All articles by Sarah Cowburn – Page 12

  • News

    Pennon saves £15m with pensionable pay cap

    2014-12-04T00:00:00Z

    Utilities company Pennon has become the latest private sector employer to impose a cap on future increases in members’ pensionable pay, saving the company £15m, while installing a voluntary top-up for members.

  • Opinion

    How the Autumn Statement will affect your scheme (not hugely)

    2014-12-03T00:00:00Z

    Today's statement from chancellor George Osborne was like a cold flannel to the forehead of the pensions industry, compared with the madness of March. That the taxation of dependants' pensions was a central talking point is probably telling.

  • News

    Concerns that DC reforms will drive pensions liberation reach MPs

    2014-12-02T00:00:00Z

    Industry figures have said the guidance guarantee and independent advice are important to prevent scheme members being lured into punitive liberation schemes by the prospect of increased retirement flexibilities – a problem brought before parliament this week.

  • Opinion

    Nodding heads: Are there any yes men around your trustee table?

    2014-12-01T00:00:00Z

    It’s a Friday afternoon and a trustee board meeting is drawing to a close. Two legitimate options are on the table and a decision is imminent. Who takes the lead? Or more importantly… who nods their head and follows?

  • News

    What the revised Sorp requires of your scheme reporting

    2014-11-27T00:00:00Z

    Pension schemes will have to boost transparency and detail under reporting requirements in the revised statement of recommended practice by the Pensions Research Accountants Group, which comes into force next year.

  • Features

    Wolseley moves to quell creeping opt-out rate

    2014-11-27T00:00:00Z

    Plumbing products supplier Wolseley UK is working to battle a climbing opt-out rate, reflecting the challenge of keeping new joiners in workplace pension schemes despite attractive terms.

  • News

    How stewardship has moved up the scheme investment agenda

    2014-11-26T00:00:00Z

    As many as four out of five UK pension funds now screen their managers for stewardship activity as part of the selection process, demonstrating the growth in environmental, social and governance considerations among institutional investors.

  • Features

    SME to auto-enrol nine months early to ease process

    2014-10-03T00:00:00Z

    Nutrition provider Dr Schär UK has completed preparations to begin auto-enrolment in January, nine months ahead of its staging date, in order to ease its reporting and payroll processes.

  • News

    What the ONS data tell us about contribution habits

    2014-09-26T00:00:00Z

    Official data have shown employers with between 1,000 and 4,999 employees on average contribute more to their defined contribution schemes than their larger and smaller counterparts, as industry experts call for increased contributions.

  • News

    Industry looks for answers for low earners missed by AE

    2014-09-12T00:00:00Z

    Industry experts have zeroed in on auto-enrolment eligibility and the ‘soft compulsion’ of the government’s workplace pensions reform as areas that could be improved to help close the retirement savings gap.

  • News

    DB steals limelight in 75% of hybrid scheme trustee meetings

    2014-08-19T00:00:00Z

    Three-quarters of hybrid scheme trustees spend more time on their defined benefit offerings than defined contribution, sparking concerns that they are failing to respond to the shift to DC.

  • News

    DB-to-DC transfers forecast to impact on derisking strategies

    2014-08-08T00:00:00Z

    Investment experts have predicted liability-driven investment programmes could become more tricky since the chancellor gave the green light to transfers from defined benefit to defined contribution, with schemes finding find it more difficult to predict liabilities.