Tag: Pensions Regulator

21st Century Trusteeship and Governance – Pensions Regulator discussion paper

24 August 2016 The Pensions Regulator has issued a discussion paper titled “21st Century Trusteeship and Governance” which continues engagement with the pensions industry in considering how best to support trustees in fulfilling their responsibilities and improving beneficiary outcomes. The paper highlights key findings and challenges from the Regulator’s research into the work of trustees, and poses thirteen key questions to shape future policy decisions. The questions are wide ranging, covering: the role of professional trustee, the role of the chair, the challenge for new trustees and trustee knowledge and understanding, minimum competence and continuous personal development, conflicts of interest,…

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DB to DC transfers – Pensions Regulator consultation

2 March 2015 The Pensions Regulator has produced a useful consultation document on DB to DC transfers and conversions and invited comments by 17 March 2015. The consultation document is pretty clear, concise and accessible and is likely to form the basis of new guidance for DB pension scheme trustees faced with the tricky question of how to handle DB members wishing to transfer to a DC scheme.     For me, there are five key areas: There should be relatively few cases where such a transfer is actually in the best interests of the member – giving up guaranteed…

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Do you have quality DC pension scheme governance?

10 February 2014 The Pensions Regulator has followed up its work on the DC Code and DC Regulatory Guidance with their views on how trustees (both for single- and master-trust vehicles) should assess and communicate their compliance with these initiatives. To recap, the DC Code lays out the legal framework for DC trust-based pensions and provides suggestions of practical guidance on how to comply whereas the DC Regulatory Guidance lays out the Regulator’s view on the quality features underpinning their view of good practice. The Regulator has laid out 31 key quality features in areas such as trustee knowledge, training…

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The Pensions Regulator – Maintaining DC Contributions

12 June 2013 In September 2012, the Pensions Regulator held a three month consultation on revising their codes of practice on reporting late payments of DC contributions. The consultation results have been analysed and amended draft codes of practice have now been laid before Parliament – with an expectation that these codes will go live in the Autumn. Why is this important? It is clear that the correct identification and payment of contributions is vital to the beneficiaries of a DC scheme. Timeliness is also key: if payments are delayed then there will be a need to reinstate beneficiaries to…

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Pensions Liberation Schemes – a significant new threat

13 March 2013 Pensions liberation schemes (whether advertised by cold call, email or text message) seem to be on the increase and are causing alarm bells. Pensions tax regulation is clear here: a member is able to receive 25% of accumulated capital back tax-free at the point of retirement but there are extremely restricted circumstances where an earlier return of capital is anything other than an unauthorised payment. There is also the risk of outright fraud with these schemes and a potential for full loss of the pension pot.

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The Pensions Regulator : Record-keeping data integrity deadline looms

19 September 2012 On 6 September, the Pensions Regulator published a press release urging trustees and scheme administrators to take action to get beneficiary records in order in time for the regulator’s end-2012 deadline. The regulator originally set targets in 2010 for compliance in accuracy of “common” data items: for instance name, address, DOB and NI numbers. Their aim was for 95% of data to be in place and accurate for data records prior to June 2010 and full 100% accuracy for data subsequent to this. It is self evident that data integrity is vital for contact with beneficiaries and…

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