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4 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Half a million UK retirees are being short-changed to the tune of up to £1bn from their total future pension income due to overwhelming obstacles preventing them getting the best deal, according to a joint report by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pensions Institute (PI) at Cass Business School. 

3 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – UK telecommunications firm BT has told PLANSPONSOR Europe that it is committed to paying down its pension deficit following Q3 results which revealed the market value of its pension scheme assets has decreased by £1.2bn since 31 March 2011 to £35.8bn as at 31 December 2011.

3 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Ryanair has announced it intends to sue Aer Lingus to stop it making changes to its pension scheme without shareholder approval.

3 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) –The average retirement age in the Netherlands has risen “spectacularly” since 2006 to around 63, home affairs minister Henk Kamp has told MPs, according to reports.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – While January proved to be a good month for government bonds J.P. Morgan urges caution longer term, according to Nick Gartside, International Chief Investment Officer for Global Fixed Income.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Barnett Waddingham has appointed Nick Salter as Senior Partner. 

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Finnish pension fund Keva has recorded a -1.7% return on investments in 2011, down from 12.3% in 2010, according to preliminary information.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – The quality of communication to pension scheme members may be more important than providing financial advice when offering Enhanced Transfer Values (ETVs), according to Atkin & Co.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – ABP is to cut participants’ pensions for retirees and active scheme members by 0.5% from April 2013.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – The UK government’s consultation on equalising pensions for the effect of Guaranteed Minimum Pensions is an unnecessary diversion, according to Mercer.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Greece has gone from the worst to top performing constituent country as measured by the Russell Developed Europe Index to 31 January 2012.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Consolidation of the UK’s 101 local government public pension schemes to just five would provide the necessary “commercial clout” to drive down costs, according to Michael Johnson at the Centre for Policy Studies.

2 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – The UK government has published final regulations and guidance on certification to help employers prepare for automatic enrolment into workplace pensions.

1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Danish pension fund ATP has reported a record return in 2011 by using an innovative hedging strategy to beat chaotic market conditions, according to reports.  The company that manages the assets for the Danish public sector workers recorded a return from its investment and hedging activities of 26%.  

1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Aer Lingus has confirmed it is in talks with members of the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme and unions over the creation of separate pension schemes for DAA and Aer Lingus employees in future, according to reports.

1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Accounting deficits have seen a slight improvement, according to the Aon Hewitt 350 Index. The index reveals accounting deficits improved from £56bn at the end of 2011 to £51bn at 30 January.

 1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – The UK government’s move to the use of the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Prices Index (RPI) for the indexation and revaluation of Pension Protection Fund (PPF) compensation will help increase the chances of the PPF becoming self-sufficient in the next 20 years, according to the latest edition of The Purple Book.

 1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – Nine in 10 NUT members have backed the UK teaching union’s decision not to sign up to the government's pensions proposals. The survey shows 90% agreed that teachers should not have to work until they are 68 for a full pension with teachers over 50 agreeing even more strongly. 

1 February 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – As Dutch social affairs minister Henk Kamp warns that pension funds which do not meet the central bank's rules on assets must reduce pensions to head off further problems, the Dutch pensions agreement offers new hope in alleviating pressure on beleaguered pension funds, according to pension delivery organisation APG.

31 January 2012 (PLANSPONSOREurope.com) – The Dutch pension regulator has authorised a joint venture of pension APG Group and ABN Amro Bank, with the two parties licensed as a pension institution (PPI), according to reports.