United Kingdom

UK - Companies need to work within parameters of best practice to meet the corporate governance requirements of pension funds, delegate at a recent conference were told.

UK - Despite the strong rally in the equities market, continued improvements in life expectancy may have added £10bn or more to FTSE 100 companies' liabilities over the past three years, pensions advisors Aon Consulting said.

UK - Clerical Medical is bucking the trend by launching a professional indemnity-related insurance product for IFAs.

UK - The pensions industry faces a massive upheaval before any benefits from tax simplification changes take effect, new research claims.

UK - The £1.7bn Hampshire Pension Fund has sold properties for £22.9m to Axa Real Estate Investment Management.

UK - Fidelity Investments has strengthened its London-based fixed income portfolio management team with two new appointments.

UK - Four free seminars on pensions simplification for IFAs and accountants are being run by James Hay Consultancy.

UK - Increased scrutiny of companies' corporate governance arrangements could damage the public sector in the long-term, delegates at the NAPF's Corporate Governance conference heard.

UK - Pension tax simplification plans will hit high earning expatriates in the UK who pay into overseas or offshore pension plans, Mercer Human Resource Consulting claims.

UK - Aon Consulting is planning a major push into the wider employee benefits market.