Member associations of the OPA now receive the news from the press on occupational pensions issues through a closed Google mailing group. (The OPA carefully selects news items which should be of interest to members but cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information in them so please don't shoot the messenger.)

Other News

The Government propses to change the indexation of occupational pensions from the RPI to CPI. More.. (20 June '10)

British Airways reaches agreement with pension fund trustees on a plan to reduce its pension deficits. More.. (22 June '10)

Former Labour Work & Pensions Secretary of State, Lord Hutton, has been appointed to examine public sector pensions but is he the right man for the job? More.. (21 June '10)

Roger Maynard, the previous Chairman of the two BA pensions schemes, has now been replaced by Paul Spencer, CBE, Exec Chair of State St Managed Pension Funds. (22 March '10) More.. (22 March '10)

OPA supports British Airways pensioners in calling for resignation of trustee chairman. More..

In contrast to the UK a US study believes that buy-outs for DB schemes are not the answer and that they are salvageable (Oct '09)

FT Adviser article calls for a rethink on personal accounts: "Back to the drawing board" by Ros Altmann (8/10/09) See OPA response.

Financial Times has issued a "Call for action to ensure trustee independence" (28/09/09)

Yet another attack on our pensions! The Society of Pension Consultants has called for an end to DB pension indexation (21/09/09) See OPA response.

Many DC pension pots now worth less than cash contributions to them (2/3/09)

TUC slams recent attacks on public sector pensions and calls for Decent Pensions for All

Angela Eagle, Minister for Pensions, says the government is committed to keeping defined benefit alive (21/08/09)

Even though only 3 FTSE100 companies now have DB schemes open to new members the actuaries, Barnett-Waddingham, predict their eventual return (10/08/09)

(25/06/09) The Pensions Crisis - the Financial Times explores the dilemmas faced by individual savers, companies and governments. Experts advise on how to rebuild depleted pension savings and offer potential solutions to the international pensions time bomb.

(16/03/09) According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies the RPI may indicate deflation whilst the elderly are still suffering very high inflation. More..

(2/3/09) Many DC pension pots now worth less than cash contributions to them

(20/1/09) Business think tank calls for 10% cut for pensions in payment to save companies.

(24/11/08) Mercer Survey finds that the number of schemes with at least one independent trustee has risen to 44%

(16/10/08) OPA condemns proposals to alter "return of surplus rules". More..

(1/10/08) The Pensions Regulator has now published the Guidance for Trustees on Conflicts of Interest

(11/09/08) Professional Pensions reported that, following pressure from the NAPF, the DWP conducted a survey of stakeholders (which excluded the OPA!) and is now considering making it easier to return scheme "surpluses" to employers. The OPA opposes such a move. More..

"OPA has weighed in the call for the government to honour its commitment to introducing 50% member-nominated trustees. It believes there would be no shortage of candidates for extra trustees from the recently retired." Pensions Week 4/8/08

The plain English guide to the Act produced by CMS Cameron McKenna has been updated and is available here.

Government launches a consultation on Conditional Indexation (06/06/08)

Big Change in State Pensions - Paul Lewis explains what the changes mean for your State Pension. (Saga, May '08)

Co-op workers face 70% contribution hike. OPA executive officer Roger Turner said: "For the company not to increase its contribution levels but ask for employees to pay these well above average levels is completely immoral. (06/06/08)

EMI Pension Fund trustees have asked TPR to use its "failure to agree" powers under the 2004 Pensions Act to impose a solution on both the trustees and the private equity investor, Terra Firma. This will be the first occasion in which these powers have been used. (01/05/08)

OPA slams TPR's Corporate Plan for failing to police its Codes of Practice. (01/05/08)

ONS report Pension Trends reveals that around two thirds of pensioner households receive private pension income in 2005/06, but 40 per cent of pensioner couples,
55 per cent of single men and 61 per cent of single women pensioners have annual private pension income of less than £1,000. And yet most current employees expect to retire on half their salary. (15/04/08)

Pension funds are at risk from takeovers by unregulated insurers such as the Pension Corporation which are not covered either by the Financial Service Compensation Scheme or the PPF. Unite, the UK's largest labour union, is pressing the government to enact laws to stop investors making short- term gains by taking assets from the pension schemes of companies they acquire. More.. (3/04/08)

See also:

Archived News Items
Pensions News Sources