All articles by Tom Dines – Page 9
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News
Lothian uses SPVs to sharpen in-house focus
Lothian Pension Fund is expecting to get Financial Conduct Authority approval for two special purpose vehicles by early 2016, as it looks to improve its in-house investment capabilities and foster better collaboration with other funds.
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News
Could regulator findings spell the end of lay trustees?
Schemes with only professional trustees are better run, research from the Pensions Regulator has today suggested, but experts have said schemes should not overlook the value of their non-professional counterparts.
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News
UK plc: Engagement is key to get more DC bang for employer buck
Data Analysis: Employee engagement with pension schemes is topping the agenda for businesses, with many saying the freedom and choice reforms have improved schemes' ability to generate good retirement incomes.
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News
How to engage your scheme with the press (or not)
Any Other Business: The pensions industry is very well served by the trade press and even national papers. But for schemes, talking to the press can be a daunting prospect, so when is best to do it and how can mistakes be avoided in the process?
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NewsDebenhams splashes out more on recovery despite surplus
Debenhams pension scheme trustees have secured higher employer contributions as part of the recovery plan despite having reached an IAS 19 surplus earlier this year, demonstrating the discrepancies between two scheme funding calculation methodologies.
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NewsBT takes the value for money debate to its members
BT Pension Scheme has tabled a roadshow to gather its members' views on how they define value for money, in a wider effort to boost engagement.
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News
NESPF saves 108 days with new payroll software
North East Scotland Pension Fund has made “huge savings” in administration costs and time through its new payroll software, allowing it to focus on the changing structure of the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme.
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Opinion
The battle for DB: Ideas to turn around its fortunes
From the blog: Foggy heads met misty eyes on the morning after the gala dinner at last week’s NAPF/PLSA conference, as four high-profile industry figureheads laid out their ideas to save defined benefit in the DB Debate.
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News
Fifth of schemes have not updated DB transfer communications
Close to a fifth of defined benefit schemes have made no changes to the way they inform members of their ability to transfer out of the scheme since the freedom and choice reforms.
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News
MNOPF considers closure to future accrual
NAPF 2015: The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund could close to future accrual, the scheme’s pensions director told delegates, because the end of contracting out will increase the cost of the scheme for employers and members.
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News
Whitbread: Learn from AE to save freedom and choice
NAPF 2015: The pensions industry must focus on simplification and consumer focus to ensure the success of freedom and choice, according to the chief executive of Costa Coffee owner Whitbread.
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Features
BBC couples derisking with flexibility for DB members
The BBC is offering a pension increase exchange to its pensioners, upping the options available to defined benefit members just months after offering to pay for advice for those considering transferring out of the scheme.
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Features
The Pensions Trust outperforms after investment governance change
Multi-employer scheme The Pensions Trust has changed its investment governance structure to reduce bureaucracy, beating its benchmark in the process.
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News
VWV boosts membership 13% through DC and savings platform
Law firm Veale Wasbrough Vizards increased both staff contributions and active membership of its pension fund after a scheme overhaul allowed members to view their Isas and investments alongside their pensions.
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News
DC needs to raise commitment without scaring members
The success of defined contribution is hanging on the ability to drive up contributions while keeping members on side with pension savings, as data show it risks falling short of delivering adequate retirement incomes.
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NewsOsborne's wealth funds target LGPS cost savings to boost infra
Chancellor George Osborne pushed local authority scheme collaboration forward this week by declaring they would be pooled into six 'British Wealth Funds' as part of a plan to ramp up infrastructure investment and reduce scheme running costs.
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News
How much should you channel members’ ethical views?
Any Other Business:It is natural in a democratic society to expect your voice to be heard. In pension schemes this is channelled through the member-nominated trustee, but when it comes to seeking your members’ views, how much is too much?
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News
Advisers flock to Nest but micro employers slow to arrive
Mastertrust Nest has experienced increased take-up of its professional services online hub in the run-up to the biggest waves of auto-enrolment stagers next year, but micro employers’ preparations are still lagging behind expectations.
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NewsAsset insourcing saves LPFA 75% on fees
FT Investment Management Summit: The London Pensions Fund Authority could run as much as half of its assets in-house within the next three years, cutting the fees charged on those assets by three-quarters.
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News
Regulator retreats from insolvency trustee appointments
Insolvency practitioners working for schemes' troubled sponsors are being encouraged by the Pensions Regulator to take the initiative in appointing trustees, which in many cases could shorten Pension Protection Fund assessment periods.