Archives
Virgin Media – light at the end of the tunnel?
The government has announced that DB schemes with a section 37 problem will be a…
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Riccardo Bruno
Using surplus in ongoing DB schemes
The government has set out its plans to lift restrictions on how ongoing DB sche…
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Jane-Kola,Sonya Fraser
Nudging DC members towards better retirement choices
The government has reaffirmed the desire to grasp the nettle of ensuring DC memb…
newsletter | Claire Goodby,DC Schemes trustee,Defined Contribution Pension Scheme,Vikki-Massarano
Surplus refunds in ongoing schemes to be freed up by Pension Schemes Bill
As expected, the Pension Schemes Bill sets out a framework to free up refund of …
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Winding-up Pension Schemes
Government announces a bumper crop of DC and pension surplus measures
On 29 May 2025 the Government issued some key consultation outcome reports cover…
newsletter | Featured post,Governance and Compliance
Virgin Media – four months on from the appeal where are we now? [Trustees]
The Court of Appeal ruled on the “s37” validity issue in June. Since then th…
newsletter | Claire Goodby,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
A thought about GMP equalisation and the Lifetime Allowance [Trustees]
One output from GMP equalisation and rectification processes will be the payment…
newsletter | Featured post,GMP equalisation
DB Funding Code – evolution, not revolution [Trustees]
An updated DB funding code was published over the summer, applying to valuations…
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Scheme Funding trustee
Virgin Media s37 appeal dismissed – time for trustees to act? [Trustees]
Now that the Court of Appeal has ruled on the “s37” validity issue raised by…
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Jane-Kola,Trustee Advice
Bringing DB governance in line with the Regulator’s new Code of Practice [Trustees]
New, more granular governance requirements now apply to DB pension schemes. Sche…
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Dealing with the Pensions Regulator,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Sally MacCormick,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,The Pensions Regulator
The new DB funding regime – not long to go but there is still more to come [Trustees]
The new statutory requirements for DB schemes to have a funding and investment s…
newsletter | Archana Gupta,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Sonya Fraser,Trustee Advice
In the Courts – the Virgin Media and BBC cases [Trustees]
The Virgin Media judgment will be handed down by the Court of Appeal on 25 July …
newsletter | Benefit Re-Design and Liability Management,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Kate-Payne,Kris Weber,Member Disputes
Amendments can be partially invalid [Trustees]
The High Court in Avon Cosmetics Limited v Dalriada Trustees Ltd & Ors [2024…
newsletter | Benefit Re-Design and Liability Management,Beth Brown,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Member Disputes,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee
High Court ruling on validity and process of transfer from final salary arrangement to money purchase arrangement [Trustees]
The High Court ruled on various challenges to the validity and effect of a proce…
newsletter | Benefit Re-Design and Liability Management,Beth Brown,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Member Disputes,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee
PO determination – transfers involving overseas investments [Trustees]
Recent Pensions Ombudsman determination supports trustees taking a low-risk appr…
newsletter | Governance and Compliance,International Transactions,Nneka Egbuji,Pension Regulation,Scheme Funding trustee,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Clarification of Fiduciary Duties: Still more to do? [Trustees]
The new Financial Markets Law Committee paper on fiduciary duty and the context …
newsletter | Anna-Copestake,Governance and Compliance,Rhiannon-Barnsley,Scheme Funding trustee,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee
Ombudsman upholds trustee decisions on use of winding-up surplus [Trustees]
The Pensions Ombudsman has recently twice upheld the decision of trustees to ref…
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Benefit Re-Design and Liability Management,Governance and Compliance,Riccardo Bruno,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Dawn of a New Scheme Funding Era [Trustees]
The new funding regime introduced by the Pension Schemes Act 2021 (“PSA 21”)…
newsletter | Beth Brown,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Rosalind-Connor,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
The Autumn Statement: Changes afoot? [Trustees]
In his Autumn statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt set forth a number of key pensio…
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Riccardo Bruno,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice,Vikki-Massarano
The Buy-out Boom: not all good news? [Trustees]
If you ask anyone in the pensions industry what is keeping them busy right now, …
newsletter | Deals and Transactions,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Jane-Kola,Pension De-risking,Rhiannon-Barnsley,Trustee Advice
Mansion House reforms – a new dawn for pension schemes? [Trustees]
The Mansion House speech included several pensions announcements. A key driver…
newsletter | Beth Brown,DC Schemes trustee,Dealing with the Pensions Regulator,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Protection Fund,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Trustee climate change investment decisions under the microscope [Trustees]
The Court of Appeal has handed down its judgment in the McGaughey v USSL case, b…
newsletter | Beth Brown,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Member Disputes,Pension Regulation,Rhiannon-Barnsley,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Death benefits – where there’s a will there may not be a way [Trustees]
The Pensions Ombudsman has upheld a complaint from a surviving spouse that a sch…
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Member Disputes,Riccardo Bruno,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Pensions Dashboards – Later is 31 October 2026 [Trustees]
The Government has laid draft Regulations before Parliament to “re-set” the …
newsletter | Beth Brown,Data-protection,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,pension dashboards,Pension Regulation,Pensions Dashboards,Rosalind-Connor,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
The lifetime allowance is still with us [Trustees]
The removal of the lifetime allowance announced in the March budget has not yet …
newsletter | Corporate activity change,Featured post,Pension Regulation,Rosalind-Connor,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
High Court overturns 25 year consensus on amendments to contracted-out DB schemes [Trustees]
At the end of last week the High Court handed down its judgment in the case of V…
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Jane-Kola,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee
The Pensions Regulator – new codes are still awaited… [Trustees]
The Pensions Regulator’s new General Code was expected in Spring 2023, but we …
newsletter | Claire Goodby,Dealing with the Pensions Regulator,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme funding employer,Scheme Funding trustee,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,The Pensions Regulator,Trustee Advice,Vikki-Massarano
TPR Guidance on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) [Trustees]
The Pensions Regulator has published guidance providing practical examples of ho…
newsletter | Anna-Copestake,Diversity,Employer Advisory Work,Featured post,Nneka Egbuji,The Pensions Regulator,Trustee Advice
New PPF Levy Rules – to certify or not to certify contingent assets? [Trustees]
With the 31 March 2023 deadline for certification or recertification of continge…
newsletter | Claire Goodby,Defined Benefit,Kate-Payne,Pension Protection Fund,Scheme Funding trustee,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
The new DB Funding Code: are you bothered? [Trustees]
The Pensions Regulator has published its draft DB Funding Code for consultation …
newsletter | Anna-Rogers,danyal-enver,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Pension Payments,Scheme Funding trustee,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Single Code – Where are we now? [Trustees]
Almost two years to the day since the Regulator launched its March 2021 consulta…
newsletter | DC Schemes trustee,Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Contribution Pension Scheme,Kate-Payne,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,The Pensions Regulator,Trustee Advice
Pensions Dashboards – ready or not, they’re coming (albeit later!) [Trustees]
The Pensions Dashboards Regulations have been approved by Parliament and have no…
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,pension dashboards,Pension Regulation,Pensions Dashboards,Riccardo Bruno,Rosalind-Connor,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
New TPR Single Code of Practice: Are you “Code-ready”? [Trustees]
What is the new Single Code of Practice? The Pensions Regulator’s new Single…
newsletter | Charlotte Clewes-Boyne,Dealing with the Pensions Regulator,Featured post,Governance and Compliance,Jane-Kola,The Pensions Regulator
More changes to transfer request processes [Trustees]
The government has announced a change in law in June 2022, requiring trustees to…
newsletter | DC Schemes trustee,Defined Contribution Pension Scheme,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,Trustee Advice
Pensions Dashboard: the ambitious revolution [Trustees]
The Pensions Dashboard is a digital interface that will enable individuals to se…
newsletter | DC Schemes trustee,Pension Regulation,Trustee Advice
The “Super” Code of Practice: what’s new? [Trustees]
The Pensions Regulator is consulting on a new draft Single Code of Practice. Sim…
newsletter | Dealing with the Pensions Regulator,Governance and Compliance,Pension Regulation,Scheme Governance & Compliance regulatory,Scheme Governance and Compliance trustee,The Pensions Regulator,Trustee Advice
Pensions drafting timebomb defused – this time [Trustees]
The High Court has ruled on a revaluation underpin worth £20m in the De La Rue …
newsletter | Defined Benefit,Defined Benefit Schemes,Defined Benefit Schemes,Governance and Compliance,Scheme Mergers trustee,Trustee Advice
Pension Schemes Act 2021 – notifiable events regime [Trustees]
Many of the Act’s provisions – including the headline grabbing criminal offe…
newsletter | Vikki-Massarano
New legal requirements on climate change? [Trustees]
The Pension Schemes Act 2021 and draft regulations, expected to come into force …
newsletter | Vikki-Massarano
Review of the Chair’s Statement [Trustees]
Chair’s Statements have become part of the process of producing schemes’ ann…
newsletter | Vikki-Massarano