Hymans Robertson

Three in five trustees have not heard of Clara Pensions, one of two defined benefit (DB) consolidators to have launched since last year's government white paper.

Mercer Master Trust has sent off its authorisation application to The Pensions Regulator (TPR) taking the total number of submissions received and awaiting response to 12.

Insurance companies offering buy-ins and buyouts prefer pension schemes which adopt the D2 method of equalising guaranteed minimum pensions (GMPs), Hymans Robertson has found.

Professional trustees will be expected to apply for accreditation in the near future as a regulator-backed working group has published a set of seven standards against which they will need to demonstrate compliance.

An innovative funding structure has been agreed for Croydon Pension Fund. However, there are some concerns about the arrangement. Stephanie Baxter reports

The government is encouraging schemes to invest in illiquid assets with higher performance fees. Kim Kaveh asks if this is a good idea.

Lemonade has launched a retirement service in a bid to help trustees and employers guide defined benefit (DB) members through their options.

The industry has welcomed the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) feasibility report into the pensions dashboard as a move towards improving member outcomes.

Nine in 10 FTSE 350 defined benefit (DB) pension schemes could pay off their IAS19 deficit with less than six months of earnings, according to Hymans Robertson.

Jonathan Stapleton says now the DWP has given the project the green light to proceed, it is now up to the industry to make sure it happens.