April 2024

Cyprus. State pension fund reaching critical levels

The Fiscal Council, advising the Cyprus government on economic policies, has renewed a warning call that borrowing from the Social Insurance Fund has reached critical levels, threatening to derail public finances if action is not taken. In an announcement on Thursday, it urged the government to act on the suggestions of an actuarial study, submitted to the authority earlier in the week. The authority has warned that it needs to address its dependency on the Social Insurance Fund, as it...

March 2024

UK state pension could hit £13,000 ‘in next five years’

The UK state pension could pay out more than £13,000 a year by 2030 if the current triple lock rules remain in place, analysis by AJ Bell has found. Pensioners with a full National Insurance contributions record can currently get £10,600 a year (£203.85 per week). From April, this will rise 8.5% to £11,502 annually (£221.20 a week) in line with the rapid increase in earnings registered last summer. It has led to warnings that some pensioners could be landed with an unexpected tax...

February 2024

Urgent Action Needed Amidst U.S. State Pension Debt Crisis

By Howie Jones   The United States is grappling with a severe state pension debt crisis, with a whopping $1.49 trillion in unfunded obligations causing significant economic strain. Areas like San Jose are particularly affected, facing a staggering unpaid debt of $3.5 billion, potentially leading to a tax burden of around $3,600 per resident. This crisis could drastically impact the public sector, potentially decreasing the quality and availability of public services. San Jose’s Odd Fellows society recently held a community improvement forum...

Britons warned UK state pension ‘will have to be lower and paid later’ as system ‘can’t cope’

UK state pension spending is projected to cost £125billion for 2023/24, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Working-age Britons face getting a lower state pension and having to wait longer to get it because the current state pension system “can’t cope” with an ageing population, an expert has warned. Chief executive of life insurer Phoenix Group Andy Briggs is urging Britons to prepare for the future now, as he warns dramatic reform could lie ahead. Mr Briggs said the UK state pension...

October 2021

Trans women granted backdated state pension in UK

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWS) has recognised that transgender women in the UK are eligible for backdated state pension. This follows a court ruling which states that a trans person who has had gender reassignment surgery and lived in their acquired gender for a “significant period” must be recognised in their acquired gender for state pension purposes. But the move will only apply to a small number of trans women. The DWP said that only those born between 31 October...