Articles by Natasha Browne
Ombudsman rejects £2,000 claim against Thames Water over reduced pension
The deputy pensions ombudsman (DPO) has thrown out a complaint against Thames Water alleging it unfairly reduced an ex-employee's pension.
Why the High Court sided with the BBC in capping members' pensionable pay
Employers can take comfort
Would quitting the EU lead to a freer UK pensions market?
An EU referendum would have serious implications for UK schemes
TPR seeks £380,000 from man who bought Carrington Wire for £1
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is pursuing a £382,136 claim against a man after he bought Carrington Wire from the Russian steel company Severstal for £1.
Security of bankrupt's pension to be challenged in Court of Appeal
A High Court ruling protecting the pension of a man who went into bankruptcy will be challenged in the Court of Appeal next January.
Scheme administration more complex under parental leave changes
The administration of pension schemes is set to become more complicated under new rules on shared parental leave, which came into effect last month.
High Court throws out appeal against BBC pensionable pay cap
The High Court has dismissed an appeal brought against the BBC after it limited the amount of pensionable pay on salary increases to 1% per year in a bid to plugs its scheme deficit.
Ombudsman fines trustee over transfer delays
A trustee has been fined £250 for failing to respond to requests for a pension transfer submitted by a fellow trustee of a plumber's benefit plan known as the TPR Executive Pension Scheme.
Member's £100,000 fund trapped in suspected pension liberation scheme
A pension saver who transferred combined pots of £100,708 into a suspicious scheme has been unsuccessful in unlocking his funds.
Trustees urged to treat sustainability seriously
Trustees need to pressure their consultants into exploring the rewards of sustainable investing, experts say
High Court orders Granada to pay directors' pensions top up of £40m
The High Court has ruled that a top up pension scheme set up for four ex-directors of the Granada Group did not require shareholder approval to be considered viable.
EXCLUSIVE: Two-thirds of schemes offering pension freedoms
Two-thirds of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes are offering members the chance to access the freedom and choice reforms launched last month, according to research.
Cash is king for DC schemes embracing flexibility
Most schemes are letting members take pots as cash but remain reluctant to offer other freedoms
Do consultants wield too much power over investment decisions?
Natasha Browne asks whether consultants hold too much sway over trustees’ decisions on pension fund investing
UK enters deflation as CPI turns negative for the first time
Expectations that low oil prices could trigger a period of deflation have been met after the consumer prices index (CPI) weakened to -0.1% for the year to April 2015.
Pursuit of divorcee pensions more attractive under DC freedoms
More ex-spouses may seek financial orders to go after their former partner's pension as a result of the freedom and choice reforms introduced in April.
Tax loss deterring people from taking pensions as cash
Only 1% of people have chosen to cash in their pensions completely since the freedom and choice reforms took effect last month, according to the country's biggest retirement adviser.
How UK trustees took a billion-pound battle across the Atlantic
The Nortel case has big repercussions for pensions in international insolvencies
Travers Smith promotes two to partner
David James and Dan Naylor are set to be promoted to pensions partner at law firm Travers Smith from 1 July.
'Ros Altmann will face a limit on what she can achieve as pensions minister'
PP examines Ros Altmann's appointment
Altmann peerage confirmed
Ros Altmann is set to become a Tory peer after the government confirmed its intention to make the new pensions minister a baroness.
Irwin Mitchell hires fifth lawyer from DWF in six months
Irwin Mitchell has added a fifth lawyer from DWF to its expanding pensions team since December, with Andrew Ashley Taylor coming on board as partner.
High Court awards members control of appeal in IBM battle
The High Court has ruled the legal team representing scheme members in the IBM battle will take control of their arguments as the case drags on to the Court of Appeal.
Judges rule UK pensioners can recover 71% on claims against Nortel
Judges in the US and Canada have ruled Nortel's assets of $7bn (£4.5bn) should be equally distributed among its creditors, in what lawyers say is a victory for UK pensioners.
Industry reacts to Altmann appointment: 'Her experience will be a great asset'
The appointment of Ros Altmann as pensions minister has been welcomed by the industry
Ros Altmann confirmed as pensions minister
Former director general of over-50s specialist Saga Group Ros Altmann has succeeded Steve Webb as the next pensions minister.
Iain Duncan Smith remains as work and pensions secretary
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith has been re-appointed after the Conservatives formed a majority government in the wake of the general election.
One in five schemes to offer flexi drawdown
Almost a fifth of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes will offer flexible drawdown as a result of the freedom and choice reforms, according to research.
Would UK pension schemes suffer under a Greek exit from the EU?
Natasha Browne looks at how UK schemes could be affected by a Greek departure from the European Union
Biggest businesses cut pension contributions as deficits rise almost 50%
FTSE 100 companies reduced contributions to plug deficits in defined benefit (DB) pension schemes by 23% in the last accounting year, according to research.
Industry demands explanation as TPR issues fines up to £10,000 per day over AE failures
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has issued four escalating penalty notices carrying a daily fine of between £50 and £10,000 against businesses that have failed to comply with their auto-enrolment (AE) obligations.
A new dawn: what the next parliament has in store for pensions
Professional Pensions takes a look at what will feature in the next government’s pensions policy
Trustees forced to repay £193,000 after returning short service refunds to sponsor
Two trustees have been ordered to pay £193,000 into the Pilkington Tiles Pension Scheme after they moved surplus funds from the trustee bank account to the sponsoring employer.
Olympic Airlines ruling fails to resolve how much PPF can 'claw back' from members
The Supreme Court has ruled that Olympic Airlines did not have an establishment in the UK when its pension scheme trustees began insolvency proceedings to enable it for entry into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
Advisers see sweeping demand for annuity buybacks as people misinterpret reforms
Advisers are warning the message on pension reforms has been misunderstood after experiencing a surge in interest from people looking to cash in their annuities.
Liberation fraud: Where do trustees stand after the latest ombudsman decisions?
Natasha Browne examines the latest decisions on pension transfer requests
Altmann says Tories would force providers to publish fees in 'pounds and pence'
Ros Altmann has pledged to force pension providers to publish the cost of charges in "pounds and pence" to improve transparency for consumers.
Scottish pensioners to enjoy longer retirements than UK peers
Scottish pensioners spend more time in retirement than their English or Welsh counterparts, according to research.
PPI predicts industry will 'nudge' people towards best retirement choices
The UK pensions industry will evolve to "nudge" people towards the most appropriate retirement income stream for their needs, according to a report.
Trustees must tread carefully when flagging consequences of flexibilities to members
Natasha Browne asks whether trustees should communicate non-mandatory information to members
Ombudsman orders Prudential to grant transfer despite liberation fraud 'insinuations'
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) Tony King has ordered Prudential to provide a transfer request to a member wishing to move his funds into a newly-created pension scheme.
Pension freedoms boost Tory's popularity
Chancellor George Osborne's 2014 Budget announcement that people could cash in their defined contribution (DC) pots has boosted the popularity of the Conservative party, according to research.
Ombudsman clears L&G, Scottish Widows over Capita Oak transfer
The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) has dismissed complaints against Legal and General (L&G) and Scottish Widows after they granted transfer requests worth over £50,000 to a suspicious pension scheme.
Trustees face complex information disclosure rules
Trustees have been warned of the complexity surrounding additional information disclosure regulations drawn up for the freedom and choice reforms.
Industry-wide schemes may be caught out by master trust regulations
Pension schemes have been urged to examine their structure to ensure they do not fall under regulations which would require them to appoint a majority of non-affiliated trustees.
FRC warns actuaries over challenge of DB to DC transfers
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has warned actuaries of the challenge of meeting demand for defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) transfers.
Providers pick up 60,000 calls a day after flexibilities take effect
The insurance industry was bombarded by almost 230,000 calls from consumers in the days after the ‘freedom and choice' reforms took effect, the latest figures show.
Tony King: 'An ombudsman frightened of difficult cases isn't much use to anyone'
PP talks to the departing Pensions Ombudsman