All articles by Benjamin Mercer – Page 33
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Calls for retirement estimates to be dropped from first dashboards
Pension schemes and administrators have requested that the first version of the pensions dashboards run without the inclusion of estimated retirement income data, due to the lack of data and standards for these calculations.
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Covid leaves Northern Ireland Water deficit recovery in rough sea
Northern Ireland Water could have to pay an additional £4.6m a year in deficit repair contributions to its scheme, but uncertainty about how Covid-19 has impacted its investment and ongoing negotiations with trustees makes it hard to gauge its recovery plan.
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Two-thirds of DB sponsors issue 2020 profit warnings
On the go: Almost two-thirds (61 per cent) of listed companies sponsoring defined benefit schemes have issued profit warnings in 2020, according to analysis by EY.
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PodcastsPodcast: The three-step plan to fix the NHS pension scheme
Podcast: The plethora of administrative maladies facing the NHS pension scheme should be addressed by a three stage approach: capping the problem; a reactive process prioritising those closest to retirement; and proactive use of the dashboard, says Peter Glancy, head of policy development at Scottish Widows. He’s joined by Helen Morrissey, corporate PR specialist, long-term savings at Royal London, in an episode also looking at the suggestion of pensions as deposits for first-time buyers.
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Philip Green 'disliked the Pensions Regulator immensely'
On the go: Fallen businessman Dominic Chappell told Southwark Crown Court of Philip Green’s intense dislike of the Pensions Regulator, and promises made to plug the deficit of BHS pension schemes.
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APPT launches new code of practice for sole trustees
On the go: The Association of Professional Pension Trustees has set out a code of practice for trustees carrying out sole trustee appointments.
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Regulator unveils superfunds guidance for trustees
The Pensions Regulator has published new guidance for defined benefit schemes transferring into a commercial consolidation 'superfund', placing the burden of proof on trustees to show that their plan is in members' best interests.
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Sustainability and adequacy still dragging UK's pension system
Data crunch: The UK has fallen one place to 15th in the Mercer CFA Global Pensions Index, despite seeing a marginal improvement in its score, while Covid-19 increases pressure on retirement systems worldwide.
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DC contributions too small to allow for sustainable retirements
Stagnant incomes, rising wealth inherited later in life, and the relative poverty of defined contribution schemes compared with older defined benefit schemes are all factors that threaten the sustainability of retirement income, according to speakers at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s annual conference.
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NewsPPF eyes deteriorating credit ratings among DB sponsors
Deteriorating defined benefit sponsor health has led to a three-fold increase in the level of liabilities belonging to schemes that could end up in the Pension Protection Fund over the next 18 months.
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McCloud remedy could take two years to implement, PLSA warns
On the go: The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has warned it may take more than two years for the Local Government Pension Scheme to implement the McCloud remedy, casting doubt on the government’s proposed timeframe.
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Govt consultation suggests abandoning GMP conversion
The Treasury has indicated it may axe guaranteed minimum pension conversion in a new consultation, with experts citing administrative costs as a reason to ditch the idea.
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Small-cap UK active equity funds find some success in H1 2020
On the go: Just over half of all UK active equity funds have equalled or beaten benchmark returns before fees in the first half of 2020, while 45 per cent trailed behind the S&P UK Broad Market Index.
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Charity participants in LGPS face going concern issues
An Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland report laying out guidance for charity trustees on going concern has prompted a second look at their participation in the Local Government Pension Scheme, with experts warning that many could face crippling debt payments as they run out of members.
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South Yorkshire pensions to go green by 2030
On the go: The South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, responsible for administering the county’s £9bn local authority pension scheme for its 160,000 members, has adopted a net-zero by 2030 policy to govern its portfolio.
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Housing associations could face significant contribution hikes
On the go: The upcoming Social Housing Pension Scheme valuation could reveal a deficit of £1.5bn, almost £500m higher than expected following the last valuation in 2017, according to a report from LCP.
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2020 risk settlement market could hit £50bn
On the go: Despite the turmoil caused by coronavirus and the government’s lockdown policy, 2020 could still be a record-setting year for the risk settlement market, with final volumes reaching or even exceeding £50bn, according to estimates from Aon.
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CDC pensions ‘would be 70% higher’ than traditional DC
On the go: A new guide published by Willis Towers Watson estimates that collective defined contribution pensions would be on average 70 per cent higher than traditional defined contribution, and 40 per cent higher than typical defined benefit schemes.
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LGPS wades into Israel-Palestine row with UN blacklist engagements
At least two Local Government Pension Scheme funds are undertaking engagements with companies linked to contested Israeli settlements, Pensions Expert can reveal.
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Aon warns USS consultation could confuse employers
Aon has warned that the consultation document presented by the trustee of the Universities Superannuation Scheme will be of only limited use to employers, and may leave some unable to make vital decisions.