Latest articles from Amy Austin

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.

Altmann urges pensions triple lock reform as Sunak changes tone

News on the go

On the go: Choosing to scrap the pensions triple lock just because of one year’s set of numbers is unwise, but a radical overhaul of state pension support is needed, according to former pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann.

FCA revamps scams campaign as further £2m lost to fraud

News on the go

On the go: A total of £2.2m has been lost to pension scams in the first five months of 2021, with the Financial Conduct Authority warning that savers are nine times more likely to accept ‘advice’ from someone online than a stranger in person.

NAO launches investigation into underpaid state pensions

News on the go

On the go: The National Audit Office is to investigate the issue of underpayments of the state pension to women, looking at how it happened and what is being done to resolve it.

Number of doctors retiring early trebles

News on the go

On the go: The number of doctors retiring early has more than trebled over the past 13 years, with concerns that hefty tax bills are the main factor driving the action.

FCA sets out climate-related disclosure rules

FCA

The City watchdog is looking to introduce climate-related financial disclosure rules for pension providers, asset managers and life insurers, in a move that will see it align with government action in this area.

DB transfers hit by pandemic and rule changes

News on the go

On the go: Cash equivalent transfer values have been significantly impacted by both the coronavirus pandemic and shake-up of defined benefit transfer advice rules, according to Barnett Waddingham.

BMA calls for doctors to be exempt from pension age hike

News on the go

On the go: The British Medical Association has called for NHS workers to be exempt from proposals to increase the minimum pension age to 57, saying the complex nature of pensions taxation means many need to retire before this age.

NHS staff turn to scheme pays as taper issues rumble on

News on the go

On the go: Nearly 40 per cent of the NHS staff who breached their annual allowance in 2018-19 turned to scheme pays to help them foot the bill, Quilter said, as it warned of a legacy of allowance issues for many doctors.

Regulators ask industry for help on improving pension saving

News on the go

On the go: The Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator have teamed up to investigate how people make decisions about their pensions at key points throughout their working lives, in order to better support savers through future regulation.