Monthly Archives: December 2017

Target pensions – freedom from freedoms

  Last week I ran a couple of meetings of the Friends of CDC, a loose affiliation of pension people with a view that CDC can offer a solution to some of the intractable problems people face in retirement. Let’s start … Continue reading

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Defined ambition – a trap avoided

This is a technical note from Con Keating that explains why mark-to-market accounting really doesn’t work for CDC. He sets out a more equitable basis for measuring funding. See if you can follow Con’s logic – I think I can … Continue reading

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“What is CDC promising?” – Con Keating

In this article , first published in Pension Expert, Con Keating explains that while CDC is promising very little – which is why it is a concept of our time.  The inquiry into Collective Defined Contribution pensions announced by the parliamentary … Continue reading

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30,000 is a lot of people.

At Wednesday’s hearing of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Allan Johnston (Chair of the Trustees) told us that there were some 30,000 people who had yet to submit their option to BSPS in their Time to Choose. Although he … Continue reading

Posted in BSPS, drawdown, pensions | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Frank Field and the “two worlds” of pensions.

    On Thursday 13th December the Workplace and Pensions Select Committee took evidence from a variety of people with an interest in the choices members have to take as part of Time to Choose, but in the context of  the … Continue reading

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Straight talking and honest representation

This morning I and three members of BSPS, give oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee at Parliament. We have been asked to speak about our experiences and comment on lessons that can be learned. The four of … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, BSPS, pensions | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The pension dashboard is changing – but for the better?

      Like a fool I thought that a DWP seminar on the Pension Dashboard would be held at the DWP, it was held at the ABI. I had to double back on my Boris Bike. which meant I missed the … Continue reading

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The Steelworkers submission to parliament

1. Social Media Rich Caddy created the British Steel Pension Members Facebook Group in April 2016 when Tata made their announcement about the future of Tata Steel UK (TSUK) Ltd and the potential impact on the British Steel Pension Scheme. The … Continue reading

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A pension settlement needs general agreement.

I spent most of this cold dark weekend putting together a submission to the FCA on what we know is happening to millions of pounds of money that has been disinvested from the British Steel Pension Scheme and reinvested through … Continue reading

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Common sense to the rescue; Royal Mail and the CWU adopt CDC.

  The last thing this country needs is more strife over pensions. With the BSPS Time To Choose election window , drawing to a close, it’s good to know another vexatious chapter will not be opened, Whichever side of the … Continue reading

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