Monthly Archives: May 2025

Plenty of support, but should we need it to get our pensions paid?

What’s helping people to take decisions is problematic, the question we should be asking “what’s helping people to take the right decision”. In an earlier blog in this series looking at the FCA Financial Lives 2024 survey, it became clear … Continue reading

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The chaotic results of “pension freedom” – thanks to Financial Lives. (pt 8)

I had the revelation last week of the source of the 162 slides that I have been working through which form the “pension” part of the FCA’s 2024 Financial Lives report. I have written about how I found out the … Continue reading

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You’ve got to pay BIG money to get past the AI doorman!

Yesterday I was frightened I might lose access to my blog, Since 5am I had sat on a customer support line manned by artificial intelligence and promising me prompt attention from a human . After 6 hours staring at a … Continue reading

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My railway , GBR’s new fat controller – the taxpayer.

  I look across the Thames this morning, in Windsor and Eton Riverside sits a train.  It is not the train it should be, it is not an “Arterio” train, which it should have been by 2019, it is some … Continue reading

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First Bus – first rate from Muntazir Hadadi

Muntazir Hadadi (FCA) Head of Pensions at First Bus, supporting colleagues that move the everyday with over a million journeys across the UK… supporting colleagues that move the everyday with over a million journeys across the UK   This is … Continue reading

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Is VOX POP on pensions all from “Maison Weir”?

I’m hanging my head as I write this as I am quite sure Janette Weir has reason to laugh in my face and it’s only that she’s kind- that she doesn’t. I’ve started on what , for me , is … Continue reading

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This week passion from Torsten, next week C-Suite’s McGrath

Britain may not have no more passionate supporter of the DB pension continuing, though the DWP and Pension Minister are running him close with this week’s press release insisting that pension schemes that can continue do! Over the past weeks … Continue reading

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Julian Lyne – a forceful new presence at TPR

I am sorry that Neil Bull is off sick for some time and hope he can return. His position is now being performed by Julian Lyne who is on the Pension Regulator’s Executive, a serious responsibility. Market Oversight is of … Continue reading

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Three years ago the DWP commenced its nudge towards proper DC decumulation.

Three years ago the DWP commenced its nudge towards proper DC decumulation. This blog was first published in the summer of 2022. With immaculate timing, the DWP launched its latest consultation on how to establish the choice architecture and expand … Continue reading

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Untapping the surplus power of DB pensions – DWP and Minister speak.

I am pleased to read the press release from the DWP which I publish in full, I was in a  Professional Pension meeting when it was published yesterday but can confirm considerably more interest running schemes on to pay better … Continue reading

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