DB deficit falls £8.8bn over January, says PPF

The lifeboat's monthly update for last month revealed the aggregate deficit had fallen from £31.9bn to £23.1bn on a section 179 basis used to calculate PPF benefits over the month. Assets increased in value by £31.7bn, while liabilities also grew by £22.9bn, leading to the overall funding level improving slightly from 98% to 98.6%. While 81 fewer schemes were in deficit over the period, another 3,190 still recorded an aggregate funding shortfall of £163.8bn - offset by the 2,260 schemes with a combined surplus of £140.7bn. January saw gilt yields fall but the impact was offset by r...