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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The UK government has admitted there are not enough pension transfer specialist advisers to deal with demand, particularly in the case of more complex transfers into overseas pensions. This was the government’s response in March to a consultation launched two years ago, on whether the need to take financial advice, introduced with pension freedoms, created difficulties for overseas residents – residents such as those living in Cyprus wishing to transfer their pension savings from the UK to a qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme (QROPS).
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