pensionsandsavings.com

  • PENSIONSANDSAVINGS.COM

    From Ros Altmann:economist and pensions,
    investment and retirement policy expert

    • pensionsandsavings.com

    pensionsandsavings.com

    Browsed by
    Author: Ros Altmann

    Extending pension auto-enrolment to more young people, women and low earners

    Extending pension auto-enrolment to more young people, women and low earners

    Comments 0 Comment

    More pensions for low earners and young workers as auto-enrolment extension bill goes through house of lords. The legislation will ensure Government moves auto-enrolment to next stage, improving coverage and adequacy of workplace pensions. This is designed to pave the way for all workers under age 22 to be auto-enrolled and provide much larger pensions for lower earners. On Friday, the Extension of Auto-enrolment (No.2) Bill received its Second Reading in the House of Lords and should become law in…

    Read More Read More

    Pension funds could do so much more to boost Britain – this Mansion House Compact is just the very start

    Pension funds could do so much more to boost Britain – this Mansion House Compact is just the very start

    Comments 0 Comment

    Chancellor could and should be much more ambitious for pension funds to boost Britain. Mansion House Compact is welcome as far as it goes – but is just the tip of the iceberg. Just 5% of funds helping start-ups and scale-ups from Defined Contribution schemes by 2030 and perhaps another 5% of assets from Local Authority pension schemes, seems rather unambitious. At least 25% of each pension fund originated from taxpayer reliefs – with tax and National Insurance reliefs costing…

    Read More Read More

    Companies should take more responsibility for curbing price rises, especially after huge pandemic

    Companies should take more responsibility for curbing price rises, especially after huge pandemic

    Comments 0 Comment

    Time for businesses to take responsibility for helping overcome current inflation crisis. Chancellor is right to expect businesses to play their part in curbing price rises and margin expansion. After the massive amounts spent supporting businesses through Covid, there should be a recognition of their duty to society as economy looks for new normal. Corporate Social Responsibility should include behaving responsibly during current economic emergency which was partly caused by post-pandemic readjustments. The Chancellor has been speaking to businesses, urging…

    Read More Read More

    Pension freedoms have helped millions as interest rates rise

    Pension freedoms have helped millions as interest rates rise

    Comments 0 Comment

    Ongoing interest rate rises confirm the value of pension freedoms.  Reforms have saved millions of pensioners from locking into record low annuity rates, without inflation protection or spouse cover.  As QE comes to an end, annuity rates have already increased as inflation and interest rates have risen.  Pension providers have a chance to redesign pensions and move on from one-size-fits-all thinking, with wider investment options and new ways of preserving spending power for later life.    Rising rates and inflation…

    Read More Read More

    10.1% rise in State Pension was vital after State Pensions rose only 3.1% this past year, while inflation soared past 10%

    10.1% rise in State Pension was vital after State Pensions rose only 3.1% this past year, while inflation soared past 10%

    Comments 2 comments

    It is only right to properly protect State Pensions in the middle of a cost of living crisis, especially after the past year’s real terms cuts.  State Pensions rose just 3.1% after earnings had increased over 8% as Government broke triple lock just when inflation soared past 10%.  Millions of pensioners must survive on just State Pension – around £10,000 a year or only £8,000 for older pensioners – lowest in developed world.  Means-testing of State Pensions is not the…

    Read More Read More

    Sensible decision to leave State Pension Age timetable unchanged for now

    Sensible decision to leave State Pension Age timetable unchanged for now

    Comments 3 comments

    Leaving State Pension Age alone for now is the right decision.    Accelerating Sstate Pension Age rises would be wrong when life expectancy increases have slowed or possibly reversed and huge differentials in healthy life expectancy remain.    Retirement support should not be determined just by chronological age – health, length of National Insurance record and income could be included.    Early access to Pension Credit would be another way to avoid rising old age poverty.  Welcome News: I am…

    Read More Read More

    Lifetime Allowance was a sledgehammer to pensions and Budget changes aren’t just to help top 1%

    Lifetime Allowance was a sledgehammer to pensions and Budget changes aren’t just to help top 1%

    Comments 1 comment

    Lifetime Allowance was an unnecessary pension sledgehammer which damaged investment and employment  – if you already have brakes, you don’t need a brick wall to stop the car.    Shame to see pensions become a political football being kicked around with hob-nailed boots – threats to reintroduce it will accelerate exodus of vital NHS and worsen health backlogs.  Scrapping Lifetime Allowance isn’t just for the top 1% – it was always an illogicality that hurt DC pensions by punishing investment…

    Read More Read More

    Budget Reaction – good news day for pensions at last

    Budget Reaction – good news day for pensions at last

    Comments 2 comments

    BUDGET 2023 – It’s good news day for pensions! Chancellor takes brilliant bold decision to abolish Lifetime Allowance altogether. At last a move that is likely to benefit pensions, reduce complexity and increase employment. Abolishing Lifetime Allowance and raising Annual Allowance can facilitate more pension assets being invested to boost growth.   Government pays over £40billion a year into people’s pensions, so makes sense to use some for growth-boosting infrastructure, social housing, net zero and nature preservation investment. A new era…

    Read More Read More

    Getting more over 50s into work

    Getting more over 50s into work

    Comments 0 Comment

    If Chancellor wants to encourage more over 50s to keep working, he must address health issues rather than just pensions or benefits.  Facilitating part-time or flexible working and improving NHS health outcomes are crucial elements to increase labour force participation of older people.  Today’s employment figures show over 50s want to work but are not well enough.  Five million over 50s may not be able to work full time into their 60s so higher pension allowances or tighter benefit sanctions…

    Read More Read More

    Government should require all UK pension funds to support UK growth

    Government should require all UK pension funds to support UK growth

    Comments 1 comment

    UK Pension Funds should support green growth, infrastructure, climate and nature protection.  At least 25% of each pension is funded by taxpayers, which could justify requiring allocations to domestic long-term growth projects.  UK pension funds have slashed their exposure to equities, especially in the UK, but diversification to higher return assets is overdue. Until late 1990s, pension funds relied on high equity allocations: Actuaries and regulators used to assume that equity investment was the most appropriate asset class for long…

    Read More Read More

    Page 5 of 39
    1 … 3 4 5 6 7 … 39