Hope William-Smith
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Articles by Hope William-Smith
A quarter of pension funds expected to up crypto allocation
Just over a quarter (26%) of institutional investors, including pension funds, are set to increase their level of investment in cryptoassets by 2025, according to Evertas.
25 Years of PP: A busy two decades
As part of a series celebrating PP’s silver anniversary, Hope William-Smith asks industry veterans about policy over the past 25 years and what needs to change for the future.
Thames Water signs Aon for three-year master trust contract
Thames Water has contracted Aon to bring an “inspiring and innovative approach” to its 4,500-member strong defined contribution stakeholder plan.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories include findings from PwC that pensions schemes have been “shoehorned” into valuing liabilities against gilts, while Mercer launched a defined benefit master trust.
Pension Awareness Week 2020: Workplace scheme quality dampened by information asymmetry
The lack of information cohesion across the industry is preventing savers from receiving true value for money from their workplace scheme, the Finance Technology Research Centre (FTRC) says.
Scheme valuations in a Covid-19 economy
As over 1,000 DB schemes seek to agree a valuation amid the crisis, Hope William-Smith looks at the considerations.
94% of industry backs increased trustee power to halt potential scam transfers
Trustees should have the ability to pause suspected scam transfers, respondents agreed in a Professional Pensions poll.
Sole corporate trusteeship not a positive trend, industry says
Almost half (49%) of the respondents to a Professional Pensions poll disagree that the trend toward sole corporate trusteeship is positive.
CMI: Volatile spikes clear yet deaths remain close to 2019 levels
Despite a surge of small spikes in the number of deaths in the last month on a week-by-week basis, overall levels remain close to those recorded last year, says the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI).
TPR to remove late payment reporting flexibility from January
The time flexibility provisions introduced to help schemes which need to report late payments from employers for workplace pension schemes will be revoked, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has confirmed.
Bulk annuity market 'repeat buyer' trend to ensure H2 boost
The bulk annuity market’s ‘repeat buyers’ will continue to drive market volumes through 2020 with cautious insurers on the hunt for “a track record of successful deals”, Aon says.
Covid-19 has removed any doubt over the necessity of superfunds
Superfunds will be a “useful weapon” for defined benefit schemes moving forward, with their need solidified after the economic struggles caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Guy Opperman has said.
Pension Schemes Bill will be law by the end of the year
Despite an anticipated delay in the Pension Schemes Bill being debated in the House of Commons, Guy Opperman has confirmed he fully expects it to be law by the end of 2020.
Guy Opperman: People are trying to delay the pensions dashboard
Schemes trying to delay the dashboard project by not collecting the necessary data will be left behind, Guy Opperman has warned.
Pension Awareness Week 2020: Savers 'ignoring' schemes' fraud warnings
Warnings from pension companies to savers who are looking to transfer their pension somewhere that does not look right are often ignored, says Phoenix Group.
Government called on to decouple employee/employer AE thresholds
Investment and advice giant Quilter has called on the government to consider decoupling employee and employer contribution thresholds for auto-enrolment (AE) due to the pressures of Covid-19.
Pension Awareness Week 2020: AE 'solves retirement money worries' say one in four
While many savers remain concerned about funding retirement, more than a quarter say auto-enrolment (AE) provisions have solved their worries, Close Brothers research shows.
Smart names new UK chief executive as reshuffle continues
Smart has promoted chief operating officer (COO) Jamie Fiveash to the role of UK chief executive (CEO).
Aegon, Aviva, and Scottish Widows top 2020 workplace pension solutions and AE ratings
Offerings from Aegon, Aviva, and Scottish Widows have taken the crown in the Financial Technology Research Centre’s (FTRC) annual workplace pensions and auto-enrolment (AE) ratings.
Parliamentary pensions scams group launch welcomed by WPC
The formal establishment of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pension Scams has been welcomed by Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) chairman Stephen Timms.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories included the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s launch of a consultation on its 2020 valuation, while Pension Insurance Corporation Group’s adjusted profits fell by nearly three-quarters.
Pensions 'holidays' wiping thousands from DC market
One in ten UK workers have paused their pension contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic with their absence from the defined contribution (DC) space bringing serious implications for the retirement landscape.
Pension schemes subjects of 'social engineering' in government climate risk disclosure proposal
Complying with the government’s proposals for climate risk disclosure is an unnecessary burden on schemes which are being used as vehicles for social engineering, PP poll respondents say.
Calls for greater trustee power as WPC scam inquiry consultation closes
Trustees need to be given the choice to directly refuse pension transfers if the industry is to properly plug the proliferation of scams, the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has been told.
Scrap flat-fee structures on low-value DC pots, industry agrees
Close to two-thirds of industry respondents to a Professional Pensions poll agreed they would like to see flat-fee structures on low-value defined contribution (DC) pots scrapped.
AUM for world's largest pension funds reaches $19.5 trillion
The total assets under management (AUM) held by the world’s 300 largest pension funds has increased this year to reach $19.5trn (£14.8trn).
Trustees told to step up as FCA contingent charging ban takes effect
Trustees are set to have an increased duty of care to ensure employees and members make informed choices when accessing their pension, according to Wealth At Work.
Fraudster ordered to repay £250,000 of stolen scheme funds
The former trustee and chief executive officer of Yateley Industries for the Disabled has been ordered to pay back £250,000 he stole from the charity’s pension scheme.
WPC seeks scam victim responses for impact of freedoms inquiry
The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) is hoping victims of pension fraud will respond to the call for input ahead of its much-anticipated inquiry reviewing the impact of the introduction of pension freedoms five years on.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories include the Marathon Service Limited Pension and Life Assurance Scheme’s £610m full buy-in with Rothesay Life, while XPS Pensions Group warned mature scheme deficits could double under The Pension Regulator’s ‘fast track’ rules....
TPR seeks confiscation of trustee's £250,000 charity pension fraud
The former trustee of a charity who defrauded a pension fund of £250,000 will appear in court today (4 September), one year after The Pensions Regulator (TPR) said it would seek a confiscation order for the funds’ return.
Regulators have not yet got to grips with how to close down crooks, warns TTF
The Transparency Task Force (TTF) has questioned whether the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is “fit for purpose” following years of concern relating to the manner in which it exercises its investigative powers.
Lothian divests funding from non-Paris aligned companies
The Lothian Pension Fund has pledged to no longer supply funding through new bond or equity investments to companies not aligned with the Paris Agreement.
Have your say: Do you agree flat-fee structures should be scrapped on low-value DC pots?
In this latest Pensions Buzz, we want to know whether you agree with calls for flat-fee structures to be scrapped on low-value defined contribution pension pots.
Industry reaffirms need to gain savers' trust as dashboard data call for input closes
The data behind the pensions dashboard must be secure, transparent, and comprehensive enough to gain the trust of savers, the industry has said.
Norfolk County Council finalises £300m multi-provider admin deal
Norfolk County Council has appointed three firms to manage the administration and software provisions for its pension scheme.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories include the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s announcement of a delay to its valuation for 2020, while the government consulted on a proposal to force the largest schemes to publish their climate risk disclosures.
Dashboard data compliance confidence among schemes high
Three quarters of pension schemes believe they will be ready to join the pensions dashboard if they have two years to prepare, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) finds.
DC pots of young pensions savers up 15% in Q2
The defined contribution (DC) savings of young savers recovered most of their first quarter losses in the following three months, Isio has found.
Large DB schemes set to test PPF Covid-19 sustainability
The collapse of several long-established employers with large defined benefit (DB) schemes could vastly overtake calculations for a £20bn hit to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), warns Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP).
Covid-19 devaluing pension importance for savers
While the Covid-19 crisis has made savers realise pensions are important, having immediate access to their funds is now equally important, says Cushon.
Smart restructures; new CEO and MD appointed
Formerly UK-centric Smart will launch in three new territories next year as part of an expansion following the close of its most recent funding round.
Pension transfers central in £30m worth of scam losses since 2017
Complaints filed with ActionFraud show a total of £30.8m has been lost to pension scammers in the last three years, say The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
New SEI investment support platform targets DB schemes
SEI is set to expand its enhanced chief investment officer (ECIO) offering to corporate defined benefit (DB) schemes in the UK.
Schemes face 'multi-million pound' dashboard compliance bill
Pensions schemes will face significant additional working costs reaching into the millions of pounds to prepare their data for the pensions dashboard, according to Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP).
USS scheme valuation date delayed
The publication date of the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s (USS) 2020 valuation has been pushed back until September.
Somerset Council scheme under fire over continued fossil fuel investment
Extinction Rebellion protesters will rally outside the offices of two Somerset councils this week over the council pension scheme’s allocation to fossil fuels.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories included the launch of the #100blackinterns project, while the Siemens Benefits Scheme agreed a £530m buy-in with Legal & General.