All George Osborne articles – Page 3

  • illustration by Ben Jennings
    Opinion

    Southern powerhouse

    2015-10-09T00:00:00Z

    Editorial: On Monday George Osborne announced the creation of six British Wealth Funds, into which our 89 local government pension schemes' assets will be pooled. Quite what this verb entails is still up for debate.

  • News

    Isa set-up fails to win over pensions crowd

    2015-10-02T00:00:00Z

    The industry has broadly rejected a wholesale shift of the current pension tax system towards an Isa-style approach, but some have woven together several ideas in an attempt to better incentivise saving.

  • Opinion

    PMI: Why government zeal on exit penalties is surprising

    2015-09-14T00:00:00Z

    Talking Head: The Treasury issued a consultation in July to assess the impact of exit penalties on defined contribution members looking to exercise their decumulation options.

  • Illustration by Ben Jennings
    Opinion

    Something's gotta give…

    2015-09-11T00:00:00Z

    Editorial: At least that’s the message from UK plc, which is sounding off about the detrimental impact of the living wage coming into force next April.

  • Opinion

    The Altmann furore: Does it really matter?

    2015-09-08T00:00:00Z

    From the blog: They say a leopard never changes its spots but a former government adviser can certainly change their political colours, it seems.

  • Duncan Buchanan
    Opinion

    SPP: Tax does have to be taxing

    2015-08-24T00:00:00Z

    Talking Head: The consultation launched following July's Budget may well be more than those who were calling for a review of the pension tax system had in mind.  

  • News

    July's top stories in 3 minutes

    2015-07-29T00:00:00Z

    In this inaugural Pensions Expert Vizcast, editor Maxine Kelly and senior reporter Tom Dines provide a whistle-stop tour of the month's most significant news and case studies, covering derisking exercises and the Summer Budget (3:10).  

  • Opinion

    Reviving the argument for an independent pension commission

    2015-07-24T00:00:00Z

    In March Dame Anne Begg, the chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: “A new independent pensions commission is now needed to provide coherence in pensions policy, and to build public confidence and long-term stability in the system.”

  • Illustration by Ben Jennings
    Opinion

    Editorial: TEE, no sugar

    2015-07-10T00:00:00Z

    “Promise made, promise delivered,” was George Osborne’s puffed appraisal of his inheritance tax move, which will add a £175,000 allowance for bequeathed family homes on top of the existing £325,000 threshold. 

  • Bloomberg
    News

    Industry left reeling by latest pension tax proposals

    2015-07-08T00:00:00Z

    Summer Budget: Chancellor George Osborne today unveiled a green paper proposing a significant overhaul of the current pensions tax relief system, going beyond what the industry had expected and acting as a harbinger of further radical reform.

  • Illustration by Ben Jennings
    Opinion

    Editorial: Speed bumps

    2015-06-18T00:00:00Z

    When the government announced last week it was launching a consultation into the processes underlying the pension freedoms, it came as little surprise to those who foresaw the rollout of these reforms having a bumpy ride.

  • ONS digital
    Opinion

    Minded to make the money last?

    2015-06-16T00:00:00Z

    From the blog: So, only around one in eight over-40s plans to cash in more than half of their pension pot. 

  • Features

    How to drive scheme productivity

    2015-06-15T00:00:00Z

    Any Other Business: Chancellor George Osborne painted an unimpressive picture of the nation’s productivity in the annual Mansion House address.

  • Illustration by Ben Jennings
    Opinion

    Editorial: Revived pressures

    2015-05-29T00:00:00Z

    The idea that the in-out referendum could be brought forward to next year has really focused the minds of many across the UK, and the pensions industry is starting to consider what the result could mean.

  • Opinion

    Editorial: Nobody got hurt. For now

    2015-03-20T00:00:00Z

    Editorial: Despite the inevitable post-Budget hole-picking, you have to hand it George Osborne who did exactly what he set out to do in this year’s announcement. He must be feeling very smug.

  • News

    Half would sell their annuity, majority want 90% of value

    2015-03-20T00:00:00Z

    The consultation to lay the groundwork for a secondary market for annuities, announced in last week’s Budget speech, will allowaround 5m pensioners having the option to cash in the products in exchange for a lump sum.

  • Opinion

    Budget 2015: The industry responds

    2015-03-18T00:00:00Z

    While not as earth-shaking as last year's historic gamechanger, yesterday's Budget included two important moves – the creation of a secondary annuity market and lowering the lifetime allowance to £1m from £1.25m.

  • News

    How the 2015 Budget affects your scheme

    2015-03-18T00:00:00Z

    Chancellor George Osborne’s ‘cost-neutral’ Budget announcement today still managed to herald further changes to the pensions landscape, including plans for a secondary annuities market and a hefty 20 per cent cut to the lifetime allowance.

  • News

    Recycled annuities could offer income for DB, but buyer beware

    2015-03-17T00:00:00Z

    Alongside Wednesday’s Budget, the government will launch a consultation on the viability of a secondary market to allow pensioners to cash in their annuities, but questions remain over who would buy them. 

  • Opinion

    Is Webb's cashing-in annuities plan a blessing or curse for savers?

    2015-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Pensions minister Steve Webb recently called for retirees to be able to cash in or swap annuity providers in much the same way homeowners can currently switch their mortgage rate.