Royal Mail has launched a consultation on its new collective defined contribution scheme, detailing the structure of the new pension fund, which the postal company is aiming to launch in 2022.

This week – UCU announces strike ballot over USS dispute, National Audit Office reveals DWP has underpaid 134,000 pensioners, insurers urged to protect trustees against GMP claims, and task force bids to boost schemes’ voting powers.

Regulators are unclear about how the take-up levels of pensions guidance should look like as a result of the “stronger nudge”, since parts of the proposal have yet to be tested, the Work and Pensions Committee has heard.

On the go: River and Mercantile has announced its participation in the government’s inaugural green gilts issuance.

The Taskforce on Pension Scheme Voting Implementation has called on the Department for Work and Pensions and the Financial Conduct Authority to create templates and requirements aimed at boosting asset owners’ ability to vote, especially in pooled funds.

On the go: The University and College Union has announced it will ballot staff over strike action in October following a breakdown in negotiations over the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s controversial 2020 valuation.

The lack of statutory protection afforded to trustees means the insurance industry will have to shield these professionals against claims related to guaranteed minimum pension equalisation in cases where benefits are secured with annuity providers, legal experts have warned, while uncertainty about trustees’ obligations remains.

On the go: Around £25bn worth of bulk annuity transactions is expected by the end of the year, recovering from a slow start and creating momentum expected to carry over to trades in 2022, according to Aon’s latest risk settlement market update.

The Pensions Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority will be forcing defined contribution schemes to disclose more data around their investment performance, scheme oversight, and costs and charges, as they unveil a discussion paper looking at creating an “holistic framework” for assessing value for money in this sector.

This week – ABI urges ‘rethink’ over normal minimum pension age hike, SPP warns dashboards may only provide illustrative figures, PLSA highlights discord over climate reporting rules, and Kent Pension Fund breaches LGPS regulations.