Govt secretly briefed Which? before pensions Budget bombshell

Carmen Reichman
clock

Consumer champion Which? was one of just two organisations told about the pension reforms before last year's Budget, the organisation's executive director has said.

Richard Lloyd said he was secretly briefed by the Treasury alongside another body, also "not industry". He said the fact the government turned to consumer bodies for advice was "indicative of a shift in mindset" and showed the government wanted to "make it work for the consumer". The other body present at the briefing remains unnamed. Lloyd suggested the industry had had "years of warning" that something was going to happen. "The [Treasury's] mindset was 'this is for the consumer'. This is a massive shift and I welcome that." The financial services sector was shocked when Cha...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Pensions

HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

Second technical note

Alex Levy
clock 01 September 2026 • 2 min read
Pension first or last? What the numbers really tell us

Pension first or last? What the numbers really tell us

'Focusing solely on reducing the pension before death can increase lifetime tax'

Joshua Croft
clock 28 August 2026 • 4 min read
IHT on pensions: New thinking on taking income in retirement?

IHT on pensions: New thinking on taking income in retirement?

‘This has undoubtedly had a huge impact on planning for many clients’

Lisa Webster
clock 26 August 2026 • 3 min read