Pensions - Articles - Scheme funding holds steady for February

 The Broadstone Sirius Index – a monitor of how various pension scheme strategies are performing on their journeys to self-sufficiency – posts its latest update.

 The Broadstone Sirius Index reports its update for February 2025 which finds only minor change across its 50% and fully hedged schemes, consolidating the gains posted in January.

 Funding for the 50% hedged scheme saw an increase in the funding level from 103.7% to 103.8% in February with the surplus holding at £1.0m.

 The fully hedged scheme’s funding deteriorated slightly in February with the funding level slipping from 69.9% to 69.7%. However, the deficit also held steady at £8.1m.

 Chris Rice, Head of Trustee Services at Broadstone, commented: "Despite rising geo-political tensions and a sense of economic malaise stoking uncertainty among UK markets, the funding positions of defined benefit schemes encouragingly held their ground in February.”

 “While this will certainly be a relief to Trustees and sponsors, they can only hope this continues throughout March in the face of any additional political or economic headwinds.

 “In other good news, those schemes that have improved their funding position and protected it may now have a new endgame opportunity with the entry of another insurer into the bulk annuity market, following Brookfield Wealth’s recent announcement.”