Pension freedoms and lessons from Down Under

How the UK can build a more 'robust and supportive' system

clock • 4 min read

Aberdeen's Verona Kenny reflects on key learnings for the UK from the Australian superannuation system.

Where has the last decade gone? Tempus Fugit! To me it feels like only yesterday but it was actually April 2015 that the UK government introduced pension freedoms, granting individuals aged 55 and over unprecedented access to their defined contribution pension pots. This reform allowed retirees to withdraw their savings as lump sums, purchase annuities, or opt for income drawdown, providing greater flexibility in managing retirement finances. A decade on, I thought it might be interesting, given my own antipodean heritage, to assess the outcomes of the freedoms and explore potential less...

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