All Defined benefit articles – Page 2
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FeaturesKeep on running: How will endgame options affect the bulk annuity market?
With appetite for ‘run on’ and other alternative endgame solutions on the rise, will there be a knock-on effect on the bulk annuity market? Jon Yarker reports.
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NewsBritish Coal scheme appoints BlackRock for £8bn fiduciary mandate
The world’s largest asset manager has secured the fiduciary management mandate for the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme as it continues to mature.
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NewsPension giants launch group to tackle dual-class vote disclosure
A new working group will develop guidance on class-by-class vote reporting after UK listing rule changes in 2024 allowed controversial unequal voting rights structures.
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NewsRun-on trend creating ‘safe harbour’ insurance opportunity for small DB schemes
Smaller defined benefit schemes may benefit from stronger insurer competition as larger schemes explore alternatives to buyout.
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People NewsDame Kate Barker to leave USS as part of senior reshuffle
Next year will see new faces take over chairing the UK’s largest pension scheme and its wholly-owned investment management subsidiary.
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NewsHealth improvements could affect DB liabilities, trustees advised
Most DB trustees are yet to factor in how breakthrough health treatments could affect liabilities, despite their potential to reshape future mortality trends, according to Standard Life.
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OpinionRailpen: What does a member-first approach really mean?
Nic Cromack, chief officer for member services at Railpen, explains how the pension scheme has overhauled its approach and continues to innovate to support members.
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NewsPrivate investor group supports DB scheme with capital injection
A defined benefit pension scheme has agreed a rare “capital-backed investment” transaction with a private investment firm to secure an injection of capital to improve its funding position.
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NewsTrustees under pressure to use surplus powers despite conflict concerns
With new surplus release flexibilities coming into force through the Pension Schemes Act, a survey of defined benefit pension scheme trustees has found a growing appetite for run-on but concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
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NewsTrustees urged to embrace accreditation and ‘continuous learning’
Panellists at the PMI’s annual conference in London argued that trustee capability must evolve beyond technical knowledge to include stronger decision-making, leadership and behavioural skills.
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NewsDC assets to overtake DB as retirement saving transforms
Data from the Department for Work and Pensions shows how DC is expected to grow in the years ahead – but shrinking overall assets further emphasise the adequacy issue facing the sector.
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OpinionBetter admin is the key to improving retirement outcomes
Rory Murphy, former chair of the Merchant Navy Officers’ Pension Fund, calls for urgent action to raise administration standards and stop members from being negatively impacted by poor practices.
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NewsDWP to review flexible apportionment rules after Stagecoach-Aberdeen deal
The government plans to review rules permitting the transfer of defined benefit pension schemes from one sponsor to another in the wake of the landmark Stagecoach-Aberdeen deal.
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OpinionFrom sewage to solvency: Lessons on covenant from a challenged water sector
Vidett’s Mike Birch analyses developments in the water sector and what they mean for trustees of schemes attached to water companies, with regulatory and political shifts potentially affecting covenant strength.
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In DepthIn Depth: Surplus release could be limited by governance needs, industry says
Guardrails included in the government’s surplus release proposals may limit the scope and frequency of payments, according to several consultants.
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NewsSurplus release rules edge closer as DWP publishes consultation
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched its highly anticipated consultation on releasing surplus capital from overfunded defined benefit pension schemes, with rules slated to come into force next year.
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FeaturesSpecial report: Why the big deal about small bulk annuity transactions?
Smaller pension schemes have traditionally struggled to access the insurance market, but significant changes have made bulk annuity transfers more compelling, as Bradley Gerrard reports.
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News‘Record’ buy-in pricing levels as insurer competition hots up
LCP research illustrates how competition among insurers is helping schemes of all sizes secure bulk annuities at record prices, while Broadstone and L&G have announced a £10m buy-in with a Devon-based property company’s DB scheme.
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NewsGuiide and Aon collaborate on DB member comms service
The service – dubbed ‘My Pension Planner’ – is primarily aimed at helping members understand their choices at retirement, but it can also demonstrate how their pension income can work alongside other savings and sources of income.
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NewsACA chair calls for ‘fairer, more sustainable’ UK pensions system
Aon’s Chintan Gandhi has issued a rallying cry to the pensions industry as he takes over as chair of the Association of Consulting Actuaries, highlighting DC adequacy, DB surplus, collective DC and tax as priorities for the trade body.