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Budget round-up: Leaks, sacrifices, and unexpected changes
Pensions Expert gathers all the essential pensions reading from chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Budget speech in one place, from salary sacrifice to surplus release, and pre-1997 indexation to the financial market reaction.
Markets sanguine after drama-filled Budget day
UK equity and government bond prices have risen slightly in the immediate aftermath of chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget speech, despite a turbulent day in parliament.
Industry calls for government to address pre-Budget speculation ‘mania’
Speculation around this week’s Budget has drawn criticism from the pensions industry, with several commentators warning that widespread rumours had prompted people to make irreversible financial decisions.
Minimum wage hike to aid pension saving for low earners
For a full-time worker on the National Living Wage, the rise means an increase in pay of £900 a year, while for someone on the National Minimum Wage working full-time, it will mean a £1,500 boost.
Pensions and IHT: Rule tweak welcomed but industry warns on complexity
Personal representatives will be able to direct pension administrators to withhold 50% of taxable death benefits in order to pay inheritance tax, according to a note in the Budget speech.
Government to introduce pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS members
The chancellor has pledged to allow the Pension Protection Fund to share its reserves with members whose benefits do not automatically increase in line with inflation.
British Coal pensioners to share in £2.3bn investment reserve
Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the investment reserve would be transferred to British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme members, following a similar decision last year affecting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Budget to reduce tax bill for DB surplus sharing from 2027
The change means that schemes can share surpluses with pensioner members without recipients incurring large tax bills and without permanently increasing pension payments.
Private Assets in Focus: Report Published
CACEIS, in association with Pensions Expert, surveyed pensions professionals in the DB space about their experiences investing in private markets. Click here to read the full report.
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Comment
Pensions and the Budget: When no news is good news
As speculation mounts, savers and pension funds nervously await the 26 November Budget with the mantra, “no news is good news”.
IFoA: Why the state pension age review needs nuance and flexibility
Iain McLellan, deputy chair of the Pensions Board of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, looks at the profession’s response to the recent call for evidence as part of the state pension age review.
ShareAction: What pension funds must do at COP30 and beyond
Laure Philippon of campaign group ShareAction calls for pension schemes to use their clout to make sure the discussions from COP30 become meaningful action on climate change.
Superfunds stepping into the spotlight through Pension Schemes Bill
The Society of Pension Professionals’ David Potts looks into the proposed superfund legislation contained within the Pension Schemes Bill and key considerations for employers, providers, and policymakers.
Latest features
In Depth: The last-ditch campaign to save salary sacrifice
The pensions industry has rallied in a last-ditch attempt to dissuade the government from changing salary sacrifice rules, just days ahead of the Budget.
In Depth: Insurers come through stress test with flying colours
Leading bulk annuity providers have been given a clean bill of health from the Bank of England following a major stress test of their balance sheets. Pensions Expert takes a look at what the results mean for schemes exploring a buy-in or buyout.
One year until the dashboards deadline: What’s still to do?
There is less than 12 months to go until the 31 October 2026 deadline, when all pension schemes and providers in scope must connect to the pensions dashboards Central Digital Architecture.
In Depth: Exploring the £1.2trn defined contribution landscape
The latest edition of the Pensions Policy Institute’s DC Future Book shows a maturing landscape for defined contribution provision, amid profound policy shifts.
Pension funds, venture capital, and the government’s drive for growth
Despite a big push from the government to encourage greater pension investment into UK alternatives, there seems to be little initial activity from pension funds in relation to venture capital investing.
In Depth: The last-ditch campaign to save salary sacrifice
In Depth: Insurers come through stress test with flying colours
One year until the dashboards deadline: What’s still to do?
In Depth: Exploring the £1.2trn defined contribution landscape
Pension funds, venture capital, and the government’s drive for growth
People news
Appointments: Interim CEO for PIC; BW names head of sole trusteeship
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 21 November 2025.
Government begins search for new PPF chair
The Department for Work and Pensions is seeking a new chair for the board of the Pension Protection Fund, with current chair Kate Jones due to step down next year.
Appointments: LPPI grows infrastructure team
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 7 November 2025.
TPR hires for crucial admin and dashboards role
Taylor Brightwell-Smith joined the regulator this week from the Government Actuary’s Department to oversee TPR’s work on administration, pensions dashboards, and cybersecurity.
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Latest on Defined Contribution
Pensions and IHT: Rule tweak welcomed but industry warns on complexity
Personal representatives will be able to direct pension administrators to withhold 50% of taxable death benefits in order to pay inheritance tax, according to a note in the Budget speech.
People’s Pension reduces government bond exposure over volatility concerns
The £35bn master trust said the changes were intended to “deliver better long-term outcomes” for older savers while continuing to manage drawdown risk.
Career breaks push one in three women into pension poverty
Scottish Widows reported that, by age 55, one in four women will have been out of work for more than five years, which could result in a £70,000 hit at retirement.
Smart acquires Waystone’s £580m master trust in ‘first of wave’
Smart Pension has acquired the WS Stakeholder Pension Scheme, the first time it has taken on a contract-based defined contribution scheme.
Latest on Defined Benefit
Budget round-up: Leaks, sacrifices, and unexpected changes
Pensions Expert gathers all the essential pensions reading from chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Budget speech in one place, from salary sacrifice to surplus release, and pre-1997 indexation to the financial market reaction.
Government to introduce pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS members
The chancellor has pledged to allow the Pension Protection Fund to share its reserves with members whose benefits do not automatically increase in line with inflation.
British Coal pensioners to share in £2.3bn investment reserve
Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the investment reserve would be transferred to British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme members, following a similar decision last year affecting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Budget to reduce tax bill for DB surplus sharing from 2027
The change means that schemes can share surpluses with pensioner members without recipients incurring large tax bills and without permanently increasing pension payments.
Latest on Dashboards
One year until the dashboards deadline: What’s still to do?
There is less than 12 months to go until the 31 October 2026 deadline, when all pension schemes and providers in scope must connect to the pensions dashboards Central Digital Architecture.
TPR hires for crucial admin and dashboards role
Taylor Brightwell-Smith joined the regulator this week from the Government Actuary’s Department to oversee TPR’s work on administration, pensions dashboards, and cybersecurity.
BT Pension Scheme connects to dashboard system as PDP hails 75% coverage
The UK’s biggest corporate defined benefit pension scheme has connected its 250,000 members to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, with just under a year to go until the government’s statutory connection deadline.
Pensions dashboard to be tested on ‘non-pensions’ people for first time
Launched this month, the first “low volume” testing phase for the dashboards will involve “non-pensions specialists” and will pave the way for higher-volume work next year.
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