The calm before the storm?

At the start of the pandemic, TPR was quick off the mark to publish funding and investment guidance for trustees. It subsequently updated this in June, to reflect its view of the impact of the ongoing crisis on pension schemes and to...

Don’t get pensions dash-bored – it’s coming

A one-stop shop where UK pension savers can view all of their pensions in one place sounds great. Even better if that information helps savers understand their retirement options and better navigate their financial future. But a pensions...

TPR updates its easements – October and January changes to note

Over the last few months, TPR has granted a raft of temporary easements in order to support employers and trustees through “these challenging times” and let them concentrate on the immediate risks the pandemic posed to their schemes. A...

Tackling the small pots issue

The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) recently published a briefing document entitled Small pots: what are they and why they matter, setting out the problems associated with small pots and some possible solutions.  The aim is to support the...

The FCA’s pension transfer consultation – some points for trustees to pon...

The FCA’s consultation on advising on pension transfers has now closed and we wait with baited breath for the response; expected in early 2021. Add that to the lists of reasons for wishing 2020 away. In the meantime though, there’s...

Implementation Statements – what do trustees need to do and by when?

All occupational pension schemes must prepare an annual report and accounts within seven months of the end of each “scheme year”. However, on and from 1 October 2020, there is a new requirement that annual report and accounts must also...

Robust trustee decision-making in these difficult times

So, you’re a pension scheme trustee, and a pretty experienced one at that.  When making a decision that involves your exercising a discretion, you are familiar with the key legal principles: Correctly understand the question you are...

Cyber security – a recap for trustees

Pension schemes hold large amounts of personal data which are key for providing benefits. However, this can make them a target for fraudsters and criminals who can use personal data to gain access to bank accounts or for identity theft. As...

Disclosure requirements and the member engagement challenge

Do the increased transparency and disclosure requirements for pension schemes enhance member engagement?  Most of us living and breathing pensions in our day jobs would instinctively say “no”.  The latest additions to the disclosure...

GMP equalisation and data “gaps”

As we are all now aware, the Lloyds judgment has made it clear that schemes must equalise for the effect of unequal GMPs accrued between 17 May 1990 and 5 April 1997. In order for trustees to move forward with GMP equalisation...