Stephanie Baxter
NewsTwo-fifths of sponsors uncertain on accounting for Covid-19
On the go: A significant proportion of defined benefit pension scheme sponsors are still working out whether and how to make an allowance for Covid-19 in their year-end accounts due to a range of issues, according to LCP.
NewsIA cracks down on exec pensions misalignment with workforce
On the go: The Investment Association is increasing its crackdown on FTSE companies where executive pension contributions are not aligned to most of the workforce, according to its latest annual pay guidelines for FTSE companies.
NewsSolvency II reforms ‘could unlock £100bn in productive finance’
The Treasury has published its final Solvency II reform proposals, which are expected by the industry to unlock more than £100bn in long-term productive assets such as social infrastructure and green energy.
NewsExperts warn schemes of recession and inflation risks after BoE rate rise
The Bank of England has announced its highest rate hike in 27 years, lifting its base rate by 0.5 per cent to 1.75 per cent in a bid to control rising inflation, with warnings of an imminent recession creating fresh challenges for UK pension schemes.
NewsTPR revamps guidance on fiduciary management tender processes
The Pensions Regulator has published updated guidance on the tender process for fiduciary management services and trustees, setting objectives for investment consultants as it prepares to take over regulation of these duties this autumn.
NewsFalling bond yields drive down July FTSE 350 surplus by £9bn
On the go: The pension funding surplus of the UK’s biggest 350 listed companies fell last month amid choppy markets and falling bond yields.
NewsTPR unveils new scam-busting plan amid cost of living crisis
The increase in the cost of living may leave savers more vulnerable to scammers, the Pensions Regulator has warned, as it unveils a new three-year plan to protect individuals from pension scams.
NewsTPR chief backs using tax returns to bring self-employed into pensions
The Pensions Regulator’s chief executive, Charles Counsell, has backed using self-assessment tax returns to encourage more self-employed to save into pensions, in a bid to tackle huge levels of pensions under-saving in the cohort.
NewsTrustees warn single code will be significant resource drain
Uncertainty over the forthcoming changes in the Pensions Regulator’s new single code of practice is causing anxiety among trustees, as they expect it to have a huge impact on their time and resources.
NewsRecord numbers of FTSE 350 DB schemes are in surplus
More than six in 10 FTSE 350 defined benefit scheme sponsors have reported a pensions accounting surplus as at the end of 2021, while the aggregate surplus has almost doubled in the past months.
NewsCivil service to hold pensions strike vote
On the go: The civil service and related public sector areas are set to vote on industrial action over pay, pensions and redundancy terms this autumn.
NewsAnnuities make slow comeback as retirees look for income certainty
After a decline in annuity sales following the pension freedoms, the market seems to have levelled off with purchases accounting for around 10 per cent of total market share, according to the Pensions Policy Institute.
NewsIFS: Retirement spending increases between ages 62 and 80
Individuals aged 62 to 80 and couples typically spend more in retirement, dispelling the assumption that spending decreases in later life, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
NewsTUC urges govt action on ‘whopping’ gender pensions gap
The income gap between men and women in retirement has reached 38 per cent, more than twice the level of the gender pay gap, as women continue to be at a disadvantage in their later years.
NewsPASA bolsters cyber attack admin checklist amid crime surge
The Pensions Administration Standards Association has published a new cyber crime checklist, advising administrators to keep up to speed with legislation and assess their vulnerabilities to cyber attacks amid a spike in online criminal activity.
NewsPerceptions of TPR’s performance quality deteriorate in 2021
The perception of the Pensions Regulator’s performance quality diminished last year, according to the watchdog’s ‘Perceptions of TPR’ report
NewsGovernment issues call for evidence on climate investment
On the go: The UK government is exploring ways to increase the mobilisation of public and private investment to achieve 2030 climate and nature targets in emerging and developing economies, having launched a call for evidence on May 12.