Caught in a trap

After so many years of deficits, surpluses have become a reality again. On the face of it, this would seem to be a good thing, but the legal reality is more complex, as has been discussed already by a number of my colleagues in recent...

What AI thinks of your member comms… and why you should care

Member communications are often painstakingly crafted with input from different advisers to make sure they are accurate, legally compliant and send the right messages. Of course, we hope that members will read the whole thing, take any...

Key things to know about the Government’s “landmark” pensions review

The first phase of the Government’s “landmark” pensions review is underway. The review forms part of the Government’s mission to “boost growth and make every part of Britain better off” by unlocking the “untapped potential in...

Are we nearly there yet?

Understanding the drive from buy-in to buy-out The classic question from young children travelling in the back of a car who have little concept of distance and time is “Are we nearly there yet?”. With many pension schemes working hard...

Breaking the barrier

The realisation of residual illiquid assets is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem to solve in risk transfer transactions. The liquidity crisis of 2022 arguably fuelled the current strength of many schemes’ funding, with more...

General Code Corner – Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP)

An IDRP is part of a scheme’s core governing policies. However, is your scheme’s policy compliant with the statutory and General Code requirements? Most occupational pension schemes are required to have an IDRP and it forms part of the...

Pride in Pensions: What should trustees and providers be doing to support trans and n...

In a first for a UK census, the 2021 England & Wales census asked the public to record their sexuality and gender identity and over 250,000 people living in England & Wales identified as a gender different to that assigned at...

The General Code – Trustee remuneration policy – putting pen to paper

It’s time for schemes to put pen to paper and document their policy on remuneration. While recent blogs in our General Code Corner have looked at working out what gaps there are in your scheme’s processes and policies and how to fill...