December 2023
12Dec

UK. Over two thirds of savers unsure how to switch to a greener pension

While most Brits are well aware of how to reduce their carbon footprint through changing their behaviours, more than two thirds (67 per cent) don’t know how to switch to a ‘green pension’, research from Scottish Widows has revealed. Scottish Widows’ second annual Green Pensions Report found that there is growing appetite for responsible retirement savings propositions among employers and employees, with nearly three quarters (74 per cent) of savers expressing a keen interest in obtaining more information about sustainable options for...

December 12, 2023
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11Dec

UK’s PensionBee Comments on the Negative Impact of Greenwashing, Key ESG and Fintech Trends for 2024

PensionBee notes that in recent years, the spotlight has intensified “on the role of investments in the climate debate.” As most consumers would hopefully know by now, ‘ESG‘ stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. This is a framework used to “measure a company’s sustainability, workforce and ethical practices.” Many companies have ESG ratings, which could “help consumers make informed choices.” It is well accepted that savings, “including pensions, can help shape a sustainable future.” Sustainable investing considers ESG factors “alongside financial returns.” It has gained popularity, but also “criticism...

December 11, 2023
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08Dec

Why are Gen X workers in the UK so pessimistic about retirement?

Those born between 1965 and 1980 expect to be working for longer as they miss out on pension benefits enjoyed by their parents. Only one-third of people in the UK aged between 43 to 58 believe they will be retired by the time they reach the state pension age, according to the financial advisor Just Group. The state pension age is currently 67 for workers born after April 1960, although this will rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046. According to Just...

December 8, 2023
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07Dec

PPF Purple Book shows improved U.K. funding levels

U.K. defined benefit plans covered by the Pension Protection Fund saw "significant improvement" in funding levels that could bring more buyouts, according to the lifeboat fund's 2023 report published Dec. 6. The PPF's annual Pensions Universe Risk Profile, known as the Purple Book, showed a surplus of £358.9 billion ($443.3 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, with 80% of pension funds in surplus. That was up from surpluses of £193 billion in 2022 and £47 billion in 2021, according...

December 7, 2023
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06Dec

UK. Decumulation-only CDC could provide ‘new possibilities’ for retirees – PPI

Decumulation-only collective defined contribution (CDC) pensions could offer new opportunities in the retirement income market and to retirees, but faces challenges in being successful, according to a new report from the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI). It noted that decumulation-only CDC schemes should be able to fulfil their objectives while operating under the current design constraints. CDC schemes were introduced in the Pension Schemes Act 2021 and the PPI believed the legislation was flexible enough to support other applications for CDC schemes. However,...

December 6, 2023
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05Dec

Insurance and pension fund ownership of UK shares drops to record low

The proportion of UK quoted shares held by pension and insurance funds dropped to the lowest on record in 2022, latest data from the Office for National Statistics reveals. The statistics agency's biennial bulletin - published today (4 December) - showed the proportion of UK quoted shares owned by the two sectors fell to 4.2% in 2022, down from 4.3% in 2020 and 6.1% in 2018, and a stark contrast to the position in 1991 when pension funds and insurers...

December 5, 2023
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04Dec

Almost a third of UK adults unaware of old pension pots

Almost a third of adults in the UK suspect that they may have a pension pot that they are either unaware of or have not considered before. Research carried out by Opinium for the fintech company Gretel found that 30 per cent of respondents believe they may be in the dark about some of their pension savings. Almost three in 10 UK adults also believe they have at least one lost or dormant investment vehicle, bank account, child trust fund or...

December 4, 2023
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01Dec

Nordic pension funds invest more in UK start-ups than British counterparts

Nordic pension funds are now investing more in UK start-ups than their British counterparts, research by Atomico has found. As reported by our sister title, European Pensions, the State of European Tech report found that pension funds from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden collectively contribute USD 88m to UK start-ups, compared to USD 49m from the UK and Ireland combined. In addition, the report found that generally UK pension funds only represent 5 per cent of funds committed to venture...

December 1, 2023
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November 2023
30Nov

UK. Stop funding fossil fuels, ‘The Crown’ star urges pensions in ad

It's a curious combination: celebrities and pension funds. Rarely do the two mix, but when they do, they often make the news. A new advert, launched earlier this week, featuring Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman, called on UK pension members to lobby their funds to cut fossil fuels investments. “The cash from your pensions has helped us dig, drill and destroy more of the planet than ever before,” she says in the advert. Posted on YouTube and the group’s website, among other platforms,...

November 30, 2023
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29Nov

UK. Hopes and fears for pensions in 2024

Aon has set out its “hopes and fears” for pensions in 2024. After a year in which UK pension schemes digested the events of 2022 and adjusted themselves to new circumstances, Matthew Arends, partner and head of UK retirement policy at Aon, looks at what the pension industry may have on its mind as it goes into 2024. “All those involved in running pension schemes may have mixed feelings as they face the New Year" There have been improvements in...

November 29, 2023
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