All Defined benefit articles – Page 198
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News
How devolution could affect your scheme
Scheme professionals have predicted devolved tax and welfare powers to Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland could increase the cost of administering schemes which have members across the UK, though others doubt the impact.
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Features
The Pensions Trust to open doors to private sector DB as employers outsource
The Pensions Trust plans to start accepting private sector employers into the scheme from late October, hoping to attract the growing number of small and medium-sized companies outsourcing the management of defined benefit schemes.
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Features
Somerset and Devon tighten shared admin strategy to boost employer comms
Somerset County Council Pension Fund and Devon County Council Fund will establish a formal administration strategy in order to improve communication between the schemes and its participating employers.
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Opinion
Four steps to a targeted, practical covenant review
In the latest edition of Technical Comment, Spence’s Marian Elliott runs through four steps that schemes can take to achieve a successful employer covenant review.
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News
Three in four DB schemes sizing up post-Budget incentive exercises
Benefit consultants have reported that as many as three-quarters of their defined benefit scheme clients are considering incentive exercises to reduce their risks following the introduction of the Budget freedoms.
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News
Channel 4 looks to shut off DB accrual to quell deficit increase
Channel 4 plans to close its defined benefit pension scheme after its deficit more than tripled, having paused its consultation to give members a chance to understand the personal impact of the changes.
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Features
Westminster moves towards global equities to free up managers
The City of Westminster Superannuation Fund has decreased its UK equity holdings in favour of global stocks to give managers greater flexibility and boost performance.
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News
Schemes eye forward rates to time hedge moves
Larger schemes are showing greater interest in using forward rather than spot rates to assess whether to increase their interest and inflation hedges, in order to gain a more accurate picture of fair value.
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Opinion
Webb: My pension schemes bill is focused on the saver's experience
Last week, I had the privilege of introducing the pension schemes bill to Parliament, and seeing it receive an unopposed second reading.
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News
Smaller schemes combine service provision to reduce legacy burden
Leading benefit consultancies have reported more small to medium-sized schemes are bundling services under a single provider in response to a growth in legacy arrangements and to benefit from economies of scale.
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Features
USS revamps covenant assessment model in face of funding challenge
The Universities Superannuation Scheme has opted for a more thorough covenant assessment due to changes in higher education funding and an expected increase in its deficit from this year’s triennial valuation.
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News
The Pensions Trust takes names off ballot to reduce bias
The Pensions Trust has anonymised its trustee board elections in a controversial attempt to create a more diverse board, as schemes work to improve representation on male-dominated governance bodies.
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Opinion
What you need to know from the pension schemes bill second reading
This week the new pensions bill had a second reading in the House of Commons, the first opportunity for members of parliament to debate its main principles.
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News
Risk management key trustee challenge as complexity criticised
An industry survey has shown understanding risk is the biggest challenge for defined benefit pension scheme trustees, sparking debate over whether trustees need more sophistication, or whether scheme choices need simplifying.
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Opinion
Does your trustee board have a women problem?
Any other business: The prime minister is not the only one facing questions over diversity. A quick glance around the pensions industry shows white, middle-aged men make up the majority of trustee boards.
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News
Schemes consider money purchase reversion to reduce employer risk
Legal experts have reported that schemes caught by the recent change in the definition of money purchase are trying to amend their benefits structures to remove the additional risk of guarantees.
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Features
Diageo tips into matching assets after hitting trigger
Diageo Pension Scheme has switched 5 per cent of its assets from its growth to its matching portfolio after hitting a derisking trigger, tipping its investment balance towards holdings that track liabilities.
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News
Saul: convertibles could spread as schemes look to reduce volatility
Saul's outgoing chief executive has predicted that its use of convertible bonds to dampen pension fund volatility could catch on at other schemes, but some advisers remain sceptical of the benefits offered.
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Opinion
Confronting the scourge of the ever-growing meeting pack
Any other business: Is there a trustee out there who makes it through every page of their meeting bumpf?
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Features
Royal Mail rachets up hedging derivatives to reduce risk
The Royal Mail Pension Plan has extended liability hedging in its portfolio by substantially boosting its use of swaps and gilt repurchase agreements, as it seeks to reduce risk in the scheme.