Funding – Page 134
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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.
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UK funding roundup: DB deficit reaches £41.5bn in May
UK – The funding position of UK defined benefit schemes deteriorated in May, with the aggregate deficit increasing to £41.5bn (€50.1bn) at the end of the month, according to figures from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
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UK roundup: West Sussex, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, Tax relief
UK – West Sussex County Council is seeking a transition manager for its local government pension scheme, while trade unions are threatening Coca-Cola with strike action over changes to the final salary pension scheme.
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KPN scheme lowers fixed income risk profile
NETHERLANDS – The pension fund of telecoms firm KPN reduced its exposure to government bonds of eurozone and emerging economies last year in a bid to reduce its risk profile.
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Irish managed funds' strong performance slips in May
IRELAND – Global market volatility caused Irish managed pension funds to produce an average return of -2.8% in May.
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AHV recovers surplus ahead of its planned separation
SWITZERLAND – The Swiss first pillar fund AHV recovered from a financial deficit in 2008 to a surplus in 2009, posting a return of 11.5% ahead of its planned separation into three discrete entities.
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UK roundup: PIRC, Hammersmith, BAE, Tate & Lyle
UK – Revisions to the UK Corporate Governance Code requiring the annual re-election of directors of FTSE 350 companies has been welcomed by an independent corporate governance adviser, despite concerns from pension funds.
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Swedish government criticises long-term returns of AP funds
SWEDEN - In its annual evaluation of the AP funds the Swedish government has expressed dissatisfaction with their long-term performance, despite 2009 providing the best returns since inception 2001.
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Swiss guarantee fund reports lowest payout in decades
SWITZERLAND – The CHF859.6m (€602.3m) Swiss “Sicherheitsfonds”, the fund for insolvency protection of Pensionskassen, reported the lowest pay-out for 15 years in 2009 as it adjusted its asset allocation.
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Defined ambition should replace defined benefit – PGGM
NETHERLANDS – A new ‘defined ambition’ concept should replace defined benefit (DB) arrangements, according to a leading Dutch pensions actuary.
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NewsCost of de-risking remains a barrier for UK trustees
UK – Trustees see cost issues as the biggest barrier to reducing risk in a pension scheme, leading a significant number to make deficit funding programmes a priority, a study has revealed.
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NewsUK government to tackle Royal Mail pensions deficit
UK – The Royal Mail defined benefit (DB) pension deficit is one of the areas that will be tackled by the Conservative-Liberal coalition government in a new Postal Services Bill announced in the Queen's Speech.
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NewsLump sum payments could help Dutch pension funds
NETHERLANDS - Introducing a lump sum payment as part of pension benefits could decrease the risks for Dutch pension funds, Hewitt Associates has suggested.
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NewsInflation fears sustain large FTSE350 deficits
UK – Growing long-term inflation expectations have offset the effects of equity market gains, causing the aggregated pension deficit of FTSE350 companies to be valued at £160bn (€187bn) at the end of March 2010.
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NewsUnited Utilities slashes deficit with DB changes
UK – United Utilities claims it reduced its pension deficit by approximately £90m (€104m) through a number of changes to its defined benefit (DB) schemes.
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NewsDWP to face a £535m spending cut ahead of new Pensions Bill
UK – The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be expected to make savings of more than half a billion pounds this financial year, according to HM Treasury.
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NewsRisk, not returns, drives German sustainable investments
GERMANY – The need to optimise risk management, rather than to boost investment returns, is the main reason German institutional investors consider sustainable investments, according to a study by Union Investments.
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Cover ratio of Dutch funds recovers to 109% – DNB
NETHERLANDS – Dutch pension funds’ nominal cover ratio has improved from 95% to 109% on average in 2009, while their combined assets have increased by €86bn to €663bn, according to pensions supervisor De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB).
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UK roundup: Hewitt Associates, DWP statistics, CIPFA
UK – Hewitt Associates has estimated a £1.2trn personal pension shortfall in individual retirement income, while the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed occupational pension benefits made up a quarter of UK pensioners' income in 2008-09, and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has warned ...
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Swiss AHV reviews asset allocation ahead of split
SWITZERLAND – The CHF26.7bn (€19bn) Swiss Federal Social Security Fund (AHV/AVS) will split into three from 2011 following 63 years running as a single entity.
