Latest Blogs
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Tilley: Will IHT reforms really threaten pension saving?
The Government’s decision to bring most unused pension funds and lump sum death benefits within the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) from 6 April 2027 has provoked widespread criticism from across the pensions industry. Providers, advisers and trade bodies have warned that the change risks undermining confidence in pension saving and damaging long term retirement provision.
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Lisa Webster: Charity giving from pensions
I’m sure many of you reading this on SIPPs Professional will have had more than a few conversations with clients about estate planning – especially considering the news that pensions are to be included in the value of the estate for IHT purposes from April 2027.
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Lisa Webster: Salary sacrifice cap will hit some hard
The headline story from Budget 2025 - in the pension world at least - was the plan to cap National Insurance relief for pension contributions paid through salary sacrifice at £2,000 a year.
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Tilley: Rebooting the FOS makes sense
I’ve written before about the lack of coherence in the UK’s pension complaints landscape and it remains a source of real frustration for those of us working in the sector.
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Lisa Webster: Pension age uncertainty lingers on
We’ve known for many years that normal minimum pension age, NMPA it's known, is going up.
Popular News
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Pension professionals concerned about dashboard handling
Pension professionals are concerned about the industry’s capacity to handle Pensions Dashboards queries.
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Aptia acquires Mercer’s Pension Decision Service
Pensions administrator Aptia has acquired Pension Decision Service from Mercer for an undisclosed amount.
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Pensions industry urged to protect savers from scams
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson has urged pension trustees to do all they can to protect millions of scheme members from fraudsters.
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Lisa Webster: Beware IHT and pensions double taxation
One of the most disliked aspects of bringing pensions into the estate for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes from 6 April 2027 is the double taxation that will occur when the member dies on or after their 75th birthday.
In November, the DWP detailed its plans for the new type of occupational pension scheme which will be subject to a 0.75% charge cap with the aim of keeping costs down. Royal Mail is already looking at introducing a CDC.
The government gave the green light last year for CDCs and plans to legislate for them in due course although critics have already warned it could take years for CDCs to arrive and they may risk fluctuating income for members in retirement because of their structure.
XPS says in its submission to the government on the proposal to introduce CDCs that they could provide “better outcomes” for employees than traditional DC schemes.
However, it said they may take choice away from members and present additional risks so it is “critical they are well designed and managed.”
XPS Pensions Group says there are three key areas the DWP and Pensions Regulator will need to consider to ensure the development of a successful CDC framework. These include:
1. Sustainability and resilience of CDC schemes for the future
2. How to ensure fairness of outcomes between generations
3. Member understanding and expectation
Consultation on CDCs ended last week.
Jacqui Woodward, senior consultant at XPS Pensions Group said: “In our view it will be possible to develop an appropriate disclosure framework that adequately communicates CDC benefits to members.
“However, we would caution against underestimating the risks of CDC schemes in the rush to get them established. It is worth taking time to make sure that the new types of scheme can offer a genuine and safe alternative to members and we look forward to providing our input to further consultations on the detailed design of CDC arrangements.”