ABI urges govt to scrap mandatory pensions freedom GAR advice

clock

Mandatory advice on pension freedom cases with guaranteed annuity rates worth more than £30,000 should be scrapped and replaced with a ‘customer control' mechanism delivered through the Pension Wise service, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said.

The ABI said it had written to Chancellor George Osborne and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) chief executive Martin Wheatley to push its proposal which it said would tackle pensions freedom "implementation challenges". The ABI said its customer control mechanism would allow people with guaranteed annuity rates with pension assets in excess of £30,000 to gain access to their pension pot without having to pay for advice. It said the mechanism should be delivered through a specific guidance session by Pension Wise or the Pension Advisory Service (TPAS), and enshrined in a protocol agre...

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

Pensions: The overlooked asset in divorce settlements?

Pensions: The overlooked asset in divorce settlements?

Practical steps to narrow the divorce pension gap

Alistair Myles
clock 11 February 2026 • 5 min read
Legacy pensions tech creates 'enormous risk, costs too much and underserves clients'

Legacy pensions tech creates 'enormous risk, costs too much and underserves clients'

'Our industry is famous for thinking in decades, but customers will not wait that long'

Jonathan Hawkins
clock 10 February 2026 • 4 min read
Govt moves to tackle gender pension gap with LPGS scheme changes

Govt moves to tackle gender pension gap with LPGS scheme changes

Reforms follow consultation on access and fairness in the Local Government Pension Scheme

Jonathan Stapleton
clock 03 February 2026 • 2 min read