Saul's outgoing chief executive has predicted that its use of convertible bonds to dampen pension fund volatility could catch on at other schemes, but some advisers remain sceptical of the benefits offered.

Independent governance committees could be hampered by a shortage of experienced professionals as contract-based scheme providers race to set up bodies by April 2015, with industry figures suggesting sharing personnel.

Interest rate rises could have a negative effect on covenant strength as some companies are forced to refinance at higher rates, advisers have said, and trustees should keep a watching brief to mitigate any resultant impact on their sponsors' ability to pay scheme contributions.

One in 10 UK employers have said they will offer members post-retirement drawdown facilities within their defined contribution scheme in three to five years, according to a poll, but advisers still doubt trustees’ desire to govern such provision.  

Small and medium-sized employers’ pension schemes are finding greater access to pared-down, lower-cost covenant assessments following the Pensions Regulator’s revised defined benefit code of practice, which has increased focus on employer strength.

Data analysis: Investment costs have been held up as the straw man of DC investment, but how important are they to member outcomes?

One in five small businesses are not currently preparing for auto-enrolment, research has shown, as concern grows around smaller employers’ ability to comply with the legislation.