Tag Archives: Value for Money

From zero to hero – the Hargreaves Lansdown IGC report

Posted on April 12, 2019 by

Hargreaves Lansdown’s (HL) 2015 -16 IGC report was embarrassingly bad. I got cross that a successful funds platform didn’t put its back into independent governance. Hargreaves’ Vantage product (now HL Workplace Pension)  was at the time being widely promoted as … Continue reading →

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Zurich’s IGC – keeping Zurich honest.

Posted on April 10, 2019 by

Zurich ‘s IGC Chair’s statement is out ; it’s punchy. It’s chair, Anna Bradley has a much wider sphere of influence than just pensions and it shows. This is from her opening remarks …you have told us that service standards … Continue reading →

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What happens to the money I pay into pensions?

Posted on February 15, 2019 by

AgeWage have been asking this question to people where WeWork. If you don’t know about WeWork, it’s the largest of a number of co-working spaces that you can find in London, around Britain and all over the world and some … Continue reading →

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Is “engagement” a double edged sword?

Posted on January 27, 2019 by

The only meaningful measure of a pension’s “value for money” is its appreciation by those getting the money – the pensioners and future pensioners. But those who offer pensions – providers, sponsors and fiduciaries are worried that the answers they … Continue reading →

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UK – OK! Disclosure battle won – now let’s win the peace.

Posted on December 5, 2018 by

The PPI have produced a really excellent paper “Charges, returns and transparency in DC – what can we learn from other countries?” The report, sponsored by Which? explores UK charges for pension schemes against those in the US, Australia, the … Continue reading →

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Did I get “value for money” from my workplace pension

Posted on November 13, 2018 by

  Am I getting value for money from my workplace pension? is a different question to Did I get value for money from my workplace pension? the difference is more than one of present and past tense. The first question … Continue reading →

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A good week for transparency

Posted on November 8, 2018 by

It’s been a good week for transparency, with the FCA’s publication of the IDWG’s final report.  Chris Sier and his team have created the opportunity for investors to properly understand the total cost of intermediation when buying assets through a … Continue reading →

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How’s my pension done?

Posted on October 21, 2018 by

When you get that little envelope and you know it’s about your pension, that’s the question you’ll be asking.  Typically – you won’t get much of an answer from your pension illustration -even if it is the new type pioneered … Continue reading →

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Are you the Trustee Chair of a DC pension scheme?

Posted on August 22, 2018 by

  Facing up to your new duties? If so, you’ll be aware that the DWP have been writing you rules (and the Pensions Regulator enforcing them). Since 2016 you have written an annual chair statement and you will now have to … Continue reading →

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Higher costs – lower pay-outs? Fact or fiction.

Posted on August 6, 2018 by

This is the first of seven blogs I will write, that will by September 3rd, form my submission to the Work and Pension Select Committee’s inquiry into pension transparency. Today’s exam question is; Do higher-cost providers deliver higher performance, or simply … Continue reading →

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