David Simpson: Platforms still playing catch up on decumulation

When the pension freedoms became reality in April 2015 there was an expectation that platforms would soon offer the income flexibility that investors would need. Nearly three years on, however, it seems that many platforms are still playing catch up. More than £6.5bn was taken out of pensions in the form of flexible payments last year, according to new HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) figures, taking the total to £15.7bn since the freedoms launched. Some 200,000 people took advantage of flexible withdrawal options in the final three months of 2017, with the quarterly withdrawal rate set...