Articles by Natasha Browne
Equity market turmoil a wake-up call for schemes mid-valuation
Defined benefit (DB) pension scheme trustees have been urged to consider the suitability of their funding plans after last week's ‘Black Monday' market shock.
FTSE350 deficits fall 7% despite market volatility
FTSE350 companies have enjoyed a 7% month-on-month decrease in their defined benefit (DB) pension scheme deficits despite recent turmoil in the equity markets, according to Mercer.
Scheme assets bounce back from 'Black Monday' plunge
There has been a significant rebound in the asset values of UK defined benefit (DB) pension schemes since this week's ‘Black Monday' stock market turmoil.
Did global stock market meltdown hurt UK pension schemes?
What China's slowdown means for UK schemes
TPR works with Aon to target AE guidance at small firms
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has partnered with Aon Employee Benefits to create a suite of information videos on auto-enrolment (AE).
'Black Monday' triggers £30bn pension deficit increase in one day
The ‘Black Monday' stock market crash drove the value of defined benefit (DB) pension scheme deficits up by as much as £30bn in a single day, according to analysis.
FTSE tumbles 14% from record peak in February
The FTSE 100 index has plummeted 14% from its peak of almost 7,000 in February to 5,996 as fears over Chinese stocks took hold.
Corporate bond issuance 'so low it would take 200 years to match DB liabilities'
The net new issuance of sterling corporate bonds is set to reach a "woeful" £7bn for 2015, according to JP Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM).
FCA pressed to highlight tax hit as savers cash out to put money in the bank
Royal London has urged the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to increase awareness of the tax implications of cashing out a pension pot at retirement.
Ombudsman accepts LGPS member's complaint over early access to benefits
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has ruled in favour of a deferred member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) who sought early access to her pension.
Jelf targets AE service at smallest firms selecting NEST
Jelf Employee Benefits has launched an auto-enrolment (AE) service targeted at businesses with up to 30 staff ahead of staging for the smallest employers.
DWP records quarter of a million more older workers
There are 235,000 more people between the ages of 50 and 64 in work than there was a year ago, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Surge in drawdown sales eases slump in Royal London profits
Royal London experienced growth of 61% in its drawdown business during the first half of the year amid demand created by the pension freedoms unleashed in April.
Hike in public sector employee pension contributions nets Treasury £2.9bn
The decision to increase public sector employee pension contributions is expected to net the Treasury an extra £2.9bn in 2014-15, according to official figures.
PO dismisses claim against Capita over delayed QROPS transfer
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has rejected claims that Capita "unreasonably" delayed a pension transfer out of the Travel Automation Systems Retirement Benefits Scheme into a Guernsey-based scheme.
Smart Pension Master Trust rebrands
The Smart Pension Master Trust has been renamed autoenrolment.co.uk in a bid to maximise its online presence, according to co-founder Will Wynne.
TPR urges 1.8m small employers to check auto-enrolment duties
The Pensions Regular (TPR) has warned small and micro-employers to ensure they know their staging date for auto-enrolment (AE).
Supreme Court rejects ITV application for appeal over Box Clever
The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by ITV over whether The Pensions Regulator (TPR) could expand on its allegations against the media giant in the Box Clever case.
PIP appoints Lloyd's Wilson as investment director
The Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PIP) has appointed Ed Wilson as investment director following a recruitment drive to establish an in-house investment team.
Over a third of large DB schemes to state transfer value for pension freedoms
Over a third of large defined benefit (DB) pension schemes will quote members' transfer values on their retirement statements in light of the pension freedoms, according to research.
Is the PPF ready to hedge longevity risk?
The Pension Protection Fund is £3.6bn in surplus so is there potential for the lifeboat fund to begin insuring its liabilities? Natasha Browne investigates
Five stories you might have missed: GMP equalisation, MIRA buyout, Newham SPV
Top stories this week include the Pensions Ombudsman's dismissal of a GMP equalisation claim; the MIRA Retirement Benefits Scheme's £70m buyout; and Newham Council's proposal for an asset-backed contribution structure.
Race steps down as Mercer head of UK investments
Mercer head of UK investments Patrick Race has stepped down after four years in the position.
Kodak ordered to compensate member over reduced annuity rate
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has instructed the Kodak pension scheme to make up the financial losses suffered by a member in a delayed transfer request.
PwC promotes four after strong growth performance
PwC has made four promotions within its pensions and investment team.
Honeywell takes on £900m in DB liabilities after Elster acquisition
Honeywell International will take on the bulk of Melrose Industries' defined benefit (DB) pension schemes with the £3.3bn acquisition of its Elster business.
TPR approval rises as it wins over industry confidence
There has been a significant improvement in industry confidence in The Pensions Regulator (TPR) over the past five years, according to research.
Julianne Moore stars in blockbuster movie on same-sex pension rights
Julianne Moore has taken on the role of a US police officer who fought for equal pension rights for same-sex couples, in a Hollywood blockbuster due to be released later this year.
Royal London 'set to hire' ex-pensions minister Steve Webb
Former pensions minister Steve Webb is on the verge of joining Royal London, a company which last year criticised his charge cap policy as "headline-grabbing", according to reports.
Ombudsman dismisses GMP equalisation claim
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has thrown out a complaint against the administrator of the Campden RA Pension Scheme over concerns that it miscalculated a member's deferred pension.
Just 18,000 take Pension wise guidance since launch
The number of face-to-face and over-the-phone guidance sessions provided by the government-backed service Pension wise has reached almost 18,000 since its launch in April.
The fundamentals of the end of DB contracting out
Natasha Browne takes a look at the key issues around DB contracting out ahead of the April 2016 deadline
PPF surplus soars 50% amid strong investment returns
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) reached a surplus of £3.6bn at the end of March, according to its 2014/15 annual report and accounts.
Regulator revives scorpion campaign to battle pension scams
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has upgraded its scorpion campaign in a bid to protect people from pension scams.
Is TPR turning the screws on sub-scale master trusts?
Concerns remain over the viability of smaller providers
Brent Council selects Northern Trust for £650m mandate
The London Borough of Brent has appointed Northern Trust to provide global custody, performance measurement and valuation services, to its £650m pension fund.
Soper to exit TPR for senior adviser role at PwC
The Pensions Regulator's (TPR) executive director for defined benefit (DB) Stephen Soper is set to depart for PwC after more than six years at the regulator.
TPR publishes list of approved master trusts in policy U-turn
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published a list of master trust providers that are open to small employers and meet the master trust assurance framework (MAF).
NEST funds outperform benchmarks since 2011
Seven out of eight of the National Employment Saving Trust's (NEST) investment funds have outperformed their benchmarks since its establishment in 2011.
How water can help offset losses from poor gilt yields
Water should not be considered a niche asset class as it provides a good match for pension funds, Natasha Browne hears
Pension deficits continue to fall from record high
There has been a persistent fall in defined benefit (DB) pension scheme deficits over the past quarter, according to official data.
Prudential cleared over pension transfer to Capita Oak scheme
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has rejected a complaint of maladministration against Prudential after it granted a transfer request into a suspicious pension scheme.
Why the industry fears 'ISA pensions'
Industry responds to wide-ranging consultation
Summer Budget: Pension wise extended to over-50s
The government is set to make the guidance guarantee service Pension wise available to all over-50s, documents from the summer Budget showed.
Summer Budget: The announcements in full
A list of the key pension announcements in the summer Budget
Summer Budget: Government eyes scrapping tax relief on pension contributions - UPDATE 3
The government has launched a broad-ranging consultation reviewing pensions tax relief, Chancellor George Osborne has announced.
TPR to employers: work collaboratively with trustees
The Pensions Regulator has published an employer guide on complying with its code of practice for funding defined benefit (DB) schemes, emphasising the importance of a collaborative approach.
Greek crisis unlikely to hurt eurozone recovery
Investors are prepared for the worst