United Kingdom: Retirement, Superannuation & Pensions

The High Court has ruled on limitation periods for pension transfer compensation claims, determining when the clock starts for FSCS claims. Meanwhile, the Pensions Dashboards Programme releases new guidance for direct connectors and updates standards for benefit illustrations and scheme transfers.

The UK pensions landscape is evolving with two significant developments: the October 2026 deadline for pension schemes to connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, and proposed reforms enabling defined...

Senior Associate Solicitor Andrew Ormrod explains how couples over 50 can navigate the complex financial landscape of 'silver divorce', addressing critical concerns about property division, pension sharing, inheritance protection, and retirement security. Understanding your rights regarding the family home, pensions, investments and future inheritance is essential when working toward a fair financial settlement later in life.

The DWP has issued a consultation on automatic small defined contribution (DC) pot consolidation. This proposes that from 2030, dormant DC pots worth £1,000 or less would have to be transferred automatically to an approved small pot consolidator scheme, unless the member opts out. The consultation seeks views on the government’s plans for how this would work across occupational and contract-based auto-enrolment schemes.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government has published new statutory guidance for LGPS administering authorities on preparing investment strategy statements under reformed regulations. This guidance establishes the framework for how pension funds must formulate their investment strategies, work with asset pools, and balance financial objectives with responsible investment priorities and local investment requirements.

The UK Government has launched a consultation on consolidating small pension pots worth £1,000 or less through a multiple default consolidator model, aiming to address the growing issue of 13 million deferred small pots across the workplace pensions market. Under the proposed framework, eligible dormant pots would be automatically transferred to authorised consolidator schemes unless members opt out, with implementation targeted for 2030 through a phased regulatory approach.

Pensions are often overlooked during divorce proceedings, particularly by women who may trade their interest in valuable pension schemes for the family home. This comprehensive guide explores the three main approaches courts take when dividing pensions—pension sharing orders, pension attachment orders, and offsetting—and examines critical considerations including taxation implications, utility discounts, and the role of pension experts in ensuring fair settlements.

This comprehensive weekly roundup examines the FCA's proposed streamlining of investment fee disclosures, exploring whether standardized cost reporting will enhance consumer confidence or introduce new complexity. The bulletin also covers Companies House's intensified identity verification enforcement, PASA's concerns about the new defined benefit surplus regime, and the FCA's research revealing widespread misconceptions about AI-generated investment advice among young investors.

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched consultations on updating GMP conversion rules and maintaining fixed rate revaluation, while PASA releases new guidance on monitoring member behavior following pensions dashboard implementation. These regulatory developments aim to clarify processes for trustees managing guaranteed minimum pension benefits and prepare schemes for operational changes.