Defined Contribution
Industry Voice: Beyond the pandemic
Newton’s Curt Custard considers the investment outlook for 2021 and the implications for DC schemes
Master trust investments 'more sophisticated' but 'growing pains' hinder progress
Master trusts’ investment strategies have grown and become more sophisticated over the last three years, but “growing pains” are hindering progress, according to the Defined Contribution Investment Forum (DCIF).
Exclusive: BlackRock's flagship LifePath strategy to target 50%+ ESG by mid-2021
More than half of BlackRock’s flagship UK defined contribution (DC) default fund’s assets will be invested in ESG strategies by June 2021.
Communication is the key to increasing engagement in pensions
Graeme Bold says the right communications can improve both the level of savings and the outcomes for savers.
Majority of savers 'far from confident' about financial future
More than half of UK savers agree they are unable to save sufficiently to achieve the retirement they want, according to research by BlackRock.
Worse off savers refrain from changing pensions
Pension savers have held off from making changes to their pensions despite nearly half having been impacted by the pandemic, research finds.
Engage now on investment pathways to avoid February stand-off, IGCs warned
Providers are failing to engage early with their independent governance committees (IGCs) over the rollout of investment pathways despite the looming 1 February deadline, they have been warned.
Small pots taskforce faces uphill battle
The industry is peppered with expensive and sterile small pension pots, but plans are afoot to tackle the problem
Flexible pension withdrawals slide 2% in 12 months
The £2.3bn withdrawn flexibly from pensions in Q3 represents a 2% year-on-year decrease from monies withdrawn during the same months in 2019, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures show.
Industry supportive of DWP's DC proposals but warns of unintended consequences
The Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) consultation on improving defined contribution (DC) outcomes has garnered support from the industry, but many have warned of potential unintended consequences.
Raising the bar for small DC schemes
As DC schemes face increasing pressures to consolidate, David Snowdon says master trusts are the perfect home.
UPDATED: DWP to mandate use of simpler annual statements for auto-enrolment DC schemes
The Department for Work and Pensions is to make it mandatory for auto-enrolment defined contribution (DC) schemes to use simpler annual statements.
Industry pushes for AE intervention so members don't squander pension pot
The pensions industry must personalise interventions and auto-enrolment (AE) conversations to prevent members from squandering their pots at retirement age, according to industry experts.
LGIM integrates ESG and climate impact pledge into DC defaults
Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) has incorporated ESG considerations as well as its climate impact pledge into the default funds for the 3.3 million members in its master trust and contract-based schemes.
Master trusts lead the way in pensions
As TPR prepares to kick off its first master trust supervisory cycle, Kate Smith explores how the market has changed and may continue to
Sidecar savings option popular but opt-ins low, finds Nest Insight
Nest Insight has outlined a series of different options on how its planned hybrid savings tool could be implemented successfully by employers.
Standard Life: Helping people achieve a more secure and sustainable future
Professional Pensions spoke to Standard Life managing director of workplace Gail Izat as part of an exclusive series of interviews with some of the finalists and winners of the UK Pensions Awards. This is what she had to say…
DC pot first-time access hit high record in March
Savers accessing defined contribution (DC) pension pots for the first time rose to an all-time high just before the coronavirus pandemic, Just Group says.
UPDATED Independent governance committees: A list of who is sitting on which IGCs
PP looks at the pensions great and good who oversee contract-based schemes
Aviva announces net-zero default and urges same requirement for all AE funds
Aviva has set a 2050 net-zero target for its own auto-enrolment (AE) default pension funds, and called on the government to make all AE default funds set the same goal.
Partner Insight: Capping more than costs?
Newton’s Catherine Doyle explains why a further reduction in the defined contribution charge cap could be detrimental to members’ outcomes
Industry Voice: How well do you know your DC members?
In terms of hard facts, most fiduciaries know very little about their UK defined contribution (DC) pension members. But data are critical to making the right choices for the default investment strategy. AllianceBernstein (AB) outline their proven process to achieve better member outcomes.
Hymans Robertson joins with L&G to cut scheme carbon footprint by a third
Hymans Robertson has cut the carbon footprint of its pension plan by around 33% while delivering lower charges by launching a fresh default investment strategy.
