Pensions Buzz

Contributors supported by a margin of two to one the idea of ring-fencing money raised through the Royal Mail sell off to fund the pension deficit taken on by the government.

The majority of contributors believe there will continue to be a role for actuaries in the pensions industry, even as defined benefit (DB) provision is phased out.

There was strong support for the idea of letting scheme members use some of their pension pot to pay for the cost of long-term care in retirement.

This week Buzz reveals growing confidence in auto-enrolment (AE) but in the minds of respondents there is still a long way to go.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of respondents focused on low opt-out rates as the short-term measure of success for AE, and decent retirement incomes as the long-term goal. On this basis, many contributors said the first year of AE could be deemed a success.

It was a similar story on how the industry thinks The Pensions Regulator (TPR) will fare when the number of employers staging really takes off next year. The percentage of contributors who think the watchdog will be unable to cope fell from 55% 12 months...

The good news is that the industry thinks awareness of auto-enrolment (AE) is on the increase.

Respondents were split over whether the government should put in place an early warning system to urge people who were 10 years from retirement to seek advice on their pension. The idea had more supporters than critics however, and many people who rejected...

This week respondents support the Office of Fair Trading’s decision not to refer the DC market, but call for a cap on charges, and question the value of investment consultants

More than three quarters of contributors predicted the drive by Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) to invest in local infrastructure would lead to conflicts.