Some defined benefit scheme members face a tax hit of thousands of pounds if they receive a pay increase after 5 April, a lawyer warns.

The Kingfisher Group wiped £140m off its defined benefit schemes' combined deficit last year, due to asset returns and changes to discount rate and mortality assumptions.

The Pension Protection Fund took a further 41 schemes under its wing in February.

UK - The BBC has agreed an 11-year repayment plan with the scheme trustees to address its £1.1bn ($1.7bn) deficit.

The BBC has agreed an 11-year repayment plan with the scheme trustees to address its £1.1bn deficit.

Buyout companies will move into alternative asset classes from 2013 because of changes to the way they hold capital under Solvency II, consultants say.

Short service member refunds should by default be transferred to another scheme facilitated by the ceding scheme, Legal & General says.

The government has hinted at cutting employer tax relief on asset-backed contributions to defined benefit pension schemes.

The government has decided the appropriate discount rate for calculating unfunded public sector pension contribution rates should be based on the long term expectation of Gross Domestic Product growth.

Providers have largely welcomed the Financial Services Authority's Consultancy Charging Working Group's review, but emphasised the need for the resulting guidance to be non-prescriptive.