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Pension reform
Sunday Telegraph: How Britain's Pensions Disintegrated
27 December 2009
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Ros wrote a comment article for the Sunday Telegraph reviewing the past decade of pensions policy.
2010 predictions for pensions policy
December 2009
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was asked for a quick summary of views on the 2010 pensions outlook.
Saga Magazine - Pension reform desperately needed in 2010
December 2009
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Ros contributed comment on state pension reform for Saga Magazine's 2010 outlook.
The Future for Pensions and Retirement
10 November 2009
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Ros gave Keynote Speech at the Financial Times Intermediary Forum in London, explaining how we need to change pension and retirement thinking to address the pensions crisis.
Citywire blog - ending the pensions aristocracy
30 October 2009
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Ros comments on latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showing a growing divide between pension provision in the public and private sectors. She calls for an urgent independent inquiry to assess the situation. Here is a link to the blog too.
Daily Mail - The Pensions System Needs a Radical Overhaul
12 October 2009
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Article published in Daily Mail 'Monday Column' explaining why our pension system is not fit for purpose and we need a radical overhaul of both state pensions and private pensions, as well as retirement.
The Observer - Pensions: We Need a Revolution
11 October 2009
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Article published in the Observer Business Section calling for a radical overhaul of our state pension system, making it fair to women and ending mass means-testing. Click here to link to the article.
Sunday Post - What next for pensions
11 October 2009
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Feature article in Scotland's Sunday Post, outlining the need for better and fairer state pensions.
Telegraph - Raising Pension Age
6 October 2009
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Ros commented on the Telegraph website about Tory proposals to bring forward the increase in the state pension age.
Pensions - What a Mess
September/October 2009
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Ros spoke at Transact Connect Forum on pension policy and explained what is needed to radically reform pensions.
Pensions Week 'Rethinking Pensions' proposal
September 2009
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Pensions Week called for a 500 word proposal for modernizing pension savings. Ros suggests moving away from pensions as a 'locked box' and adding flexibility with a new model for lifetime savings - a LifeSaver account.
Guardian blog - public sector pensions will change
26 August 2009
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Guardian comment where Ros discusses the problems of public sector pensions and that change is inevitable.
Yorkshire Post: Radical Rethinking - the only way to solve pensions crisis
26 August 2009
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Op-ed published in Yorkshire Post explaining why existing pension reform is inadequate and only radical rethinking will work.
Turner wishes he had
been more radical - so do I!
3 July 2009
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Lord Turner gave an interview
to the BBC explaining that he wished he had been
more radical and called for a resident's pension
and a faster rise in the state pension age. These
are measures which Ros has been calling for since
2002 and radical reform is long
overdue.
Yorkshire Post - if
only Turner had been more radical
July 2009
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article | send a
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Editorial article written for
Yorkshire Post, outlining the new views of Lord
Turner and ruing the wasted opportunity of the
Pensions Commission reforms, with Ros calling for
more radical rethinking of both pensions and
retirement.
The future of
post-retirement
30 June and 2 July 2009
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Slides from a Presentation
given to Dealers' Group conferences in Harrogate
and London, discussing Ros' views on the future
of the post-retirement market, changes that are
likely to unfold and the role of advisers in helping
manage this change.
Public Sector
Pensions Aristocracy
17 June 2009
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 239kb)
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Ros gave a speech at London
School of Economics Pensions Programme seminar on
the benefits of public sector pensions and the
growing divide between public and private sector
pension arrangements. These are the slides she
presented.
Daily Express –
Public sector pension costs must be
exposed
26 May 2009
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article | send a
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Article published in the
Daily Express explaining that transparency on the
costs of MPs pensions and all other public sector
pension schemes is even more important than the
exposure of MPs expense claims.
Sunday Post –
Without final salary pensions, can we afford to
gamble our pension on the stock
market?
24 May 2009
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article | send a
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Comment article published in
Scotland's Sunday Post newspaper, outlining the
problems facing individuals in planning for their
retirement as employers pull out of final salary
pension provision.
Press Release for
MetLife Retirement Planning Reform
Report
20 May 2009
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article | send a
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Press Release announcing the
publication of Ros' independent report examining
the issues facing ordinary people trying to plan
their retirement. Ros explains the huge risks and
uncertainties they face and how the credit crisis
has worsened the pension outcomes for millions of
pensioners.
Citiwire blog –
A pension fund is not a pension
20 May 2009
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article | send a
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Blog written for Citiwire
website explaining that those saving in a pension
fund need to know the difference between a pension
fund and a pension!
Independent website:
Have the markets ruined our presents and our
futures?
20 May 2009
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article | send a
comment
Piece written the Independent
newspaper's website, explaining the problems of
falling markets which have hit the future pension
security of millions of citizens.
Tiscali - Top tips
for pension planning
20 May 2009
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article | send a
comment
Ros wrote a comment for the
Tiscali website covering her eight Essential Pension
Tips – trying to help people understand some
of the important issues involved in planning for
pensions.
IEA conference: The
future of the 'post-retirement'
market
12 May 2009
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 380kb)
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Presentation given at the IEA
12th Annual conference on the Future of Life
Assurance, outlining Ros' views on the future of
the 'post-retirement' market.
Planning for
Retirement – You're on your
own
May 2009
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 5.7mb)
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Ros was commissioned to write
an independent report on the problems facing
individuals who are trying to plan for their
retirement. She covers the history of our pension
system, the risks of relying too heavily on the
stock market to deliver good pensions and discusses
some of the misconceptions of pension planning. Do
you know the difference between a pension fund and a
pension? Do you know what options are available on
retirement? Can you afford to gamble your future
security? All these questions are touched on in the
report. Copies of the report are available at www.metlife.com/rp
Citiwire blog -
Budget thoughts
April 2009
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article | send a
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Ros explains what policies
she would like to see for pensions in the 2009
Budget.
UK budget pension
measures
22 April 2009
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article | send a
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Ros gives an overview of the
measures announced in the Spring 2009 UK Budget, as
they relate to pensions.
Citiwire blog: Budget
pensions policy wishlist
17 April 2009
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article | send a
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Blog on Citiwire website
outlinining Ros's wish list for policies that
the Chancellor could introduce to help pensions and
pensioners in the forthcoming Budget.
Guardian comment:
Employers cut pension contributions – dangers
for retirement
11 April 2009
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article | send a
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Guardian on-line Comment
column in which Ros explains the dangers of a major
pension company cutting its pension contributions in
response to the credit crisis and cost cutting
pressure. This will mean disappearing employer
pensions and then disappearing
retirement.
What next for
pensions and long-term savings?
17 March 2009
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 223kb)
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Keynote address to the
Financial Services Research Forum explaining
Ros' views about the future for pensions,
savings and retirement in the 21st
Century.
Pensioner Poverty
– Response to DWP Select
Committee
28 February 2009
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the article | send a
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Ros' response to DWP
Select Committee Inquiry into pensioner poverty,
explaining how the credit crisis will make pensioner
poverty worse and highlighting some of the
injustices of current policy.
Presentation for MPs
and Lords on pensions and the credit
crisis
11 February 2009
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presentation (pdf, 248kb) | send a
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Presentation given to the All
Party Parliamentary Group on Social Security and
Reform, funded by ESRC, explaining Ros' views on
the policy response options for dealing with
pensions and the credit crisis.
Rate cuts worsen
pensioner poverty
5 February 2009
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article | send a
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Press Release warning that
cutting interest rates again will worsen the
economic outlook and worsen poverty for pensioners.
Ros urges the authorities to stop cutting rates and
focus on fiscal policy.
Parliamentary
Briefing on credit crisis and pensions policy
reform
February 2009
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the article | send a
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Parliamentary Briefing funded
by ESRC for All Party Parliamentary Group on pension
reform. Ros explains what policymakers need to be
aware of and makes proposals for reforms to assist
long-term sustainability.
Interactive Investor
- why bother with pensions?
29 January 2009
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article | send a
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Article written for
Interactive Investor website, explaining how the
credit crisis has been a disaster for pensions and
that Government policy is helping to undermine
pensions even further.
Crisis policy
response carries big dangers
9 January 2009
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the article | send a
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Press Release critiquing
Government's emergency policy measures,
explaining dangers and highlighting unfairness for
pensioners of pension credit assuming they still
earn 10% interest on their savings.
State pensions are in
a mess - radical reform urgently
required
13 December 2008
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article | send a
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Article featured in Scottish
Sunday Post explaining how UK state pensions are
inadequate, current reforms will not deliver what we
need and recommending a radical overhaul to finally
treat our pensioners decently.
Credit crisis and
pensions policy
9 December 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 226kb)
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Presentation given to House
of Commons All Party Group on Social Security,
explaining the inadequacies of recent policies for
dealing with the credit crisis and suggesting
alternative solutions.
Is lifestyling fit
for purpose for people's
pensions?
December 2008
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article | send a
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Corporate Adviser asked for
Ros' comments on whether lifestyling products
are suitable for pension investors who do not have
an adviser.
Pension development
forecasts for 2009
December 2008
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article | send a
comment
PProfessional Pensions asked
Ros to give her forecasts for pensions in
2009.
Pension Predictions
for 2009
December 2008
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comment
Pensions Management magazine
asked Ros for her predictions for pensions in
2009.
Triumphs and failures for pensions in
2008
December 2008
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article | send a
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Pensions World magazine asks Ros to review
pensions in 2008 and highlight what she believes
have been the triumphs and failures.
We need an
independent inquiry into public sector
pensions
December 2008
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article | send a
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Letter published in Financial
World magazine highlighting the lack of transparency
in public sector pensions and calling for an
independent inquiry into the developing public
sector pensions aristocracy.
Pensions in the 21st
Century
26 November 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 124kb)
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Speech given to Tax
Incentivised Savings Association (TISA) conference
outlining Ros' vision of a sustainable pension
system and required reforms for 21st
Century.
Brown's pensions
policy record
16 November 2008
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article | send a
comment
Article published in Sunday
Post in Scotland explaining how Government pensions
policy has been a disaster.
DMO should issue pension and annuity
gilts
November 2008
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article | send a
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Ros wrote to urge the Government to issue gilts
specifically targeted and pension funds and annuity
providers: long duration, linked to inflation and
longevity/mortality. There are hundreds of billions
of pounds of domestic institutional money that would
eagerly buy such paper.
Public sector
pensions aristocracy
November 2008
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article | send a
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Article published in the
Yorkshire Post contrasting the effects of the credit
crunch on private sector and public sector schemes
and calling for transparency on accounting for
public sector pensions.
FTfm webcast on
FT.com
10 November 2008
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Ros gives her controversial
views on how Government policy is damaging pensions
and the dangers of proposed reforms.
Future challenges for
Savings, Pensions and Investments
16 October 2008
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Presentation given to IEA and
Marketforce's 5th annual conference outlining
Ros views on the challenges that will be faced by
advisers in pensions, savings and investment
products for the future.
Credit crisis
measures will worsen the pensions
crisis
9 October 2008
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article | send a
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Press Release explaining why
the panic measures aimed at stabilizing the banking
system will make the pensions crisis worse and lead
to a serious pensioners crisis soon. Ros calls for
the Government to issue more long-dated gilts and
longevity or mortality bonds.
Pensions Policy
Isn't Working
8 October 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 125kb)
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Presentation given to
Transact Connect conference explaining the
shortcomings of current pensions policy and the need
for more radical reform.
Transparency needed
urgently on public sector pensions
8 September 2008
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article | send a
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Press Release highlighting
the generosity of public sector pensions relative to
private schemes and calling for transparency in the
costs and accounting for these significant future
liabilities.
Public sector
pensions far more generous than private
sector
September 2008
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article | send a
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Figures prepared for Daily
Mail showing the number of years it would take
public sector and private sector workers to accrue
the same level of pension.
Public sector
pensions and pay far better than private
sector
September 2008
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article | send a
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Latest official statistics
show that both pay and pensions are far better for
public sector workers than comparable private sector
workers.
Q&A on Public
sector pensions
September 2008
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Some frequently asked
questions about the generosity of UK public sector
pensions.
International
Retirement policy approaches and
challenges
16 May 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 146kb)
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Presentation given to US
financial experts in Washington at Genworth
Financial Retirement Symposium, outlining pension
history, recent UK pension reform and suggesting how
the US can learn from policy mistakes in the
UK.
Presentation at CSFI
Pensions Panel
14 May 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 130kb)
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Presentation given to meeting
of Centre for Study of Financial Innovation
explaining Ros' views why the current pension
reform proposals won't work and that we need to
radically rethink both pensions and
retirement.
Highlights of
Pensions Bill proposals
May 2008
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article | send a
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Briefing summarizing the
highlights of Second Reading of Pensions Bill and
critique of proposed reforms.
Dangers of Personal
Accounts
May 2008
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Ros outlines why she believes
introduction of personal accounts is likely to
worsen pension provision in the UK and could prove
very dangerous.
Pension Reform
Presentation
29 April 2008
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Presentation given at Money
Marketing's Retirement Planning Summit in Monte
Carlo, critiquing the pension reform
agenda.
Solving the pensions
crisis
11 March 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 95kb) | send a
comment
Ros gave a brief presentation
and participated in a panel discussion at the PMI
Spring Conference, outlining why she believes
pension reform will not solve the forthcoming
pensioners crisis.
She explained that state pension reforms are
inadequate, while personal accounts may make
things worse for many.
Keynote speech
'Pension Reform and Reality'
12 February 2008
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 110kb)
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Ros delivered the keynote
speech at Professional Adviser's Expert Investor
Forum in London outlining her ideas on demography,
pensions and the need for radical
reform.
Ros' Pensions
Week 2008 predictions
January 2008
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Ros was asked to provide some
predictions for Pensions Week magazine, this is what
she wrote.
Ros' 2007 Top
Five pension events
December 2007
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article | send a
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Professional Pensions
magazine asked Ros to name her top five pension
events from 2007 and this is what she wrote for
them.
Letter published in
FT on personal accounts reform
7th November 2007
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Letter published in Financial
Times explaining why the proposed Personal Accounts
pension reforms are dangerous for lower earners and
the interaction with means testing must be properly
addressed now.
Saga website –
introduction to SIPPs
September 2007
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Article for Saga website
explaining the basics about Self Invested Personal
Pensions (SIPPs).
The Government's
Pension Reform Proposals
21st June 2007
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presentation (pdf, 55kb) | send a
comment
Keynote Presentation given at
Henry Stewart Conference outlining Ros' views on
the Government's most recent pension reforms and
why they will not restore confidence or deliver a
sustainable pension system.
Reform of Public Sector
pensions
June 2007
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article | send a
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Article written for Public
Servant magazine outlining some expected
developments in the public sector pensions
debate.
House of Commons to vote on amendments
to Pensions Bill
18th April 2007
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article | send a
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Release expressing hopes that
Government will be defeated in the Commons vote on
providing fair and quick compensation for those who
have lost their pensions, via cross-party amendments
to the Pensions Bill.
Pensions crisis – past and
future
17th April 2007
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 68kb) | send a
comment
Presentation to the Pensions
Trust trustee Awayday in Leeds, outlining the
history of the problems in the UK pension system and
some thoughts about the future.
House Magazine article –
‘If I was in charge of pension
reform…'
February 2007
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Article published in the
House Magazine explaining what Ros would like to do
if she were in charge of pension
reform!
Inadequate protection for personal
accounts
December 2006
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Exchange of letters in Daily
Telegraph warning that the lack of proper consumer
protection for the new personal accounts poses real
dangers for future disasters and claims for
mis-selling that may lead to another
scandal.
Financial Adviser feature on the
proposed new personal pension accounts
December 2006
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Feature explaining why Ros
thinks the proposed personal accounts should not be
introduced and that they are likely to worsen
pension provision in the UK – and also may
lead to pensions being bought by those for whom they
are not suitable.
FT letter on the injustice of unfunded
public sector pensions being contracted out
November 2006
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Letter published in the
Financial Times explaining that unfunded public
sector pensions are contracted out of the national
insurance system and that this is economically
nonsensical, merely allowing public sector workers
and employers to pay lower national insurance and
passing the costs onto future
taxpayers.
Financial Adviser feature discussing
expected Government pension proposals
November 2006
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Feature article written for
Financial Adviser assessing the expected pension
reforms to be announced in the Queen’s speech
in Parliament.
Restoring confidence and trust in
pensions – the missing ingredient of pension
reform so far
12 October 2006
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf, 64k) | send a
comment
Presentation given at the
launch of ‘The Pensions Report’, survey
of pension trends in the UK, explaining how pensions
are in crisis, coverage is falling and the loss of
confidence must be urgently addressed. Policy
has so far failed to take account of the
‘demand’ side of pensions and has
focused only on ‘supply’.
Pensions crisis – it’s real
and getting worse
October 2006
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article | send a
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Foreword published in
‘The Pensions Report’ in October 2006,
explaining the results of a the comprehensive survey
of investor and provider attitudes to pension
provision in the UK, highlighting that trust and
confidence in pensions have been destroyed in recent
years.
What’s wrong with the White
Paper?
October 2006
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Article published in
Parliamentary Monitor magazine explaining why the
latest round of pension reforms will definitely not
be the last.
Government’s pension White Paper
not good enough
October 2006
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Article published in
‘Parliamentary Brief’ (Volume 10, No.
10), explaining the background to the UKs pension
problems and why the latest White Paper reform
proposals will not provide a sustainable
solution.
Let’s rip it up and start
again’ - Critique of Government’s
White Paper reforms
28 September 2006
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article | send a
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Article published in
Financial Adviser explaining why the
Government’s White Paper pension reforms do
not go far enough, leaving the system still in need
of a radical overhaul.
Examples of how loss of final salary
pension on wind-up has devastated people’s
lives
September 2006
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Article published in Sunday
Telegraph explaining why the Chancellor’s
pensions policies could destroy our once-thriving UK
pension system.
Demographic dangers for growth -
Sunday Telegraph
27 August 2006
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the article (pdf, 22kb) | send a
comment
Article published in the
Sunday Telegraph, explaining how the Chancellor,
Gordon Brown, has squandered the benefits of
favourable demographic trends and is leaving the
next administration to cope with the economic
dangers of ‘demographic
drag’.
Pensions after the White Paper
30 June 2006
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Presentation given at Scottish Widows Pensions
Debate, explaining Ros’ concerns about the
effect of the Government’s White Paper on
Pension Reform.
Comments on Pensions White Paper
8 June 2006
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Ros’ views on the reform proposals contained
in the Government’s pension reform White
Paper.
Article in ‘Public Servant’
Journal ‘ New Thinking on Pensions’
April 2006
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article | send a
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Article published in ‘Public
Servant’ Magazine, discussing the future for
UK pensions, trends in occupational pension schemes
and flexible retirement policies of the
future.
What is the future for pension
saving?
21 March 2006
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 104kb) | send a
comment
Speech given by Ros Altmann to the Association
of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA)
looking at the future for pension saving after the
Pension Commission report.
Commons Work and Pensions Select
Committee - Pension Reform – After Turner
15 March 2006
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 319kb) | send a
comment
Presentation to the House of Commons Work and
Pensions Select Committee outlining Ros’
pension reform ideas and where her views differ from
those of the Pensions Commission.
Money Marketing article on the effects
of pension tax reform ‘A-day’
February 2006
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Comment published in Money Marketing outlining
Ros’ expectations of the tax reforms for
pensions introduced on 6th April 2006.
Rethinking retirement and pensions for
the 21st Century
19 January 2006
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 271kb) | send a
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Presentation given at the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office to a delegation of visiting
diplomats from Vietnam, outlining Ros’ views
on pension and retirement reforms for the 21st
Century.
Reforming state pensions is affordable
if existing spending is reallocated more wisely
16 January 2006
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Op-ed piece published in Financial Times
advocating radical reform of state pensions.
Ros explains why muddled thinking on pensions is
preventing an affordable reform programme which
could put pension policy on a sustainable path for
the 21st Century, but some of the existing spending
needs to be reallocated.
Parliamentary Labour Party Work and
Pensions Committee – Pension reform
meeting
10 January 2006
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 316kb) | send a
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Presentation given to the Parliamentary Labour
Party’s Work and Pensions Committee, outlining
Ros’ thinking on radical reforms for pensions
and retirement, following the Pensions Commission
report.
Prudential is advising customers to
contract back in, why not abolish contracting
out?
December
2005
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Press Release explaining why contracting out
should be abolished as part of radical pension
reform and most providers are already advising their
clients that they should not remain contracted
out.
Press Release questioning whether
winter fuel and other allowances to pensioners
should be more targeted
December
2005
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the article | send a
comment
Press Release explaining that winter fuel and
other benefits for pensioners are costing over half
as much as Pension Credit, yet are not targeted at
all and asking whether this is a sensible use of
taxpayers’ money.
U turn on pension simplification
reforms is a shambles
December
2005
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the article | send a
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Press Release discussing Ros’s view that
the government’s climbdown on allowing
residential property into personal pensions and
last-minute changes of pension simplification tax
rules is the right decision but dreadful
timing. The Government should never have
proposed this and should have listened to warnings
over the last 2 years that such changes would lead
to huge losses of tax revenue.
What is the case for employer
compulsion?
December
2005
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Additional comments from Ros on the Pensions
Commission reform proposals, questioning the
intellectual case for compelling employers to
contribute to pensions and discussing some of
Ros’s reservations about the proposals.
Letter published in the FT asking why
employers should be compelled to contribute to their
employees’ pensions
December
2005
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Letter published in the Financial Times
suggesting that there is no intellectual case for
compelling employers to contribute to pensions, that
this is simply a form of taxation and that pension
contributions should really be up to the
individual.
What is the case for employer
compulsion?
December
2005
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Additional comments from Ros on the Pensions
Commission reform proposals, questioning the
intellectual case for compelling employers to
contribute to pensions and discussing some of
Ros’s reservations about the proposals.
Comments on proposals of Pensions
Commission Second Report
December
2005
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Article prepared for Financial Adviser giving
Ros’s reaction to the pension reform proposals
contained in the Pensions Commission final
report.
Scottish Widows seminar on Pensions
Commission proposals
12 December 2005
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Presentation delivered at Scottish Widows
seminar in Edinburgh, outlining Ros’s reaction
to the Pensions commission proposals and explaining
her hopes for a more radical approach to both
pensions and retirement.
Savings Market conference - Radically
rethinking retirement
8 December 2005
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 240kb) | send a
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Presentation to the Savings Market conference in
London, entitled ‘Radically Rethinking
Retirement, New approaches for the 21st
Century’ discussing Ros’s views that we
need to reconsider what we expect from both
retirement and pensions, in order to be able to move
forward on pension reform.
Ros’s initial comments on
Pensions Commission reform proposals
November
2005
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Press Release outlining Ros’s initial
reactions to the Pensions Commission reform
proposals, offering broad support, but expressing a
wish that reforms should be bolder and more
radical.
BBC website published Ros’s views
on reform of occupational pensions
November
2005
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the article | send a
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Article published on BBC website discussing the
crisis in UK occupational pension provision,
problems faced by employers and members and
recommendations for radical reforms.
Why has Government policy to encourage
saving failed?
November
2005
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Article published in Money Management outlining
the failure of pension policy reforms and discussing
possible reasons why the Treasury seems to have
failed to encourage more pension savings.
Pensions World conference
‘Private pension Policy, Pension Reform and
Compulsion’
10 November 2005
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 78kb) | send a
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Presentation delivered at Pensions World
conference outlining Ros’s views on the need
for radical pension reform and why she thinks
compulsion would not be advisable.
Watson Wyatt debate ‘Pension
reform will do nothing for those who need it
most’
9 November 2005
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presentation (pdf 71kb) | send a
comment
Ros’s presentation at the Watson Wyatt
2005 pension debate, proposing the motion that
‘This house believes pension reform will do
nothing for those who need it most’.
Ros, together with Steve Bee the leading pensions
guru from Scottish Life, explained why they
believed that pension reforms so far will not
benefit the Govenrment’s ‘target’
group of middle earners.
ACCA pensions lecture ‘Pension
Provision in the 21st Century’
27 October 2005
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 90kb) | send a
comment
Lecture delivered for the ACCA at the Museum of
London, discussing the pensions landscape and the
role of the accounting profession in helping clients
prepare for forthcoming reforms.
Speech at Labour Party Conference
fringe on encouraging retirement provision
26 September 2005
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 47kb) | send a
comment
Presentation given at B&CE fringe meeting at
Labour Party Conference in Brighton, discussing
Ros’s views on how to get people to provide
for their retirement.
Government Pension Reforms
22 September 2005
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 92kb) | send a
comment
Presentation on Pension Reform given at
Financial Times FT Financial Adviser Expo in
London.
Contracting-out has failed
September
2005
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Article published in Financial Adviser on 8th
Sepetmber 2005, following the FSA study of
contracting out, demonstrating that this has
provided poor value and explaining Ros’s view
that contracting out should be abolished as part of
radical pension reforms in the UK.
FT letter final salary pensions
confidence trick July 2005
July 2005
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article | send a
comment
Letter published in the Financial Times on 7th
July 2005, outlining why UK Government pension
policy is responsible for lulling members of final
salary schemes into a false sense of security, which
allowed employers to get away with making pension
promises which they could not afford. This is the
fault of Government failure to tell members the
truth, rather than malicious employer
actions.
Financial Adviser feature on future of
UK occupational pensions
July 2005
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the article | send a
comment
Feature published in Financial Adviser magazine,
outlining Ros's views on the future for
occupational pension provision in the UK, movement
away from final salary schemes and role of financial
advisers to help make defined contribution provision
work better.
The Pensions Landscape - Actuarial
Profession conference
June 2005
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55kb) | send
a comment
Presentation given at Actuarial Profession
Annual Pensions Convention, in Brighton on 7th June
2005, outlining the failure of the UK pension model,
the outlook for occupational pensions and the role
of actuaries in future.
Feature article published in Daily Mail
on pension reform
May 2005
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article | send a
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Feature article published in Daily Mail on 31st
May 2005, explaining why Ros believes UK pension
policy is in a muddle and her proposals for radical
and sustainable reforms, to help overcome the crisis
which we face in pension provision in this
country.
FT comment piece on pension reform
May 2005
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article | send a
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Feature Comment piece published in the Financial
Times on 16thMay 2005, explaining Ros's views on
what has gone wrong with our pension system and her
proposals for radical pension reform.
Professional Pensions column on urgent
post-election pension reforms
April 2005
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article | send a
comment
Article published in Professional Pensions in
April 2005, outlining Ros's views of urgent
pension reforms required after the General
Election.
Letter on gradual retirement
April 2005
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article | send a
comment
Letter written to Financial Times explaining why
encouraging gradual retirement is a key element of
pension reforms.
Brief summary of crisis facing UK
employers running final salary schemes
April 2005
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comment
Brief note outlining the situation facing UK
employers running final salary pension schemes and
why they are now facing huge deficits.
FT letter on economics of pensions and
risk
March 2005
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comment
Letter published in Financial Times in March
2005 commenting on article by Joseph Stiglitz on US
pension policy. The letter suggests that
transferring costs of pensions from state to private
sector does not make the risks disappear.
Pension Reform in 2005/6
March 2005
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comment
Article published in 'Pensions and
Investments UK', discussing implications of
planned pension reforms for occupational and
personal pensions in 2005/2006. Impact on investment
of pension fund assets, trustees of occupational
schemes and the new tax regime for
contributions.
Moving Pension Thinking into 21st
Century
Spring 2005
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Article published in 'Money is Changing'
Special Report on Financial Services Marketing,
published by Dig for Fire. The article examines the
need to re-think retirement, reform state pensions
and encourage longer working lives, to move pension
thinking into the 21st Century.
Response to Pension Commission First
Report
January
2005
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comment
Ros's response to Pensions Commission
initial report outlining need for radical reform of
state pension and re-thinking retirement.
Pensions ARE in Crisis' - ASIM
Meeting
3 December 2004
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presentation (pdf 277kb) | send a
comment
Powerpoint presentation for ASIM at the ASIM
Winter General Meeting in London, outlining why the
UK pension system is in crisis and what might be
done to improve the situation.
The Role of Government in Pensions -
SOFA conference
23 November 2004
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 59kb) | send a
comment
Presentation given to Society of Financial
Advisers Annual Conference on the role of Government
in Pensions and future for pensions policy.
Letter commenting on pension burdens
faced by UK employers
November 2004
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the article | send a
comment
Letter published in Employee Benefits Magazine
explaining why employers have been asked to shoulder
too much of the pensions burden and that the
'standard' two-thirds final salary pension
has become unaffordable for most people.
FT letter on US pension reform
proposals
November 2004
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comment
Letter published in Financial Times pointing out
parallels between Bush pension reform proposals and
UK pension policies over the past 20 years which
have contributed to our pensions crisis.
Pension News from Labour Party
Conference
October 2004
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the article (pdf, 62kb) | send a
comment
Analysis of
suggestions of major shift in Government policy on
pensions, which seemed to emerge from the Labour
Party Conference.
Article for Daily Express on Pension
Reform Proposals
October 2004
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comment
Article published in
Daily Express, outlining Ros’s proposals for
pension reform.
Telegraph article on how pension reform
affects you
September 2004
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comment
Article published in
Daily Telegraph on October 9th 2004, discussing the
effect of the 2004 Pension Reforms by the Inland
Revenue. It argues that these reforms could change
the entire nature of pensions in future, turning
them into a short term exercise for those on higher
rate tax.
Why are many SME’s not providing
pensions?
September 2004
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comment
Press release
highlighting the implications of the findings of
research by the Pensions Institute, explaining why
smaller companies are no longer keen to provide
pensions.
Is compulsion a sensible way
forward?
September 2004
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Press Release
explaining why Ros does not believe compulsion is
the best policy option to adopt, in order to
encourage pensions.
FT ‘Personal View’ article
questioning the inadequacy of
Government policy to encourage savings
June 2004
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article | send a
comment
Article commissioned
by Financial Times for ‘Personal View’
column, discussing Government policies to encourage
savings and questioning why they seem to be targeted
only at the top earners, rather than trying to
encourage those who do not pay higher rate
tax.
Comments on official figures estimating
numbers affected by scheme wind-ups
May 2004
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article | send a
comment
Comments on the
initial figures released by the DWP, estimating
numbers affected by winding up pension schemes, who
have lost most of their pensions.
Important Q & A about
Compensation
May 2004
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comment
Note outlining how
and why Government funded compensation should be
organised.
CSFI Pensions
Roundtable Presentation on Pensions
Solutions
April 2004
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 379kb) | send a
comment
Presentation given to
a Roundtable discussion session of the Centre for
the Study of Financial Innovation, discussing why
pensions are in crisis and possible solutions and
policy options for the future.
Pensions in Crisis
conference
March 2004
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PowerPoint presentation (PDF 257kb) | send a
comment
Presentation given to
Association of Private Client Investment Management
Service conference, discussing why pensions are in
crisis and possible policy responses.
Pensions Bill Comments for Scottish
Herald
February 2004
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comment
Article written for
Scottish Herald, February 15th 2004, with comments
on 2004 Pensions Bill proposals.
Critique of Pensions Bill
February 2004
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release | send a
comment
Ros’ comments
on proposals contained in Pensions Bill 2004.
Criticism of Pensions Bill Measures for
Failure to Restore Confidence
February 2004
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comment
Comments on 2004
Pensions Bill, criticising the lack of measures for
compensation of victims who have lost their
‘guaranteed’ occupational pensions and
failure to restore confidence in pensions.
Critique of Current
Pensions Policy
October 2003
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 53kb) | send a
comment
Framework of a
presentation given at a fringe event organised by
Standard Life at the Labour Party Conference in
Bournemouth in October 2003. The presentation
discusses Pension Reform and provides a critique of
current pensions policy, with suggestions for future
policy reforms.
Compulsory Pension Contributions
– Financial Adviser
October 2003
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article | send a
comment
Article written
for ‘Financial Adviser’ discussing
the case for compulsory pension contributions and
why they are not adviseable in the current policy
environment.
Pension Credit Could Destroy Pensions -
Pensions Week
October 2003
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article | send a
comment
Article for
Pensions week explaining why the
Government’s new means tested Pension
Credit policy will damage pensions and undermine
pension savings in the UK.
The Importance of
Independent Advice in Savings
Policy
September 2003
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PowerPoint presentation (pdf 54kb) | send a
comment
Presentation given at
‘Money Marketing Live’ Exhibition in
Manchester on 23rd September 2003, explaining the
problems of pension coverage, Government pensions
policy and the importance of independent advice in
the savings process.
Pension Policy Moving in Wrong Direction
– FT Letter
August 2003
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letter | send a
comment
Letter published in
the Financial Times in August 2003 explaining why
pension policy is moving in the wrong
direction.
Will Current Pension Policy
Encourage Pensions?
July 2003
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article (pdf 206kb) | send a comment
Paper to be published in "Consumer Policy
Review" outlining some of the major problems
with Government pensions and savings policy; calling
for independent advice with Sandler products.
Pension
Mistakes Resulting from Tory Legislation in
1990s
February 2003
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paper | send
a comment
Summary of reforms
introduced in late 1990s which have undermined
pensions.
Green
Paper Quotes Which Mislead People into Believing
Their Employer's Pension is
Safe
January 2003
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comment
These quotes show that Government is continuing to
mislead people into believing their final salary
pensions are safe.
Myths
Perpetuated by The Pensions Green
Paper
January 2003
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comment
Ten myths about the UK pension system which are
portrayed as facts.
Initial
Comments on Pensions Green
Paper
January 2003
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paper | send
a comment
Brief analysis of positive and negative points
arising from the Green Paper.
What the Green
Paper Needs to Do
Devember 2002
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article (pdf 34kb) | send a
comment
Summary of essential
reforms needed in Green Paper.
YouGov
Retirement and Pensions
Survey
November 2002
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transcript | send a
comment
Transcript of a
speech launching Pension Reforms based on Nationwide
YouGov Survey.
Green Paper Wish
List
November 2002
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the article (pdf 22kb) | send a
comment
Ros Altmann's
comments on reforms hoped for in the Green Paper,
written for the Financial Adviser.
A New
Blueprint for Retirement and
Pensions
July 2002
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article | send a
comment
Pensions
recommendations for reform of UK pension
policy.
Pickering Report
Comments
July 2002
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article (pdf 52kb) | send a
comment
Ros Altmann's
comments on the findings of the Pickering
Review.
Pension Policy and
Interaction of State and Private Pension
Provision
November 2001
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article (pdf 18kb) | send a
comment
A
note describing some of the current pension rules
and how State provision affects private
provision.
Changing the
Fundamentals of Retirement and
Pensions
March 2001
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article (pdf 23kb) | send a
comment
A
paper that discusses an outline of the problems that
current pension and retirement policy faces.
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