All articles by Nicola Sullivan – Page 15
-
Article
The Mineworkers' pension scheme renews administration contract
The Mineworkers’ pension scheme has renewed its five-year administration contract with Xafinity Paymaster. The arrangement will see the provider continue to offer administration services for the scheme’s 230,000 members.Mike Furbank, secretary of the Mineworkers’ pension scheme, said: “We are pleased to be extending our partnership with Xafinity Paymaster and look ...
-
Article
Canada Life research: Employees in the dark about return-to-work support
Employees are in the dark about what support they would get from their employer to help them return to work following a significant absence, according to research by Canada Life.The insurer’s research showed that 32% of employees have no idea how their employers would support them, while 18% know they ...
-
Article
JustGiving launches online fundraising tool for employers
Just Giving has launched an online fundraising tool to encourage employers to maximise the money their employees raise for charitable causes.The tool will give UK businesses the opportunity to showcase their employees’ achievements, and match their donations with employer funds if they choose. Organisations also have the option of covering ...
-
Article
Helm Godfrey launches auto-enrolment app
Corporate adviser Helm Godfrey has added an auto-enrolment application to its iChoose platform. The service, which is available online, will help employers comply with the 2012 pension reforms, auto-enrol staff into a qualifying pension scheme and help employees to make informed pension choices. Ed Smithson, deputy head of Helm Godfrey’s ...
-
Article
Fears rise that quantitative easing will have negative impact on pensions and annuities
The Bank of England’s announcement that it will inject £75 billion into the economy through quantitative easing (QE) has raised concerns over pension scheme liabilities and annuity prices. The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) said that the move would make it more expensive for employers to provide pensions and ...
-
Article
New book sheds light on bizarre office jargon
Office jargon is not just an affliction suffered by David Brent in The Office television series. It often slips into the average employees' vocabulary.The truth is no-one really knows why phrases like ‘core competencies’, ‘drilling down’ or ‘blue sky thinking’ crop up in the workplace.However, a new book Pushing the ...
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Shropshire Housing Trust launches online total reward statements
Shropshire Housing Group has introduced online total reward statements for the first time as part of efforts to get staff to understand the full value of its benefits package.The statements, launched last month in conjunction with Towergate Financial, provide details of an employee’s total reward package, including the benefits they ...
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Lorica Employee Benefits partners Annuity Direct to support employees at retirement
Lorica Employee Benefits has teamed up with Annuity Direct to provide a new service to help employees make the best annuity choice when they retire.The launch of the service is also reflective of changes in retirement planning rules, the latest being the government’s intention to raise the official retirement age ...
-
Article
London Underground drivers set to receive 5% pay rise
Tube drivers in London could receive salaries of more than £50,000 a year under a four-year wage deal negotiated between London Underground, and the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.The RMT union is currently consulting on a four-year pay deal, which London Underground said offered the prospect of no industrial ...
-
Article
Mercer research: Final salary scheme deficits broadly unchanged
Accounting deficits for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes has only risen by £11 billion despite volatile markets, according to research by Mercer.The consultancy's Pensions risk survey showed that accounting deficits of £64bn at 30 September show relatively small increase from £53bn at 31 August.Falling corporate bond yields, which are used ...
-
Article
Legal and General appoints Pitmans Trustees for DC mastertrust
Legal and General has appointed Pitmans Trustees as the independent trustee of its new defined contribution (DC) mastertrust product.Retailer Marks and Spencer will join the mastertrust arrangement in November 2012 and two further schemes worth £30 million will join when it goes live next month.Tony Filbin, managing director, workplace savings ...
-
Article
Unum to introduce new level of income protection cover
Unum is introducing a new level of income protection cover, designed to support the nine out of ten UK employees who do not currently have a financial back-up plan in place against long-term illness or injury. The cover is intended to relieve the financial burden and stress from an employee ...
-
Article
Defined Contribution Investment Forum launched
Asset management firms have come together to create a forum as part of its efforts to ensure the investments of defined contribution (DC) pension scheme members meet their retirement objectives. The Defined Contribution Investment Forum (DCIF), which was launched at the National Association of Pension Funds’ (NAPF) annual conference in ...
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Kantar Worldpanel gives employees budget tips
Market research firm Kantar Worldpanel has held financial education sessions as part of its efforts to improve employees' wellbeing.The hour-long sessions showed staff how they could save money on mortgages, power bills, banking, and car and house insurance. They were also given information about Kantar's group personal pension scheme.The firm ...
-
Article
Payzone UK increases GPP take-up after communications exercise
Payzone UK has increased the take-up of its group personal pension scheme from 39% to 55% following an extensive communications exercise.Working in conjunction with Secondsight, the firm gave its 140 UK-based employees the opportunity to attend presentations and one-to-one meetings on its pension scheme, which is provided by Aegon.Employees were ...
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Lookers drives savings after consolidating private medical insurance schemes
Car dealership Lookers has saved £30,000 on premiums after consolidating 14 private medical insurance (PMI) schemes across its business.The firm had accumulated the schemes through acquisitions. It decided to replace them with one large claims-related scheme and retain one existing plan, which has an older demographic and a high number ...
-
Article
Ricardo adds salary sacrifice car scheme to flex
Engineering firm Ricardo has added a salary sacrifice car scheme to its flexible benefits scheme.†Cars selected through the scheme, which is provided by Tusker, include the Peugeot 107, Citroen DS3 and several Seat models, including the Ibiza and Leon.Staff can access the scheme online and select up to two new ...
-
Article
EXCLUSIVE: Innovation Group adds salary sacrifice car scheme to flexible benefits
Innovation Group has added a salary sacrifice cars to its flexible benefits plan for its 705 UK staff.The scheme, provided by Tusker, allows employees at the global provider of software and outsourcing solutions for insurers to sacrifice part of their salary in return for a new car, which means they ...
-
Article
Hewitt New Bridge Street research: A quarter of FTSE 100 companies have frozen salaries
Around a quarter of FTSE 100 companies have frozen salaries, according to research by Hewitt New Bridge Street. Where salaries were increased for 2011, this was typically a modest 3%, broadly in line with inflation and workforce salary increases.The report, FTSE 100 directors’ remuneration 2011, also showed the median value ...
-
Article
Friends Life research: Female employees' pension contributions fall year on year
Female workers in most age groups have seen their pension contributions cut year on year, according to research by Friends Life.The Friends Life workplace savings index revealed that the rolling 12-month average pension contribution for women under 30 decreased by £2 to £128 a month, while women aged 30 to ...