The SPP very much supports the Bill and most of its broad aims from PPF levy flexibility and surplus release to the concept of default decumulation and improving Value for Money for DC schemes. However, we have made various suggestions as to how the Bill could be improved and we fundamentally oppose the the reserve power for government to mandate investment in private market assets.
The SPP agrees with the government that these proposals will fundamentally improve fairness in and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
However, the SPP response also highlights the potential for “disruptive administrative impacts” given the numerous other projects being dealt with by the LGPS from dashboards to the McCloud remedy.
Tags: LGPS, local government pension scheme,
This SPP Paper is a response to government plans to introduce a power in the Pension Schemes Bill that will allow them to dictate how pension funds invest by requiring a prescribed percentage of investment in UK productive assets.
Tags: compulsion, investment, mandation, Pensions, productive assets, productive finance, UK,
Although there have been many developments in the risk transfer process in recent years, there’s more that could be done in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness.
With this in mind, the SPP has published an insightful paper on how best to shape the future of the risk transfer process - “Less friction, better transfers: creating a more agile risk transfer process.”
Tags: Pensions, Risk transfer, transfer process; DB,
There is widespread adoption of AI within the UK pensions industry, with 87% of respondents to a recent SPP survey confirming that AI is being used by their firm. However, the survey also revealed that more than three quarters of respondents (77%) currently used AI in only 1%-5% of their services, suggesting that there is great potential for future use. This response provides further detail about such usage.
The SPP believe that the FRC have done a good job in dealing with what is an increasingly complex area. However, there are some improvements that could be made, both for clarity and to reduce the amount of work needed that wouldn’t add material value to the advice. If these changes are made, the new Technical Actuarial Standard for pensions is likely to provide strong support for practitioners carrying out actuarial work under the new DB funding regime.
This is a short response to the FCA Discussion Paper, focusing on just one of the nine questions, the important issue of Transfer Regulations. The regulations continue to result in delays in transfer processing; don’t align with the original policy intent and are causing schemes and members considerable problems. As a result, this response highlights industry concerns with a view to securing a practical solution.
The SPP’s response to the FCA consultation on a new type of support for consumers with their pensions, called targeted support, as part of their Advice Guidance Boundary Review. This response highlights our support for certain proposals e.g. around readymade solutions and the potential for reducing consumer harm, whilst highlighting potential issues with other elements of the proposed changes
The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) analysis of Government plans to impose Inheritance Tax on unused pension pots from April 2027 - and "less costly, quicker, and ultimately more effective” alternatives.
The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) supports the Government’s overarching objectives to both invest more in the UK and boost saver returns. However, we aren’t convinced that these proposals are the best way to achieve this.
A minimum pension fund scale of £25bn AUM isn’t necessarily going to drive additional investment diversification or deliver better saver returns but could lead to unintended consequences of reducing competition, stifling innovation and potentially disadvantaging some minority groups.
Whilst it is right for the Government to challenge the LGPS to assess its progress, the type and pace of changes being proposed run the risk of derailing some of the good work of the last decade, as well as impinging on administering authorities’ fiduciary duties. Within the LGPS it is not clear how these proposals will meet either of the Government’s objectives of improving pension outcomes for members or increasing investment in the UK.
As a result, the Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) urges policymakers to carefully reconsider both the nature and pace of some of these proposals.
The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) supports the Government’s efforts to legislate for the introduction of Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) legislation for multi-employer and master trust arrangements. However, we urge the Government to revisit a small number of areas that could be improved. For example, in relation to promotion and marketing activities; the potential to inadvertently transition between the connected and unconnected employer regimes; and the proposed constraints on changes in investment strategy, with the associated requirement to sectionalise.