Pension cost inquiry to make providers ‘sweat’
British Steel pension scandal looms large, as opaque fees and charges slammed
DWP
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Pensions cold calling ban kicked further down the road
As the Trump cavalcade roars across Britain, the UK government has quietly announced that a planned ban on pensions cold calling has been further delayed.
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Unlimited fines and jail for reckless DB scheme providers
Powers that would allow the UK’s pensions regulator to give unlimited fines and criminally prosecute reckless behaviour in relation to defined benefit (DB) pension schemes are being considered in a government consultation paper.
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‘Disaster’ averted: UK keeps mandatory pension transfer advice
Easing the advice requirements for transfers of guaranteed pensions to overseas schemes “could have been a recipe for disaster”, AJ Bell senior analyst Tom Selby said of the UK Government’s decision not to scrap the requirement to take financial advice.
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Cold-calling ban questioned as gov’t plans ‘swifter’ launch
The UK Government is planning to “swiftly” introduce a pension cold-calling ban, but has come up short on setting an exact date, as industry commentators have questioned how effective a ban will be in stopping criminals.
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FCA probes 109 firms connected to British Steel pensions
The Financial Conduct Authority has contacted 109 firms connected to British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) transfers and requested further information from 66 of them, the regulator has confirmed.
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Drop in pension auto-enrolment age worth £50,000
The UK’s Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that the auto-enrolment age will be lowered to 18-years-old, a move that could see some savers £50,000 better off after 40 years.
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Providers cautious about abolishing Rops ‘advice safeguard’
Providers of recognised overseas pension schemes (Rops) have voiced concerns over the UK’s plan to scrap the advice safeguard for expats, with some arguing that the move may create a “consumer protection gap”.
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UK providers forced to cap early exit pension charge at 1%
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Department for Work and Pensions are to impose a 1% early exit charge cap on existing personal pensions and occupational schemes from 31 March next year.
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UK government urged to scrap pensions triple-lock
The UK’s pension triple-lock will “worsen the economy”, is “heavily skewed” towards baby boomers, and should be scrapped, according to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee.
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Industry divided on UK plans to relax pension transfer rules
The UK government’s plans to potentially scrap the current ‘advice safeguard’ on some overseas pension transfers has met with a mixed response from the financial services industry, with some experts welcoming the move while others believe it will put consumers at risk of being targeted by fraudsters.
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UK mulls scrapping advice rule for overseas pension transfers
The UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is considering whether to scrap the ‘advice safeguard’ for expats, which requires individuals to consult an FCA-regulated adviser before they can transfer their defined benefit (DB) pension savings into an overseas pension scheme.