Pensions Unpacked

Automatic enrolment is widely seen as one of the great pension policy success stories of the last two decades. Millions more people are now saving for retirement each month. But getting people into the system is not the same as ensuring they will have enough to live on when they stop working.   Future generations will rely increasingly on defined contribution savings, yet concerns are growing...

For years there was a clear decision for defined benefit pension schemes: buy out or run-on. Now for many, especially the largest schemes, run-on has become the dominant end game strategy.   New research from Brightwell and mallowstreet suggests that shift is now firmly embedded. Decisions are more settled and funding confidence is higher. The challenge now though, is how to build resilient p...

With the majority of defined benefit schemes now in surplus, it might be tempting to think the hard work is done. But Brightwell’s  DB 2036 – Out of the Woods?  report suggests the sector is entering a far more complex second act, one defined not by recovery, but by choice.   As schemes weigh up decisions that will shape outcomes for decades to come, the paths forward are diverging....

When it comes to pensions, Australia appears light years ahead. Universal, compulsory, preserved to retirement, and big professional funds investing for decades. It's caught the attention of policymakers here in the UK. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is eyeing consolidation and better value, taking cues from Australia as well as Canada and the Netherlands. But you can't copy and paste a pension sys...

In this episode of Pensions Unpacked, Georgie Frost is joined by Lord Alok Sharma KCMG PC to discuss the achievements of COP 26, the current direction of travel when it comes to global climate action and his hopes for COP 30.   As COP 30 in Belem approaches, the politics of climate and finance are shifting at home and abroad. The UK can point to sharp emissions cuts, even as momentum builds t...

Pension administration is seen as the unglamorous side of the industry. Yet it's critical to how schemes run and how members experience their retirement. As expectations rise and risks multiply, the pressure to modernise has never been greater. So how do we move administration from back-office function to genuine driver of value?   In this edition of Pensions Unpacked, David Fairs, Chair, PAS...

Once the cornerstone of retirement, most DB schemes are now closed - yet they still hold over £1.4 trillion in assets and remain vital for millions of members and the wider economy. And with new rules on surplus set to take effect from 2027, schemes and sponsors face fresh choices about whether to buy out or keep running on. In this special live edition of Pensions Unpacked, Ian Mills, Head of DB...

The government's recent plans for pension schemes to help support UK economic growth raise important questions about economic strategy, fiduciary duty, and the evolving role of pensions in supporting national interests. Matt Cavanagh, Senior Counsel H/AdvisorsCicero and Amy Mankelow from Brightwell talk to Georgie Frost about whether these plans are genuine win-win, or a case of political overreac...

Life expectancy in the UK has gone up but the number of years we spend in good health hasn’t kept pace. David Sinclair, Chief Executive of the International Longevity Centre UK and Amy Mankelow from Brightwell talk to Georgie Frost about the implications of longer lives, how we can age well and why rethinking retirement is more urgent than ever. Find the report: The future of ageing in an uncertai...