Pension fund contributions are being slashed to as low as 10 per cent as companies review their schemes to address longevity, high costs and volatile markets, according to Mercer.

Cardano’s Solvency Management approach has collectively outperformed traditional investment approaches by 15 per cent over two years to 30 June 2010, according to the firm’s UK fiduciary management figures.

Trustees should stop ignoring their third party administration (TPA) fees as they may be in danger of paying too much, says Goddard Perry Consulting (GPC).

The employee benefits firm has claimed that trustees do not always give TPA fees the same level of attention as the fees of other services.

UK employers have called on the Government to simplify the auto-enrolment regime and make modifications ahead of implementation in 2012.

EMI’s failure to come to an agreement with the trustees of its company pension scheme has resulted in the matter’s reference to the Pensions Regulator (TPR).

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) hopes to be financially self-sufficient by 2030, according to the first publication of its long-term funding strategy

HM Treasury’s proposals on high earners’ pension tax relief are inflexible, will excessively restrict the UK’s working practices, and will have unintended financial consequences for other UK workers, warns Mercer

The London branch of Société Générale (SocGen) has been ordered to pay a £1.575 million fine to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for failing to submit accurate transaction reports

The Government’s plans for auto-enrolment into a workplace pension scheme from 2012 is supported by 56 per cent of employers, and 64 per cent of eligible individuals, finds the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Merging ISAs and pensions could damage the incentive to provide income for retirement and is a dangerous idea, says London & Colonial

Ten per cent of the working population do not plan to retire at all, reports Baring Asset Management (Barings) in new research

The Life & Longevity Markets Association (LLMA) is hoping to bring greater confidence to pension schemes and insurers carrying out longevity hedges through the publication of its proposal for a standardised framework for longevity indices

Only six per cent of FTSE 250 firms continue to demonstrate significant loyalty to their defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, according to new research from Pension Capital Strategies (PCS).

Shrinking the catchment of the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) as a means to save money would defeat the object of auto-enrolment, says the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).

The European Union’s (EU) move towards central clearing for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives could result in end users being disadvantaged through costs and operational burdens, warns the Investment Management Association (IMA)

Rumours that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is considering abolishing contracting out into final salary schemes would simplify the pensions system and create greater equality between defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) plans, says Hargreaves Lansdown

Property could be the asset class to watch over the medium-term with rental growth set to deliver positive returns, reports Fidelity

Buyout deals are projected to hit £10bn in 2010, says Pension Capital Strategies, following healthy market activity in Q2 2010, and deals totalling £2.2bn already written by insurers

Variable annuity sales increased by 34 per cent in the first half of 2010 to £445million, finds Towers Watson, with the value of sales changing little between the first two quarters of 2010, accounting for £222million and £223million respectively

Confusion surrounding the changeover from using the consumer prices index (CPI) to the retail prices index (RPI) as a measure of inflation for occupational pension schemes, has already caused delays to de-risking transactions, says MetLife Assurance Limited

Defined contribution (DC) pension pots have taken a further battering over the last four weeks with a 30 year old’s annual pension income decreasing by £518, and a 60 year old’s by £358 per year, according to Aon Consulting

Fresh fears over the impact that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will have on UK pension schemes have resurfaced with the news that the Norwegian Government Pension Fund has lost €1.1bn from its investment in the company

Government plans to review auto-enrolment and the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) could severely rock the boat in terms of reforming workplace pensions, warns the Trades Union Congress (TUC)

Pressure is growing on ministers to reconsider their decision to link pension benefit rises to the Consumer Price Indexation (CPI).

Any future decision to raise the State Pension Age (SPA) in the UK should be based on changes in life expectancy for lower earners, says the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA).

A risk transfer deal is on the cards for one in four FTSE 100 companies by the end of 2012, reports Hymans Robertson

The UK does not have enough time to prepare for the rise in the state pension age for men to 66 in 2016, warns the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).

Safety valves are necessary in the public sector to ensure that change in the reforms is sustainable, says the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA)

Pension schemes were treated to record contributions from Britain’s biggest companies last year in an effort to plug huge shortfalls, reports Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP)

Life expectancy assumptions have increased by six months, in turn increasing scheme liabilities by around 1.5 per cent, says Mercer

The increasing popularity and attraction of traded life policies (TLPs) is a double edged sword for unwitting investors, warns the Merlin Stone Report 2010

While the deficits of the 200 largest defined benefit (DB) schemes improved by 25 per cent in July, FTSE 350 pensions’ funding recovery has been dogged by June’s market turmoil and falling corporate bond yields, says Mercer

The aggregate accounting deficit of defined benefit (DB) schemes has improved by about 25 per cent, from a £100bn shortfall at the end of June to £74bn at the end of July, according to Aon Consulting

UK pensions funds decreased their inflation hedging by almost a third in Q2 2010, compared to Q1 2010, but have maintained similar levels of interest rate hedging, says F&C

The default retirement age (DRA) will be no more by October 2011 thanks to proposals in a Government consultation

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a research report on the attitudes to increasing the proportion of member-nominated trustees (MNT), with a general move towards 50 per cent MNT representation seen in a positive light by MNTs and trade union representatives

Mn Services has been appointed as fiduciary manager to two pension schemes with combined assets in excess of £775 million

Thousands of pensioners could be in for a compensation windfall because they were not informed of the potential of receiving a higher income by shopping around for an annuity, according to pensions law firm Sackers

A case regarding the Ministry of Justice’s refusal to pay out pensions to 8,000 part-time judges has been referred by the Supreme Court to the European Court of Justice

A 5.4 per cent surge in gross sales of absolute return funds shows that they remain a popular choice for investors, says Defaqto

Esther White has been appointed as chair of The Association of Corporate Trustees (TACT) Pensions Committee

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) paid out an unnecessary £3.1bn due to fraud and error in 2009-10, according to qualified accounts from the National Audit Office (NAO)

MPs, Ministers and office holders belonging to the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF) could be forced to work for an extra three years, with recommendations from the Review Body on Senior Salaries increasing the retirement age from 65 to 68

Proposals from the Treasury on pensions tax relief will be less damaging to workplace pensions than the previous government’s plans to restrict pensions tax relief, says the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) EU-wide stress testing exercise report has claimed that UK banks are well placed to handle further occurrences of economic stress

Ofcom, the communications regulator, has ruled that BT cannot charge other communications providers extra for use of its ‘Openreach’ service in order to try and plug its massive estimated £9bn pension scheme deficit

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) could be having trouble finding a replacement for its outgoing chief executive, Tony Hobman, due to possible problems with funding costs, which may mean – among other things - a significant drop in salary for the position

Staff at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will be balloted for industrial strike action by staff unions following BBC managers’ refusal to withdraw plans to implement a one per cent cap on pensionable pay, says the National Union of Journalists (NUJ)

FTSE 100 executives enjoy pension packages that are three times the size of those of FTSE 250 bosses, reports Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP), with the new pension tax expected to cost FTSE 250 bosses £33,000 a year

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has released a statement that aims to help trustees and employers to manage the impact of the proposed changeover to using the consumer prices index (CPI) for scheme indexation, which has been welcomed as a “sensible” move

Advisers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and are taking advantage of a broader range of asset classes than ever before

Union representatives of BBC staff have warned the Corporation’s managers that unless they give a guarantee by 21 July that the value of pensions already earned will be protected, and plans to force through amendments to the staff pension scheme dropped, thousands of BBC staff will strike

Hewitt Associates has become one of the largest investment advisors in the US with the announcement of a definitive agreement to acquire EnnisKnupp, a provider of investment advisory services to large institutional investors

The Government’s proposed shift from RPI to CPI could see employer costs increase for three in five schemes, warns Aon Consulting

The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) guidance on transfer incentives disappoints with its overriding “presumption of guilt”, says Hewitt Associates, implying that exercises should be approached from a starting point of not being in the members’ interests

The Government’s consultation on removing the compulsory annuitisation rule by age 75 will be a positive step forward for only a select few individuals, says the Annuity Bureau

Alitalia Italian Airlines Pension and Assurance Scheme has entered into an insurance buy-in with Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) to stabilise the scheme’s funding position

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has updated its guidance on transfer incentives, taking a strengthened position on the subject and clarifying the role of the employer and the trustee

A medical-based approach to calculating longevity risk has been developed by Risk Management Solutions (RSM).

The changeover from using the Retail Price Index (RPI) to Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a measure of price inflation for regulating occupational pension schemes, is “grossly unfair”, says AWD Chase de Vere.

Hewitt Associates is to merge with Aon Consulting to create a new giant consultant

The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) determination to issue a Financial Support Direction (FSD) to raise £2.1bn from Nortel on behalf of the UK pension scheme and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) appears to show the TPR’s determination to protect the interest of UK pension scheme members regardless of a parent company’s domiciliation

The Government’s decision to alter private sector pension indexation from RPI (retail price index) to CPI (consumer price index) will reduce the value of occupational pensions, warns the Trades Union Congress (TUC)

A European Commission (EC) Green Paper focusing on pension systems is causing concern in the UK because of its proposals for a Solvency II-style structure for pension schemes

Public sector pensions are twice as valuable as previously assumed, reports the Public Sector Pensions Commission, with the true value of the main unfunded public sector schemes worth over 40 per cent of salary

The effects of the Emergency Budget’s austerity measures are likely to deliver a further blow to companies with final salary pension schemes over the next few years, warns Aon Consulting.

The number of young people saving for their long-term future could rise significantly if
ISA and pension savings were brought together in a single tax incentivised system, allowing young people to use the assets they have built up to get onto the property ladder, according to the Occupational Pensions Trusts’ (OPT) Ben Shaw.

BlackRock has been appointed by Equitable Life to provide investment and risk management services to the troubled company

Rothesay Life has announced a £1.3bn pension buy-in with British Airways (BA) Airways Pension Scheme (APS)

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published its first UK Stewardship Code for institutional investors, including the monitoring of investee companies, collective engagement and public reporting and reporting to clients

Drinks giant Diageo has announced that it has reached a ten year funding plan for the UK Diageo Pension Scheme.

RSM Tenon has acquired the national Financial Management operations of Vantis for a cash consideration of around £7 million

The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) decision to issue a £5million Contribution Notice (CN) against the parent company of textile machinery business Bonas - the first issued against a European company – may not be enforceable, according to some UK lawyers

The number of self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) will hit two million by 2015, says Suffolk Life.

The long-term effects of the credit crunch are only now evident in pensions savings, says the Scottish Widows UK Pensions Report, with the Index at its lowest since 2006.

Much needed clarification of legislative provisions for multi-employer, industry-wide schemes has been handed down in the ‘pensions case of the decade’, says Hogan Lovells.

The BBC has informed its employees of proposed changes to its pension scheme in an effort to save the struggling plan

Concerns over liquidity and capital protection are driving changes to asset management business models, find CREATE-Research, Citi Global Transaction Services and Principal Global Investors.

The European Life Settlement Association (ELSA) has launched a retail market consultation into the practices and issues that surround life settlements.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has announced that it will be banning commission on all new Group Personal Pension (GPP) products and sales, whether sold with advice or otherwise, from the end of 2012, in line with other Retail Distribution Review (RDR) requirements.

AXA has agreed to sell its UK-based traditional life and pensions business, its IFA protection and corporate pension businesses, and its annuity businesses for consideration of £2.75bn to Resolution Ltd

The Government’s independent review of the auto-enrolment policy, due for implementation from 2012, has been met with mixed reviews from the industry, with some concerned that the ‘consumer’ has been left without a voice

UK commercial property is set for a total annual return of 8.5 per cent for the next five years, says SWIP

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that there will be an independent review of the automatic enrolment element of the 2012 pension reforms

George Osborne has revealed that he will review the higher earners’ pension tax regime and look to replace it with a reduced Annual Allowance limit, which would still aim to raise the same overall tax yield of around £3.5bn

British Airways’ long-time pension fund deficit woes are a step towards resolution with an agreement on a recovery plan with its New Airways Pension Scheme (NAPS) and Airways Pension Scheme (APS)

The increase in capital gains tax (CGT) will force higher rate taxpayers towards ISAs as a tax-friendly alternative to pensions, and could see investment bonds come back to the fore

Former Labour minister John Hutton has been appointed as chair of the independent Public Service Pensions Commission by Chancellor George Osborne

The new Pensions Minister should overhaul the current pensions system and allow scheme members at or beyond the state pension age to commute annual private pension benefits into cash, says Barnett Waddingham in its ten-point Charter of amendments

The Green Paper on pensions that is expected for publication this week by the European Commission could see defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) schemes suffer major losses, warns Hogan Lovells

The number of customers who take an annuity from their existing pension provider is forecast to drop over the next couple of years, say 35 per cent of advisers in a Sun Life Financial of Canada IFA barometer

Trustees must not be too trusting of the Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) guidance for trustees on lifting the bar on assessing, monitoring and taking action when it comes to their employer covenant, says a pensions lawyer

Steve Webb must not do a U-turn on the package of pensions reforms that are due for implementation in 2012, warns the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published guidance materials to help trustees to monitor employer support for consultation, which has been received with praise from the industry for its timeliness

The Government has based its argument for public sector pension reform on the wrong figure in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) report, claims Towers Watson

Ninety-four per cent of employers plan to reduce or scrap their current defined benefit (DB) plan offerings, finds PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

The Retail Distribution Review (RDR) has not taken note of leavers of pension schemes and will costs employees leaving one plan and joining another £123million per year, warns Creative Benefit Solutions

Government proposals to allow early access to a pension fund is a mistake, warns Mercer, and could follow trends across other systems that indicate this 'leakage' actually undermines efforts to provide adequate retirement resources

The Government must adopt policies that relax legislative restrictions on pension scheme design, says Mercer, as simple reliance on any one design, such as a collective defined contribution (DC) scheme, would be inadequate at encouraging employers to provide retirement provision

The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) latest trustee guidance document Understanding Employer Support for Defined Benefit (DB) Schemes implies a relaxation of its attitude towards to members transferring out of schemes, says Towers Watson

HM Treasury has underestimated the implementation costs for the new higher earners' pensions tax regime by a factor of seven, claims Standard Life.

Analysis by the insurance group suggests that the one-off compliance cost should be closer to a figure of £2.5bn, rather than the government's estimated £345m bill. The 'true' cost, Standard Life said, is made up of £52.5m in employer costs, £1.38bn in employee costs, £525.3m in scheme and provider costs, and £75m in HMRC costs

The gold rush is over, says Moonraker Fund Management, with predictions instead that silver will outstrip gold in a rally

Seventy-seven per cent of defined contribution (DC) pension members could still be missing out on the level of income in retirement to which they are entitled, as they are not taking the Open Market Option (OMO) warns AWD Chase de Vere

The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) new record keeping guidance is not tough enough nor specific enough on how the new regime will be policed and reported on, says Independent Transition Management (ITM)

Low investor expertise could hold back investment into infrastructure, reports bfinance in its first survey into the asset class

Concerns are mounting over the effect of BP's oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico on UK pension funds, since their portfolios typically have large holdings in BP

The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), product development, Solvency II and the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) have the industry split, according to Xafinity Paymaster's latest annuity survey

The original proposals for pensions simplification, as designed by Alan Pickering CBE, should be revisited to rejuvenate retirement savings, says Suffolk Life.

The fire behind the national debate on pensions is to be stoked up by a new website, Pensionomics.com, which aims to act as a resource for anyone wanting to contribute in this field.

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) enquiries more than double as investors fear the possibility of increased rates following the coalition government's emergency Budget in a few weeks.

A new retirement income service that allows independent financial advisers (IFAs) to earn a fee for introducing clients who are unable to afford full advice has been launched by the Annuity Clearing House (ACH)

The Financial Reporting Council's (FRC) changes to the UK Corporate Governance Code have been met with caution by the industry, with claims that it fosters short-termism.

Two-thirds of the pension schemes that had previously ruled out outsourcing their administration would now consider doing so, according to Capita Hartshead

Employers must raise the issue of the repayment of surplus funds with their trustees now to avoid missing the 6 April 2011 deadline, warns Hogan Lovells

Complaints about pensions fell by 27 per cent over the year to 31 March 2010, according to the Financial Ombudsman

Personalisation is the key to improving member engagement in defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, reports Spence Johnson

Pension funds should also be wary of their currency exposure, particularly when hedging to Sterling, warns J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Investors need not be too concerned about the prospect of fast-rising inflation as the current Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure may have been temporarily distorted by recent events, according to Richard Gwilliam, an analyst with the property research team at PRUPIM

Exposure to risky assets will be reduced in the coming years by 73 per cent of pension fund trustees, reports Pension Corporation

Pension funds must buy physical gold to protect themselves from hyperinflation and economic collapse

The Whitbread PLC pension fund is injecting £100million into its pension fund courtesy of a number of its hotels and restaurants in a bid to curb its huge deficit

Defined contribution (DC) pension schemes must be re-jigged to ensure they have more success in the future than they did during the financial crisis, says Towers Watson

The Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) implementation of major pension reforms are likely to come under fire from new Minister for State for Pensions, warns Towers Watson

Rising inflation has taken a bite of 3.55 per cent out of pensioner income, says Key Retirement Solutions

The UK is facing up to a £1.2trn personal pension shortfall in individual retirement income, warns Hewitt Associates, as the gap between people's benefit expectations and the reality of retirement income has increased by 50 per cent over six years

Public sector pensions must be prepared to fight their corner in the coming months as the government prepares to enforce public spending cuts, warns London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) chairman, Anthony Mayer

Pensions should be more engaged with ethical investment, with responsible operations an important attribute, say 72 per cent of charity workers, according to the Pensions Trust

Bluefin and Redington have joined up to provide the small- to medium-sized pension scheme market with bespoke investment solutions

The new coalition government has published the agreements it has come to on policies, with few surprises for the pensions industry

The 'stability' of the new the Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government has resulted in a less choppy market landscape, with Schroders reporting that on Wednesday 12 May 2010, Sterling is trading higher against the US Dollar, reaching an 11-month high against the Euro

Stuart Southall has been elected as chairman of the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA), taking office on 1 June 2010. Southall, chairman and principal of Punter Southall Limited, succeeds Hewitt's Keith Barton as chairman, and said now is the "time to get positive" on pensions

AEGON Asset Management has been handed a £130million mandate by Skandia Investment Group (SIG), one of the largest ever single UK mandates

There is yet more woe for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes with evidence of a disconnect between trustees and scheme sponsors' risk management priorities, warns MetLife Assurance Limited

The UK's hung Parliament could lead to higher annuity rates, according to MGM Advantage

The pensions industry has broadly welcomed the Investment Governance Group's (IGG) guidance on investment governance of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, which closes to consultation today, but some are concerned about how its principles could be applied to contract-based DC schemes

Funds that choose to invest in traded life policies (TLPs) must use a blend of currency hedging solutions to deal with FX markets volatility, says Managing Partners Limited (MPL)

The pensions risk transfer market is set to grow to cover £15bn of liabilities in 2010, estimates Hymans Robertson, with £11bn of scheme risk transfer deals already completed in the last year

The International Accounting Standards Board's (IASB) proposals to remove the 'corridor' regime for employee benefits (IAS 19) in its Exposure Draft has opened a whole can of worms, with some companies reporting a possible increase in reported pension deficits of £25bn

Despite coverage and warnings about the amount of work necessary in preparation for the implementation of auto-enrolment, less than a third of trustees, pensions managers and pension administrators are working towards 2012's deadline, finds Mercer

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has confirmed that it proposes to change the international accounting standard for defined benefit pension schemes (IAS 19) to encourage greater scrutiny of their risks

The pressure to reduce spending on pension administration has increased over the past year, with 79 per cent of pension managers and 58 per cent of trustees admitting they now administration costs as a prominent concern, reports Hewitt Associates

Vince Cable has been accused of committing "an extraordinary blunder" in his calculations over pensions tax relief, which the Liberal Democrats wish to cut in order to fund tax cuts for lower earners

The UK is now a competitive fund domicile, says the Investment Management Association (IMA), with its wide range of well-governed, well-managed and tax-efficient funds

The number of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes that close over the next year will be double the current figure, predicts Hewitt Associates

Pension fund trustees should be rewarded with payment for the ever-increasing expertise that they are now required to have, say 62 per cent in a Pension Corporation study

The overall combined cost of running a DB scheme will rise by £10bn should new proposed accounting rules from the IASB be implemented

The Pensions Trust has appointed a new chair of the Trustee Board, Sarah Smart, to lead the Board and create the conditions for the Board's overall effectiveness.

Kevin LeGrand has succeeded Duncan Howorth as president of the Society of Pension Consultants (SPC).

An independent Local Government Pensions Commission is necessary to secure the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), says the London Pension Fund Authority (LPFA)

The charges associated with the Government's National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) initiative could deter savers as they are too high and complicated, warns the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

There is more woe for the Government comes as it emerges that National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) scheme and other reform plans have fallen out of favour with employers and employees

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has been forced to bare its teeth yet again, fining a London IFA £24,500 for failings in pension switching advice

Tackling the "Pension Crunch" should not be viewed as an unwelcome cost challenge by an incoming government but as part of the solution to future fiscal and economic stability for the UK, according to AEGON's pensions election manifesto

State Street and PensionsFirst Analytics (PFA) have joined up to offer defined benefit (DB) pension schemes across the globe a web-based service to enhance the measurement and management of pensions risk

UK property is the one to watch for 2010, with commercial property set to deliver strong returns, says PRUPIM

The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) loss is the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) gain today with the appointment of Tony Hobman as chief executive of the newly created Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB)

The Liberal Democrats have released their 2010 Election Manifesto, featuring policies that would aim to restore "dignity and security in later life"

The Conservative Party has released its Manifesto for 2010, outlining its plans to "reinvigorate" occupational pensions

The aggregate funding position of defined benefit (DB) funds in the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) eligible universe has improved over March to a surplus of £0.3bn, the first surplus since the end of June 2008

Trustees must wake up to administration risks that threaten their pension schemes or they could be facing regulatory problems, warns Independent Transition Management (ITM)

Labour has committed to increase the basic state pension in line with earnings from 2012, a move which dashes savings of £2bn a year by the end of the next Parliament, says Towers Watson.

The next Government should use its first 100 days in power to set out the foundations for a healthier savings culture in the UK, says Friends Provident

Final salary schemes gripped by funding shortfalls could have a reprieve in the form of a ruling in Scotland that could save employers from having to pay millions in contributions to pension schemes, says law firm McGrigors.

Following claims by the National Audit Office (NAO) that public sector pensions are sustainable, the Confederation for British Industry (CBI) is calling for an overhaul of the system to contain what it describes as a "£1trn burden" on the taxpayer

The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) recent crackdown on pension switching has not had much effect on financial advisers, with over 70 per cent claiming to be unconcerned about the impact of the Thematic Review on their pension switching business

Low rates on cash deposits in Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) are damaging returns for clients, say Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) in a study by Prudential

The funding position of all UK private sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes has increased over the year to 85 per cent from 83 per cent, according to Pension Capital Strategies' (PCS) monthly index

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published guidelines for employers considering changes to their defined benefit (DB) pension scheme

Proposals from the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) could see two million pensioners removed from means-tested benefits, and employees retiring on two-thirds average earnings

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has pledged to help employers prepare for automatic enrolment, improve standards of governance and administration, and fill deficits as soon as reasonably affordable in its fourth corporate plan

The two per cent charge levied on contributions to the Government's National Employment Savings Trust scheme (NEST), which is estimated to last until 2030, will add to the challenge of persuading people that they will get value for money in the early years of the new savings plan

Cable & Wireless has taken advice from Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP) on the impact that its demerger, which completes today (26 March 2010), will have on its £2bn pension scheme liabilities

Angela Eagle, Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society, has announced that Jeannie Drake will serve as deputy chair of the NEST Corporation, joining Lawrence Churchill who has already been named chair

Alistair Darling has dismissed strong calls to alter his proposed changes to tax relief on pensions for higher earners, incurring the wrath of the vast majority of the financial services community

Institutional shareholders in the UK should become more engaged owners through their participation in the process of directors being nominated or removed, says think-tank Tomorrow's Company.

Trustees must reassess their employer covenant as financial data provider Markit expects dividend payouts to increase by 18 per cent per year, warns Punter Southall

Fear of further changes and clarification of the framework governing pensions in the Budget and General Election is causing employers to put off decisions regarding their workplace pension arrangements, says PwC.

The rising cost of public sector pension provision, and a sustainable approach to financing it, should be clarified by each political party in what AXA believes is a key general election issue

Early access and meddling with the current pension rules are not the way forward for UK pensions, warns UK think tank the Social Market Foundation (SMF)

Almost three million UK adults over 45 years old have been forced to delay their retirement due to the recession, a financial emergency, or as a way of building up a bigger pension pot, says Prudential

The Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) levy charge should be more predictable and proportional to changes in scheme risk to make it fairer to stakeholders, says the Steering Group

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has clarified its new Statement of Investment Principles (SIP) for Pensions Age, in response to accusations from the industry that the new strategy is not transparent

Real estate, intellectual property and copyright are tipped as 2010's choice of plugs for ten per cent of FTSE 100 pension deficits, says PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), adviser to a number of companies and trustees in this area

The Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) new Statement of Investment Principles (SIP) are even less transparent than before, warns Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP).

British Airways' (BA) unions have agreed to increase contributions and to a reduction in future benefit accrual to help repay its £3.7bn pension deficit.

Despite a 40 per cent recovery in stock markets since they hit rock bottom a year ago, defined contribution (DC) pension schemes are still substantially lower than their pre-recession levels, reports Aon Consulting.

The Government has announced that the expected charges for the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) pension scheme will meet the Pension Commission's ambition to provide a low cost scheme

Following announcements of the National Employment Savings Trust's (NEST) charging structure, Friends Provident is calling for a review of stakeholder regulations to ensure providers have a level playing field

The Government has confirmed that contracting-out of the Second State Pension (S2P) under defined contribution (DC) pension schemes will be abolished from 6 April 2012

Standard Life and the Pensions Management Institute (PMI) have formed a research partnership, PMI/Standard Life DC Pulse, looking at methods of providing adequate retirement savings in defined contribution (DC)

Those considering an investment into life settlement funds must ask ten questions of their product providers in their diligence processes to ensure a sound choice of manager, says SL Investment Management

The outlook for global emerging markets (GEM) equities has been over-hyped, warns Standard Life Investments, and there is not enough evidence from valuations to suggest they will outperform developed markets over the near-term

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has been accused of misunderstanding what pension accounting is "trying to achieve", by BDO Investment Management

A cross-party group of MPs is calling on the Parliamentary pension fund to take a stand on investments in tar sand oil extraction, due to environmental and social risks, and question marks over financial sustainability

Pay-as-you-go public sector pension schemes are affordable, sustainable and far from 'gold-plated', according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in its analysis of new figures published today (12 March 2010) by the National Audit Office (NAO)

The International Accounting Standards Board has announced that it will be looking to remove the ability to defer the recognition of gains and losses on company balance sheets

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has published the latest guide on asset pooling. 'Asset Pooling Made Simple' aims to help pension funds looking for better returns on investments through asset pooling

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has announced that it will lead a major review of pension accounting standards, beginning with a summit on the subject that will take place in the coming months

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has released a new statement of investment principles (SIP), which sets out its aim to significantly alter its diversification strategies

Workplace pensions can be saved in just six steps says the National Association of Pension Funds' (NAPF) Investment Council Chairman, Ray Martin

Following Mercer's concerns that changes to the IAS 19 company accounting standards for employee benefits would significantly alter asset allocation decisions, Hewitt Associates has said that the new proposals for the standard could increase reported pension costs

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has revealed that the aggregate funding position of defined benefit (DB) funds in its universe has improved to a deficit of £15.1bn at end February 2010, a huge improvement from end January's results of a deficit of £51.9bn

The UK is leading the way in implementing innovative risk management solutions for the key issues in the defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, according to Aon Consulting

Refining investment funds to improve future performance and simplifying the way they are presented to members is the key to better levels of defined contribution (DC) engagement, says Brian Henderson, senior investment consultant at Mercer

Changes to the international accounting standards (IAS 19) could change asset allocations and lead to lower risk investment strategies for pension plans, warns Mercer

Just thirty-four per cent of employees believe their pension will be sufficient for retirement, according to the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

Socially responsible investing (SRI) can boost pension fund portfolios, rather than be to their detriment, according to investment managers at a Newton Investment London roundtable today (8 March 2010)

Should Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, follow through with his proposal to restart the emergency quantitative easing programme due to weakness in the eurozone, scheme deficits could suffer further, warns Aon Consulting

The Conservative party has voted against auto-enrolment in the House of Commons in what Nigel Waterson, Conservative Shadow pensions minister, has labelled a "protest" against the Government's "flawed system of implementation"

The PPF should consult on ending its practice of automatically increasing compensation payments, says Mercer

In a not-so-surprising announcement, the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has named Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as the successful bidder for its National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) scheme administration services

The FSA has bared its teeth again by announcing fines for RSM Tenon Financial Services Limited (Tenon) of £700,000 for poor systems and controls to prevent unsuitable advice in its pension switching and structured product business

The FSA has raised concerns over the disclosure and marketing of TLP and has warned providers and advisers that they face "significant risk" to their reputations if they fail to sell or advise on TLPs properly

The average large employer in the FTSE 100 has increased the maximum contribution made to defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, according to Towers Watson

The Government should abandon its complex and costly proposals on the tax treatment of pensions contributions, says the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The collective problem of delivering higher state pensions, public debt and longevity could all be solved with a faster and further rise in the SPA, argues PwC

A new minimum threshold requirement, and an independent commission with powers to increase contribution levels, would help secure the long-term sustainability of the LGPS

Financial advisors, accountants and EBCs are in for a busy time with 90% of UK firms intending to seek advice and guidance to help understand the pension reforms from 2012

The largest ever pension scheme insurance deal has been struck by Abbey Life, in association with Paternoster, to provide the BMW (UK) Operations Pension Scheme with a hedge for the life expectancy risks for its almost £3bn of liabilities

Taxpayers could save £600 million to the detriment of pensioners, depending on the date Gordon Brown chooses for the general election, warns Towers Watson

Individuals can now contact their pension providers and request that they back resolutions brought against BP and Shell, through an innovative internet tool launched by FairPensions

Mercer has launched its Pension Buyout Index to assist companies and trustees when it comes to de-risking

Small shifts in asset allocation could boost pension pots, highlighting the need for DC members to take control of their investment strategy, says Aon Consulting

The RDA UK, the UK subsidiary of the RDA, is to file for administration following the rejection of a clearance application by TPR

Legal & General (L&G) has launched into the longevity insurance market from today (17 February 2010), following an investigation into the sector

Pension scheme risk transfer deals totalled £7.7bn in 2009, a figure that is expected to double in 2010, according to the Hymans Robertson

The gender gap has grown when it comes to pensions with women expecting to retire on over £7,000 less than men in 2010, according to Prudential

The FSA has announced that it is to address the life settlements industry, an investment class on which it has rarely commented

Active management is set to play a significant role in DC pension plans by 2012's launch of NEST, say 76 per cent of UK pension groups

Rick Di Mascio has announced that he will not stand for re-election as chairman of the T-Charter, following service in the position since 2005

With Solvency II receiving the green light to go ahead in 2012, pensioners could be facing a 30 per cent drop in retirement income, which could get worse, warns Annuity Direct

BT has announced plans to tackle its £9bn pension fund deficit with a seventeen year recovery plan

A consultation paper on the IGG draft investment government principles and best practice guidance for trust-based and contract-based DC work-based pension schemes has been welcomed by the industry

Hector Sants is to step down from his position as chief executive officer at the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the summer.

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has launched two new initiatives to support the ownership role of pension funds, and to continue to support raising corporate governance standards in the UK.

LV= has branched out into the 'third way' market with the launch of Protected Retirement Plan, its first fixed-term retirement product

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) must ensure that it continues to provide value for money when it comes to investment, especially as more schemes are transferring into its lifeboat, says the National Audit Office (NAO).

Only two per cent of defined benefit (DB) private sector pension schemes will be open in 2019, estimates Xafinity

If HMRC allows an asset class to be invested in self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), providers should also, say advisers in a survey conducted by Suffolk Life

Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) has agreed a mammoth deal to insure the benefits for members of the Liberty International Group Retirement Benefit Scheme.

The end of 2010 could bring about a pensions deficit of £500bn for the UK's defined benefit (DB) schemes, warns Xafinity

Pension schemes placed less emphasis on inflation hedging in the last quarter of 2009 (Q4 2009), according to F&C's latest Liability Driven Investments (LDI) Survey

A BlueBay Asset Management plc (BlueBay) hedge fund manager has been banned and fined £140,000 for mis-marking funds he managed

The Reader's Digest Association, Ltd. could fall into administration following a decision by TPR not to approve a clearance application by the group

Record keeping standards must be improved, says the Pensions Regulator (TPR) in a consultation which states required standards for this practice

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has confirmed that employers it deems to be the most robust against going bust will face a 68 per cent increase in its levy payment for 2011

Former NAPF chairman, Robin Ellison, is to lead the 'U Party', a new political group aimed at the centre ground

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has received a thumbs-up for its risk-based approach to regulation in an independent review by the Better Regulation Executive (BRE) and the National Audit Office (NAO).

NEST is set to fail as it is built on 'shaky' foundations, according to Steve Webb, the Liberal Democrats' front bench work and pensions spokesperson

Pension services and employee benefits group, Xafinity, is to be acquired by Advent International for an undisclosed sum

NEST Corporation, tasked with delivering the NEST pension scheme to the UK, has named Lawrence Churchill as its chair

Members of the Freedom SIPP have been thrown a lifeline with the appointment of Mattioli Woods, as agent to the troubled scheme

Poor annuity rates are pushing people towards drawdown according to research from Skandia

An amendment to the tax penalties on ASPs is necessary to avoid further transfers to overseas pension arrangements, says London & Colonial

Employees with defined contribution (DC) pensions may get away with working for fewer years to achieve a reasonable income in retirement due to surging equity prices, says Mercer.

The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) has appointed Partha Dasgupta as its new chairman for a term of three years

Standard Life has been fined £2.45 million after having produced misleading marketing material for its Pension Sterling Fund.

Trustees of defined contribution (DC) schemes should not be using default investment funds as an excuse to wash their hands of their responsibilities, according to Pitmans Trustees Limited (PTL).

The PPF and TPR have jointly published the fourth Purple Book, an in-depth analysis of defined benefit (DB) schemes' performance throughout a turbulent 2008/09

Claims by Steve Webb, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, that the deficit of local Government pension schemes (LGPS) will surpass £60bn next year have been rubbished by public service union Unison.

A new investment approach for pension schemes to us as a practical alternative to LDI has been developed by LCP

Pension transfer cases must be reviewed by IFAs as a priority, particularly to ensure clear documentation of all advice, says MetLife

The Government has issued amended draft regulations today regarding the 2012 pensions reform changes

Despite doubt over their suitability for the UK pensions market, variable annuities are set to grow in popularity in the next few years, says Sun Life Financial of Canada

The majority of employers believe that compulsion is the only solution to the UK's pension crisis

The Government's workplace pension reforms have taken a further step forward with the rebranding of Personal Accounts to NEST

The average DB pension fund trustee board enjoyed returns of around 15 per cent, according to initial estimates by State Street Investment Analytics

The average UK pension fund recorded an average weighted return of 14.0 per cent for 2009 according to estimates by BNY Mellon Asset Servicing

Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt have finally completed their merger, first announced in June last year, to create a global professional services company to be known as Towers Watson.

The ABI has proposed that the current age limit for buying an annuity is raised from 75 to 80 in a newly published paper

The pension scheme risk transfer market has been bolstered by a flood of activity in the fourth quarter of 2009, bringing 2009's buy-ins total to £4bn and longevity swaps up to £3.5bn.

The deficit for the 200 largest UK pension schemes has tipped the balance at £103bn, a record figure

An body to come up with solutions to the unfunded public sector pension problem has been launched

Following TPR's statement that trustees must be careful when considering ETV exercises, Hewitt Associates

The FSA has set out proposals for removing commission bias from the GPP market, alongside its RDR

The DWP will not be taking any further action on CDC schemes, a response to its consultation on risk sharing

'Generation Y' is beginning to grasp the importance of saving for retirement, according to research by Friends Provident

The Pensions Age Spring Conference: Coming out of the dark has now launched and is free to pension funds

Searches for UK managers have risen again in the first three quarters of 2009 compared to those in 2008

The Government has announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2009 that it is adjusting some of the pension reforms

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that restrictions on pensions tax relief have been extended

A third of schemes are looking to use enhanced transfer values (ETVs) as the stigma wears off

The PPF's latest 7800 Index has shown that the aggregate funding position of almost 7,400 DB funds has improved

Improvement to post-retirement solutions will be thrust further onto the industry's radar by increasing DC retirees

Including offshore-domiciled funds in the UK's IMA sector will shake up the emerging market funds industry

Pensioners will lose out on £3.3bn over 20 years if their right to the OMO is not exercised, warns PICA

While trustees have improved covenant monitoring, better access is still necessary for them to identify risk factors

FTSE companies have been delivered more gloomy news over their pension schemes with a warning from Aon

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published a revised guidance on internal controls for consultation

JLT has acquired HSBC Actuaries and Consultants Limited (HACL) for £27.25 million in cash

Mn Services has announced that it is to partner the Pension Management Institute's (PMI) Fiduciary Management Specialist Industry Sector (SIS)

Despite a quiet 2009 for the buyout market the outlook is good, according to Pension Capital Strategies.

The Government must support workplace pensions by issuing more long-dated and index-linked gilts

Aviva has announced the updated structure that its UK business will take from 1 January 2010

Vodafone has announced that it is set to close its final salary pension scheme next April

The UK's "over-prescriptive and complicated" pensions legislation must be simplified, says Mercer

Global emerging markets remain a favourite investment for many UK pension funds due to global market volatility

TPR latest campaign, launched today (24 November 2009), focuses on 'keeping pension safe'

Structured product providers have merged to create the UK Structured Products Association

The pension liabilities of FTSE 350 companies could be collectively overstated or understated by up to £40bn

Chancellor Alistair Darling should overhaul pensions rules to allow surplus, unused pension savings of one generation to be passed down to another to bolster subsequent generations' retirements, says Hornbuckle Mitchell

Consumer appetite for a guaranteed retirement product is on the up, according to research by AEGON

The UK's combined defined contribution (DC) pension pot dropped by £18bn over October to £489bn, according to estimates from Aon Consulting

Company remuneration should be aligned with the long-term interests of shareholders including pension funds, says the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) in a letter to the chairmen of Britain's top 350 companies

Britain is letting down its elderly members of the public, say 70 per cent of Brits, and three-quarters believe a substantial increase in the basic state pension is necessary, according to a survey by Club Vita

Forty-three per cent of pension schemes do not have an overall risk-mitigation strategy, finds HamishWilson in the second round of results from its recent pension fund survey

The High Court has clarified pensions law with a ruling that trustees cannot rely on the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) promise of a safety net when it comes to making decisions about their scheme

Mn Services Investment Management UK has announced that it has been awarded its first appointment as fiduciary manager by the Macmillan Cancer Support Pension Scheme, subject to contract

The return delivered to self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and small self-administered schemes (SSAS) investors on cash accounts are still unacceptably low, warn Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) in a survey run by Investec Private Bank

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has proposed improvements for the 2011/12 levy year which reflect changes to the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) methodology, used to measure insolvency risk for the PPF, and industry feedback

The Government's latest draft of reforms due in 2012 require a 'further injection of common sense' before they can feasibly work in the real world, warns the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The vast majority of trustees and sponsors are finally looking at de-risking as a priority for their schemes, but many still struggle to develop governance structures to help them do so, says Mercer

Insolvencies in England and Wales still remain at "unprecedented levels" and pension fund trustees must remain vigilant by monitoring their employer covenant and finding ways to improve their scheme's position, says Jonathan Land, partner and pensions credit advisory leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has revealed that its deficit has risen to £1.2bn but that its protection framework has remained resilient through the recession, in its latest annual accounts report for 2008/09.

Pension funds appear to be receiving mixed messages about whether or not they should invest in commercial property, following recent statements from consultants and fund managers on the asset class.

The UK manufacturing industry is waving goodbye to defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, with 62 per cent now closed to new members and a further 14 per cent closed to future accrual, says EEF and CPH Consulting.

Risk transfer deals for final salary pension schemes reached their highest ever total value in the third quarter of 2009, according to Hymans Robertson.

BNY Mellon has finally purchased Insight Investment Management Limited from the Lloyds Banking Group for £235m.

Northern Trust and the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) have joined forces to update their custody guide, Custody Made Simple.

Politicians must create an independent commission to examine affordability issues over local authority pensions, says Anthony Mayer, chairman of the London Pension Fund Authority

A new communication strategy needs to be introduced in the pre-retirement stage in order to prevent retirees taking on a poor value annuity, says the Pensions Income Choice Association (PICA)

Just when you thought the gloom was starting to lift from the pensions sector, new research from AXA shows that pensioner poverty is set to rise, with 64 per cent of UK workers expecting to rely on the state pension

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) has echoed concerns raised by Xafinity Consulting with research showing that pension liabilities disclosed in accounts have increased by around 25 per cent over the last six months

A third of literature dished out to pension scheme members is in breach of legislative requirements, or shows signs of poor practice, according to the results of an investigation by The Pensions Regulator (TPR)

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has welcomed the publication of the results of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Personal Accounts Delivery Authority's (PADA) consultation

The UK's pension liabilities will hit £1,204bn by the end of 2009, despite substantial improvements in global equity markets, warns Xafinity Consulting

UK investors have tipped emerging markets as the top performer over the coming years, according to research by Ignis Asset Management

There is still light at the end of the defined benefit (DB) tunnel, says Hewitt Associates, as closure is not the only option for these schemes

Investor appetite has swung back in favour of riskier assets over the last six months, with 55 per cent now overweight in risk assets compared to only 17 per cent six months ago, according to research by Schroders

Help will be available for trustees when they come to review their investment governance arrangements and compliance with the Myners Principles from Mercer, with the launch of its investment governance assessment service

A negative Retail Price Index (RPI) will hit pensioners hard, effectively wiping an average £900 off a £12,800 per annum pension between 2008 and 2010, warns Hewitt Associates

Alternative assets should soon come back onto the radars of institutional investors, says BlackRock, despite problems experienced in 2008

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has added fuel to the default retirement age (DRA) debate by declaring that it should rise to 70 as soon as reasonably practical

Despite levels of activity lower than those in 2008, the UK buyout market has remained active and is on a long-term upward curve, reports Mercer

Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) in England and Wales saw a drop of 19 per cent (£24bn) in asset values during 2008/09

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has warned that any future changes to the current plans for pensions reform would damage retirement savings in the UK

The Government should reconsider the law to make it easier for employers to communicate with their employees when it comes to pensions, says the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The Freedom SIPP Limited (TFSL), a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) provider, has been wound up in a High Court judgement for non payment of tax

A lifestyling approach to investment in defined contribution (DC) default funds is still the best solution for most people, according to a group of pensions experts surveyed by the NAPF and PensionsDCisions

The legislation governing self invested personal pensions (SIPPs) should be stripped down to its simplest form, says Suffolk Life's John Moret, on the twentieth anniversary of the Joint Office Memorandum 101 (Memo 101).

The gender gap is widening, with just 47 per cent of women saving sufficiently for retirement compared to 59 per cent of men, according to Scottish Widows.

Defined benefit (DB) scheme trustees must take control of investment strategy or risk taking responsibility for a 20 per cent loss on pension benefits for around 15,000 people, warns Hewitt Associates.

Conflicts of interest still exist for the majority of FTSE 100 final salary pension schemes because they have not appointed an independent chairman to their board of trustees, according to research from Trustee GAAPS.

Despite eighty-nine per cent of fund managers agreeing that climate change is an important investment issue, obstacles such as short-term analysis and lack of demand from pension funds and other clients prevents them from addressing it, says FairPensions

The next two to three years will see the end of defined benefit (DB) pension provision to all employees within the majority of FTSE 350 companies, predicts Pension Capital Strategies Limited (PCS)

Less than half of private sector employees view pensions as the best way to save for their retirement, according to research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and BlackRock

The relationship between Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) manufacturers and distributors could be negatively impacted by recommendations in the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) thematic review of small SIPP providers should they be adopted in their current form, warns Suffolk Life

Aviva has given its support to the idea of granting early access to pension savings to make them more flexible and attractive to UK savers

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne has announced that should a Conservative Government be elected, the UK can expect a review of the current State Pension Age, with a view to raise it for men to age 66 by 2016

Failure to comply with terms to improve benefits of final salary pension scheme as they are set out in scheme rules could lead to members losing out on benefits they believed they were entitled to, warns the pensions team at City law firm, Wedlake Bell

FTSE 100 companies could face up to an extra £26bn of unnecessary pension liabilities due to differing life expectancy valuations, according to Hewitt

UK Local Authority (LA) pension funds have lost £31bn on their investments between 2007 and 2009, according to global class action services specialist, GOAL Group

The Actuarial Profession has replaced its code of conduct with a new simpler version, setting out the professional and ethical standards that actuaries are expected to adhere to at all times

Aon Consulting's latest Aon200 index records have shown that the combined pension funding position for the 200 largest UK privately sponsored defined benefit (DB) schemes have improved by £16bn to a deficit of £62bn

Forty-two per cent of Brits believe the Government is responsible for providing them with a retirement income, and 45 per cent of women agree it is up to politicians, according to a survey by Home & Capital Advisers

Gaudi, a new pension administration service, has entered the Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) arena with a product aimed at pulling in the 'Facebook' generation

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has announced plans to reduce the cap on its levy to 0.5 per cent, and has reduced the levy scaling factor from 2.22 to 1.64

Pensions Age has learned that Rockingham Retirement is to launch a new annuity replacement product aimed at the "common man"

Insurance company Paternoster, which takes on the risks from defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, is to lose 24 employees in a business restructure, and is to inject £5 million of new capital into the Group to ensure it is able to write new business in the future

In a move towards the anticipated review of the default retirement age (DRA) by the Government in 2010, the High Court has dismissed a legal challenge by Heyday - a division of Age Concern - that it is unlawful to force an employee over the age of 65 to retire

Solvency II has pushed interest in the 'non-buyout' pension solution for defined benefit (DB) schemes because of growing industry concern surrounding the European directive, reports Occupational Pensions Trusts (OPT)

Pension trustees should reconsider the inclusion of active equity investment because of its potential to deliver exceptional returns, says Hewitt Associates

The Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) news that auto-enrolment will be phased in over three years has been largely welcomed by the pensions industry, although concerns over complacency have been voiced be several commentators

The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has officially begun its search for a chair to head up the Personal Accounts trustee corporation

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that its flagship private pension saving scheme, Personal Accounts, will not be in full operation until October 2016

The recession will delay retirement by an average of six years for 40 per cent of workers in the UK, according to Aon Consulting.

Straight-through processing (STP) should be a basic requirement for trustees when it comes to the administration of defined contribution (DC) pension plans, says Mercer

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has responded to calls from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) that the 2010/11 PPF levy be scrapped to effectively save defined benefit (DB) pension-providing companies

Almost half of UK workers have never reviewed their pension plans, despite increasing concerns from the industry that contributions are not adequate for a comfortable retirement, warns Baring Asset Management (Barings)

The Government must listen to the industry when it comes to pension reform, particularly when it comes to recommendations from the Centre for Policy Studies, says London & Colonial

The Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) levy for 2010/11 should be scrapped immediately, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), as a solution to the problems it is causing for firms that offer defined benefit (DB) pension schemes

Marks & Spencer plc and Kellogg's are just two of the seven companies to be awarded the new Pension Quality Mark following its launch by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF)

The Government has announced the launch of a Section 75 Consultation, following claims that the employer debt rules stand in the way of business restructure, and is considering plans to make them more straightforward

Questions that employers can expect to be faced with when talking to employees about pensions have been set out in guidelines by the Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA), in the jointly published Guide for employers: talking to your employees about pensions

UK employees retiring in 2009 may be forced to live on less than half of the average yearly wage, according to Aon Consulting

The total deficit of FTSE 250 pension schemes has doubled in the last 12 months to £12bn, according to research by Pension Capital Strategies and Cazenove

The industry group set up to raise awareness of the Open Market Option (OMO) at retirement has been renamed the Pension Income Choice Association (PICA)

The framing of retirement planning rules should be removed from the political arena and handed over to an independent body if the UK is to ever solve the pensions 'crisis', according to Paul Jayson, a partner at consulting actuarial firm Barnett Waddingham.

The European Commission (EC) must wait for the outcome of the Committee of European Securities Regulators' (CESR) review of UCITS depositaries in Member States before it finalises improvements and clarity on the depositary's role, says the Investment Management Association (IMA)

Community Union, which is currently embroiled in a dispute with UK steel giant Corus over the future of its pension scheme, has condemned employers for using the recession as an excuse to close final salary pension schemes

Proposals by Ofgem to reduce pension costs are "inconsistent with government policy and guaranteed to cause industrial unrest if pursued", warns the union for 21,000 energy professionals, Prospect

Performance fees on equity funds, absolute return vehicles, fixed interest and the property sector are expected to rise over 2009, according to Skandia Investment Group (SIG)

Uptake of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes is not growing at a fast enough rate to fill the gap defined benefit (DB) closure has left, resulting in two thirds of the private sector workforce not having a pension, says the Trades Union Congress (TUC)

A one year freeze of the basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee (MIG), and an increase of a third in employee contributions to all unfunded public sector pension schemes would contribute almost £4,000million from 2010-11 onwards in savings, according to the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) and the Institute of Directors (IoD)

The Trades Union Congress' (TUC) seventh annual PensionsWatch survey has found that the average pension pot of 373 directors of the 103 top UK companies surveyed is £3.4million, providing an average annual pension payout of £247,785 a year - a 23 per cent rise from last year

Half of the over 55s are planning to stay in semi-retirement for a longer period of time than the previous generation because they cannot afford to stop working completely, according to Heartwood Wealth Management.

Larger Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP) are likely to feel the force of the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) thematic review of small SIPP providers, warns Mattioli Woods

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) are to launch a pension calculator to help the third of people who research has found may face financial difficulties in retirement.

Research has indicated that pension scheme trustees are heeding the Pensions Regulator's (TPR) advice in taking a more pro-active and in-depth approach to reviewing their sponsoring employer's covenant, says Mercer

If implemented in its present form, the European Union's (EU) Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) directive will seriously restrict pension funds' ability to make the most of their global investments, warns the UK's Investment Management Association (IMA)

The scheme liabilities of the 7,400 defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) eligible universe has topped £1trn for the first time

It seems UK taxpayers should be as, if not more, concerned about the growth in the number of private sector employees with no pension as spiralling public sector pensions, warns the Trades Union Congress (TUC)

An improved model of engagement is necessary to encourage defined contribution (DC) scheme members to better tailor their investment strategies and suit their individual needs for retirement, says Watson Wyatt

The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has revealed that its General Counsel position will be taken up by Nick Carter

People in the UK who currently have no retirement savings can expect to retire anytime between 74 and 86, calculates Standard Life

The number of complaints about pensions dropped by 76 per cent between the first half of 2006 and the second half of 2008, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA)

Scottish Widows has teamed up with the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) to offer better guidance when it comes to financial planning within the workplace, following research from its fifth annual Scottish Widows Pensions Report

Half of UK defined benefit (DB) pension schemes have thrown caution to the wind and abandoned the idea of having a long-term strategy in place to reduce risks, says Hymans Robertson and the PensionChair Network

Multi-asset pension portfolios must be able to move in and out of asset classes quickly to make the most of diversification, says Barings Asset Management

The figure for the combined liabilities of all the final salary pension schemes in the UK has tipped over the £1 trillion mark

Pensions are considered untrustworthy by 70 per cent of people in the UK, with a generation divide showing younger people to be more positive about retirement income than older, says PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)

Yet another company has announced plans to close its final salary pension scheme, causing a threat of industrial action from steel union Community

The judgment by the Court of Appeals to overrule a decision made last year by a tribunal has shifted the focus of pensions law, says Faith Dickson, partner at Sacker & Partners LLP

A new investment fund sector, the Deposit & Treasury sector, has been created by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in response to demand for stability of capital

The recession has forced more than a third of people over age 55 to defer their retirement plans and continue working, says MGM Advantage

Most investors lack 'genuine diversity' in their portfolios and should look to include insurance-linked instruments in their allocation strategies, according to Watson Wyatt

Implementation of the European Union's (EU) Solvency II framework directive could damage pension provision when it comes to annuity business, warns Mercer

The UK's biggest trade union, Unite, has said that the Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) defined benefit (DB) pension scheme changes are a "body blow" to the bank's 60,000-strong workforce

The Government must do more to encourage retirement saving, according to 87 per cent of Brits in a Hymans Robertson survey.

Seventy-three per cent of companies do not offer pension salary sacrifice, and are therefore missing out on the significant cost savings that these programmes can generate, says Mercer.

Pension fund executives are questioning their management processes and the level of accountability available through the traditional investment consulting model, says SEI's Global Quick Poll of pension executives in the UK

A return to a high inflationary environment could prove lethal to retirement funds, effectively wiping out pensioner incomes, warns Rockingham Retirement

The panic surrounding pensions seems to easing amongst British workers, with Aon Consulting reporting a nine per cent fall in the number of scheme members requesting their projected pension based on current savings

The pace at which the group self-invested personal pension (G-SIPP) market is growing could cause problems for the Financial Services Authority (FSA), according to Suffolk Life's director of sales and marketing, John Moret

Fifty-five per cent of pension administrators have seen an increase in cash allocation to their clients' self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), says Investec Private Bank

Variable annuities have seen continued demand with only a seven per cent fall in the second quarter of 2009, despite difficult sales conditions, says Watson Wyatt

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has clarified its rules applying to activist shareholders hoping to promote effective corporate governance in companies in which they have invested

Encouraging a savings culture in the UK has been made harder by constant changes to tax rules, according to AXA Winterthur Wealth Management

The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has announced the development of a 'myth busting' programme to clarify aspects of the 2012 changes to the pensions landscape

A backlash is on the cards at software and services provider IBM over plans to close its final salary pension scheme to future accrual and to alter the terms of its early retirement scheme, warns Unite

The number of companies fortunate enough to provide defined benefit (DB) pension schemes is predicted to halve by 2012, warns Watson Wyatt

Professional independent trustees are seeing increased enquiries and appointments to a wide range of occupational schemes since the economic downturn, says Independent Trustee Services Ltd (ITS).

FTSE 100 companies are set to spend more on pension promises to former employees than they are on current employees' benefits within the near future, warns KPMG.

The audit, tax and advisory services provider has found in its latest annual pension survey, the Pensions Repayment Monitor, that 22 per cent of FTSE 100 firms have no hope of clearing pension deficits from discretionary cash flow in the foreseeable future

Further evidence that the bulk annuity market has continued to falter has come from Hymans Robertson, with the firm's latest analysis of the pension scheme de-risking market showing that £600million worth of buyout and buy-in deals were completed in the second quarter of 2009

Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is to acquire Insight Investment Management in a deal worth £235million.
Insight Investment, currently part of the Lloyds banking group, which specialises in liability driven investment (LDI) solutions, active fixed income and alternatives, has assets under management of approximately £80bn

Trustees of the Yell pension scheme have been found guilty of maladministration in a case upheld by the deputy pensions ombudsman (DPO), which could lead to future conflict between sponsors and pension scheme trustees

Traditional investment and pensions models are under threat as a result of the recent financial crisis, says Penrose Financial

Eighty-five per cent of pension schemes would not have sufficient assets to provide members with benefits above the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) compensation levels, were their employers to become insolvent tomorrow, warns Watson Wyatt

Changes to scheme valuation assumptions, as announced by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) in July, will most likely benefit the same type of schemes as last year's changes, says Barnett Waddingham

Friends Provident has reportedly caved in to takeover offers from investment firm Resolution with news of a £1.86bn deal struck between the two

The bulk annuity market has continued to drop, with a 32 per cent reduction in the value of deals done in the second quarter of 2009 in comparison to the previous quarter, says Aon Consulting

ITV could be set to make yet further proposals to change its struggling final salary pension plan following the release of performance figures which showed that the scheme is now in deficit by £538 million

Occupational Pensions Trusts (OPT) reacts positively to the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) announcement that it proposes to change the assumptions underpinning scheme valuations

Changes to the minimum retirement age for a registered pension scheme, which will increase from 50 to 55 from 6 April 2010, must be considered now by self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and small self administered schemes (SSAS), says Premier Retirement Services

Take-up of the open market option (OMO) could be pushed forward by the introduction of the new Solvency II regulations, new European rules for insurers, says MGM Advantage

Principles-based charging should be attached to non-adviser group personal pensions (GPP) business, and adviser charging to individual advice on GPP, says Friends Provident

The pension risk transfer market could write more than £10bn of business in 2009, estimates Pension Corporation

A post-General Election review of public sector pensions is necessary before reforms are considered for MPs' pensions, says the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA)

It seems poor health really can equal great wealth with new figures from Rockingham Retirement showing that an enhanced annuity, available to unwell pensioners, can boost a client's retirement income by 80 per cent.

The UK's largest firms are feeling the strain of huge pension deficits according to the latest figures on FTSE 100 and FTSE 350 schemes

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has updated its consultation on the long-term future of the levy, and has announced that it will establish a group to help develop its proposals

Accessing a pension scheme's details via a mobile phone is now possible, thanks to the implementation of new technology by the Bluefin group.

Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) could turn to hybrid pension schemes in an effort to secure their future, says Hymans Robertson.

The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) statement on higher standards for defined contribution (DC) pensions has been welcomed by the industry for its moves towards further flexibility in engaging employees in DC plans

Current pension scheme accounting standards encourage short-term investment attitudes and need to be changed, according to the Marathon Club

Fifty-three per cent of the UK's working population, around 18.7 million people, has no idea when they will be financially able to retire, says a new report from Baring Asset Management (Barings)

FTSE 100 company directors will be paying more than £50,000 a year in additional tax from 2011 until they retire due to tax relief changes in the 2009 Budget, says Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP)

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined three arms of the HSBC brand £3millon for information security failings