Category Archives: Consolation

The elephant in the care home

Posted on April 13, 2020 by henry tapper

New paper looks at early evidence of care home mortality in different countries. Provisionally concludes that about half (42% to 57%) of COVID-19 deaths are taking place in care homes. As a reminder, the 11,329 deaths announced by DHSC are … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, Consolation, coronavirus, pensions | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

From helping your clients to helping yourself.

Posted on March 17, 2020 by henry tapper

The severity of the falls in stock market put in jeopardy the revenues of asset based businesses. Put simply, if the markets fall 50%, so do revenues. What were profitable business models become unprofitable and sooner or later costs catch … Continue reading →

Posted in Consolation, coronavirus, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Resilience.

Posted on March 10, 2020 by henry tapper

A different perspective? The FTSE is on sale…… pic.twitter.com/KcdNv0vTG4 — Holly Mackay (@HollyAMackay) March 9, 2020 I am sure Holly’s graphic shouldn’t be taken as financial advice , though some will try to catch a falling knife. We have no … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, age wage, Blogging, BSPS, Consolation, defined ambition, pensions | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Do we long-term care?

Posted on February 27, 2020 by henry tapper

There’s an elderly care crisis in the UK. Action must be taken now, or the country’s ability to look after elderly people will collapse by 2029. Our report with @cebr_uk looks at why this has happened, and what we can … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, age wage, annuity, Consolation, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The trusted word

Posted on January 3, 2014 by henry tapper

This is the model for what we are doing with Pension PlayPen, an attempt to harness the energy and credibility of a linked in group, the probity of an actuarial practice and the needs of advisers, employers and regulators to see through a great endeavour, the wholesale adoption of funded workplace pensions into our business culture.
Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, Consolation, First Actuarial, Linkedin, mallowstreet, poetry, Retirement, welfare, workplace pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Imaginary terror exposed

Posted on August 30, 2013 by henry tapper

The decision by the House of Commons not to agree (even in principle) to Britain’s military intervention in Syria was surprising and uplifting. There will be three immediate consequences. 1. We will not open yet another front on the war … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Consolation, Syria, welfare | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Vision of the Plowman

Posted on August 18, 2013 by henry tapper

The “Vision of the Pension Plowman” is a bastardisation of the title of a 14th century english Poet (William Langland’s) great poem, “the Vision of Piers Plowman”. In this great book, the Plowman falls asleep by a stream and dreams … Continue reading →

Posted in Consolation, defined aspiration, Henry Tapper blog, pension playpen, poetry, social media, welfare | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Time for action on pension fund costs.

Posted on August 13, 2013 by henry tapper

It is in everyone’s interest to clean up pensions. Whether you are a fiduciary or a practitioner, whether you regulate or run a trade body, if you want a healthy respected industry in 20 years, you need to change your attitude/practice/tolerance now.
Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, brand, CDC, Consolation, pensions, target date funds | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pension agnostic?

Posted on February 18, 2013 by henry tapper

An “agnostic” is someone who knows he cannot know and so gives up trying to find out. You hear the phrase “pension agnostic” bandied around at the moment, mainly from the providers of ancillary services that help companies auto-enrol. If you key … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, Consolation, corporate governance, dc pensions, defined aspiration, Fiduciary Management, Financial Education, First Actuarial, hargreaves lansdowne, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Never mind the width – feel the quality!

Posted on January 15, 2013 by henry tapper

  In the heyday of occupational pension provision, offering membership to a company pension scheme sent a clear message to staff that the company was confident in its future and cared for its human resource. When defined benefit schemes were first … Continue reading →

Posted in auto-enrolment, Consolation, dc pensions, Financial Education, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments