All Consolidation articles – Page 9
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OpinionSeismic shift coming to DB consolidation
Stoneport’s head of covenant, Jacqui Woodward, explains why the UK’s defined benefit sector could suddenly experience an increase in consolidation, similar to that experienced in other countries such as Australia, the Netherlands and Germany.
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News
Arcadia schemes could have enough assets to survive outside PPF
On the go: Arcadia pension scheme members could receive a greater portion of their savings after a string of property and infrastructure sales raised enough capital to bring them out of the Pension Protection Fund.
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News
Half of schemes planning to move members into master trusts
On the go: The trend of transferring members of defined contribution schemes to master trusts is expected to continue in 2021, with 50 per cent of employers or trustees planning such moves, or at least signpost these schemes as a retirement option for their members.
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NewsMaster trust competition hots up despite consolidation
Data crunch: The majority of master trusts are targeting defined contribution schemes in a bid to boost their assets under management, leading to heightened competition in a marketplace where there is scepticism about acquiring rivals.
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News
PPF halves small scheme levy but warns of future rate hikes
On the go: The Pension Protection Fund has confirmed it will halve the levy for schemes with less than £20m in liabilities in order to “better reflect the risk posed by small schemes”, according to the final version of its 2021-22 levy rules.
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News
Clarity on dashboards, but delays taint Pension Schemes Act
The government fought off opposition amendments to the Pension Schemes Act in the House of Lords on Tuesday, keeping its dashboards options open — but experts have warned that many of the act’s more substantive changes could be delayed until 2022.
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PodcastsPodcast: New powers in Pension Schemes Act could cause bankruptcies
Podcast: New criminal provisions in the Pension Schemes Act are so broadly drafted that they could strangle legitimate business activity, potentially resulting in unnecessary bankruptcies. So says Arc Pensions Law partner Jane Kola, who, along with Society of Pension Professionals president James Riley, warn about the potentially dire consequences and call for more clarity from the regulator. More cheerfully, this inauguration day episode also covers the future of actuaries, small pots, and Donald Trump’s pension.
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News
Flat fees ban is a ‘sticking plaster’ on small pots wound
The Department for Work and Pensions’ proposed ban on flat fees on pots under £100 should be seen as a temporary stopgap, not a permanent solution to the small pots problem, industry figures have warned.
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NewsDWP to ban flat fees for small pots
The Department for Work and Pensions is to ban the charging of flat fees on pension pots under £100 in an attempt to stop their erosion by charges and administration costs.
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PodcastsPodcast: Economic uncertainty, DC consolidation, ESG to mark 2021
Podcast: Economic uncertainty from the pandemic and the aftereffects of Brexit, solving the small pots problem and consolidation in the defined contribution universe, and yet more environmental, social and governance regulation are the themes to watch out for this year. These are the predictions for the pensions industry in 2021 from Marc Hommel, senior pensions adviser at EY-Parthenon, and Sue Pemberton, head of technology and DC consulting at Premier Pensions.
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News
Calls for actuaries to offer strategic advice as schemes target endgame
An industry group is proposing a radical change in the actuarial role, suggesting these professionals should step away from a technical specialist position to offer strategic advice, while moving away from triennial valuations.
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News
Bulk annuities growth dependent on ‘jumbo’ deals and consolidators
On the go: While the UK bulk annuity market is expected to continue to thrive in 2021, its significant growth will depend on ‘jumbo’ deals and on the development of the consolidators’ market, according to Aon.
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News
Small pots report recommends member exchange trials
The pensions industry should begin work to facilitate mass exchanges of sub-scale defined contribution accounts, according to a government-commissioned working group looking to address the problem of small pots.
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PodcastsPodcast: Trustees advised to self-certify before Christmas
Podcast: Jo Myerson, trustee director at Ross Trustees, tells Pensions Expert it is important that trustees comply with the Competition and Markets Authority’s self-certification rules early in order to avoid a mad, post-Christmas dash to meet the January 7 deadline. She is joined by David Rae, head of strategic client solutions at Russell Investments, in an episode also covering insolvencies, superfunds and the fallout from the reform of the retail price index.
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News
Insolvency dawns on 22% of FTSE 350 DB schemes’ rated sponsors
On the go: Almost a quarter of FTSE 350 defined benefit schemes with rated sponsors expect corporate insolvency before they reach buyout, according to analysis from Hymans Robertson.
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NewsWeekly roundup: It’s not easy being Green
Welcome to Pensions Expert’s roundup of a week in which we bade farewell to a few of the high street’s better-known names, and the Pension Protection Fund brightened everyone’s mood with its new doomsday scenario.
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News
Arcadia trustees in talks with The Pension SuperFund
On the go: Trustees of the embattled Arcadia pension funds are in talks with The Pension SuperFund, which could result in the schemes being absorbed by the consolidator.
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News
Arcadia, Debenhams the first high street dominoes to fall
High street retailer Debenhams became the latest domino to fall following the collapse of Philip Green’s Arcadia Group on Monday, with the pension schemes of both now entering the Pension Protection Fund assessment period.
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News
Master trusts warn cost concerns overshadowing investment quality
Data crunch: Master trust providers are concerned that their clients excessively focus on cost to the detriment of investment propositions, according to a report by the Defined Contribution Investment Forum.
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News
PPF reserves could be ‘wiped out’ by one or two big claims
Pension Protection Fund chief executive Oliver Morley has warned that the lifeboat’s reserves could be wiped out by just a few large claims, while downplaying the risk of a post-Covid run of small-scheme claims.