Insights

Getting ready for pensions dashboards: A checklist for trustees

1 October 2026, the mandatory deadline to connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, is fast approaching. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have released a staged timetable, urging you to act now and not wait until Autumn 2026.

Retrospective equalisation – a possibility?

Since the EU decision of Barber in May 1990, occupational defined benefit pension schemes have been grappling with effectively equalising their normal retirement dates for male and female members.

How to equalise guaranteed minimum pensions (GMPs)

Key steps to a successful conversion.

Indexation under the BT Pension Scheme: the Court of Appeal's decision

The Court of Appeal has handed down its decision in the most recent instalment in the case law determining when pension schemes can switch indices for the purposes of indexation.

HMRC extends deadlines for registering trust based pension schemes

The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 require trustees of trust based occupational pension schemes to register their trust with HMRC.

Dividends, recovery plans and long-term funding targets

Trustees and sponsors of defined benefit pension schemes should be aware of the annual funding statement issued by the Pensions Regulator in March 2019.

Moving to a Master Trust

In the last five years, there has been an enormous growth in master trusts. They now house over 10 million employees. Many employers have switched to take advantage of the cost saving and services they can provide. The Stephenson Harwood pensions law team has considerable experience advising clients on the legal route to master trust transfers, and has prepared this guide for those considering moving to a master trust.

New investment and disclosure obligations on pension scheme trustees from October 2019

This briefing gives a summary of the key new obligations arising from both sets of regulations.

GDPR and pension schemes: What trustees need to do

Download our eight point data protection check for trustees.

Watch out, watch out – the Regulator's about

Sponsors must now, more than ever, ensure that they keep their defined benefit pension schemes at the forefront of their minds - particularly when embarking on corporate activity.

Barnardo's indexation case: Supreme Court adds another piece to the jigsaw

The Supreme Court has given judgment on the next instalment in the case law determining when pension schemes can switch indices for the purposes of revaluation and indexation.

Court of Appeal provides guidance on the Pensions Regulator’s powers to issue a Financial Support Direction

In December 2001, the Pensions Regulator issued a Financial Support Direction (FSD) to certain companies in the ITV group (the Target) requesting that they provide support to the Box Clever Group Pension Scheme (the Scheme).

Pensions in 2019 - our top six

2019 promises to be another busy year for the pensions sector. This briefing picks out six topics that will be of interest to employers and trustees in the coming months.

Pensions consolidation team

Find out more about how our pensions consolidation team can help trustees and sponsoring employers take the first steps on the journey to buy-out benefits.

New obligations on trustees – disclosure and stewardship

Trustees will already be aware of additional disclosure obligations that will begin to apply to them from October this year, following the publication of Regulations in 2018 (the 2018 Regulations).

The journey to pension scheme consolidation

Find out about how the Stephenson Harwood pensions team can support trustees and sponsoring employers on their approach to consolidation.

Contact
Contact

To find out more, please drop us a line.

 
 
Pensions@stephensonharwood.com