Monthly Archives: August 2023

For better pensions we need better buyers.

Posted on August 31, 2023 by henry tapper

Let’s be clear what this headline is saying and what it’s not saying. What it is saying. The headline, based on research by Chris Sier and Clearglass, tells us that UK pension funds are over-paying for investment management. That’s because … Continue reading →

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Should DB transfers be paid “at the trustee’s discretion”?

Posted on August 31, 2023 by henry tapper

  The FCA is finally working out a tenable position on the taking of DB transfer values. I suspect that it now considers anyone who would rather have a pension pot rather than a pension “vulnerable”. Which is a pretty … Continue reading →

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The silliness of pension transfer values

Posted on August 31, 2023 by henry tapper

Anyone who can make sense of this graph needs to have a very warped sense of value. It represents the value to an actuary of a £10,000 pa pension due to a 64 year old member of a DB scheme … Continue reading →

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Marginal improvements in fund management won’t float pension’s boat.

Posted on August 30, 2023 by henry tapper

In this blog, I argue that fund management is one lever but not the key to solving systemic problems in pensions and the wider economy. Consolidation of funds may bring marginal improvements to the economy and fund performance, but the … Continue reading →

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What has the Pensions Regulator ever done for us? – Robin Ellison

Posted on August 30, 2023 by henry tapper

For those not able to make the Pension PlayPen coffee morning today, here – in his own words- is the gist of his remarks. You can follow them in bullets on the powerpoint and we will be posting the video … Continue reading →

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AgeWage’s mansion house consultation responses

Posted on August 30, 2023 by henry tapper

We’ve been thinking a lot about the consultation papers that have been issued following Jeremy Hunt’s Mansion House speech. Some of the consultations are responses, some calls for evidence and some seem to be genuinely moving towards a change in … Continue reading →

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Fraser Smart – greatly loved and sorely missed.

Posted on August 29, 2023 by henry tapper

In the saddest of news, we learned today, that Fraser Smart  died last Wednesday at too young an age Fraser was married to Sarah, Chair of the Pensions Regulator and his devoted companion during his recent battle with cancer. He … Continue reading →

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Tax no-one , promise nothing – Labour’s power-grab.

Posted on August 29, 2023 by henry tapper

Reading George Parker’s round up of the shadow Chancellor’s recent public statements , it’s pretty clear that Labour’s economic strategy is currently about making as little disturbance as possible as their boat glides smoothly on its way. Reeves confirmed Labour … Continue reading →

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The case against the Pension Regulator; Robin Ellison 10.30 am today.

Posted on August 29, 2023 by henry tapper

I’m looking forward to chatting with Robin at next Tuesday’s Pension PlayPen coffee morning. You can be part of the conversation by logging into or registering at http://www.pensionplaypen.com. The direct link to the webinar is here <https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDkxNmUxOTgtMDcwOC00M2EyLWE3OGYtYWVlOTM1NTU5ODk0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22733793a9-e9e3-4238-95c9-e3e2e46fca6a%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2239b1b8b9-6d36-44d5-bf9e-64e1dfb760d5%22%7d&gt; Robin and the … Continue reading →

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Pension ESG, a new battleground for US culture wars.

Posted on August 29, 2023 by henry tapper

Can you sue your pension fund for investing with due consideration to ESG principles? That’s the question being argued in the courts between a group of members of the New York City defined benefit pension fund and their pension scheme. … Continue reading →

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