Latest articles from Alex Janiaud*

Dashboards drive 26% surge in MaPS spend on pensions

News on the go

On the go: The Money and Pensions Service significantly increased its expenditure on its pension streams for its year to March 31 2022, a move it said was driven by its spend on the dashboards initiative.

Universities set for ‘biggest ever’ strikes over pensions

Graduation day

More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities will go on strike for three days in November, in the latest escalation of a dispute that includes disagreement over the valuation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme.

DC providers fail to commit to ending fossil fuel expansion

Bloomberg

None of the UK’s 20 largest defined contribution pension providers have explicit policies aiming to end fossil fuel expansion, a campaign for improving the environmental credentials of pensions has claimed.

ACA pushes new pensions minister for early extension of CDC

News on the go

On the go: Laura Trott has been urged by the Association of Consulting Actuaries to extend collective defined contribution schemes to more savers as a way of boosting pension savings.

BoE director calls for greater regulatory oversight on leverage

John Sibley/Reuters

The Bank of England’s executive director for financial stability strategy and risk has called on regulators to review how leverage is managed, in the wake of a liquidity crisis in October triggered by a spike in gilt yields.

Ombudsman hits Paint Hale Ltd with £1,000 fine

News on the go

On the go: The Pensions Ombudsman has ordered Paint Hale Ltd to repay missing pension contributions to a former employee and fined the company £1,000 for the distress it caused her.

Trott appointed pensions minister

News on the go

On the go: Laura Trott has been selected as the new pensions minister, succeeding Alex Burghart.

LGPS employer contributions could rise despite improved funding

Sterling cash

The Local Government Pension Scheme Scheme Advisory Board has noted the possibility of employer contribution rates rising, despite the expectation that many local authority schemes will have improved their funding positions — or even moved into surplus — as of March 31 2022.

TPR salvages more than £500mn in missing contributions

News on the go

On the go: The Pensions Regulator has secured more than £500mn worth of late or missing contributions since the advent of auto-enrolment, it has claimed.

Fiduciary managers rip up schemes’ investment guidelines

News on the go

On the go: Some fiduciary managers have altered investment guidelines for all of their clients in light of October’s market turmoil, which saw schemes scramble for liquidity in response to collateral calls from liability-driven investment managers.