United Kingdom

UK -The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is to get greater powers in the emerging pension buy-out market, making it easier to install independent trustees should it consider the interests of scheme members are at risk.

UK - A pledge to review the contribution cap and transfers ban applied to personal accounts has been welcomed by the chief executive of the committee overseeing their design and implementation.

Global Pensions will not produce its daily newswire tomorrow (Friday, 22 February) as we move offices. However, we will deliver Global Pensions Weekly Edition - a digital magazine you can read on-screen, or print out and take home.

UK - Funding thresholds for calculating the pension protection levy are set for dramatic rises after the publication of the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) final version of the 2008-09 Determination.

UK - The London Borough of Lewisham pension fund is looking for a global equities and fund of hedge funds manager following a portfolio shake up.

UK - Independent pension trustee Law Debenture has issued the latest in its series of Pensions Essentials, aimed at helping trustees identify and manage the major risks to a defined benefit (DB) pension scheme.

UK - The pensions industry has reacted to the Pension Regulator's announcement of new longevity rates for actuarial valuations, with concern raised that the excess funding levels required to achieve coverage would severely increase scheme liabilities....

UK - One in 10 employees fear cuts to their pensions, research from pensions and employee benefits consultants Hymans Robertson has found.

UK - Most businesses are failing to measure the corporate benefits of pension contributions and are not providing enough education to workers, a survey from Alexander Forbes Financial Services has shown.

UK - The Pensions Bill Committee is set to debate proposals from the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) which could potentially mean an end to the ban on employers being able to offer new conditionally indexed pension schemes.