Is pensions simplification a pipedream?

It was probably idle curiosity – or perhaps a moment of madness – that led me to reread the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for pensions simplification when I came across this document in a cupboard a few days ago. For those unfamiliar with the document, it was the official sign-off of the cost benefit justification for pensions simplification – and it was signed by Ruth Kelly who at the time was financial secretary to the Treasury. It was an eye-opening read from 1 April, 2004 – a date should have given us some clues on what lay ahead. It highlighted just how far we have moved from t...