All Communications articles – Page 2
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NewsGovernment’s new illiquid rules to apply to all DC schemes
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed it will push ahead with a requirement that trustees must include a policy on illiquid investments in their defined contribution schemes’ chair’s statement, despite stern criticism from the industry.
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NewsOmbudsman orders law firm to pay thousands in missing contributions
The Pensions Ombudsman has handed a £1,000 fine to a law firm and ordered it to repay thousands more in missing contributions, after it failed to engage either with the affected member or the ombudsman’s office.
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NewsFBU urges employment tribunal to protect member benefits
The Fire Brigades Union has said it will encourage and assist its members in taking claims before an employment tribunal to protect their pension benefits, while it continues to negotiate with the Home Office for a permanent solution.
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NewsOmbudsman hits Teachers’ Pensions with maladministration fine
The Pensions Ombudsman has fined Teachers’ Pensions £500 for maladministration after it failed to adequately inform a member about the rules around breaks in pensionable service, but dismissed the member’s argument that the fine should be increased to the minimum required in cases of employment discrimination.
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NewsPASA guidance tackles ‘concerns’ over administration transfers
On the go: The Pensions Administration Standards Association has released guidance to tackle “increasing” concerns about the transfer of administration services, citing delays, unreasonable charges and deteriorating performance during the notice period.
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NewsRise of DC poses risks and challenges for future pensioners
Increasing reliance on defined contribution savings means the requirements of future pensioners will be markedly different from those of previous generations, placing a greater emphasis on the need for communication and support, as well as on the role of annuities, a report from the Pensions Policy Institute has revealed.
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NewsNest Insight emergency savings trial shows ‘very encouraging’ results
On the go: A trial of an opt-out emergency savings scheme has seen “very encouraging” early findings, boasting a 53 per cent participation rate, according to Nest Insight.
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PodcastsPodcast: Trustees struggling to guide members on inflation benefits
Podcast: A report from XPS Pensions suggests that members could reap £10,000 additional benefits by delaying retirement because of the way increases and inflation are calculated, but trustees are struggling to help them because of the “red tape” around advice. LCP partner Laura Amin is joined by Hymans Robertson partner Patrick Bloomfield to discuss benefits’ inflation calculation and advice, concerns about defined benefit funding, and the women’s state pension age investigation.
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NewsCourt dismisses trustee’s Barber window arrears claim
The High Court has ruled that members of the CMG UK Pension Scheme are not entitled to payment of arrears that fell due more than six years ago, despite the trustee’s attempts to continue paying them.
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NewsNumber of savers opting out of pension schemes jumps by 29%
On the go: The number of people opting out of their workplace pension scheme has risen by 29 per cent between March and July this year, according to analysis by pensions provider Penfold.
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NewsOmbudsman to speed up state pension age investigation
On the go: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is to adjust its approach to the remainder of its investigation into failures by the Department for Work and Pensions relating to changes to women’s state pension age, so it can “conclude the investigation as efficiently as possible”, having shared its preliminary views with interested parties.
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NewsMaPS unclear on origin for half of amber flag scam warnings
On the go: Nearly half (44 per cent) of scam guidance sessions in the past three months have been triggered despite the Money and Pensions Service not knowing why the amber flag was raised to begin with, according to data obtained via freedom of information act request by Quilter.
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NewsCornish housing association pilots ‘living pension’
On the go: A Cornish housing association is piloting a ‘living pension’ scheme for its employees, building on research that suggests some savers’ pension contributions will need to rise to more than double their current rate.
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NewsCalls for stewardship code to engage members as well as managers
On the go: The Financial Reporting Council’s stewardship code must “look both ways” and engage members as well as asset managers in developing guidance and standards, according to fintech company Tumelo.
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NewsScams action group gets six-figure budget to tackle fraud
On the go: The Pension Scams Action Group, a renamed and revamped Project Bloom, is to get a six-figure budget to tackle scams across the next year, with the prospect of more to come.
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NewsOmbudsman fines Capita for substandard administration
The Pensions Ombudsman has told Capita to pay £500 to a disgruntled scheme member as its communications “fell below the standards of good administration”, though the member’s substantive complaint was not upheld.
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PodcastsPodcast: Ball in TPR’s court as DB funding code consultation launches
Podcast: The consultation into the defined benefit funding code by the Department for Work and Pensions hints at a prescriptive regime to come, but the Pensions Regulator must improve on its “rubbish” code of practice draft, according to Zedra client director Richard Butcher. He and Hymans Robertson partner Laura McLaren discuss the next steps, stronger nudge concerns, and assess the health of pensions post-Maxwell.
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News90% of savers would use digital pensions dashboard
On the go: Nine in 10 savers would use a digital pensions dashboard if it gave them a consolidated view of their pensions, savings and investments, according to research from The Investing and Saving Alliance and EY.
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NewsICO in talks with TPR over member communications
On the go: The Information Commissioner’s Office is engaging with the Pensions Regulator to clarify the current rules involving member communications, as schemes and providers believe existing legislation prevents them from reaching out to these individuals.
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NewsFCA and TPR rule out new pension saving regulations
The Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator do not plan on introducing any new regulations to help people when saving into a pension.