Tag Archives: Government

Don’t get fooled by the phoney pension giveaway

The phoney give-away The most accurate measure for the success of private pensions in the UK is the replacement ratio; a measure of what percentage of people’s pre-retirement income is replaced by savings specifically for retirement. Steve Webb and the … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Politics, Public sector pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

“My pension offer” – explaining CDC to a confused public!

John Ralfe has been expressing his frustration that none of the CDC champions have made him a two page offer to tell him what a CDC pension offer might look like. I’ve not done this yet, partly because I’ve been … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, auto-enrolment, CDC, pensions, with-profits, workplace pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Auto-enrolment; – tPR’s despatches from the trenches

Auto-enrolment is like Flanders in 1914.  Those wishing to see universal adoption of workplace pensions within Britain’s employment structure are digging in for an onslaught that has barely begun. Our Ypres’ and Passchendaeles’ are yet to come. We are still in … Continue reading

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Everything you wanted to know about the AE Common Data Standard (in 500 words)

  What’s the point? There are around 30 pension providers an employer can choose to set up their workplace pension and around 40 further providers who will convert their existing workplace pension into a scheme that qualifies for workplace pension. … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, leadership, pensions, Pensions Regulator, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fear of feedback

Everyone knows what social media does. For every blog there are comments, every forum has its threads, some twitter conversations last for weeks. It is the interaction between author and reader that makes it distinctive. The “Letter in the Times” … Continue reading

Posted in Facebook, social media, Start ups, twitter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Two into one will go!

Steve Webb’s admission that we need a single regulator is a sign of his strength . It takes guts to admit you’ve been wrong for four and a half years! I’d come to the same conclusion myself reckoning;- That the geographic split between Brighton … Continue reading

Posted in pensions, Pensions Regulator, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“What we need and what we want” – financial education in schools

  Many congratulations to Tracey Bleakley and all at pfeg for getting personal finance onto the national curriculum from today. Speaking on Wake Up To Money this morning, Tracey was asked what the one piece of financial advice she’d give to those in her … Continue reading

Posted in FCA, Fiduciary Management, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Savers who cash in their pensions face charges of up to 20%”

  I repeat the Daily Mail’s headline which is absolutely accurate. I am glad that they did not use the word “penalties” as this implies a non-contractual lock-in being imposed by insurers. This is not what is happening. Insurers are … Continue reading

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From Conference to Premier – the rise of TPAS.

Visit the rickety offices of the Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) in Victoria and you’re in for a big surprise. Not for TPAS the City style of the Treasury funded Money Advice Service. This is “Macclesfield not Manchester”. While my pre-match Bovril turned out … Continue reading

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Pension PlayPen respond to FCA on IGCs and DC Governance

This is less of a blog – more of an epic! If you want to have a go yourself, the link is to http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/consultation-papers/cp14-16-response-form   The Pension PlayPen’s response was submitted online and this text is what we got back … Continue reading

Posted in FCA, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment