All insolvency articles – Page 3
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NewsOpinion split on Pension Schemes Act implications
A survey carried out as part of a webinar by law firm Sackers has laid bare a deep divide in the industry over powers afforded by the Pension Schemes Act.
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Arcadia schemes could have enough assets to survive outside PPF
On the go: Arcadia pension scheme members could receive a greater portion of their savings after a string of property and infrastructure sales raised enough capital to bring them out of the Pension Protection Fund.
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TPR pledges guidance after royal assent for Pension Schemes Act
On the go: The Pensions Regulator welcomed the Pension Schemes Act receiving royal assent on Thursday, with chief executive Charles Counsell looking forward to the “strong package of measures” it provides and pledging guidance for how they will be used.
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PPF halves small scheme levy but warns of future rate hikes
On the go: The Pension Protection Fund has confirmed it will halve the levy for schemes with less than £20m in liabilities in order to “better reflect the risk posed by small schemes”, according to the final version of its 2021-22 levy rules.
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Debenhams’ schemes to remain in PPF despite Boohoo acquisition
On the go: Struggling high street retailer Debenhams has been brought out of administration by online ‘fast fashion’ outlet Boohoo, but the transaction is understood to leave its two pension schemes in the Pension Protection Fund.
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PodcastsPodcast: New powers in Pension Schemes Act could cause bankruptcies
Podcast: New criminal provisions in the Pension Schemes Act are so broadly drafted that they could strangle legitimate business activity, potentially resulting in unnecessary bankruptcies. So says Arc Pensions Law partner Jane Kola, who, along with Society of Pension Professionals president James Riley, warn about the potentially dire consequences and call for more clarity from the regulator. More cheerfully, this inauguration day episode also covers the future of actuaries, small pots, and Donald Trump’s pension.
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NewsEdinburgh Woollen Mill collapse leaves £17.5m pension black hole
Clothing and homeware manufacturer Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s collapse into administration has sparked fears its defined benefit scheme will not recover the £17.5m owed to it.
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Arcadia schemes to enter PPF assessment ‘shortly’
On the go: The defined benefit pension schemes belonging to the collapsed retail group Arcadia are set to transfer into the Pension Protection Fund’s assessment period, according to a letter to MPs from the Pensions Regulator.
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PodcastsPodcast: Trustees advised to self-certify before Christmas
Podcast: Jo Myerson, trustee director at Ross Trustees, tells Pensions Expert it is important that trustees comply with the Competition and Markets Authority’s self-certification rules early in order to avoid a mad, post-Christmas dash to meet the January 7 deadline. She is joined by David Rae, head of strategic client solutions at Russell Investments, in an episode also covering insolvencies, superfunds and the fallout from the reform of the retail price index.
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NewsOmbudsman rejects ex-plumber appeal to dismiss section 75 debt
The Pensions Ombudsman has rejected an ex-plumber’s appeal against paying £977,000 in Section 75 debt, as an updated trustee board membership tries to address historical issues in the Plumbing & Mechanical Services (UK) Industry Pension Scheme.
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Insolvency dawns on 22% of FTSE 350 DB schemes’ rated sponsors
On the go: Almost a quarter of FTSE 350 defined benefit schemes with rated sponsors expect corporate insolvency before they reach buyout, according to analysis from Hymans Robertson.
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NewsWeekly roundup: It’s not easy being Green
Welcome to Pensions Expert’s roundup of a week in which we bade farewell to a few of the high street’s better-known names, and the Pension Protection Fund brightened everyone’s mood with its new doomsday scenario.
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PPF reserves could be ‘wiped out’ by one or two big claims
Pension Protection Fund chief executive Oliver Morley has warned that the lifeboat’s reserves could be wiped out by just a few large claims, while downplaying the risk of a post-Covid run of small-scheme claims.
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KPMG ‘helped’ US firm dump £100m Silentnight scheme into PPF
On the go: KPMG allegedly helped US buyout fund HIG Capital force the insolvency of Silentnight to acquire the company without the burden of its £100m pension scheme, in a case brought by the UK’s accounting regulator.
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TPR issues guidance on protecting schemes from employer distress
New guidance for trustees on protecting their schemes from employer distress stresses the need for robust protections and integrated risk management.
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OpinionChanges to pre-packs step in the right direction
The Insolvency Service has stepped in to strengthen the position of defined benefit schemes in pre-pack administrations, but the new veto right is not universal.
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BHS exec scheme next to achieve PPF-plus outcome
On the go: The defined benefit scheme for senior management at defunct retailer BHS has bought out its benefits, allowing the plan to exit the Pension Protection Fund’s assessment period.
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Majority of DB schemes’ recovery plans on track before Covid
Data crunch: Only a third of defined benefit schemes extended their recovery plan end date in 2019, but pandemic storms are set to see pension funds entering choppy waters, with insolvency looming for some sponsors and trustees being asked to make tough decisions.
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Covid leaves Northern Ireland Water deficit recovery in rough sea
Northern Ireland Water could have to pay an additional £4.6m a year in deficit repair contributions to its scheme, but uncertainty about how Covid-19 has impacted its investment and ongoing negotiations with trustees makes it hard to gauge its recovery plan.
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OpinionTrustees need to up their game to protect member journey
The dialogue around pension savings has grown exponentially during the Covid-19 crisis.