pensions

Constantly changing rules and u-turns on A-Day issues is putting people off saving for retirement, claims financial services firm Edward Jones.

Attempts by both government and the industry to raise awareness about the importance of saving in a pension are still failing as around 60% of women do not contribute to a pension scheme, claims HSBC.

Apathy is the biggest deterrent for UK workers aged under 34 when deciding about a pension, claims B&CE Benefit Schemes.

Gordon Brown's decision to cut the basic rate of income tax to 20% was clearly signposted by the proposals for tax relief on personal accounts, claims Standard Life.

The government has reduced proposals for the minimum amount of income which must be drawn from an Alternatively Secured Pension from 65% to 55% of a comparable annuity for a 75 year old, but has retained the unauthorised payment charges on funds left...

Gordon Brown has announced the government is to extend the budget of the Financial Assistance Scheme in an attempt to help all of the 125,000 workers who lost their pensions when their occupational schemes collapsed.

A ‘light touch' regulatory system should be introduced for the existing pensions market to allow current schemes to operate on a level playing field with personal accounts, claims the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to consider the creation of stakeholder products for equity release though NS&I, in an attempt to help the ‘asset rich, income poor' sections of society.

Anger is growing among employers and pension funds over the tight timetable the government has set for consultation on changes which could produce big cuts in the future value of final-salary pensions, says the Financial Times .

Mark Twain once remarked ‘reports of my death are greatly exaggerated' upon hearing that his obituary had been published in the New York Journal.