Funding – Page 132
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NewsGerman occupational schemes using consultants for divorcee rights
GERMANY – The majority of occupational pension schemes (bAVs) in Germany employ external consultants to help calculate pension rights for divorcing couples, Towers Watson has reported.
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NewsUK roundup: ONS, BBC, pension de-risking
UK – A third of UK pensioners rely solely on the state pension in retirement, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics, while the BBC has defended proposed changes to its defined benefit (DB) scheme.
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NewsBA completes £1.3bn buy-in with Rothesay Life
UK – British Airways has completed a £1.3bn (€1.57bn) pension buy-in transaction with Rothesay Life that will cover approximately 20% of the pensioner liabilities of its Airways Pension Scheme (APS).
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NewsABP raises premiums again after cover ratio falls to 96%
NETHERLANDS – The €220bn civil service scheme ABP has again decided to raise its contributions temporarily by 1% to compensate for the drop of its cover ratio to 96%.
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NewsTNO scraps 'disappointing' tactical asset allocation
NETHERLANDS – The €2bn pension fund of TNO, the Dutch Institute for Applied Science, has axed its 2.7% global tactical asset allocation (GTAA) within a year due to "disappointing" performance.
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NewsDiageo pension scheme to plug £860m deficit with whisky
UK/IRELAND – Drinks giant Diageo has announced its UK pension fund will tackle a £862m (€929m) deficit by investing in maturing whisky.
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TPR issues first contribution notice against Belgian firm
UK – The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has issued its first contribution notice, ordering Michel Van De Wiele NV (VDW) to pay £5m (€6.2m) into the Bonas Group Pension Scheme.
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German pension liabilities set to surge as BilMoG takes effect
GERMANY - German pension liabilities are set to increase by up to 30% by the end of the year as new accounting regulations take effect.
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BBC to close scheme to new members as deficit hits £2bn
UK – The BBC has initiated a three month consultation on changes to its £8.23bn (€10.16bn) defined benefit (DB) pension scheme following a deficit increase to around £2bn in 2009 from £470m in 2008.
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Marine pilots ruling clarifies funding for multi-employer schemes
UK – A legal ruling clarifying the powers of trustees to recover deficits in a multi-employer pension scheme confirms that trustees can require employers to make greater contributions. It also outlines when an employer triggers a section 75 debt on leaving the scheme.
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BT Pension scheme cut deficit by £1.4bn last year
UK - The underfunded BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) has managed to reduce its deficit by 16% following strong returns in 2009.
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Dutch recovery plans need higher pension ages and contributions: OECD
NETHERLANDS – Increasing life expectancy and the recent financial crisis are threatening the solvency of the second-pillar pension system in the Netherlands, leading to a need for changes to the style of recovery plans, the OECD has warned.
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NAPF 'foundation' pension could limit means-testing, but at a cost
UK – Introducing a 'foundation' pension combining the current Basic State Pension (BSP) and the State Second Pension (S2P) could reduce the number of people on means-tested pension benefits to 25% by 2050, according to research by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI).
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UK Pension Regulator consults on web-based employer covenant guidance
UK – New guidance for trustees on monitoring employer support for the pension scheme has been devised as a web-based product and replaces the separate contingent assets guidance from the Pension Regulator (TPR).
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Government should focus on current pension costs, says Towers Watson
UK – The government should be focusing on how much pension promises being made today are worth rather than the increasing cost of past pension promises, Towers Watson has warned.
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Icelandic pension assets near €12bn
ICELAND – Net pension fund assets at the end of April increased by ISK16bn (€102m) over the month, following increases in both equity and fixed income investments.
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Early access to pension assets a mistake, warns Mercer
UK – Giving savers access to their pension fund before retirement would be a mistake, according to Mercer.
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Dutch postal pension fund to hedge interest risk through swaptions
NETHERLANDS – The Dutch postal pension fund TNT will limit its risk by gradually increasing its 75% interest hedge on its liabilities to full cover.
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Hewitt: Most Dutch pension funds failing to meet minimum cover ratios
NETHERLANDS – The cover ratio of most Dutch pension funds has fallen to less than the 105% minimum required by the government, according to Hewitt Associates.
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Trustees need to prepare covenant arrangements, says UK Pensions Regulator
UK – Trustees should prepare plans to access employer support to the scheme, such as contingent assets, ahead of time, instead of waiting to ask for extra security when it would weaken the sponsoring employer, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has said.




