Annuities

The state pension age (SPA) should be set at 72 at least, a leading academic from Leeds University Business School has said.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is asking annuity providers to look into their non-advised sales going back to 2008 to see if consumers missed out on higher income by buying the wrong type of annuity.

Annuity providers need to make significant improvements to the quality of their written and telephone communications if customer outcomes are to be improved according to the FCA's Thematic Review.

Australia's Financial System Inquiry (FSI) has concluded the best way to improve income in retirement is to force trustees to pre-select a retirement income product for members.

A review into Australia's superannuation system has recommended trustees should pre-select a "comprehensive income product" to provide members with longevity protection and a stable income stream in retirement.

Pensions minister Steve Webb has hit back at criticism that the decision to abolish mandatory annuitisation could jeopardise the benefits of auto-enrolment (AE).

Helen Morrissey looks ahead to the new year

Michael Klimes asks whether the Dutch CDC model is the way to go for UK pensions

PP looks at international concerns over the sustainability of the UK pensions system

Bad headlines about annuities in April 2015 could lead to a "tragedy" of people not buying them anymore according to Michelle Cracknell.