UK Archives - Page 94 of 196 - Pension Policy International

28SepSeptember 28, 2022

UK pensions hit with £100m margin calls as gilts and sterling slide

At least three LDI managers request emergency capital as others consider unwinds to avoid default. UK pension funds have been hit with variation margin calls of as much as £100 million ($107 million) each, after sharp falls in gilts and sterling pushed mark-to-market valuations on derivatives and leveraged repo positions heavily against them. Simeon Willis, chief investment officer of consultancy XPS Pensions Group, says he knows of three different fund managers running pooled pension portfolios that have requested emergency capital...

September 28, 2022

NewsInvestment, Political economy, UK

27SepSeptember 27, 2022

UK. Pension schemes and inflation

In the 12 months to August 2022, RPI has increased by 12.3% and CPI 9.9%. With this recent significant rise in inflation, employers and trustees have been asking what the impact of this is upon their defined benefit pension schemes. Members are also concerned that, against high inflation and a 'cost of living crisis, their pensions will maintain their value in real terms. Impact on benefits Defined benefit schemes The rapid rise in inflation means that members of defined benefit pension schemes...

September 27, 2022

NewsPension Management, UK

27SepSeptember 27, 2022

UK. TPR reveals compliance and enforcement figures

Use of regulatory powers remained steady in most areas with some notable exceptions The Pensions Regulator has published its latest compliance and enforcement bulletin – showing how many times the regulator used its AE and frontline regulation powers between January and June this year. The watchdog said the use of powers had remained "broadly steady" since the previous bulletin covering the six-month period of July to December 2021 - with TPR using its powers 203 times during this period as opposed...

September 27, 2022

NewsRegulation, UK

23SepSeptember 23, 2022

UK. Inflation presents ‘considerable risk’ to DC pension pots

Skyrocketing inflation figures pose unique challenges for defined contribution pension schemes as memberships surge to record highs, according to the Pensions Policy Institute’s DC Future Book. Though the state pension triple lock provides “partial protection” for those in retirement against inflation, the PPI warned that the cost of living crisis could be compounded if returns on investment do not match inflation, which would lead to erosion in the value of DC pots. Active DC membership now stands at 13.8mn people, 10.7mn...

September 23, 2022

NewsDefined Contribution, UK

22SepSeptember 22, 2022

UK Pension Schemes Under Pressure for Climate Impact Reporting

The mid-sized and smaller pension schemes in the UK are under tighter rules as new reporting regulations are requiring more detailed information. The UK has been one of the fastest countries to adopt the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) reporting requirements into law. This covers corporates, regulated financial institutions, and pension schemes. Large pension schemes in the country have to report climate risks in line with TCFD guidance since last October. This is also part of the Occupational Pension Schemes...

September 22, 2022

NewsESG, supervision, UK

21SepSeptember 21, 2022

UK. Guy Opperman ends role as Pensions Minister

Longest serving pensions minister Guy Opperman has lost his role after being in the post for the past five years. In a statement released today (September 20), Opperman said he had been relieved of his duties on September 8, but delayed the announcement to respect the period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. “It has been the honour of my life to serve as a government minister for the last seven years,” he said, thanking his parliamentary and civil service colleagues...

September 21, 2022

NewsRegulation, supervision, UK

21SepSeptember 21, 2022

UK. Gig economy workers and pension rights

With many employers avoiding their obligations, it’s time the government stepped in, argue Stephen Morrall and Annabelle Woosnam Last year the case Uber BV v Aslam made headlines across the media when the Supreme Court ruled that thousands of Uber drivers are ‘workers’, as defined by legislation, and not independent contractors. Accordingly, they are legally entitled to basic employment rights. However, according to a recent Financial Times article, the Pensions Regulator chief executive has conceded that, despite his calls for...

September 21, 2022

NewsInformal Sector, UK

21SepSeptember 21, 2022

UK. Govt appoints new pensions minister

Alex Burghart has been appointed as the new parliamentary under secretary of state in the Department of Work and Pensions in Liz Truss’ latest cabinet reshuffle. Burghart has been elected twice as MP for Brentwood and Ongar. He was previously parliamentary under-secretary for the Department for Education between September 2021 and July 2022. The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed the appointment, but did not comment on it. In a statement released yesterday (September 20), Truss sacked the UK’s longest serving pensions...

September 21, 2022

NewsRegulation, UK

20SepSeptember 20, 2022

UK. Early pensions access could encourage people to save, says ACA

Younger generations could be encouraged to save more for the long-term if the state allowed them to dip into their retirement savings early in order to cover urgent essential expenditure. This is according to evidence submitted by the Association of Consulting Actuaries for a Treasury Select Committee inquiry examining whether the current suite of tax reliefs represent good value for money. The ACA said too many people currently do not have a cushion of adequate immediate-access savings that would cover unexpected...

September 20, 2022

Newssavings, UK, Withdrawals

15SepSeptember 15, 2022

UK. CDC and ESG: A truly long-term game

This summer’s introduction of collective defined contribution pension schemes was a watershed moment for the industry. With the rules now laid out and the first scheme — Royal Mail — expected to be launched imminently, attention is turning to scheme design, and in particular investment portfolios. With environmental, social and governance factors now firmly at the centre of pension fund investment, many proponents of CDC believe that it is perfectly positioned to progress the responsible and sustainable investment cause to the...

September 15, 2022

NewsCDC, ESG, UK

September 2022