Investment

FTSE 350 companies may need to reconsider whether to pay dividends after the total deficit has climbed to £207bn by the end of August.

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has confirmed it will close its defined benefit (DB) scheme to future accrual in April 2017, following a three month consultation.

Three-quarters (75%) of advisers have seen an increase in the number of requests to transfer final salary pensions since then-Chancellor George Osborne's pension freedom reforms in April 2015.

Struggling sponsoring employers of defined benefit (DB) schemes should not be allowed to suspend annual pension increases according to PP research.

The number of bulk annuity market participants is expected to rise by 57% over the next five years according to Barnett Waddingham.

RPMI Railpen has agreed a £700m "stable momentum" mandate with Russell Investments for its £21bn Railways Pension Scheme (RPS).

Plastic manufacturer Carclo has warned it might not be able to pay its last dividend of the year due to a rising pension deficit since Brexit.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) is set to issue a 30-year inflation protected bond as investors clamour for ways to protect against rising inflation.

The total deficit for defined benefit (DB) schemes reached £710bn on a funding basis by 29 August amid further falls in gilt yields.

Charlotte Moore looks at some of the issues that could affect UK schemes as we move towards exiting the European Union