It’s that time of the year when you think ahead and have that bit of space to organise.
Here’s an event to plan for.
Getting to Manchester for lunchtime Tuesday, back home Thursday evening. Getting a decent hotel close enough to the Manchester Conference Centre to make an evening of it too. And to do all of this within your budget. These are the things we shouldn’t be leaving to October but getting done now!
Let me tell you that trains to Manchester fill up, you can make your arrangement at a budget price right now, you can even choose the seat you want in the carriage you can afford! I don’t have much of a budget but I’ve got the deal I wanted because I did it last night! Handy to get it done now/
The conference
The people I want to hear from are showing up and many of them are speakers. There is not one person I would not want to, would not pay to see. I will have done 29 years, though I learn this is the first year of the Pensions UK series! That’s because it is not a PLSA or NAPF conference (kid me not!).
I’m really pleased to see unsung heroes, Charlotte Clark , Director of Cross-Cutting policies at the FCA got a duffing up recently from Paul Lewis, she’s a hero for getting auto-enrolment off the ground at DWP. At yesterday’s Pension PlayPen roundtable, Bryn (the Lord) Davies called Torsten Bell the first pension minister to out-know Steve Webb. I think he’s right. It’s good to see Jamie Fiveash on the roster , I owe him a drink for disparaging the chances of his master trust to making it to 2030 and 2035 (without being gobbled up). Jo Cumbo , Kim , Emma – how important they are to pensions – how women have taken hold. Others who I am less familiar with for their views on our world but who have played a part in my thinking generally and Rachel Elwell who I want to get to know as Border to Coast is exemplary.
The awkward bit
This is not a cheap event – don’t forget to add on the VAT before working it out.
The nervous bit
Make sure you book the right days, Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th.
Some bright spark at Pensions UK , gave me a fright by publishing the dates for 2026 and 2027.
If you aren’t self-confident, you think you may have booked hotels and trains for either of these combos- DONT! I nearly had a heartache the morning after my booking night!
Last year
Have a look at this 90 second video to get a feel for what it’s like. Or if you went, have a look to see who you met (and whether you are on film).
I’m not a member of the PLSA , just a bloke who likes to talk about what goes on. I do think that the Pensions UK events are worth your time and money and I’m not getting paid to say that either.
I may even remember this bizarre hashtag and follow it #PensionsUKAC25
And of course I will be criticising hypocrisy, crass commercialism and open madness as ever; it’s what you need to do – to highlight what’s good!