All articles by Stephanie Hawthorne – Page 14
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News
Trustees lukewarm on consolidator benefits
On the go: Most defined benefit trustees doubt the ability of commercial consolidators to improve their members’ security, according to a new survey that also reveals widespread ignorance of the two new players in the market.
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News
Covenant risk tops trustees’ list of concerns
On the go: Employer covenant risk is defined benefit pension schemes’ greatest worry, according to a poll of 42 trustees and their advisers by professional trustee company PTL.
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News
National Pension Trust files for authorisation days before deadline
On the go: With just days to go before the deadline of March 31, the National Pension Trust has submitted its application to The Pensions Regulator for master trust authorisation.
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News
PPF seeks member representative for board position
On the go: The Pension Protection Fund is taking a novel approach to recruitment, seeking a board member who has been compensated by the fund.
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News
Employers reject call for contingency contributions from USS
On the go: At least two employers, including the University of Oxford and the University of Sheffield, have rejected the call for contingent contributions in a consultation from Britain’s largest private sector pension scheme, the Universities Superannuation Scheme.
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Opinion
Inertia and engagement both have a place in pension comms
Analysis: Defined contribution schemes have been warned to “adapt or die” on member communications, with a range of experts calling for a rethink of engagement.
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News
Spring Statement: Government responds to RPI flaws
On the go: The government is still considering whether to take action on problems with the retail price index, it was announced after the Spring Statement yesterday.
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News
Third of people unaware of pensions tax relief
On the go: Across the UK, there are huge gaps in pensions knowledge, with 35 per cent of people unaware that the government contributes to pensions through tax relief.
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News
Field condemns TPR failure to act on Johnston Press pension
On the go: The chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee has condemned The Pensions Regulator’s finding that restructured publisher Johnston Press did not use a ‘pre-pack’ insolvency to avoid its pension obligations.
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News
Scottish Borders fund opts for sustainable equities
On the go: The £711m Scottish Borders Council Pension Fund has become the first UK local authority pension scheme to invest in Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s Global Sustain Strategy.
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News
New lower life expectancy figures trim £20bn off DB liabilities
On the go: Life expectancies at age 65 are around five months lower for both males and females than they were a year ago, at 19.8 years and 22.4 years according to the Continuous Mortality Investigation. The figures come with caveats but are expected to cut £20bn from FTSE 350 defined benefit liabilities.
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News
Bulk annuity volumes beat expectations with £24bn in 2018
On the go: Legal & General took the largest share of the bulk annuity market in 2018, accounting for 35 per cent of the sector, in a year when buy-ins and buyouts totalled £24bn.
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News
FTSE350 pension deficit rises to £45bn
On the go: The total deficit of FTSE350 companies’ defined benefit pension schemes increased to £45bn from £41bn at the end of February. The move was caused by an increase in liabilities to £811bn from £806bn, partially offset by asset values increasing to £766bn from £765bn, according to Mercer figures released this week.
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News
Employers keep workers in the dark on pension freedoms
On the go: Some employers are still sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to pensions reforms. Only 59 per cent have alerted their employees to pension freedoms, according to the Employer Engagement Survey 2018 published by the Department for Work and Pensions in March 2019.
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News
£7.1m bulk annuity boom for PIC
On the go: Pension Insurance Corporation saw a near doubling of new pension insurance business to £7.1bn of premiums (2017: £3.7bn), for clients including BHS, Siemens and Rentokil, its parent company's 2018 results published today revealed.
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News
TPR could face last-minute ‘tsunami’ of master trust applications
On the go: With just over three weeks left until the end of the authorisation window for master trusts, 13 applications have been received by the Pensions Regulator from the 90 master trusts in the market, meaning it could face a last-minute tsunami of applications, according to consultancy Hymans Robertson.
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News
Record £10bn annuity sales boosts L&G profits
On the go: Legal & General’s 2018 results released on Wednesday showed a record £10bn annuity sales, as demand grew for both institutional risk transfer deals and individual annuities.
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News
Eurozone equities at 20 per cent discount v US stock market
On the go: The eurozone stock markets could be set to outperform the US, UK and Japan, according to NN Investment Partners.
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News
Schemes should discuss options ahead of Brexit-day clash
On the go: One in seven UK pension schemes faces a Brexit conundrum with their valuation year-end dates falling due on March 31, the Sunday after the UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, Aon says.
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News
Aon ends takeover talks with Willis Towers Watson
On the go: Insurance brokerage and consulting giant Aon has pulled out of takeover talks for rival Willis Towers Watson.