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Latest news and analysis
Buying British: Railpen, Nest, LGPS pools exploring UK ‘scale up’ fund
Leading investment institutions are in talks with the British Business Bank and the Office for Investment about the creation of a £1bn fund to drive investment into domestic companies seeking scale-up capital.
CDC: Pensions industry showing cautious interest in new model, polls show
As legislation facilitating collective defined contribution pension schemes edges closer, professionals are eager to discover what the new model could bring. However, the consensus is not universal, as Sara Benwell and Nick Reeve report.
Bulk annuities: M&G strikes latest ‘BPA Plus’ deal; Standard Life insures subsidiary’s scheme
Two innovative buy-ins were announced this week, featuring a with-profits element and residual risk cover while negotiating potential conflicts of interest.
Appointments: Vidett, Aptia, Hymans, Gowling WLG, State Street, M&G
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 24 July 2026.
Torsten Bell to remain as pensions minister following reshuffle
There will be continuity in the Department for Work and Pensions as Torsten Bell and Pat McFadden keep their roles following the cabinet reshuffle under new prime minister Andy Burnham.
No one answer to low earners’ pension dilemma, says PPI
No single change to the auto-enrolment regime will protect all low earners, according to the Pensions Policy Institute, with the removal of the lower earnings limit posing short-term affordability issues for many.
Now Pensions on social housing and private markets investing
Martyn James, director of investment at Now Pensions, explains how the £7.1bn master trust is allocating to affordable and social housing as part of its private markets strategy.
Bulk annuities: Sub-£25m deals continue as Royal London, Aviva and Just all active
The small end of the bulk annuities market remains vibrant, with sub-£25m deals completed by a number of insurers.
Your views needed: DC and private markets survey
Pensions Expert has teamed up with leading custodian CACEIS to explore how DC schemes are investing in private markets. Take part in our research and be in with a chance of winning a £100 M&S voucher by clicking here and filling in a short survey.
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Comment
Paul Maynard: Getting the ear of government is harder than you think
Former pensions minister Paul Maynard laments how hard it is to stand out from the crowd when trying to gain traction with members of parliament, and gives some advice to those trying to influence the political agenda.
Power to the people: Manchesterism, megafunds and member-nominated trustees
As new prime minister Andy Burnham sets out his plans for the UK, Janice Turner, honorary president of the Association of Member Nominated Trustees, contrasts his devolution approach with the consolidation of defined contribution pension schemes.
SPP: Managing pension scheme risk in an increasingly uncertain world
Jordan Irvine of the Society of Pension Professionals unpacks recent market movements and geopolitical activity to explore what it means for defined benefit pension schemes and their investment strategies.
Challenging corporate fraud: Identifying the opportunities in class actions
Around £75bn has been recovered for investors through corporate actions – and Institutional Protection CEO Caroline Goodman believes there is still an untapped opportunity for institutions.
Latest features
CDC: Pensions industry showing cautious interest in new model, polls show
As legislation facilitating collective defined contribution pension schemes edges closer, professionals are eager to discover what the new model could bring. However, the consensus is not universal, as Sara Benwell and Nick Reeve report.
Now Pensions on social housing and private markets investing
Martyn James, director of investment at Now Pensions, explains how the £7.1bn master trust is allocating to affordable and social housing as part of its private markets strategy.
In Depth: Inside the government’s pensions policy bonanza
From Value for Money to surplus release via scale and consolidation discussions and levy arguments, Monday’s roadmap announcement has given the pensions industry a lot to think about.
What the pensions industry wants from the Pensions Commission
Pensions Expert has collated a selection of views from senior representatives, each exploring what they would like to see from the final report when it is published next year.
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Pensions Expert analysis shows which law firms, professional trustees and consultants are most active in the bulk annuity market.
CDC: Pensions industry showing cautious interest in new model, polls show
Now Pensions on social housing and private markets investing
In Depth: Inside the government’s pensions policy bonanza
What the pensions industry wants from the Pensions Commission
Special report: Which companies are driving bulk annuity activity?
Latest on Defined Benefit
Bulk annuities: M&G strikes latest ‘BPA Plus’ deal; Standard Life insures subsidiary’s scheme
Two innovative buy-ins were announced this week, featuring a with-profits element and residual risk cover while negotiating potential conflicts of interest.
Bulk annuities: Sub-£25m deals continue as Royal London, Aviva and Just all active
The small end of the bulk annuities market remains vibrant, with sub-£25m deals completed by a number of insurers.
Surplus release: Time to put plans and policies in place
The Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue & Customs, the Pensions Regulator and the Financial Reporting Council are all working together to construct the surplus release framework for defined benefit pension schemes.
Smiths Group secures £760m bulk annuity deal with M&G
The FTSE 100-listed engineering company has now insured its entire defined benefit pension scheme through a series of transactions over the past few years.
People news
Appointments: Vidett, Aptia, Hymans, Gowling WLG, State Street, M&G
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 24 July 2026.
Appointments: Nest, Hymans Robertson, Aon, Quantum
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 17 July 2026.
Appointments: Zedra, Aptia, PASA, Cartwright, Hargreaves
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 10 July 2026.
Appointments: New faces on trustee boards at Aon, Now Pensions
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 3 July 2026.
Latest videos from Pensions Expert
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Latest on Defined Contribution
CDC: Pensions industry showing cautious interest in new model, polls show
As legislation facilitating collective defined contribution pension schemes edges closer, professionals are eager to discover what the new model could bring. However, the consensus is not universal, as Sara Benwell and Nick Reeve report.
No one answer to low earners’ pension dilemma, says PPI
No single change to the auto-enrolment regime will protect all low earners, according to the Pensions Policy Institute, with the removal of the lower earnings limit posing short-term affordability issues for many.
Pension transfer reform needs rethink to ensure consistency, industry says
Respondents to a government consultation have warned that some elements need more work, including a requirement for ceding schemes to assess the appropriateness of a receiving arrangement.
Scale and consolidation: Finessing the detail of the £25bn target
The government has sought to provide more clarity on elements of its scale and consolidation plans ahead of a full consultation next year.
Latest on Dashboards
Bell says dashboard ‘has improved data quality’ as launch confirmed for 2027
The DWP has confirmed that 85% of schemes have connected to the dashboard ecosystem, with all in-scope schemes expected to meet the 31 October statutory connection deadline.
Always A Pensions Angle: Fit for the Future, Dashboards, and Retirement Living Standards
This week sees the podcast team looking at the LGPS, which has a little more time to get Fit for the Future as some important deadlines have been extended. There are also updates on dashboards, AI, and Retirement Living Standards.
Major master trusts collaborate to cut pension transfer times
Providers including Nest, the People’s Pension, Smart Pension, and Now Pension have established Pathfinder, a working group that will explore “practical ways to improve pension transfers”.
Dashboards update: Connection coverage reaches 85% as final deadlines approach
The Money and Pensions Service expects the MoneyHelper dashboard to become available to the general public during the 2027-28 financial year.
