All articles by Angus Peters – Page 13
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OpinionIn pensions as in Brexit, it pays to plan for the worst
Editorial: The government would not be expected to flirt with the prospect of not achieving a Brexit deal without prior contingency planning. It is time for pension fund trustees to think carefully about what they would do if their sponsor goes under.
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News
NHS staff get cash instead of contributions options
On the go: Doctors at risk of being caught by the tapered annual allowance will reportedly be offered cash instead of an employer contribution under new plans to reverse the trend for doctors retiring early.
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NewsSelect committee turns focus to Railways Pension Scheme deficit
The Work and Pensions Committee has written to the Pensions Regulator over what it called the “staggering, parlous state” of the £25.5bn Railways Pension Scheme.
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News
Debenhams scheme survives pre-pack administration
On the go: Trustees of the Debenhams pension schemes have reassured members that they still have a sponsoring employer after the retailer went into a pre-pack administration on Tuesday.
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News
Govt greenlights dashboards but timetable questioned
On the go: Pension schemes will be allowed up to four years to submit data to the pensions dashboard, sparking concerns that services appearing later this year will not be comprehensive.
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News
Clara eyes Q2 transaction after consultation delays clearance
Commercial consolidator Clara Pensions expects to complete its first transaction within the next three months, according to the company’s founder and chief executive officer Adam Saron.
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News
Debenhams trustees see hope for schemes after sponsor refinancing
On the go: Trustees of the Debenhams pension schemes have welcomed the news that its sponsor has agreed a £200m refinancing of its debt, including packages to improve the security of member benefits.
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Features
John Laing divests asset-backed funding from former sponsor
The John Laing Pension Fund has sold its remaining stake in infrastructure company John Laing Environmental Assets Group, a holding initially contributed to the scheme as part of a contingent funding plan in 2015.
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News
L&G master trust default goes green due to member demand
On the go: The Legal & General Mastertrust is switching its default investment strategy to take account of environmental, social and governance risks, after a study revealed almost 60 per cent of its members favour the approach.
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News
DB schemes creep back towards full PPF funding
On the go: The 5,450 defined benefit schemes in the UK are inching back towards surplus on the Pension Protection Fund's measure, with an aggregate deficit of just £8.6bn.
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OpinionKeep in mind the member impact of pension changes
There is a danger that we in the industry focus on numbers and theory when discussing the latest pension trends – for those not on the frontline dealing with members it can be all too easy to miss the human impact of decisions made by trustees, sponsors, advisers, providers and government.
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News
Delivery date for vital CMA reforms questioned
The government has welcomed reforms to the fiduciary management and investment consulting industry suggested by the Competition and Markets Authority, but experts fear it may be some time before at least one of the recommendations is implemented.
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News
BMA launches legal challenge against govt over NHS pensions
On the go: The British Medical Association plans to take the government to court over discriminatory aspects of the NHS Pension Scheme, the trade union announced on Monday.
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News
Regulator turns focus to DB sponsors’ long-term plans
Trustees and sponsors of defined benefit pension schemes will have to recognise a long-term funding target for their plans, under guidance set out on Tuesday by the Pensions Regulator.
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Features
Data Crunch: Rush of pension capital into infrastructure continues
Pension money is pouring into infrastructure. Portfolio analysis by Pensions Expert’s sister title Mandatewire reveals that the cash-generative asset is proving the perfect fit for mature defined benefit schemes, despite buyout looming for some trustees.
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NewsTrustees not responsible for bad IFA transfer work, scheme professionals say
Advisers to pension schemes have hit out at proposals that British Steel Pension Scheme should award discretionary payouts to members who mistakenly left the plan, saying it shifts the blame for bad financial advice on to trustees.
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Features
Alternative risk premium funds fail to deliver on promises in testing 2018
Analysis: Pension schemes continue to pour assets into fast-growing alternative risk premium strategies, despite a torrid 2018 for returns and concerns over the diversification benefits delivered by the funds.
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FeaturesRoundtable: How to get the best bulk annuity pricing
Buyout appears to be within reach for more defined benefit schemes than ever before. Experts at a recent Pensions Expert roundtable sought to quell fears that schemes must ‘buy now while stocks last’, and set out a number of considerations for trustees and employers moving towards bulk annuity purchase.
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OpinionHow to beat volatility in 2019
With an eye purely on the numbers, it might be tough to pinpoint exactly what has led to the worst year for stock markets since the end of the global financial crisis.
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News
Govt discriminated against younger judges and firefighters, court finds
The government has suffered another legal defeat over its handling of changes to pension provision for judges and firefighters, with a court maintaining that it discriminated against younger members and indirectly against ethnic minorities and women.