Pensions Buzz

Two thirds of participants were dismayed at the government's decision to keep the NEST restrictions in place until 2017 rather than removing them now.

The thorny issue of tax relief - how much, given to whom, and when - once again raised its head in this week's Buzz. As ever with questions about tax, the opinion was divided. Almost half of respondents said a single 30% would not increase saving, although...

This week respondents explain why contract-based schemes need an extra layer of governance, dispute the link between asset management fees and performance, and say the industry should stop moaning about pot follows member.

Just three out of ten contributors said trustees always performed the necessary due diligence before signing anything off, although two thirds said this was the case always or most of the time.

Just one in four respondents believe the pensions industry lobbies government effectively, while three out of five feel we could do better.

Buzz respondents are sceptical of the link between fees and performance from asset managers, by and large.

Pensions Buzz respondents have thrown their respective bulk behind calls for an extra layer of governance in contract-based schemes.

This week respondents reject the idea of a tariff system for the industry, support claims employers are pairing back investment to fund schemes and say administrators should not charge extra to spot fraud.

Just under half of respondents supported the idea of more schemes being allowed to run on after a sponsor enters insolvency. A quarter of contributors rejected the suggestion.

A significant proportion of contributors were concerned that schemes are over-exposed to interest rate risk, but one quarter said this was not a problem.