It was never going to be straightforward. When the idea of secondhand annuities was first mooted, commentators were at once delighted by the idea of being able to reverse the irreversible, but perplexed as to how it could generate a good deal for those involved. 

One in four defined benefit schemes do not treat same-sex and opposite-sex couples equally on survivor benefits and the TUC is pressing government to close the gap, which could cost around £3.3bn.

Transport for London pension scheme has moved further into alternative credit investments including mezzanine debt, as it seeks to diversify its fixed income portfolio.

When the government announced last week it was launching a consultation into the processes underlying the pension freedoms, it came as little surprise to those who foresaw the rollout of these reforms having a bumpy ride.

From the blog: So, only around one in eight over-40s plans to cash in more than half of their pension pot. 

This will come as a relief to those who feared a £5bn-£6bn rout from pension pots in the months following the reforms. 

However, as George Osborne announced on Tuesday £1bn has gone out the door so far, spread across 60,000 people.

But is this lower figure a result of savers' financial savvy, or a symptom of the wider problems of providers being slow to release members' cash?

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It is a critical time for DC – Pensions Expert took stock of the sector as it hosted its 10th annual Leadership of DC Pensions summit in the City last week.

The structure of pension funds is such that there has always been an obligation for them to buy bonds, the traditional income-producing asset class that enables schemes to match pensioner liabilities.

The idea that the in-out referendum could be brought forward to next year has really focused the minds of many across the UK, and the pensions industry is starting to consider what the result could mean.