Defined benefit
In-depth reporting on defined benefit (DB) pensions for our pension fund and asset management readers from IPE’s award-winning journalists
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NewsPension reform drive gathers pace as Bill receives Royal Assent
Bill becomes law after long parliamentary battle, with key powers scaled back and implementation now crucial
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NewsUK regulator targets funded reinsurance with tougher insurer capital rules
Prudential Regulation Authority raises capital requirements for funded reinsurance, aiming to curb risk and strengthen insurer resilience
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NewsMercer helps German corporates reshape pensions with buyout focus
The consultancy is advising German corporates on pension redesigns, CTAs and buyout pathways amid rising de-risking activity
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NewsDutch pooled pension schemes HNPF and Stap to merge into €18bn fund
The duo plans to merge in 2027, creating a combined €18bn vehicle with more than 150,000 participants
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NewsLower funding ratios for Dutch pension funds as Iran War bites
Dutch pension funds see Q1 funding setbacks as markets reel from Hormuz tensions
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NewsDutch pension funds hedge equity exposure in run-up to Iran war
Pension funds Foodservice, DHL and Gasunie hedge equities ahead of DC transition in the Netherlands, but strategies diverge sharply amid geopolitical volatility
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NewsSwiss supervisor puts pension fund under WTW administration
Tellco said the move was necessary due to ongoing disputes between members of the board of trustees
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Opinion PiecesEfforts to raise trustee standards must preserve what works
Morten Nilsson of Brightwell Pensions on avoiding the onerous requirements that could further shrink the pool of lay trustees
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AnalysisL&G dominates UK pension risk transfer market with 27% share
The UK PRT market has reached a record-breaking 367 buy-ins totalling £38.2bn in 2025
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NewsDAX firms push fully funded pensions despite regulatory complexity
German corporates increasingly fund pension liabilities fully, strengthening governance, reducing risk, and supporting profitability amid regulation
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NewsEssentra pension plan completes £104m buy-in deal with Aviva
The transaction, which secures benefits of both deferred and pensioner members, is the second deal between Aviva and the plan’s trustees
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NewsPanasonic pension plan completes bulk purchase annuity transaction with M&G
The £140m transaction is M&G’s first to use LCP’s streamlined buy-in service
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NewsIBM winds up Austrian pension fund after shifting liabilities to VBV
Transfer of defined benefit liabilities to VBV triggers closure of Austrian corporate pension fund, underscoring consolidation trend
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NewsUniversity of Bristol pension fund appoints fiduciary manager
The £220m mandate was awarded to Van Lanschot Kempen
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NewsUK pension fund completes £105m buy-in deal with Canada Life
The transaction secures the future benefits of over 350 deferred members and more than 1,450 pensioners
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NewsRegulator forecasts buyout surpluses could exceed £120bn in next decade
The UK government announced plans to amend the existing framework for surplus extraction from DB schemes in May 2025
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NewsChurch of England Pension Board explores collective defined contribution arrangement
The board previously expressed interest in launching a multi-employer CDC scheme back in 2024
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NewsBuyout increasingly perceived as less attractive for large defined benefit schemes
Strong funding and control drive large UK DB pension fund to rethink buyout as the default endgame, says Brightwell
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NewsQinetiq pension fund awards £1.3bn fiduciary mandate to Insight
As part of the contract, Insight has responsibility for advising the trustee on investment strategy in addition to day-to-day oversight and management of the fund’s assets
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NewsRising geopolitical risk tests UK DB sponsor covenant resilience
Policy turbulence behind 42% of UK DB sponsor profit warnings in 2025, according to EY-Parthenon
