July 2025
24Jul

The countries where workers can dip into their pension pots early, mapped

British workers could soon be allowed to access part of their pension savings long before retirement, under proposals reportedly being considered by Labour. The idea, dubbed “sidecar savings,” would let people draw down a small portion of their pension for emergencies or major life events – potentially at any age. Supporters argue it could help those living pay slip to pay slip, while critics warn it risks draining retirement funds too early. But the UK wouldn’t be the first to do it. A growing number of...

July 24, 2025
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23Jul

US. Pensions for all: New bill guarantees retirement income to 56M workers without a plan

Retirement proposals for workers without an employer-sponsored retirement plan were front and center at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee meeting last week. Senator Bill Cassidy, (R-LA), chair of the HELP Committee, delivered opening remarks on how to empower gig workers to access portable workplace benefits, like health care and retirement, in his legislation aimed at improving retirement security of freelance and gig workers called the Independent Retirement Fairness Act that he introduced last week in the Senate. “The...

July 23, 2025
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23Jul

Atal Pension Yojana and India’s Social Security Ambitions

In a country where nearly 90% of the workforce belongs to the unorganised sector, securing a dignified life post-retirement has long been a challenge. Most daily wage workers, small business owners, and informal employees do not have access to pensions, gratuity, or provident fund mechanisms that salaried employees in the formal sector enjoy. Recognising this enormous gap in social protection, the Government of India launched the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) in 2015, aiming to democratize retirement benefits for the underserved. What began...

July 23, 2025
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23Jul

Britain is facing a ‘tsunami’ of pensioner poverty, says Kendall

Britain risks a “tsunami of pensioner poverty” over the coming decades unless the system of saving for retirement is overhauled, according to Liz Kendall. At the launch of a major independent commission on the pensions system, the work and pensions secretary said growing numbers would struggle to make ends meet in old age. “Unless we act, tomorrow’s pensioners will be poorer than today’s, because people who are saving aren’t saving enough for their retirement, and crucially, because almost half of the working age population...

July 23, 2025
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23Jul

Kenya. JSC urges Parliament to fast-track pensions Bill, says delay denying retired judges fair compensation

Judges have called on Parliament to fast-track the passage of a delayed pensions Bill that promises annual inflation-linked adjustments to their retirement benefits. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) says the prolonged delay in enacting the Judges Retirement Bill, 2025, is denying retired judges fair compensation in line with rising living costs The Judiciary has now urged legislators to expedite the Bill, which seeks to establish a dedicated pension framework for judges of the superior courts, providing for annual pension adjustments pegged...

July 23, 2025
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22Jul

US. New York State Pension Bulks Up on Private Equity in $3B Spree

New York’s $273 billion state pension fund is bulking up on private equity investments, earmarking more than $1.4 billion toward the asset class in March alone, according to its monthly transaction report. The spree comes after the New York State Common Retirement Fund committed about $500 million during the previous three months combined. The allocations to private equity investments accounted for nearly half of the $3.1 billion commitments doled out by the NYSCRF in March. The largest of those was a $500 million commitment to the...

July 22, 2025
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22Jul

UK. PensionBee Urges Action As Government Revives Pensions Commission To Tackle Looming Retirement Crisis

PensionBee, a leader in the consumer retirement market, has called on the Government to match words with action following today’s revival of the Pensions Commission. PensionBee, welcomed the move as a long-overdue wake-up call, warning that without bold reform, millions – including carers, the self-employed, women and low-paid workers – risk sleepwalking into retirement poverty. Lisa Picardo, Chief Business Officer UK at PensionBee said: “This Pensions Commission shines a welcome light on the very real risk that millions face a poorer retirement unless...

July 22, 2025
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22Jul

Dutch pension fund PME on ensuring alignment with asset managers

It is safe to say that asset owners are increasingly scrutinising how their managers are approaching sustainability. And PME, the Dutch pension fund for those in the metal and technology sector, is at the forefront of these efforts. The €59 billion asset owner is in the process of revising its approach to selecting and assessing managers to ensure the ones they use are delivering on its return expectations and are aligned with its values. Daan SpaargarenEvaluating managers on ESG is not new, notes...

July 22, 2025
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22Jul

UK. Most pension schemes not making use of impact reports in investment decisions

Whilst most UK pension schemes are receiving impact reports, very few are reading them closely or using them to guide investment decisions, research from Pensions for Purpose has revealed. The report, commissioned by Impact Frontiers, revealed that although the UK’s impact investing market is growing fast, expanding over 10 per cent annually between 2021 and 2023, many institutional investors remain unsure how to use impact data meaningfully. According to the report, whilst most pension funds assess whether their managers produce impact...

July 22, 2025
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22Jul

Germany. Alarming Wage Statistics Indicate Increased Risk of Poverty in Retirement

The risk of poverty in retirement is on the rise in Germany, as indicated by recent statistics that reveal alarming trends. A report suggests that millions may face financial difficulties in their later years due to inadequate income levels. According to data, almost one in five individuals over the age of 65 were considered at risk of poverty last year, a figure that has been steadily increasing in recent years. A recent response from the German government to a query...

July 22, 2025
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