Monthly Archives: January 2018

A measured look at Carillion’s pension problems from Adrian Duncan

Posted on January 31, 2018 by

  Carillion Plc (Carillion) Shareholder Dividends vs. Pension Deficit Repair Contributions (DRC) – who is responsible for this mess? I thought it would be useful to use the recent Carillion collapse as a case study in determining the complex problem … Continue reading →

Posted in Carillion, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

BSPS – a big win – but at what cost?

Posted on January 30, 2018 by

  It now seems quite certain that the New British Steel Pension Scheme will happen and that it will be populated by the majority of members of the current British Steel Pension Scheme. In announcing the results of “Time to … Continue reading →

Posted in BSPS, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pensions: universities could learn lessons from Royal Mail

Posted on January 29, 2018 by

David Pitt-Watson and Hari Mann believe there could be a way to settle the ongoing pensions row amicably   University employers and university staff are locked in a dispute about pensions. Both have reasonable positions. The employers say that the cost … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions, Royal Mail, USS | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

PensionBee stands up to the bullies at Aegon.

Posted on January 29, 2018 by

Let my people go This story begins with an interview between Adrian Grace, CEO of Aegon and Professional Adviser. Grace tells Laura Miller “The old world doesn’t work anymore. We believe that by agitating the market, there will be more … Continue reading →

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No shortage of “pension engagement” at Royal Mail.

Posted on January 28, 2018 by

Pension people want positive engagement, but when they get it, they ignore it or deride it. On Friday, the CWU announced that an agreement had been reached between CWU and Royal Mail which will now be put to the membership. … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The magnitude of the challenge facing University staff – Mike Otsuka

Posted on January 28, 2018 by

Normally, an employers closing a DB plan for future accrual wouldn’t be that controversial, but our universities aren’t normal employers and these are not normal times, Mike Otsuka gives the background to the impending dispute between the Universities, its staff … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions, USS | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let’s stop pretending guidance is enough.

Posted on January 27, 2018 by

News that the Government has thrown out proposals for compulsory guidance to protect us from ourselves comes as no surprise to me , though it has clearly angered Ros Altmann. Writing on her blog, the former Pensions Minister writes of  the … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Loch Ness Monster is back (in fact it never went away!)

Posted on January 26, 2018 by

  If you didn’t hear last night’s Radio 4 documentary “the Transparency Detectives”, you can listen to it here. It’s a great piece of work and no praise is to high for Lesley Curwen and her team who tackle the subject … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, IGC, investment, pensions | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The democratisation of risk?

Posted on January 26, 2018 by

I can’t say I’d heard this phrase before Bruce Porteous of Aberdeen introduced it into conversation at yesterday’s Westminster Business Forum. The only reference I can find to it on the web is a sneering jibe at “Cowboys in Superland” … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, pensions, Trades Union Congress, trustee | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Trojans – don’t trust that horse!

Posted on January 25, 2018 by

The TUC on Carillion Pensions. With the failure of Carillion, another corporate collapse leaves thousands of workers with uncertain futures and many may face reduced pensions.   There are questions to be asked about the state of Carillion’s myriad pension … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, journalism, pensions, Trades Union Congress | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment