Pensions - Articles - Funding update for UK private sector DB pension schemes


JLT Employee Benefits has updated its monthly index, showing the funding position of all UK private sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes under the standard accounting measure (IAS19) used in company reports and accounts.

  

 Charles Cowling, Director, JLT Employee Benefits, comments: “With interest rates staying stubbornly low, total pension scheme deficits are now almost breaking through the £300 billion barrier. More worryingly for companies and pension schemes with 2016 actuarial valuations, which are typically carried out around now, the pension scheme trustees are likely to calculate even higher pension deficits for the purposes of calculating future pension contributions.

 “In the last couple of weeks two high profile companies – BHS and Tata Steel – have shown the potential pain of these pension deficits. If members of either or both of these company pension schemes end up in the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) they will inevitably end up with lower benefits and the PPF will have some large additional deficits to manage.

 “In a recent interview, Alan Rubenstein, Chief Executive of the PPF, painted a bleak picture for pensions schemes and commented that schemes need to face up to the reality of the difficult position they face. He pointed out that there are three key areas that need to be addressed: trustees must engage with their employer and have some difficult conversations about what happens if interest rates remain stubbornly low; secondly, pension schemes need to focus on risk management and look for opportunities to reduce risk; finally we need to recognise that not all pension schemes will recover from the poor funding positions they are in and they need to start to plan for that eventuality now. Some may think these views are too challenging but Alan makes fundamental points that should be heeded by companies and trustees.”
  

Back to Index


Similar News to this Story

Wish list for the occupational pensions industry in 2025
As one year closes and another begins, it's an opportune moment to set our sights on the future. The UK occupational pensions industry faces nume
PSIG announces outcome of Consultation
The Pensions Scams Industry Group (PSIG), which was established in 2014 to help protect pension scheme members from scams, today announced the feedbac
Transfer values fell to a 12 month low during November
XPS Group’s Transfer Value Index reached a 12-month low, dropping to £151,000 during November 2024 before then recovering to its previous month-end po

Site Search

Exact   Any  

Latest Actuarial Jobs

Actuarial Login

Email
Password
 Jobseeker    Client
Reminder Logon

APA Sponsors

Actuarial Jobs & News Feeds

Jobs RSS News RSS

WikiActuary

Be the first to contribute to our definitive actuarial reference forum. Built by actuaries for actuaries.