January 2025
20Jan

UK. The People’s Pension exploring private markets with plans to allocate up to $4.9 billion

The People's Pension, Crawley, England, is taking steps to allocate up to £4 billion ($4.9 billion) to private markets assets by 2030, and also plans to hire a specialist and set up a dedicated research capability. The defined contribution master trust had £31 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, and expects to reach £60 billion by 2033. This allocation will mark The People's Pension's first foray into private markets, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the fund. While it did...

January 20, 2025
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17Jan

Some British local government pension schemes object to UK pooled fund plans

 Almost a third of Britain's local government pension schemes object to UK plans to consolidate more of their assets into pooled funds, saying the plans raise the potential for poor investment returns, adviser Hymans Robertson said on Thursday. The UK government wants to increase pooling of local government assets, opens new tab to boost domestic pensions investment in British companies, including start-ups, because it sees larger pooled funds as better placed to make such investments. Under the proposals, schemes would be...

January 17, 2025
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16Jan

Bank of England warns billions of pounds in UK pension pots at risk

The UK's main financial regulator has told insurance companies it can foresee an "endemic risk" in using insurance cash from foreign companies to pay out pensions. In an advisory notice sent out to insurance companies last week the Bank of England said it was concerned about an increase in the growing use of a type of insurance known as funded reinsurance. Gareth Truran, executive director and Shoib Khan director, said there was a risk with this type of funding and that...

January 16, 2025
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14Jan

UK pension schemes in “robust position” to deal with market movements

Pension schemes in the UK are in a "robust position" to deal with market fluctuations, an industry body has said. The pound fell to a fresh 14-month low on Monday, while UK government bonds, also known as gilts, continued to see 10-year yields hit highs not seen since 2008. Yields are a key indicator of market confidence, moving inversely to bond prices. There has been speculation over potential impacts for pensions from the gilt market rout, as well as mortgages, with comparisons...

January 14, 2025
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13Jan

PensionBee Launches New Climate Plan to Help Customers Invest in Line With the Paris Agreement Goals

PensionBee, a leader in the consumer retirement market, has launched its new Climate Plan that sets a clear standard for climate-focused pensions. This plan not only excludes fossil fuel producers but also commits to continually reducing the total intensity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by companies in the plan by 10% annually. So, even if the global economy uses more carbon over time, the Climate Plan will move in the opposite direction, always using less. Building on the success of...

January 13, 2025
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13Jan

Pension managers urge UK to ditch ‘megafund’ scale test

UK pension managers have objected to government plans to force the creation of a series of “megafunds”, arguing it could stifle competition and hamper investment returns. Fund managers say that the government should focus on optimising value for savers rather than applying an “arbitrary” scale test for pension funds that could discourage new market entrants and force some funds to merge with underperforming peers. The criticisms come after the government said last year defined contribution (DC) workplace pension schemes should consolidate...

January 13, 2025
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10Jan

Pensions Investment Review: Unlocking the UK pensions market for growth

By Department for Work and Pensions & HM Treasury In July 2024 the Chancellor announced a landmark Pensions Review, the first phase of which was purposed with exploring new ways to boost investment, increasing saver returns and tackling waste in the pensions system. The joint HM Treasury-Department for Work and Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds MP was asked by the Chancellor to lead the first phase of the review, which is focussed on four specific areas. Get the report here

January 10, 2025
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10Jan

UK. What the bond market turmoil means for your mortgage, pension and savings

The bond market sell-off has revived fears about rising borrowing costs after the crisis that followed Liz Truss’s disastrous mini budget in 2022. However, experts are suggesting there is no need to panic. Here is what it may mean for mortgages, pensions and savings. Pensions If you are aged under 50 and are saving into a pension, it is unlikely any of your money will be in bonds. It is instead probably going into stock market-based investments, and any short-term fall...

January 10, 2025
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08Jan

UK politics needs to take a long-term view on social care

Past attempts to reform social care by both Labour and the Conservatives have failed.  The recent commission of an independent review led by Baroness Louise Casey into the state of social care provides a beacon of hope. Nicholas Barr argues that a long-term view on social care is the only plausible solution. Enjoying this post? Then sign up to our newsletter and receive a weekly roundup of all our articles. Social care in England, though a known problem, has remained chronically underfunded for decades, and has...

January 8, 2025
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06Jan

Government must collaborate with industry to ensure pension investment in UK

In her first Mansion House speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves set out a vision to harness the UK’s pension capital to drive investment and growth. The government's aims are worthy and can set industry on a path to unlocking investment opportunities; however, there are several challenges ahead if their ambitions are to be realised. As a UK business, and one whose sponsors almost entirely operate in the UK, Independent Governance Group (IGG) has an inherent interest in supporting continued and sustained...

January 6, 2025
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