COVID-19
Professional Pensions and Mercer Deskflix Event: Covid-19
Dealing with the impacts. The event examines how the pandemic has amplified some of the challenges DB and DC pension schemes have to overcome, and how you’ll now need to rise to a new set of challenges that, whilst created by Covid-19, are probably here to stay.
CMI finds modest fall in cohort life expectancy after zero-weighting Covid data
The Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has found a lower cohort life expectancy for both men and women in its 2020 table, even after zero-weighting data related to Covid.
Market Movers Blog: Budget — 'Fiscal firepower' to be accompanied by tax rises
In this live blog, Professional Pensions' sister title Investment Week collates all the breaking market news, analysis and opinion on equity, bond and currency movements as well as the impact of trade wars, tightening monetary policy and the Brexit negotiations....
Covid restrictions lead Mitchells & Butlers to defer £13m of contributions
Mitchells & Butlers has deferred £13m of deficit recovery contributions (DRCs) after tier four Covid restrictions wreaked havoc across the hospitality sector.
BA defers £450m of DRCs after 'swift and severe' pandemic closures
British Airways (BA) has deferred deficit recovery contributions (DRCs) totalling £450m following an agreement with trustees after a catastrophic year for the airline industry.
2021: The year of dashboard progress?
Hurdles remain before dashboard implementation, writes Holly Roach.
Covid has forced us to a crossroads for tech
The technological developments arising out of the pandemic will change the pensions industry forever, says Darren Philp.
Government response 'crucial' as UK GDP nudges 1% higher in Q4 2020
UK GDP was 1.2% higher in December 2020 as eased lockdown restrictions for the month helped to bring total growth for the fourth quarter of the year to 1% overall, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
AE remains resilient despite pandemic and pension contribution increases
Auto-enrolment (AE) remained resilient during the Covid-19 pandemic and in the wake of minimum contribution increases, according to a report by Nest Insight.
Exclusive: Mercer to shut five offices as part of post-pandemic acceleration of flexible working
Mercer has set out plans to move to an agile office model on a permanent basis – closing a number of offices and modernising others as a result of both the acquisition of JLT in 2019 and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
DB schemes should use 2020 crisis as a 'learning opportunity'
There are many lessons to be learned from the March 2020 market volatility and liquidity squeeze as the Covid-19 pandemic escalated, Barnett Waddingham says.
What will the real estate sector look like after Covid-19?
Retail and hotels have taken the brunt of lockdowns, while logistics and residential have fared much better. Even when Covid-19 is bought under control, the path of recovery is far from straightforward, writes Stephanie Baxter
TPR response to funding code consultation reveals level of industry concern over twin-track regime
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published the interim response to its first defined benefit (DB) funding code consultation – highlighting the depth of industry concern around its proposed twin-track regime.
Employee DC contributions drop by 11% amid pandemic pressures
Defined contribution (DC) contributions were scaled back by 11% in the second quarter of 2020 as the impact of the pandemic set in, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Navigating covenant and ESG in 2021 - what does the environment look like?
Michael Bushnell looks at the continuing impact of the pandemic on employer covenant and ESG risks, and how schemes can plan ahead.
CMI: Deaths 51% higher in week to Christmas than in 2019
Deaths in England and Wales were 51% higher in week 52 of 2020 than the corresponding period of 2019, although partly inflated by bank holidays, according to the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI).
The top 20 opinion articles of 2020
What were some of the most read opinion pieces on Professional Pensions over the last 12 months? We look at some of the top articles from our commentators during the year.
How KC Communications is adapting employee benefits to the new reality
The pandemic sparked Huddersfield-based public relations and social media agency KC Communications to reassess its employee benefits package as it sought to adapt to the new normal.
Satisfaction towards TPR improved during the Covid-19 pandemic
The trend in overall satisfaction for The Pensions Regulator (TPR) improved over the last six months amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Pensions Management Institute (PMI).
Pension schemes urged to avoid 'over-reacting' to impact of Covid-19
Aon has urged the pensions industry to avoid over-reacting to the impact of Covid-19, as it predicts another huge year for the UK risk settlement industry in 2021.
Covid pushes tech up the agenda but drags on pensions
The pensions industry still trails behind others with its use of technology, writes Holly Roach.
Purple Book reveals scheme funding has worsened, but PPF remains confident of success
Scheme funding in the defined benefit (DB) universe has worsened, but the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) remains confident it can tackle the challenges ahead, it says as it launches its 2020 Purple Book.
How employers are changing their benefit offerings as a result of the Covid crisis
Covid-19 has had a seismic impact on regular office life. Nick Martindale looks at how employee benefits provisions are expanding to reach the new normal