October 2025
14Oct

UK. Major pension changes expected by 2035; DC concerns remain centre stage

Whilst most Pensions UK members are confident that the pension industry will successfully adapt to any changes over the next decade, many remain concerned over defined contribution (DC) outcomes and political uncertainty. Research from Pensions UK found that nearly half (44 per cent) of its members expect to see a very significant change in the pensions industry by 2035, or sooner, with over a quarter (28 per cent) expecting to see very significant changes within the next five years. Yet most...

October 14, 2025
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13Oct

US. New IRS Rule Will Reshape 401k Contributions for Millions of Workers

A new rule issued by the IRS will alter how higher-income Americans approaching retirement can save in their 401(k) and other tax-deferred workplace retirement plans. The regulation comes from the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 and is scheduled to take effect at the start of the 2026 tax year. According to reporting by CNN, the change introduces new conditions on catch-up contributions for individuals who earned $145,000 or more in the prior year. These contributions will be redirected into Roth...

October 13, 2025
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07Oct

UK. Six key challenges for the revived Pensions Commission

Aon has warned that the government’s revived Pensions Commission will face major structural hurdles if it hopes to deliver meaningful reform to the UK’s pension system. In a new paper exploring the aims of the Pensions Commission, Matthew Arends, head of UK retirement policy at Aon, argued that the commission’s narrow remit may stop it from addressing the root causes of poor retirement adequacy. He warned that by being instructed to “build on the foundation of the state pension” rather than...

October 7, 2025
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September 2025
29Sep

Strengthening Nigeria’s pension sector: Rethinking the new capital requirements for PFAs and PFCs

The National Pension Commission’s (PENCOM) newly revised capital requirements for Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) & Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), while aimed at strengthening the financial resilience of operators, risk creating unintended consequences that could undermine investor confidence, restrict innovation, and distort the competitive landscape of Nigeria’s pension sector. This public commentary advocates for a more balanced and globally aligned approach that preserves the safety of pension assets while enabling growth, competition, and sustainable operations. 1. Understanding the Nature of Pension...

September 29, 2025
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26Sep

Aligning your pension scheme with the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures recommendations

By Department for Work and Pensions This guide aims to help trustees evaluate the way in which climate-related risks and opportunities may affect their strategies. Trustees should consider how different investments and strategies could be impacted by transition and physical risks, at an asset class, sector and firm level where appropriate. Schemes should set out what risks and opportunities they consider to be relevant or material to them over the short/medium/long term time horizons for their scheme. They should use scenario analysis...

September 26, 2025
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26Sep

UK. Industry urges policy shift to revive DB and accelerate CDC

The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) has called for a policy reboot to keep existing defined benefit (DB) schemes open and to fast-track collective defined contribution (CDC) schemes, as the relaunched Pensions Commission turns its attention to pensions adequacy. In a new paper, Past Lessons, Future Gains, SPP argued that the current adequacy crisis cannot be fixed by contribution reviews alone and urged the commission to examine the type of scheme people save into, warning that the long shift from...

September 26, 2025
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25Sep

Namibia. The technicalities of financing housing through pensions

The Namibian government has recently approved a reduction in the interest rate pension funds must apply when they provide housing loans to members. This decision has sparked national discussion, as it directly impacts the interests of members of both public and private pension funds who may want to utilise their retirement savings to secure a home. Pension-backed housing loans are not a new phenomenon. The Pension Funds Act No. 24 of 1956, as amended, has long made provision for such...

September 25, 2025
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23Sep

UK. PensionBee Urges Pensions Commission to Deliver Bold Reforms to Secure Better Retirements for Millions of UK Savers

Millions risk being condemned to retirement poverty unless the UK’s pensions system is overhauled, PensionBee has warned, as it calls on the Pensions Commission to deliver bold reforms to tackle deep-rooted structural inequalities. In a letter to the Commission, the leading online pension provider highlights how women, unpaid carers, the self-employed and lower-paid workers are being locked out of the progress achieved through Auto-Enrolment, while many others are being held back by a pensions market that is too complex and...

September 23, 2025
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19Sep

Retirement income market data 2024/25

By Financial Conduct Authority We have collected data on the retirement income market since April 2015. The data helps us monitor developments. For example, it gives us insight into the actions consumers take the first time they access a pension pot. Previously published data up to March 2018 is also included in separate tables. The data for these periods was initially drawn from a representative sample. We started collecting data from all regulated firms that provide retirement income products from 1 April...

September 19, 2025
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19Sep

Pensions UK urges small pension pot consolidation by 2030

The pensions industry should drive small pension pots consolidation by 2030, trade body Pensions UK has urged. In its Small Pots Feasibility Review, the organisation looked at how to resolve the issue of small pensions pots. It pointed out that small pension pots are costly to deliver and confusing for savers. Torsten Bell, Minister for Pensions, said: “With more small pots than pensioners in the UK, too many people are losing track of their hard-earned savings. This is bad for pensions savers...

September 19, 2025
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