zhavoronkov lays out the latest factors affecting longevity and how schemes and insurers are tackling it.
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News
Multi-asset exposure surges as schemes focus on volatility
The proportion of pension schemes with multi-asset fund exposure has risen to 83 per cent, up from 70 per cent just six months ago, as schemes look to control volatility and mitigate macroeconomic risk.
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FeaturesAsset-backed funding on the rise as schemes beef up security
Industry experts have predicted asset-backed funding strategies would survive a Scottish independence 'Yes' vote as well as current regulatory scrutiny, as greater accessibility has seen the average size of these structures decrease.
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NewsBP fund moves to guard against covenant risk
BP Pension Scheme has formalised a derisking framework with its sponsor to dampen covenant, asset value and investment risks, delegates at the National Association of Pension Funds’ investment conference 2014 heard last week.
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News
End of contracting-out adds urgency to CDC decision
Data analysis: Figures show more than four-fifths of active defined benefit members remain contracted out, as consultants have said the costs associated with ending the arrangement have bolstered the hunt for alternatives.
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News
Isle of Wight bolsters governance ahead of LGPS reform
Isle of Wight Pension Fund has identified areas ripe for improvement in its governance, including more frequent funding monitoring, as local government schemes brace for next year's reforms to the sector.
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Opinion
How QE has harmed UK pensions
By creating £375bn to purchase gilts, the Bank of England has damaged both defined benefit and defined contribution pensions.
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Opinion
How to build your risk committee
As more defined benefit schemes follow a derisking plan towards their end point, monitoring and managing risk grows ever more important.
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News
BT 'pleased' as 30,000 members seek Pie advice
BT has attracted interest for its pension increase exchange exercise from more than 30,000 members, as one of the highest-profile employers to offer the liability-reducing tool.
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NewsEmployers consider RPI/CPI switch as gap widens
Consultants have reported more employers trying to overcome the difficulties of switching from using the retail price index to the consumer price index to reduce scheme liabilities as the gap between the two measures widens.
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News
NUJ to appeal ombudsman ruling over BBC pensionable pay cap
The National Union of Journalists will appeal the pensions ombudsman’s determination that the BBC's pensionable pay cap did not breach its obligations, as more employers look to such tools to derisk schemes.
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News
Scheme valuation process 'broken', consultants say
Industry figures have called the triennial valuation process poorly suited to help schemes assess their needs, with technological advances allowing trustees to instantly assess their scheme’s funding level.
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News
Civil service schemes centralise admin to boost engagement
The civil service pension schemes are moving the administration of their active, deferred and pensioner members to a single system to reduce costs and increase member engagement.
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News
Charities await guidance to reduce liability squeeze
Not-for-profit employers that belong to multi-employer schemes are waiting for further guidance on dealing with debt risk that could trigger insolvency.
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News
Lloyds derisks to stabilise scheme funding
One of Lloyds Bank's defined benefit pension funds has increased its allocation to bonds in an effort to boost stability, as European regulation puts pressure on bank sponsors to reduce volatility.