All communication articles – Page 5
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NewsIndustry concerns remain over anti-scam transfer restrictions
Almost half of schemes have more work to do to comply with new anti-scams transfer guidance, while nearly 10 per cent have “lots of work” to do, an XPS Pensions Group webinar has heard.
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NewsLGPS urged to divest from ‘Israeli settlement economy’
Canadian Professor Michael Lynk, who works with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, has requested that the Local Government Pension Scheme funds divest from any holding that may be linked to contested Israeli settlements.
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NewsCouncil to compensate member after persistently giving incorrect info
South Tyneside Council has been ordered to pay £2,000 in total by the Pensions Ombudsman to a former employee after it incorrectly told him he could defer claiming his pension benefits until age 75.
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NewsStraightforward messages more likely to engage savers than ESG
On the go: Straightforward pension communications, rather than those discussing environmental, social and governance topics, are better at engaging savers who have never logged into their pension account, new research has found.
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NewsUnion ballots for strike action over schools’ exit from Teachers’ scheme
On the go: The National Education Union is balloting its members on industrial action over plans by the Girls’ Day School Trust to exit the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
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PodcastsPodcast: McCloud costs dispute could damage members’ morale
Podcast: The dispute between doctors, firefighters and the Treasury over who should bear the costs of the McCloud remedy could have implications beyond the directly affected schemes, damaging trust in pensions, and lowering member morale. Hymans Robertson partner Michael Ambery and Quietroom co-founder Mark Scantlebury discuss McCloud, the statements season and the evolution of member communications.
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NewsNine in 10 unsure of their pension entitlements
On the go: Nine in 10 people are unsure of what pension they are entitled to or whether they are receiving any pension contributions, according to new research from financial services comparison site Money.
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NewsOpperman not rushing CDC, defends statements season
Pensions minister Guy Opperman has confirmed there will be no regulations on multi-employer collective defined contribution schemes before the end of next year, set out targets for Pension Wise uptake, and become embroiled in a spat with former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb over the effectiveness of the proposed “statements season”.
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NewsThree-quarters of pension savers need more professional advice
On the go: Three-quarters of savers lack the confidence to manage their own pensions and need professional advice, according to a survey from NerdWallet.
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NewsSimpler statements delayed until October 2022
On the go: The government has decided to delay the introduction of simpler annual benefits statements until October 2022, following industry concerns about the amount of work required to implement them.
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NewsCalls for an inquiry over teachers’ 7-year contributions gap
Councillors have called for an independent inquiry to determine how 14 members of the Teachers’ Pension Agency found they were missing seven years’ pension contributions from their employer.
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NewsTPR urges schemes to get GMP equalisation done
On the go: The Pensions Regulator is urging schemes to engage with their administrators and complete guaranteed minimum pensions equalisation, as there is a sense of urgency for older members.
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NewsPodcast: No way to avoid the indexation ‘rules lottery’ as inflation bites
Podcast: High inflation will spur more schemes to look to switch from the retail price index to the consumer price index, but there is still no way around the “rules lottery”. Eversheds Sutherland partner Stuart Earle and Aon partner Lynda Whitney discuss inflation, the botched attempt to raise the normal minimum pension age, and a new value for money framework.
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NewsRegulators propose DC-wide ‘value for money’ framework
The Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority will be forcing defined contribution schemes to disclose more data around their investment performance, scheme oversight, and costs and charges, as they unveil a discussion paper looking at creating an “holistic framework” for assessing value for money in this sector.
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NewsDraft CDC regulations hampered by poor definitions, industry warns
The government’s consultation into draft regulations governing collective defined contribution schemes requires more work on definitions if these pension funds are to be properly implemented, with the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association warning it could create a “back door” for unscrupulous employers.
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NewsEY fined £3.5m for Stagecoach pension audit failings
EY has been fined £3.5m and given a “severe reprimand” by the Financial Reporting Council, in part for failing to meet requirements when auditing Stagecoach’s defined benefit scheme obligations.
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PodcastsPodcast: Covid-19 could have killed the PLSA
Podcast: The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association “could have died” from the financial damage wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, and was only saved thanks to prudent long-term planning. Richard Butcher, managing director of PTL, reflects on his tenure as PLSA chair in an episode covering guaranteed minimum pensions guidance, master trusts and bespoke indices for environmental, social and governance investments.
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NewsDWP sets up working group to explore ‘statements season’
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions has established a working group looking at options to develop the ‘statements season’ proposed in its recent simpler annual benefit statements consultation.
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NewsOmbudsman criticises civil service pensions administrator
The Pensions Ombudsman has partially upheld a complaint brought against MyCSP, which administers Civil Service Pensions, for causing “significant distress” in its handling of an overpayment case.
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NewsEmployer seeks £265,000 in damages from Plumbing Pensions
A plumbing employer has filed a summons at the Court of Session in Edinburgh seeking more than £265,000 in damages from Plumbing Pensions over its alleged repeated failures to manage the scheme’s Section 75 debt.