Defined Benefit

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has warned sponsors against prioritising dividend payments over contributions where there is a significant scheme deficit.

Schemes should stop debating whether to use the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and move to an entirely new measure, the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has said.

The industry is at risk of being side-tracked by short-term funding data and high-profile defined benefit (DB) failures, the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) chief executive has warned.

Almost a third (30%) of pension professionals support employers having more power to renegotiate benefits or reduce accrued rights, research from the Pensions Management Institute (PMI) has shown.

The combined deficit of the UK's defined benefit (DB) schemes grew by 30% over the last 12 months, according to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

Deficits could fall by hundreds of billions of pounds if the six-year stall in life expectancy improvements becomes a long-term trend. However, there is a risk of taking too much notice of short-term changes, writes Stephanie Baxter.

The impact of a takeover on a pension scheme can be significant. Tom Jackman looks at how trustees can ensure they are on the front foot.

With one in eight DB schemes still open to new members, Michael Klimes explores the argument that they should be run differently from closed ones

Schemes could see huge reductions in their liabilities on a funding basis if the recent slowdown in life expectancy improvements becomes a long-term trend, according to PwC.

The combined deficit of Sainsbury's defined benefit (DB) schemes has climbed 119% in twelve months, according to its preliminary annual results.