This week’s top stories included UBS’ completion of a £1.4bn longevity swap with Zurich and Canada Life, while chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government’s Kickstart Scheme as part of provisions outlined in the Summer Statement.

Pensions Ombudsman Anthony Arter has raised concerns about the increase in pension scam activity during the coronavirus pandemic in a virtual meeting with the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC).

There were 7% less deaths registered in week 26 of 2020 than if death rates had been the same as week 26 in 2019, according to the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI).

A lack of steadfast regulation around unbundled defined contribution (DC) schemes makes them a ticking time bomb for firms and members, says Salvus Master Trust.

A majority of industry professionals polled believe greater strides must be made to improve the diversity of the leadership on trustee boards, Professional Pensions finds.

It’s not all gloom and doom say Buzz respondents…

The Tyne & Wear Pension Fund has invested £650m in the Future World index equity fund range in a bid to up its generation of sustainable returns for members.

The Brandsby Agricultural Trading Association (BATA) has agreed a £13m buyout with Legal & General (L&G), securing benefits for all 120 members of the BATA Superannuation Pension Scheme.

One-in-ten defined benefit (DB) schemes have already discussed the option of superfund consolidation as a target endgame while a further 9% are planning to do so shortly, according to Willis Towers Watson (WTW).

Amendments to the Pension Schemes Bill passed by peers in the House of Lords last night will see a wide-ranging suite of reforms for the pensions industry draw another step closer.