All Defined benefit articles – Page 81
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NewsOmbudsman slaps fine on ‘reckless’ trustee for multiple breaches
The Pensions Ombudsman has upheld a complaint against the trustee of a small pension scheme for multiple breaches of trust and instances of malpractice, while demanding they reimburse the scheme to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
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NewsFirst lay trustee receives PMI accreditation
On the go: Neil Calvert, who sits on the Local Government Pension Scheme’s Derbyshire pension board, is the first lay trustee to be accredited by the Pensions Management Institute.
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NewsDWP loses court battle on PPF cap
The Department for Work and Pensions has seen its appeal on the Pension Protection Fund cap, previously considered discriminatory by the High Court, dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which means the pensions lifeboat will have to alter its benefits structure.
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NewsIndustry experts predict limited roll-out of CDC schemes
The government's consultation on regulations governing collective defined contribution schemes was received as a welcome step forward in the industry, but experts have cautioned that initial demand is likely to be low due to the restrictive conditions and high costs imposed on the market.
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NewsDWP’s ‘vision’ for superfunds to be published later this year
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions intends to set out its “vision” for the future regulation of superfunds in autumn/winter this year, according to its annual report published on Thursday.
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NewsDB schemes’ ESG policies misaligned with trustees’ intentions
On the go: Only 40 per cent of defined benefit pension scheme trustees believe that their scheme’s environmental, social and governance policy reflects their preferred approach in this area, new research has revealed.
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NewsFour out of five investors to increase fixed income exposure
On the go: Eighty per cent of institutional investors intend to increase their fixed income exposure over the next three years, with one in six expecting this increase to be “significant”, according to a study by Aviva Investors.
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NewsDigital imaging scheme completes £230m buy-in
On the go: The Agfa UK Group Pension Plan has completed a £230m annuity buy-in transaction with Phoenix Group, covering 70 per cent of its pensioner liabilities.
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NewsPension tax change proposals branded ‘tragic’ and ‘crazy’
On the go: Rumours that the Treasury is planning to raid pensions have been branded “tragic” and “crazy” by speakers at a Hymans Robertson webinar, who warned that any reforms harming incentives to save could undo the work put in to boost retirement standards.
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NewsCovid-19 sees drop in sponsor support for DB schemes
On the go: The economic damage and uncertainty wrought by Covid-19 has seen a drop in employer support for defined benefit pension schemes, suggesting they will find it harder to meet their pension obligations as the pandemic’s fallout continues.
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NewsPPF 7800 Index shows surplus and funding improvements
On the go: The PPF 7800 Index for June shows improvements in the surplus and funding positions (on a section 179 basis) for the more than 5,000 schemes potentially eligible for entry to the Pension Protection Fund.
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NewsDB transfer activity increases in June
On the go: Defined benefit transfer activity increased throughout June for the third month in a row, according to research from XPS Pensions Group.
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NewsPensions dashboards staging timeline too ‘ambitious’
On the go: The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, while “fully supportive” of the goals of the Pensions Dashboards Programme, has argued that delivery against the proposed staging timeline appears ambitious.
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DB transfers fall as contingent charging ban bites
A combination of lockdown and the contingent charging ban has contributed to a record low rate of pension transfers, according to LCP.
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NewsCalls for a ‘rethink’ as dashboards call for input closes
The Pensions Dashboards Programme’s latest call for input closed on Friday. Industry figures, though encouraged by progress made on timescales, said problems stemming from inadequate disclosure regulations and estimated retirement income remain, leading LCP to call for an implementation “rethink”.
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NewsDWP issues ‘stronger nudge’ to pensions guidance consultation
On the go: The Department for Work and Pensions has opened a consultation into regulations requiring trustees and scheme managers to “nudge” individuals to obtain pensions guidance.
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NewsPASA launches GMP conversion guidance
The Pensions Administration Standards Association has published guidance on guaranteed minimum pension conversion for trustees striving to achieve GMP equality, providing examples of approaches that have been adopted or considered by “early movers”.
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NewsCovid-19 pressures accelerate rate of DB scheme closures
On the go: Analysis by the Pensions Policy Institute, sponsored by the Trades Union Congress, has shown that the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic have accelerated the rate of defined benefit scheme closures, but member outcomes are far less reliable in defined contribution schemes.
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PodcastsPodcast: Tapping DC for Long-Term Assets Fund requires ‘rigorous’ scrutiny
Podcast: HM Treasury’s proposals to tap defined contribution schemes for its new Long-Term Assets Fund is not a bad idea, but problems with daily dealing remain, and it requires the kind of “rigorous” scrutiny applied to other new asset classes. PensionBee chief executive Romi Savova and Jonathan Parker, head of DC and financial wellbeing at Redington, discuss the LTAF, rumours of a tax raid, and the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s new Responsible Investment Quality Mark.
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NewsCommonwealth Bank of Australia scheme secures full buy-in
On the go: The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (UK) Staff Benefits Scheme has agreed a circa £420m full buy-in with Legal & General Assurance Society.