About Pensions Law
Pensions is already one of the most complex and technical areas of the law. And with new legislation, the advent of auto-enrolment and a move towards defined contribution schemes, it’s about to become even more challenging.
Members and benefits
Navigate the complexities of the revised pensions freedoms regime and the different circumstances of pension benefits, including periods of temporary absence and the indexation and reduction of pensions in payment.
Trustees, governance, and administration
The governance of occupational pension schemes is an area that’s expanded with the increased level of regulation. Our content helps practitioners navigate their way through the web of statutory and regulatory material.
Transactions and reorganisations
The existence of pension arrangements can add complexity and risk to even the most straightforward of corporate transactions. Our content helps guide practitioners through the issues and how to deal with them.
Legislation
Pensions is one of the most complex and technical areas of the law. And with new legislation, the advent of auto-enrolment and a move towards defined contribution schemes, it’s about to become even more challenging.
Topics We Cover
Latest Pensions News
Law360, London: The government must drop its plan to introduce a 'reserve power' that will allow it to force pension funds into making UK investments,...
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published a regulatory intervention report under section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004 on its engagement with the...
Pensions analysis: On 3 June 2025, the Pensions Regulator (TPR) issued guidance on new models and options in defined benefit (DB) pension schemes to...
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) issued a press release announcing that it has made a £60m direct investment in the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience...
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have released a joint podcast highlighting the need for pension trustees to respond...
Latest Pensions Practice Notes
Case tracker—forthcoming cases—pensionsThe entries in this tracker are organised by topic. These topics are listed in the Table of Contents (to the...
The guided retirement duty introduced by the Pension Schemes BillWhat is guided retirement?The Pension Schemes Bill (the Bill), which is expected to...
Execution of documents under Scots lawThe rules regarding execution of documents governed by the laws of Scotland are contained in:•the Requirements...
Case tracker—2025 pensions judgmentsThis tracker contains a list of significant pension judgments handed down in 2025 organised by date. The entries...
Consultation tracker—pensionsThis Lexis+® UK Pensions consultation tracker tool displays key consultations (both formal and informal) conducted in the...
Latest Pensions Precedents
Precedent Defined Benefit (DB) transfer form[insert name of pension scheme] PENSION SCHEMEREQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF BENEFITS TO A UK PENSION SCHEMEName:...
Sample opt-out noticeThe sample opt-out notice includes the wording set out in Schedule 1 to SI 2010/772 and the statements required by SI 2010/772,...
Financial applications to the court—client guide (standard procedure)This document provides general guidance regarding an application to court to...
Deed of substitutionDate: [insert date](1)[name of Former Principal Employer](2)[names of Trustees](3)[name of the New Principal Employer]Deed of...
Financial disclosure and Form E—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding financial disclosure. Your family lawyer will be able to...
Latest Pensions Q&As
Featured Pensions content
Self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs)
Self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs)When personal pensions were first introduced in April 1988, they could only be established by authorised...
Small self-administered schemes (SSASs)
Small self-administered schemes (SSASs)What is a SSAS?Small self-administered schemes (SSASs) are usually registered pension schemes that are set up...
Section 32 buy-out policies
Section 32 buy-out policiesWhat is a section 32 buy-out policy?A term which may be often heard within the pensions arena is that of the ‘section 32...
The pre A-day pensions tax regime [Archived]
The pre A-day pensions tax regimeThe pensions tax regime under the Finance Act 2004 came into effect on 6 April 2006, otherwise known as A-day. The...
How is the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) different from a typical occupational pension scheme?
How is the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) different from a typical occupational pension scheme?FORTHCOMING DEVELOPMENT: Section 10 of the...
Registration of pension schemes
Registration of pension schemesBenefits of registrationRegistration provides advantageous tax reliefs and exemptions for a pension scheme and its...
DWP finds £571.6m state pension shortfall
The DWP announced on 21 March 2024 that it has so far identified 97,000 payments that were each short between £2,192 and £12,486.The DWP has launched...
Are apprentices auto-enrolled into a pension if they earn under 10,000 per year and are aged under 18?
What issues should an employer consider when providing life insurance to its employees?
Anti-franking
Anti-frankingThe conceptIt used to be the case that contracted-out salary-related (COSR) schemes could revalue a deferred member's guaranteed minimum...
Surrender and forfeiture of pension benefits
Surrender and forfeiture of pension benefitsTHIS PRACTICE NOTE APPLIES TO OCCUPATIONAL PENSION SCHEMES ONLYThis Practice Note considers the extent to...
Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS)
Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS)Why use a QROPS?In practice, many Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPSs) are...
Bridging pensions
Bridging pensionsThis Practice Note contains references to case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. For guidance on whether EU...
Pension consultation requirements
Pension consultation requirementsEmployers are required by statute to consult with members or their representatives for at least 60 days before making...
Relevant life and excepted group life policies—practical issues
Relevant life and excepted group life policies—practical issuesStatute provides for two tax-efficient alternatives to a life assurance policy held...
Investment management agreements—trustee considerations
Investment management agreements—trustee considerationsThe management of assets belonging to another person on a discretionary basis is a 'regulated...
Auto-enrolment—postponement
Auto-enrolment—postponementAn employer can postpone the date on which the auto-enrolment obligations would otherwise apply to an eligible jobholder by...
Types of pension schemes—beginners’ guide
Types of pension schemes—beginners’ guideThis guide is primarily aimed at trainees, newly qualified lawyers and other persons who are new to or...
Associated legal terms
Flexible benefits
Term introduced on 6 April 2015 by Pension Schemes Act 2015, s 74 to refer to money purchase benefits, cash balance benefits and other benefits calculated by reference to an amount available for the provision of benefits to or in respect of the member. The pension freedoms apply to them.
Insistent client
The term ‘insistent client’ is commonly used to describe an individual who has received advice (ie a personal recommendation) and chooses to do something different than what was recommended. The conduct-authority'>Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) inserted a definition of ‘insistent client’ in COBS 9.5A.2. Under this definition, an insistent client is a client who: • receives a personal recommendation from a FCA-regulated firm • decides to enter into a transaction which is different from that recommended by the firm in the personal recommendation, and • wishes the firm to facilitate that transaction
Pension credit
Term used to refer to either:
• the main income-related benefit for pensioners. A non-contributory, non-taxable, means-tested benefit, made up of two elements: the Guarantee Credit and the Savings Credit (see respective terms). The qualifying age for men and women is linked to women's State Pension age; or
• in relation to pension sharing on divorce, it is the amount of benefit rights that the ex-spouse or ex-civil partner of a scheme member becomes entitled to following a pension sharing order. The pension sharing provisions in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (WRPA 1999) introduced the ‘pension debit’ and ‘pension credit’. The ‘pension debit’ is the amount by which the value of the original member's pension rights are reduced and the ‘pension credit’ the corresponding amount by which the ex-spouse's or former civil partner's pension rights are increased. Section 29, WRPA 1999 determines the value of the pension credit to be transferred to the ex-spouse or former civil partner.
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