All legal articles – Page 11
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NewsTax ‘super-deduction’ could leave DB schemes short-changed
A “super-deduction” introduced in the Budget could see less money available to clear pension deficits, experts have warned, as businesses look to take advantage of the tax break.
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NewsTPR’s criminal powers draft policy fails to repeal industry concerns
The Pensions Regulator’s draft guidance on its new criminal powers, published on Thursday, failed to allay fears about the new sanctions, since it will be able to prosecute anyone in connection with an offence and will no longer be bound by limitation periods.
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NewsConcerns remain as DWP’s climate change consultation closes
Despite welcoming the government’s proposed measures on climate risk, industry experts have highlighted several outstanding concerns as the new rules need more clarity and risk a “herd mentality when it comes to metrics and targets”.
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NewsFraud Compensation Fund to begin processing cases within 18 months
The Fraud Compensation Fund could begin processing cases through to settlement within 12-18 months, a meeting of the Transparency Task Force was told on Monday.
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LGPS authorities expected to justify new pension powers
On the go: Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities will be expected to justify the use of their new powers around reviewing employer contributions, spreading exit payments, and setting up deferred debt arrangements.
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NewsPodcast: Budget 2021 - ‘Reckless conservatism’ in DB landscape
Podcast: Wednesday’s budget did not go far enough to counter the “reckless conservatism” in the defined benefit landscape when it comes to risk and growth assets, hampering the government’s drive to unleash pensions on the post-pandemic recovery, according to Conservative party peer baroness Ros Altmann. She is joined by Isio partner Mike Smedley, in a discussion that also includes the lifetime allowance freeze and what was missing from the chancellor’s statement.
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McCloud £17.5bn cost could be an underestimate
On the go: The Office for Budget Responsibility has said its current estimate of the cost of the McCloud remedy could be an understatement, since different remedies for the discrimination case could increase the projected spending.
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NewsImmediate choice a ‘no-brainer’ for judges’ McCloud remedy
The unique position of judges and their non-standard Judicial Pension Scheme means that opting for the “immediate choice” solution to McCloud is a “no-brainer”, experts have said, despite the rest of the public sector taking a different course.
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Dashboards preparation should begin immediately
On the go: New guidance from the Pensions Administration and Standards Association encourages all schemes to begin preparing for the introduction of the dashboards straight away, after the passage of the Pension Schemes Act set a series of events in motion.
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Chancellor ponders lifetime allowance 'stealth tax'
On the go: Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly planning to freeze the lifetime allowance for the rest of the current parliament, according to a report in the Times — a move that could see public sector workers hit hard.
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Judges to face immediate choice in McCloud solution
On the go: Members of the Judicial Pension Scheme will be subject to an immediate choice in 2022 in response to McCloud, in contrast to the rest of the public sector’s deferred choice underpin.
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NewsBT, Ford and M&S schemes consider legal challenge on RPI reform
The trustees of the BT, Ford and Marks and Spencer pension schemes have been granted an extension to the period in which they can consider filing for judicial review of the proposed alignment of the retail price index with the consumer price index including housing costs.
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NewsCan UK councils rent their own streets to fund pensions?
Several US public schemes have embraced unusual means of securing funding, including renting property to themselves. Although these tactics cannot be used across the Atlantic, the post-Covid landscape could see a variety of new strategies being deployed in the UK.
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Post-Brexit Solvency II reform an opportunity to free up capital
On the go: Brexit affords the UK an opportunity to revisit and reform Solvency II legislation, freeing up capital that can then be used to further the post-Covid economic recovery.
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OpinionSchemes should take a practical approach to GMP transfers
In November 2020, the High Court handed down a ruling on the equalisation of past transfers with guaranteed minimum pensions, which means trustees will now have to revisit 30 years of transfer data.
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Calls for DWP to change chair’s statement rules
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions is to publish a review of the effectiveness of defined contribution chair’s statements in April, which has prompted some specialists to call for a major rethink.
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PodcastsPodcast: Timms calls for pension transfer rules change
Podcast: The current law governing transfers is not fit for purpose and there are too many bodies involved in handling pension scams, according to Work and Pensions Committee chair Stephen Timms.
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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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OpinionSchemes to benefit from UK’s burgeoning collective action boost
Historically, there has been no equivalent to US style class actions in the UK. This means that the only recourse available to those affected by anti-competitive behaviour, such as cartels, is often to go it alone in court.
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NewsJudicial review could hold up public sector exit payment reform
The High Court is to hear challenges brought by a number of public sector unions to the £95,000 exit payment cap, after permission for a judicial review was granted late last year.