All articles by Tom Higgins – Page 6
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NewsPPF levy to fall by £105m in 2022-23
On the go: The Pension Protection Fund has announced that it expects to collect £415m from its levy payers in 2022-23, a reduction of £105m from the previous year.
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NewsGuidance needed to boost DC access to illiquid opportunities
New guidance on fund-level liquidity management is required to bolster illiquid investing by defined contribution schemes, the Bank of England has said, despite stopping short of recommending an overhaul of daily dealing requirements.
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NewsFTSE 350 DB scheme payments up £45bn after pension freedoms
On the go: The introduction of pension freedoms in 2015 has contributed an estimated £45bn of additional benefit payments made by FTSE 350 defined benefit schemes, research from Barnett Waddingham has revealed.
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NewsUber partners with Now Pensions to provide scheme for drivers
On the go: Ride-hailing app Uber is to start rolling out a pension scheme to eligible drivers in the UK and has invited its competitors to create a cross-industry scheme.
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NewsReal Good Food uses sale proceeds to wipe DB deficit
On the go: Liverpool-based cake decoration specialist Real Good Food has used the proceeds from the sale of its snack bar business to “eliminate” its defined benefit scheme deficit.
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NewsONS data shows drop in deficit payments as life expectancy flatlines
On the go: New data from the Office for National Statistics has revealed a significant drop in defined benefit scheme deficit repayment contributions, while the impact of the pandemic can now be seen in nationwide life expectancy data.
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NewsDC market proves resilient during pandemic but challenges remain
A continuation of positive trends alongside the benefits of auto-enrolment has shaped the defined contribution pensions space over the past year, but complications surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic have brought the need to mitigate future risks to the fore.
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NewsDashboards programme ‘on track’ amid industry concerns
The pensions dashboards project is expected to remain on track to meet its publicised timeline, the programme’s principal Chris Curry told a Work and Pensions Committee hearing on Wednesday, amid industry concerns that the existing timeline is not feasible.
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FeaturesComplexities hamper social impact bonds’ true potential
Despite the launch of the UK’s sovereign green bond dominating the socially conscious fixed income discourse, there is still room for social impact bonds in schemes’ portfolios.
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FeaturesBetter data needed for schemes to tackle modern slavery
As pension schemes struggle with data on modern slavery in global chains, corporate engagement takes the lead in the battle to tackle social issues.
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NewsPeers valued for ESG guidance as data concerns hamper reliability
When it comes to guidance on environmental, social and governance matters, pension professionals prefer to rely on their peers instead of asset managers, consultants and industry bodies, as clear messaging is dependant on transparent data, experts say.
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NewsDeficit woes deepen as shortfall continues to plague USS
The deficit of the Universities Superannuation Scheme now exceeds £15bn as an increase in assets was outweighed by rising liabilities, in a year the pension fund’s portfolio performed below its benchmark for the first time since 2013.
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NewsFirstGroup explores change in DB scheme discount rate
Bus and train operator FirstGroup is to engage in “strategic discussions” with its trustees, after the funding valuation for the First UK Bus Pension Scheme was finalised and improvements were made to its technical provisions.
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NewsDC consolidation ‘too far, too soon’ but is an inevitability, experts say
On the go: The Department of Work and Pensions' proposals on consolidation within the defined contribution market go “too far, too soon”, and risk eroding the involvement of employers in their workforce’s retirement outcomes, experts have warned.
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NewsTPR reviews schemes eligible for Fraud Compensation Fund
The Pensions Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund are undertaking a review of schemes that may be eligible for the Fraud Compensation Fund, following uncertainty surrounding instances where no independent trustee has been appointed to a scheme.
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NewsAlmost a third of tranche 14 schemes in surplus
Detailed analysis of triennial valuations with due dates up to January 2021 has shown that almost one in three defined benefit and hybrid schemes are in surplus, but many pension funds face a headwind due to falling interest rates.
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NewsPIE exercises can be a 'win-win' for schemes under current conditions
On the go: Improved regulatory clarity and rising inflation rates could mean now is the time for defined benefit pension schemes to consider offering a pension increase exchange to their members, according to LCP.
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NewsGreen bonds and greenwashing: Investors yet to be convinced
After new details about UK’s first sovereign green bonds were received positively by the pensions industry, the excitement seems to be dissipating, since the summer 2021 launch date will be missed and scepticism remains about the motives and effectiveness of the scheme.
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Calls for government to review minimum pension age hike
On the go: Wealth manager Quilter has called on the government to reverse proposals to raise the normal minimum pension age to 57, saying the move is complex and will do little for people’s retirements.