All articles by Jennifer Paterson – Page 61
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Article
Cost of providing health benefits rising across EMEA
The cost of providing health-related benefits for organisations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) rose by an average of 3.6% in 2012, according to research by Mercer Marsh Benefits.Its EMEA health care survey, which questioned more than 500 organisations across 16 countries in EMEA, found that the biggest ...
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Article
The Platforum publishes workplace savings platforms update
The Platforum has published a workplace savings platform market update for employers.Download Guide for employersThe guide brings together the latest research and feedback from employers and adoptees of the platforms, as well as details of existing and new propositions.With 237 employers using platforms, The Platforum estimates that there are now ...
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Article
Lloyds TSB pension scheme sells securities portfolio
Lloyds TSB’s Group Pension Scheme No.1 has sold its share of a portfolio of re-securitised US residential mortgage-backed securites for £1.16 billion.The defined benefit (DB) pension scheme’s trustees were advised by law firm Sackers in the disposal of the portfolio. Law firm Slaughter and May worked alongside Sackers, advising the ...
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Article
Philips launches retirement guidance service
Philips UK has launched a financial guidance service to support employees nearing retirement.The service, provided by OpenRetirementClub, is delivered online and via employee forums.The forums feature expert opinion from providers of retirement income and investment services. Employees can then seek specific financial advice or make informed decisions themselves.Nina Platt, reward ...
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Article
Employers launch flexible working forum
Twenty-two employers, including BT Group, B&Q, Ford, ITV and Lloyds Banking Group, have joined forces to launch the Agile Future Forum (AFF), which aims to develop practical support to increase flexible working practices across the UK.As part of its launch, the AFF has published a report, Understanding the economic benefits ...
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Article
More UK employees saving into share schemes
The number of employees who choose to take up shares in the organisation for which they work has risen in the past year, according to new research by IFS Proshare.The annual IFS Proshare Employee share plan survey has found increases in the participation of both sharesave schemes and share incentive ...
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Video
VIDEO: Jonathan Lipkin: Take DC governance seriously
Governance in defined contribution (DC) pension schemes is going to move to the top of employers’ agendas as auto-enrolment accelerates, said Jonathan Lipkin, director of public policy at the Investment Management Association (IMA), during an interview with Debbie Lovewell, deputy editor at Employee Benefits at the Employee Benefits Pensions and ...
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Article
Government to set out plans for collective DC pensions
The government’s report on defined ambition pensions, which is expected this summer, will set out plans to introduce collective defined contribution (DC) pension schemes in the UK.The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that pensions minister Steve Webb (pictured) has met with large employers that have expressed an ...
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Article
Engage Mutual enhances its health cash plan product
Engage Mutual has enhanced its employee-paid health cash plan product.It has removed the excess payable on a range of treatment areas, added an extra premium level, and added an option for employees to pay by direct debit.The enhancements include:The excess payable has been removed when claiming on consultation and diagnostics, ...
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Article
KPMG promotes National Carers’ Week
EXCLUSIVE: KPMG will host an event during National Carers’ Week, which begins on 10 June, to flag up the benefits it offers to carers among its employee population.A representative from the London Fire Brigade’s carers network will come into the professional services firm’s offices for a presentation, while Hugh Neal, ...
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Article
Buy-out completed on Imperial Home Decor DC pension
Imperial Home Decor has completed an enhanced buy-out of the defined contribution (DC) section of its pension scheme.The scheme has been in wind up since October 2003 when the organisation was declared insolvent.The deal that has been secured will see almost 140 DC members benefit from an enhanced annuity deal ...
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Article
Shepherd Neame to bring forward auto-enrolment staging date
EXCLUSIVE: Shepherd Neame is to bring its staging date forward by three months and amend its trust-based defined contribution (DC) pension scheme to comply with its auto-enrolment duties.The brewer, which is working with BBS Consultants and Actuaries, elected to bring its staging date forward to 1 July from 1 September ...
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Article
GeoPost UK prepares for auto-enrolment
EXCLUSIVE: GeoPost UK is encouraging employees to join its group personal pension (GPP) ahead of its auto-enrolment staging date of 1 August 2013.Under the banner ‘Last Chance Saloon’, the logistics organisation invited all employees who were not members of the pension scheme to join the GPP, which matches employee contributions ...
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Article
MPs call for mandatory equal pay audits
Equal pay audits should be mandatory for large private sector employers, according to a report by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.Its Women in the workplace report also stated that the Equality and Humans Rights Commission (EHRC) should publish details of organisations that are not compliant.The Government Equalities Office published ...
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Article
High level of understanding around retirement options
Almost three-quarters (73%) of pre-retirees and 89% of annuity purchasers are comfortable with the level of understanding of their retirement options, according to research by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).Its research, Retirement choices: baseline to measure effectiveness of the code of conduct, included 500 pre-retirement telephone interviews with members ...
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Article
Lafarge appoints fiduciary manager for DB pension
Lafarge has appointed Towers Watson as fiduciary manager for the investment requirements of its £2.6 billion defined benefit (DB) pension scheme.The appointment follows a formal selection process undertaken by the trustees of the scheme and with advice from KPMG and Sackers.KPMG’s remit was to advise Lafarge on the various approaches ...
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Video
Yvonne Braun: Decision on annuities is critical
Ensuring employees have the tools to make the right decision about buying an annuity is critical, said Yvonne Braun, head of savings and retirement at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), during an interview with Tynan Barton, features editor at Employee Benefits at the Employee Benefits Pensions and Workplace Savings ...
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Article
Lincoln Uni educates staff on personal allowance
EXCLUSIVE: The University of Lincoln is piloting financial education sessions for its senior management to ensure they are informed about their options around the annual and lifetime allowances for pensions saving.The sessions, which are part of the university’s financial education programme with Wealth at Work, started with a session for ...
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ArticleBenefits failing to adapt to changing workforce demographic
Employee benefits have failed to adapt to the changing workforce, leaving UK workers financially exposed, according to research by Cass Business School and commissioned by Unum.The Keeping pace? Financial insecurity in the modern workforce report found that the modern workplace has 13% more female employees, 46% more older employees and ...
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Article
Unaffordable retirement will impact firms' ability to recruit staff
According research by Hymans Robertson two-thirds of respondents to believe that almost half their workforce will be unable to retire at the state pension age due to inadequate pension savings.Its research, conducted among 200 HR directors and managers, found that 78% of respondents have considered the impact this would have ...