Latest Columns
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Tilley: The lost art of SSAS trusteeship
In his final regular column for SIPPs Professional, pensions expert Martin Tilley looks at why understanding trust law matters as much as understanding pension administration when it comes to successful SSAS trusteeship, a topic he feels is vitally important to the future of the sector. We're pleased to say Martin may contribute occasional columns in future.
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Tilley: Time for a return to SSAS professional trustees?
For the last 20 years, the post A-Day regime has trusted SSAS members to combine three separate legal identities as pension beneficiary, trustee and business owner. Those changes preserved one of the greatest attractions of a SSAS in the form of member control, but also removed the compulsory pensioneer trustee role that existed before 6 April 2006.
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Lisa Webster: A calmer Budget? We hope so...
As we head towards our new Downing Street leadership team’s first Budget, the waters seem relatively calm.
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Lisa Webster: Take the pension first? Think again
With the impending changes to tax treatment of pensions on death, there has been talk around the order of income in retirement being turned on its head.
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Tilley: Transfer reform welcome but SSAS governance is key
At first glance, DWP’s June 2026 consultation on proposed changes to the 2021 transfer regulations does something the industry has long asked for; it acknowledges that the current regime, while well intended, has created too much friction for some perfectly legitimate pension transfers.
Popular News
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FSCS launches probe into failed ISA and SIPP manager
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has launched a probe into failed ISA and SIPP manager Jarvis Investment Management Ltd (FRN 116413) after it entered special administration last week.
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Retirees expect to leave more than they want to – survey
A third (34%) of affluent retirees expect to pass on more money than they’d like when they die, according to a new study.
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Plum to launch AI-based Targeted Support via app
AI-focused fintech and money app Plum has received FCA approval to offer Targeted Support to clients through its investment arm Saveable Limited.
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Tilley: The lost art of SSAS trusteeship
In his final regular column for SIPPs Professional, pensions expert Martin Tilley looks at why understanding trust law matters as much as understanding pension administration when it comes to successful SSAS trusteeship, a topic he feels is vitally important to the future of the sector. We're pleased to say Martin may contribute occasional columns in future.
New figures released by HMRC reveal that the tax authorities collected £164m in pension annual allowance charges last year with one expert warning that high-earners are being "caught out" by the charge.
Pension provider and consultant XPS Group has completed the acquisition of the trade and assets of insurance consultancy Austin Professional Resourcing for a potential £16.3m.
XPS said the deal for the insurance specialist will accelerate its plans to become "a broader financial services firm."
The acquisition, first announced on 26 June, will be for £3.3m, with an additional £3m payable by 31 March 2027.
A further contingent total cash consideration of up to £10m will be payable in the following two years, contingent on achieving certain stretching business performance criteria.
Austin Professional Resourcing, established in 2006, is a UK-based specialist actuarial consultancy to insurers and financial sector clients. It has worked with more than 45 insurers and financial sector clients in the last three years, including most of the UK's top 10 insurers.
In the year ended 31 March, APR generated revenues of £10.7m. It has more than 70 client facing employees which, combined with the existing XPS insurance consulting team and access to wider XPS actuarial teams, will provide XPS with greater scale and enhanced capabilities to accelerate the group's diversification into the insurance consulting market, it said.
XPS said in a stock market statement: “The acquisition will further accelerate the group's diversification strategy into large tangential addressable markets and its aim of becoming a market leading financial services consulting and administration provider.”
Announcing the acquisition in June, Paul Cuff, co-CEO of XPS Group, said: “We have been admirers of the APR business for some time, with its strong culture, its highly talented people and its deep relationships in the insurance market.
“With this transaction, XPS will have doubled our total addressable market to £6bn+ in the space of less than two years, through strategic acquisitions and senior recruitment. We are very excited about what the future holds as we become a broader financial services firm providing outstanding client service to pension schemes and insurers alike."
Nearly half of pensions professionals expect dashboards to be used primarily at key life moments such as retirement or job changes, according to a new poll.
Fintech Whistle has acquired app-based digital retirement planning tool Pension Potential from pensions firm Punter Southhall for an undisclosed amount.
New Chancellor John Healey has confirmed that the date of his first Budget will be Wednesday 28 October.
New chancellor John Healey has been urged to commit to pension tax stability to avoid another multi-billion-pound increase in early withdrawals from retirement funds.