O’Brien (Appellant) v Ministry of Justice (Formerly the Department for Constitutional Affairs) (Respondents) – Supreme Court
Supreme Court, 6th February 2013
Category: pensions
Public sector cuts hit judges’ pensions – The Guardian
“Judges have been given figures showing how much they will lose when their tax-free pension allowances are cut in line with government reforms of public sector pay.”
The Guardian, 6th February 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Regulator begins investigation into annuity market – OUT-LAW.com
“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is investigating whether consumers are
getting a ‘fair dea’ when purchasing annuities, it has announced.”
OUT-LAW.com, 4th February 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
OFT to investigate workplace pensions market – The Guardian
“An investigation into whether millions of members of workplace pensions are getting good value for money has been launched by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).”
The Guardian, 17th January 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Flat-rate pensions plan revealed – BBC News
“Details of the government’s plans to introduce a flat-rate pension by 2017 – equivalent to £144 per week in today’s money – have emerged ahead of an official announcement next week.”
BBC News, 12th January 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd v Applegate – WLR Daily
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd v Applegate: [2012] EWHC 3741 (Ch); [2013] WLR (D) 9
“When applying uniform accrual to ‘so much of any benefit’ by virtue of section 74(3) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 one was being directed not merely to what one might call the top slice, the benefit which actually accrued at the higher rate, but that element of a benefit package which was the subject of the higher rate. In section 74(3) the ‘benefit’ referred to was the composite of the various benefits which made up long service benefit and if the exception applied it did with regard to the entirety of such a component.”
WLR Daily, 21st December 2012
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Industry-Wide Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Co-ordinator Ltd v Industry-Wide Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees Ltd – WLR Daily
“For the purposes of paragraph 3(7)(c) of schedule 5 to the Coal Industry Act 1994 the requirement that the rules of a new pension scheme be ‘no less advantageous’ than the previous scheme was not the same as a requirement that the rules of the new scheme be the same as the rules of the pre-existing scheme. The omission of a pro-rating provision from draft rule 33 of the Schedule to the Industry-Wide Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/2973) was not a mistake in drafting and the rule fell to be construed in accordance with its express terms.”
WLR Daily, 20th December 2012
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
The price of equality? Gender and the assessment of risk – Cloisters
“The financial sector will no longer be allowed to use gender as a determining factor in the assessment of risk and therefore the price of premiums and benefits from Friday 21 December 2012.”
Full story (PDF)
Cloisters, 19th December 2012
Source: www.cloisters.com
Finance and Divorce January Update – Family Law Week
“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse December’s financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”
Family Law Week, 4th January 2013
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
How the workplace will change in 2013 – OUT-LAW.com
“What changes can workers expect from their employers in the coming year? Employment law expert Edward Goodwyn of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, looks ahead to some significant changes.”
OUT-LAW.com, 4th January 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
Pensions Ombudsman v EMC Europe Ltd and others – WLR Daily
Pensions Ombudsman v EMC Europe Ltd and others: [2012] EWHC 3508 (Ch); [2012] WLR (D) 382
“The Pensions Ombudsman had no jurisdiction to entertain a complaint by a scheme member to set aside a compromise agreement where successful determination of the complaint would adversely affect the rights of the parent company in circumstances where it was a necessary party to any claim to set aside the agreement but was not subject to the ombudsman’s jurisdiction.”
WLR Daily, 14th December 2012
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Men set to lose £10,000 in pension rule change – Daily Telegraph
“Male pensioners will lose up to £10,000 in retirement income due to the
introduction this week of European Court rules banning sex discrimination by
financial firms, a report warns.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th December 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Moreno v Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) and another – WLR Daily
“Article 4 of Council Directive 79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security precluded legislation of a member state which required a proportionally greater contribution period from part-time workers, the vast majority of whom were women, than from full-time workers for the former to qualify, if appropriate, for a contributory retirement pension in an amount reduced in proportion to the part-time nature of their work.”
WLR Daily, 22nd November 2012
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Badly written law could deprive 4m of their pensions – Daily Telegraph
“Four million employees could miss out on employer pension contributions until 2017 because poorly drafted legislation has left a loophole in auto-enrolment, the Government’s flagship pensions policy.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th November 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Rules governing transparent financial advice already being bent, says FSA – The Guardian
“New rules abolishing the payment of commission on pensions and investments have not yet come into force, but financial advisers and product providers have already found ways to get around the ban, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).”
The Guardian, 1st October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Judicial pensions: will judges take Chris Grayling to court? – The Guardian
“Judicial appointments will only go to second-rate lawyers if the lord chancellor fails to do a deal that satisfies judges.”
The Guardian, 28th September 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Navy widow jailed for pension fraud after failing to reveal new boyfriend – Daily Telegraph
“The widow of a Royal Navy diver has been jailed after admitting fraudulently pocketing more than £144,000 from the Armed Forces’ pension scheme.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th August 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Lord Chief Justice’s Report laid before House of Lords – Judiciary of England and Wales
“The latest Lord Chief Justice’s Report has been laid before the House of Lords.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 3rd August 2012
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Lord Chief Justice warns pay freeze will cause ‘problems’ – Daily Telegraph
“The country’s most senior judge has warned that Government cuts to take-home pay could damage the quality of the judiciary in future.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd August 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Solicitors warned of divorce claims – Law Society’s Gazette
“Divorce solicitors could face thousands of compensation claims in cases where pensions were undervalued in a divorce settlement, a pensions consultant has claimed.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 26th July 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
