Lee Halpin: Can providers weather the SIPP storm?

Almost three decades ago, the self-invested personal pension (SIPP) was born, but there is no doubt the "do it yourself pension" has reached a pivotal moment in its evolution. "I propose to make it easier for people in personal pension schemes to manage their own investments" announced the then chancellor Nigel Lawson in his 1989 Budget speech paving the way for the creation of SIPPs. Their investment flexibility was a key differentiator when compared to traditional personal pensions and this freedom struck, and continues to strike, a chord with investors. Fast forward to late 2005 wh...