Are you ready to hit the ground running? We’ve set out five key actions for trustees, along with the topics we expect to dominate agendas over the coming year. Action one: Review your long-term objective and keep up to date with developing options. Action two: Evolve your strategic journey plan to achieve your long-term objective. Action three: Assess your scheme governance. Action four: Review your admin. Action five: Consider member experience. The finish line
Pension Insurance Corporation plc (“PIC”), a specialist insurer of defined benefit pension schemes, has concluded a £155 million buy-in with the Trustee of NG Bailey Pension and Life Assurance Plan (“the Plan”). The transaction covers the benefits of 1,581 Plan members and means all Plan members now have their benefits secured for the long-term, following a series of historic buy-in transactions.
Fully hedged scheme sees small funding level decrease over December. 50% hedged scheme does not change funding level between month ends. Both schemes make positive progress in 2025
Pension savers are being urged to act now as the clock ticks on a parliamentary petition designed to stop unnecessary delays when people seek to move their pensions and take control of their retirement.
Geopolitics will shape markets perhaps more than they did last year, with US activity in Venezuela setting the tone. Enthusiasm for large AI spend increasingly muted as investors wait on returns. Scrutiny likely to increase on different sectors and regions away from US
LCP expects 2026 to be a pivotal year for the defined contribution (DC) pensions market, driven by new regulation taking shape, tax reform and evolving member expectations. LCP is urging employers and trustees to act early to stay ahead of the curve.
Market expected to exceed £50 billion in 2026. Sophistication of market creates further de-risking choices for trustees as they navigate landscape shaped by regulatory reform & strategic choice. The UK BPA market faces strategic crossroads amid legislative reform and continued demand for de-risking, and 2026 will mark a pivotal moment for defined benefit (DB) trustees—a period shaped as much by strategy as by market activity.
US and UK stock markets hit record highs yesterday – though the FTSE has opened down today as geopolitical threats rise. Oil majors and defence stocks, buoyed by the US operation in Venezuela on Monday, helped boost the FTSE 100 and the S&P 500 markets.
Comprehensive car insurance premiums have fallen by 13% (£111) during the last 12 months with UK motorists now paying £726 on average, according to the latest Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index in association with WTW.
Only 21% of fiduciary managers were rated Green by XPS in 2025, down from 38% in 2024 – a 17% decline. Signatories to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative dropped to 36%, signalling reduced collective climate action. While 57% of fiduciary managers influence voting activities, escalation from engagement to divestment remains inconsistent. 36% of managers do not include all ESG ratings for underlying funds in standard client reporting, limiting trustee oversight.
The AA has welcomed the government’s Road Safety Strategy, which introduces targets for reducing road deaths for the first time in the UK since 2010, with a stated target of reducing death and serious injury on our roads by 65% by 2035.
HMRC are expecting a tax return from over 12 million people for the 2024/25 tax year, according to their latest figures. But 5.65 million, or almost half, are yet to file and risk incurring penalties with the 31 January deadline approaching. Filing rule changes and HMRC systems not coping with capital gains tax (CGT) changes means people might be caught out. How to check if you need to file and what to look out for
Morningstar DBRS has published a commentary that I think might interest you: "One Year Later: Consequences of the Los Angeles Area Wildfires for the Insurance Sector"
Defined Benefit (DB) pension transfer redress payments are set to remain at historically low levels in Q1 2026, according to the latest projections of First Actuarial, a Gallagher Company.
With the New Year a time for a fresh start, analysis highlights how cutting out wasted direct debits could boost your retirement pot by £37k. Standard Life shares key tips on how to get to grips with your pension in 2026
EPL claims are rising fast. With new UK employment laws and cultural scrutiny, financial firms must act now to close coverage gaps and protect against costly legal risks. In an era of heightened employee expectations, evolving regulation, and increased scrutiny of workplace culture, Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance is becoming a strategic necessity.
MGAA CEO Mike Keating sits down with Hannah Gurga, Director General of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of the UK insurance market in 2025. They explore the industry’s resilience in the face of extreme weather and cyber incidents, regulatory cost pressures, changes arising from the latest Government Budget, the importance of improving claims handling, and the future of talent in the sector. Hannah also shares ABI initiatives supporting diversity, skills development, and leadership — and highlights the value MGAs gain from being part of the ABI ecosystem.
Your tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year is due by midnight on 31 January 2026. 5.65 million people haven’t filed their self-assessment tax return yet - only 6.36 million had by the start of the year. 342 people filed their tax return in the last hour of 2025. 19,789 filed on New Year’s Day. If you miss the deadline, there’s a £100 penalty - even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax is paid on time
As 2026 begins, many people are once again setting financial resolutions, balancing everyday priorities with longer-term ambitions. While cutting costs and building emergency savings remain top of the list, this year’s data reveals a notable shift in attitudes toward pensions.
With amber warnings for snow in force across Scotland for the weekend, and cold weather expected across the UK, the ABI is sharing advice with customers to stay safe and protect their homes in low temperatures.
FTSE 100 hits the 10,000 level for the first time. Symbolic moment for the market and Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Hitting the 10,000 level this year represents the fastest rise between 1,000 intervals ever for the blue-chip index.
DB Pension funds typically pay benefits with an inflationary uplift, so it makes sense for schemes to hold inflationary assets. So far, so good. But pension payments can’t go down, and typically any indexation is capped, most commonly at 5%. This means the indexation is not to RPI but to a capped and floored version of RPI, called LPI (here it would be LPI0-5). So, how much sensitivity do liabilities have to inflation? Ultimately, LPI is RPI with options- the scheme is long a call at 5%, and short a put at 0%. This has two major consequences.