Ian Neale
OpinionThe government’s pensions priorities for 2019
In the year ahead, the DWP, HMRC, TPR, FCA and any other arm of government with a role in UK pensions must be ready to minimise any damage and disruption arising from Brexit.
OpinionScrap the cap? PPF rules challenged at CJEU
It will be interesting to see if the Pension Protection Fund compensation cap survives the impending Court of Justice of the European Union's decision in the case of Grenville Hampshire v The Board of the Pension Protection Fund.
OpinionA cold call ban is not the most effective scams measure
In August, the government's long-awaited response to last December's pension scams consultation came out.
OpinionShould s67 be repealed?
Few, if any, would argue for scrapping the member protections in section 67 of the Pensions Act 1995 – which protects accrued pension rights – altogether. There is, however, a question around whether it prevents changes that could keep schemes open or sponsoring employers solvent.
OpinionAre we wrong to view Lisas as a pensions issue?
Alongside the March 2016 Budget, the government responded to its July 2015 green paper consultation on reforming pensions tax relief. It represented a Groundhog Day moment.
OpinionShould the DWP cap early exit charges in occupational schemes?
UK governments have a long history of applying legislative sledgehammers to crack nuts. Sometimes because the nuts make the pensions landscape appear untidy; not infrequently to satisfy ideologically driven motives.
OpinionUnpacking the proposed DB bill
In May this year, as chair of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, Frank Field promised an inquiry into defined benefit schemes, “considering radical solutions to one of the great problems of this age”.
OpinionAs the lifetime and annual allowance changes take effect, who has to prepare and how?
When someone retires, the amount crystallised on a 'benefit crystallisation event' will show if they are breaking through the lifetime allowance of £1m, but some can avoid that by protecting a higher amount.
OpinionThings in the Autumn Statement you might have missed
The direct impact on pension schemes of the 2015 Autumn Statement was negligible, but it had some significant indirect effects.
OpinionWhat are pension input periods and why do they matter?
Before April 6 2006 the limit on pension contributions by members was based on earnings for the tax year.
- Opinion
Pot-follows-member: how it could work
In July 2012 the government announced its preferred solution to the proliferation of small pension pots, brought about by auto-enrolment.
- Opinion
How greater Scottish devolution could affect your scheme
Had the Scots voted for independence in September’s referendum and Scotland had become a European Union member state, the cross-border legislation would have kicked in and defined benefit schemes with members on both sides of the border would have had to eliminate deficits within two years.
- Opinion
The latest on reconciling GMPs and how it affects your scheme
Anyone who has accrued defined benefit entitlements under a contracted-out, salary-related scheme between April 1978 and April 1997 is entitled to a guaranteed minimum pension.