Huge deficits mean around 600 pension funds are certain to collapse in the next decade, according to the Pensions Institute at Cass Business School. It says another 400 are also at risk. These funds have combined deficits of around £45 billion, a figure which could potentially overwhelm the PPF rescue fund.
Britain’s blue chips are dishing out billions more in dividends to shareholders despite a crisis in their pension funds. One investment group analysis shows that 54 companies in the FTSE 100 index have handed out £48billion to investors in the last two years despite having a £52 billion pension black hole.
Another commentator said that insufficient contributions to pension funds could leave companies with hefty liabilities which could drag on future performance and, ultimately, lead to staff receiving lower pensions if the business runs in to difficulties and enters administration.
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It appears there is good news on the horizon for up to 2 million pension savers. The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is looking at evidence that some major providers applied exit charges to people’s pensions without informing them. In some cases, this amounted to nearly 40% of the value of the fund.