Local authority schemes have reported low initial take-up for the 50/50 contribution option introduced in Local Government Pension Scheme reforms earlier this month as an alternative aimed at stopping some people leaving the scheme altogether.

Engineering company Centek has so far seen its defined ambition-like auto-enrolment investment set-up outperform the underpin it created to guarantee a minimum retirement outcome for its workforce of uninitiated savers.

The number of employers failing to comply with their auto-enrolment duties over two months to March 25 nearly matched figures for the entirety of 2013, as the amount of organisations auto-enrolling ramps up.

Surrey County Council Pension Fund is exploring derisking strategies after its assets made further gains against liabilities since its 2013 triennial valuation.

Schemes must look at historical context when considering and communicating benefit changes, lawyers have urged, after the High Court ruled earlier this month that technology company IBM breached its duty of good faith with employees when closing its defined benefit scheme.

The Selex Pension Scheme has extended the functionality of its online pensions software as it seeks to drive engagement among its members.

Waltham Forest Pension fund has invested £20.8m in an impact investment fund as it seeks to diversify its returns and support UK-based social capital projects.

Schemes are considering whether to set benefits provided to same-sex husbands and wives at or above the statutory minimum, lawyers have reported, with the first marriages taking place last week.

University pension schemes have seen their equity holdings increase as a proportion of their portfolio, a survey of self-administered trusts in the sector has revealed, sparking debate among experts about their exposure to market volatility.