All pension liberation articles – Page 2

  • News

    Trustees receive positive sign from ombudsman on scam checks

    2019-12-19T00:00:00Z

    Trustees and administrators must maintain the utmost vigilance against scammers, industry experts warn, despite a Pensions Ombudsman determination on a £367,601 loss to fraudsters favouring the ceding pension scheme.

  • Robert Branagh
    Opinion

    Why face-to-face member engagement outdoes digital…for now

    2019-11-20T00:00:00Z

    Record attendance at the London Pension Fund Authority’s annual member forum in late September highlights the scale of the opportunity for pension schemes when they invest in their membership and collaborate more effectively with their members.

  • Getty Images
    News

    Dalriada working with replaced trustee to recoup £14m

    2019-11-20T00:00:00Z

    Professional trustees charged with rescuing three pension schemes that flouted investment rules say selling out of prohibited assets may thwart their efforts to recoup more than £14m owed to members.

  • News

    5 million still at risk from scams, TPR warns

    2019-08-07T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Pensions Regulator has warned that as many as five million savers are still at risk from pension scams, as it renews its commitment to fighting fraudsters alongside the Financial Conduct Authority.

  • Source: TPR and FCA joint scam campaign
    News

    Schemes must play part in war on scams

    2018-08-15T00:00:00Z

    Pension schemes and providers have been urged to increase member awareness of scam tactics and tighten data security, amid the revelation that average losses from fraudulent and inappropriate inducements eclipsed the size of the average pension pot in the UK.

  • News

    Scam victims lose £91,000 on average

    2018-08-13T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority have launched a joint media campaign to combat pension scams, amid the revelation that average losses from fraudulent and inappropriate inducements eclipsed the size of the average pension pot in the UK.

  • News

    Blocking dodgy transfers could stop scams, say trustees

    2018-05-17T00:00:00Z

    Only a restriction of the statutory right to transfer will end pension scams, the Pensions Regulator’s leading trustee company for appointments to irregular schemes has said, as it reported a marked increase in the number of cases dealt with in recent months.

  • News

    Cold-call ban needs hefty fines to work, experts say

    2018-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The government's decision to speed up its ban on cold calls and emails related to pensions must be supported by credible regulations and deterrent fines if consumers are to be protected, industry commentators have said.

  • News

    Select committee probes pension freedoms as concerns grow

    2017-09-21T00:00:00Z

    The Work and Pensions Committee is launching a new inquiry into the pension freedom reforms, asking whether changes are required to better achieve the policy’s objectives.

  • News

    Government reaffirms commitment to cold-calling ban

    2017-08-18T00:00:00Z

    The government has announced that it will introduce its long-promised ban on pensions cold calling “when parliamentary time allows”, putting to bed concerns that a second consultation would further delay the legislation.

  • Danny Dowd
    Opinion

    Have we finally got a handle on scams?

    2017-08-01T00:00:00Z

    Pension scams are a growing and wide-ranging problem facing consumers. Around four years ago Phoenix became aware that policyholders were being contacted by fraudsters, trying to trick them into losing their life savings.

  • Fiona Tait
    Opinion

    What we can expect from the pension scams consultation

    2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

    The government’s consultation into pension scams contains four very sensible proposals that will make it harder for scammers to operate. This a great step in significantly improving consumer protection in this area.

  • News

    Cold-calling ban could strengthen scheme powers to block transfers

    2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

    The government has launched its consultation on pension scams, proposing bans on pension-related cold calls, limits on the statutory right to transfer and tighter regulations for setting up potentially fraudulent schemes. 

  • News

    Schemes are unprepared for data hacking threat

    2016-10-21T00:00:00Z

    PLSA Annual Conference 2016: Schemes must look past the immediate threat of pension liberation scams and stress test their systems against other types of fraud, including cyber crime, according to a panel of experts.

  • News

    Uptick in scams prompts call for tighter regulation

    2016-07-20T00:00:00Z

    A recent increase in reports of suspected pension scams has been called “the tip of the iceberg”, as experts said tighter legislation would help schemes ensure their members do not lose hard-earned retirement savings.

  • Keeley Frampton, Dominic Harris
    Opinion

    Latest ombudsman decisions – and what trustees can learn from them

    2016-04-29T00:00:00Z

    A number of important High Court rulings and pensions ombudsman decisions in the past few months mean the legal pensions landscape is evolving, so what do schemes and employers need to be mindful of?

  • Duncan Buchanan
    Opinion

    Buchanan: Government should close legal gaps to stop scammers

    2016-03-14T00:00:00Z

    When I started out in pensions in the early 1990s, there were clear demarcation lines between ‘occupational pension schemes’, established on a paternalistic, non-profit basis by employers, and ‘personal pension plans’ operated by authorised providers for commercial gain.

  • News

    High Court ruling ramps up fears over pension liberation

    2016-02-22T00:00:00Z

    The High Court has ruled against insurer Royal London for blocking a pension transfer where it suspected the receiving fund could be a pensions liberation scheme, prompting industry observers to raise concerns about protections for members, providers and trustees.

  • Getty Images
    News

    300 Scots hit by pension scam as advice gap persists

    2016-02-16T00:00:00Z

    Scottish police are investigating a £10m pension liberation fraud that has targeted more than 300 people north of the border – a reminder for the industry of members’ vulnerability to evolving fraudulent operations.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds
    Opinion

    Shadow pensions minister: Building awareness v expensive publicity

    2015-11-09T00:00:00Z

    From the blog: Since I became shadow pensions minister the three major issues on my desk every week are the pension freedoms, auto-enrolment and the new single-tier state pension.