All Defined contribution articles
-
NewsAuto-enrolment reforms could introduce unwelcome complexity, study finds
Introducing flexible approaches to auto-enrolment contributions risks introducing complexities and would not be popular among savers or employers, according to a major study led by Pensions UK.
-
NewsA blueprint for megafunds: How consolidation will shape the future of DC pensions
The drive towards “fewer, larger pension schemes” being driven by the Pension Schemes Act could boost individual pension pots by up to 20% if executed well, according to new research by WPI Economics and Standard Life.
-
NewsAnnuity demand on the rise among over-75s, research shows
Inheritance tax changes and higher interest rates are encouraging more people to annuitise later in life, according to research by Standard Life.
-
OpinionDCIF: The Pensions Commission must have the courage of its convictions
Lindsay Nickerson, chair of the DC Investment Forum, argues that investment-related sections of the Pensions Commission’s interim report may go against some of its other aims and objectives.
-
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.
-
NewsTorsten Bell on the growth of DC, improving adequacy, and tackling fraud
Addressing delegates at the Pensions Management Institute’s annual conference in London last week, Bell outlined five major trends affecting the pensions sector.
-
NewsNew research sheds light on savings gap as coalition launches to boost resilience
The National Coalition for Workplace Savings was launched this week with the aim of boosting financial resilience, supported by several large employers as well as Nest Insight, MaPS and TISA.
-
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.
-
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.
-
OpinionWhy pension transfers risk creating a two-tier system for savers
Pension transfers are in the news after recent communications from the Financial Conduct Authority and the Department for Work and Pensions. People’s Pension CEO Patrick Heath-Lay argues that transfers must be made clearer, not just faster.
-
NewsPPI: Guided retirement could be ‘critical’ to improving member decisions
Guided retirement solutions could play a “critical” role in helping defined contribution savers make better decisions at retirement, but their success will depend on how well schemes understand their members, according to the Pensions Policy Institute.
-
People NewsFirst trustee ‘apprentices’ complete PMI accelerator programme
A quartet of trainee trustees have joined the board and sub-committees of the Standard Life Master Trust after completing the Pensions Management Institute’s Trustee Accelerator Programme.
-
OpinionIFoA: Trade-offs, risks, and choices for the Pensions Commission
Paul Sweeting, president of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, responds to the Pensions Commission’s interim report and highlights crucial areas for the commissioners to consider.
-
NewsPensions UK: Retirement Living Standards show savers face ‘cliff edge’
Only 23% of workers will achieve a moderate retirement lifestyle with current contribution rates, according to Pensions UK research, building on its influential Retirement Living Standards.
-
NewsMajor master trusts collaborate to cut pension transfer times
Providers including Nest, the People’s Pension, Smart Pension, and Now Pension have established Pathfinder, a working group that will explore “practical ways to improve pension transfers”.
-
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.
-
NewsPension transfer times reach fastest level in nearly two years, research finds
Figures from the Origo Transfer Index show that simple pension transfers were completed in an average of 10 days, marking a turnaround from the previous year.
-
OpinionMandation and pension scheme investment: what does it mean for trustees?
Despite months of lobbying, an investment mandation clause still made it into the Pension Schemes Act. Gavin Ellison of law firm Womble Bond Dickinson looks at what the new law says and what it means for master trusts.
-
OpinionPPI: Beyond the Pension Schemes Act – now the real work starts
Chris Curry, Pensions Policy Institute It seems like much of the pensions world has spent the last 12 months engaging with and discussing the Pension Schemes Bill, which has now received Royal Assent and become the Pension Schemes Act 2026. Many of the policies enacted by the ...
-
PodcastsAlways A Pensions Angle: The Report, the Gap and the Robot in the Room
In this bumper edition of the podcast, co-hosts Thomas Parker and Nick Reeve explore the Pensions Commission’s interim report, the gender pensions gap, local investment, investing in conflict zones, and artificial intelligence.