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The self-fulfilling prophecy of public sector pensions

22 March 2024Pensions, Risk Commentaryeducation, pensions, public policy, schoolsNick Dunbar

How costly are unfunded public sector defined benefit pensions? The question looms large in the economic future of the UK.

The last rites of BP’s pension fund

14 July 2023Articles, Pensions, Risk Commentaryinterest rates, pensions, taxationNick Dunbar

BP’s pension scheme was once a leading stakeholder in UK companies, but now it’s been ‘de-risked’ and may soon be hived off to an insurer. The story encapsulates the slow decline of Britain’s private sector defined benefit pension system.

Gold-plated pension promises and the insecure young

12 October 2016Articles, PensionsBHS, FTSE All-share, inequality, pensions, public policy, UK TreasuryNick Dunbar

QE has driven corporate pension liabilities sky-high, and MPs are considering softening inflation-linked promises amid complaints over generational inequality. But British companies’ ever-increasing dividends makes such a move politically tricky.

Steel and the pusillanimous pension rule

4 May 2016News topics, Pensionspensions, regulation, steelNick Dunbar

How pension policy cowardice helped doom Britain’s steel industry. Tata’s decision to write off the value of its UK steelmaking business and seek a quick sale, while keeping its Dutch business, is really a story about pension regulation.

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