DC briefings

We have just passed the 10-year anniversary of auto-enrolment (AE), arguably one of the most significant changes to the UK’s pensions landscape in recent times. In this briefing, we reflect on the successes of AE, while considering what more could be done.

With inflation hitting a new high in May 2022, many people are suffering from a marked deterioration in their standard of living. This briefing outlines information and services that First Actuarial provides to help employers ease the impact of the cost-of-living crisis across their workforce.

The DWP has issued an update on planned changes around small DC trust-based schemes and DC sections of hybrid schemes. This briefing focuses on those areas requiring immediate attention – the annual value for money assessment and chair statement that trustees are required to prepare.

Introducing salary sacrifice for the payment of pension contributions can result in a win-win outcome, with National Insurance savings for employers and employees alike.

Since October 2019, trustees of DC schemes and those with DC AVC sections have faced new regulatory ESG requirements. Larger pension providers are now putting ESG at the forefront of their investment propositions. This briefing explains why ESG will continue to have a material impact on all pension arrangements.

Recent proposed changes to small DC trust-based schemes (or sections) with less than £100m in assets may have a significant impact. This briefing explores the background and the decisions that will need to be made – which could result in modifications or wind-up for these schemes and sections.

On 26 March 2020, Government published guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This is designed to support employers whose businesses have been severely affected by Covid-19. It is a grant from the Government that does not need to be repaid.

In our DC briefings, we will be monitoring how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting sponsoring employers, trustees and DC scheme members. In this briefing, we identify nine actions you may want to consider taking.

April 2019 will bring two updates to auto-enrolment regulations – the last of the planned increases in contribution phasing, and changes in qualifying earnings and other limits. Read on for further details in our latest First Briefing.

Although the automatic enrolment regime is not yet fully rolled out, the DWP has already carried out a review. The results of this review, which examined coverage of automatic enrolment, how engagement can be improved and future contributions have just been published. We provide a digest of the review’s proposals and findings, assess the…