United Kingdom

UK - The deadline for entries to this year's Art of Pensions competition - run by Pendragon and supported by GP's sister title Professional Pensions - is approaching.

The government has been urged to freeze state pensions and increase employee contributions to unfunded public sector schemes as part of a detailed plan by the TaxPayers' Alliance to cut public expenditure by £50bn.

UK - The Personal Accounts investment discussion paper received more than 60 industry responses which will help form its final package of advice to the trustee board.

UK - Pension Corporation has appointed six staff across its business to bolster its team.

The government must "build upon" restrictions on pensions tax relief to help those less well off, the Trades Union Congress says.

UK - Whitbread is set to close the defined benefit section of its group pension fund to future accrual at the end of 2009.

UK - The number of complaints about life and pensions products has fallen by 76%, latest Financial Services Authority data reveals.

UK - Some 87% of defined benefit pension schemes are closed to new entrants and 18% are close to future accrual, statistics from the Association of Consulting Actuaries revealed.

GLOBAL - The European Court of Human Rights is set to rule on a UK law which freezes the state pension of anyone who leaves Britain to live in certain countries, according to ECHR files.

The European Court of Human Rights is set to rule on a UK law which freezes the state pension of anyone who leaves Britain to live in certain countries, according to ECHR files.