pensionsandsavings.com

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

    • pensionsandsavings.com

    pensionsandsavings.com

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    Author: Ros Altmann

    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

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    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…

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    Pension freedoms have helped millions as interest rates rise

    Pension freedoms have helped millions as interest rates rise

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    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…

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    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%

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    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…

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    Sensible decision to leave State Pension Age timetable unchanged for now

    Sensible decision to leave State Pension Age timetable unchanged for now

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    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…

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    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%

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    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…

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    Budget Reaction – good news day for pensions at last

    Budget Reaction – good news day for pensions at last

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    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…

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    Getting more over 50s into work

    Getting more over 50s into work

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    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…

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    Government should require all UK pension funds to support UK growth

    Government should require all UK pension funds to support UK growth

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    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…

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    Budget changes to pension tax allowances

    Budget changes to pension tax allowances

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    Great to hear that the Chancellor is planning to finally increase pension tax allowances.   Chancellor should abolish the ludicrously complicated Tapered Annual Allowance.   and increase the limits for Annual Allowance and Lifetime Allowance.   Current tax rules have turned a tremendous workplace benefit into a workplace penalty – driving early retirement and reduced working hours for many senior staff in the NHS I hope the rumours of changes to pensions tax allowances in the Budget will prove correct: Pensions are…

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    Positive messaging could stop people opting out of pensions

    Positive messaging could stop people opting out of pensions

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    Is the pensions industry in danger of undermining auto-enrolment by failing to explain the many advantages of pensions? People need to know about the positives, not constant negative messaging, so they understand the free money they will have and higher benefit payments they could have if they keep paying in.  Since 2012, Government policy has brought millions more people into pensions, but providers have not managed to engage or enthuse their new customers with positive pension messages.  Extra money from…

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