Maria Espadinha
Maria is a former editor of Pensions Expert (2021-2023). She worked for the publication for more than five years.
OpinionFor the love of GMPs
Former Editor, Maria Espadinha, now a senior policy advisor at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, writes for Pensions Expert
NewsLords call for ‘far stricter limits’ on LDI leverage
A committee in the House of Lords has called for “far stricter limits” on leverage in liability-driven investments, which it believes caused the Bank of England intervention, while considering giving the Prudential Regulation Authority a role in schemes’ supervision, due to their “bank-like” strategies.
NewsFRC dashboards standard to remain unaltered until 2024
On the go: Dashboard projected assumptions, which came into force last year, will remain unaltered until March 2024, the Financial Reporting Council has announced.
NewsGovernment proposes changes to LGPS cost-control mechanism
The government is proposing a series of changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme cost control mechanism, aligning it with other public sector plans while giving more discretion to the Scheme Advisory Board.
NewsManagers using LDI debacle to ‘grab assets’ from schemes
Asset managers are using the liability-driven investment turmoil as an excuse to “grab assets” from defined benefit schemes by demanding buffers higher than those recommended by the regulators, a former fund manager has revealed.
NewsDWP narrows down small pots solution to two options
The Department for Work and Pensions has narrowed down the solution to the small pots issue to either the creation of default consolidators or the introduction of pot-follows-member legislation.
NewsGovernment explores CDC decumulation schemes
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions is exploring whether it could introduce legislation for decumulation-only collective defined contribution schemes, since these could help “improve member choice and outcomes”.
NewsDWP to announce DC reforms amid cost of living crisis
The Department for Work and Pensions will be announcing a series of reforms to defined contribution saving, in an attempt to curtail the impact of the cost of living crisis.
NewsNuclear sector DB schemes reform to go ahead after 5-year delay
The House of Lords has approved amendments to the energy bill that will allow the two nuclear public sector schemes to be reformed in line with government policy, five years after originally planned.
NewsNew DB funding code could cost employers up to £34bn
The Pensions Regulator estimates that the defined benefit funding code could have a cost for employers of up to £34bn, which has prompted consultancy LCP to call on the government to give more time to sponsors to adjust to the new regime.
NewsLDI turmoil could reduce DB schemes’ investment in illiquids
The fallout from the September market turmoil will be “wide-ranging” for UK defined benefit schemes, with regulatory changes influencing their capacity to invest in less-liquid growth strategies, according to a new report from Bloomberg Intelligence.
NewsFull scheme buy-ins to dominate market in 2023
On the go: With many defined benefit schemes advancing in their derisking plan due to higher gilt yields, WTW is expecting full scheme buy-ins to dominate a “busy market”.
NewsTPR delays investment data collection from DB schemes
The Pensions Regulator will not be collecting data on fiduciary management and investment consultants from defined benefit schemes as part of its 2023 scheme return, which can present a “gap in compliance”, experts have warned.
NewsUniversities staff to strike again over pay and pensions
On the go: More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities will strike on February 1, in a dispute that includes disagreement over the 2020 valuation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme
NewsEngineering company appoints LifeSight as master trust provider
On the go: Engineering company KBR has appointed LifeSight as master trust provider for its 6,400 UK defined contribution scheme members.
NewsLDI funds sold £23bn of gilts during market turmoil
Liability-driven investment funds sold £23bn of gilts in three weeks during the market turmoil in 2022, with pooled funds being forced sellers, Andrew Bailey has revealed.
NewsNew British Steel scheme secures third buy-in
On the go: The British Steel Pension Scheme has signed a £2bn buy-in with Legal & General, bringing the total liabilities insured to around 60 per cent.
NewsGovt actuary calls for improved data on schemes' LDI strategies
The government actuary has called on the Pensions Regulator to start collecting more data from defined benefit schemes about their liability-driven investments, among other suggestions to increase the visibility of risks associated with these strategies.
NewsDB schemes’ surplus rises £5.2bn in December
On the go: The aggregate surplus of the 5,131 defined benefit schemes in the Pension Protection Fund 7800 Index increased by £5.2bn in December.
NewsPASA urges master trusts to engage with advisers in dashboards dash
On the go: The Pensions Administration Standards Association has urged master trusts to have “further discussions” with qualified advisers to guarantee they are ready for the pensions dashboards launch.