September 2023

AI ‘inevitable’ in pension master trust era – MHC

Large institutional investors, including pension schemes, are beginning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based platforms and machine learning models, a Mason Hayes and Curran webinar has heard (7 September). These tools are used to assist in long-term portfolio management in place of more traditional models based on financial theories. Accurate planning Fund providers have also begun using machine learning to predict scenarios such as an early withdrawal of the fund’s resources, which will allow for accurate planning. When it comes to individual retirement planning,...

June 2023

Ghana’s pensions authority seeks support from development partners — As SECO project comes to an end

The National Pensions and Regulatory Authority (NPRA) is asking for support from the World Bank and other development partners for continuous technical training for the effective operationalisation of its Risk Based Supervision (RBS) System. The RBS systems which was developed in 2019 through the help of the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) is aimed at streamlining the supervisory and regulatory mandate of the authority. It was also designed to help the authority to stay abreast with the emerging pensions...

The GPSSA announces the launch of its new pension platform “MA’ASHI” to UAE-based entities

As part of its digital transformation implementation plan, the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) will soon launch a new pension platform known as “MA’ASHI” for thousands of UAE-based federal, government and private sector entities to access. Ahead of the platforms launch, the UAE Pension Authority has dedicated both English and Arabic virtual training workshops, from the 20th to 22nd June 2023, for employers/entities across the UAE in order to learn more about GPSSA’s new platform “MA’ASHI” – which...

The Irish pension landscape for employers in 2023

Pension provision for staff is a valuable recruitment and retention tool for employers. Pensions can be a core part of a benefits and reward package offered. When there are labour or skills shortage affecting your hiring capabilities, this can be a meaningful part of your offering to ensure you are competing with top employers for talent. IORP II The IORP II Directive “sets common standards by ensuring the soundness of occupational pensions and better protecting pension scheme members and their beneficiaries.” Employers...

March 2023

UK. Government backs expansion of automatic enrolment

Automatic enrolment was introduced in 2012 with the aim of helping more people save for their retirement. Since then 10.8 million people have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension scheme and pension participation in the private sector has increased from 41% in 2012 to 86% in 2021, according to recent analysis by the Department for Work and Pensions ("DWP"). We celebrated ten years of automatic enrolment in our previous blog wherein we discussed the possibility of future reform...

February 2023

The Portability of Pension Rights: General Principles and the Caribbean Case

By Alvaro Forteza The portability of pension rights is an increasingly important issue in the Caribbean. The large and increasing flows of migrant workers, including both permanent and temporary migrants, the small size of the domestic economies and the process of regional integration and economic openness call for effective means to make pensions portable. This document presents a select survey of the literature on pension portability and reviews the progress made by the Caribbean countries as well as some remaining...

UK. Industry organisations call for ‘urgent’ clarity on pensions dashboards

Industry experts have argued that “regulatory certainty” around pensions dashboards is needed as quickly as possible, with concerns over the timing and implementation of pensions dashboards emerging ahead of the first scheme staging deadlines. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) recently held consultations to gather views on proposed design standards for pension dashboards, and the regulatory framework for operators, both of which closed today (16 February). However, whilst the consultations were broadly welcomed by industry experts, concerns...

Kenya. Pensions Department To Fast-Track Processing Of Pensions

Retiring public servants will receive their pension within 90 days after exiting from service if a plan by the Pensions Department in the Treasury and Planning Ministry to fast-track the processing of pension materializes. Already, the department has deployed its officers at the Teachers Service Commission and Vigilance House to help process pension for retiring teachers and police officers and the same is expected to be replicated at the Headquarters of all ministries, officials have said. This, the officials said, will...

UK. Multiple Pensions Dashboards Already a Reality Says Moneyhub in FCA and PDP Consultation Response

Moneyhub, the award-winning Open Data platform and alpha partner to the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) has highlighted the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) support for multiple pensions dashboards saying this is already a reality, in its response to the FCA and PDP’s consultations. Moneyhub has also called for a greater emphasis on taking action as part of its response. In its response to the consultations ahead of the 16th February deadline, Moneyhub welcomed the FCA’s and PDP’s proposals, focusing in particular on...

Pension Withdrawals Drain Savings in Chile and Peru

By Richard Francis, Kelli Bissett-Tom & Christopher Dychala Peru, Chile and Bolivia have allowed early withdrawals from their funds as a source of relief for households and to support recoveries during the pandemic and the global price shock. But these have had negative financial and confidence ramifications, contributing to downgrades of Peru in 2021 and Chile in 2020. Longstanding private pension funds have been important supports for sovereign creditworthiness where they exist in Latin America. Pension fund assets have supported sovereign...