Monthly Archives: March 2025

A day on the Fife Coast with a pension person!

Posted on March 29, 2025 by henry tapper

It was a great treat to spend a day of my holiday in the company of Derek Scott and this blog is a tribute to what he has brought and is bringing to UK pensions. We met in Fife, it … Continue reading →

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Scotland – a most enlightened nation

Posted on March 28, 2025 by henry tapper

I had the great pleasure of spending yesterday morning in the Library of Innerpeffray. This libaray was build around 1680 by Henry Drummond, a landowner who had fought alongside Montrose for the covenanters and had made money from trade and … Continue reading →

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Encouraging from Fernando and Fawcett on Nest’s £50bn fund.

Posted on March 28, 2025 by henry tapper

Let us put the size of our investment (13m of Brits allows me to use “us”) at £50bn. I know it has been about that level for some time and the FT’s Mary McDougall quotes this amount. (free link to … Continue reading →

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Who is regulating your pension?

Posted on March 28, 2025 by henry tapper

There is speculation that the current system, where the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated insured and self-invested personal pensions and the Pensions Regulator (TPR) regulates occupational pensions has broken down. It is possible to offer an occupational business whose primary … Continue reading →

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Remember “our children below” – a Scottish respect for death.

Posted on March 28, 2025 by henry tapper

I have the help of the Friends of Innerpeffray who talk made about the Scottish stern Calvinistic religious temper. This is a fine remembrance of  children taken from the Drummond family in the 17th century. There is not a lot … Continue reading →

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Independent Advice gets a bad deal out of the Spring Statement

Posted on March 27, 2025 by henry tapper

Thanks to John for this excellent breakdown of the Government’s position , from the independent adviser’s point of view. HMRC Crackdown on SIPP and SSAS did not get a mention as far as I can see but it is another … Continue reading →

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The insurance takeover of UK pension consultancy

Posted on March 27, 2025 by henry tapper

Barnett Waddingham , one of the few independent pension consultants is independent no longer, it is owned by Howden, an American insurance broker, In recent months, Gallagher has swallowed up Redington having swallowed Buck before. Alexander Forbes had been bought … Continue reading →

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A win in the cells of a spreadsheet- Reeves March 2025

Posted on March 27, 2025 by henry tapper

In my recent blog on the Spring Statement I expected Rachel Reeves to be as boring as a Chancellor can be in a major statement. Rachel Reeves succeeded. What we had was what the BBC political team called “a win … Continue reading →

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“Spring Statement” fears from pension consultants

Posted on March 26, 2025 by henry tapper

Here are some thoughts from the policy guys at insurance and SIPP offices together with some random thoughts from actuarial consultancies, Hymans and LCP. Well done to Professional Pensions for bringing this together but  Insurer Aegon considers the state pension … Continue reading →

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Pension Tax Rule Cutting NHS Capacity

Posted on March 26, 2025 by henry tapper

There are places in our tax system where pensions have become a menace, this article demonstrates the difficulties it is presenting those in the NHS who do too much work to make pensions pay  

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