Ajarn Finance

The death of UK final salary pension schemes

Looking after teachers looking after their finances


According to a survey by The Association of Consulting Actuaries of 300 of the UK's largest firms, 87% of defined benefit pensions are closed to new entrants, with 18 per cent closed to further contributions from existing employees - double the proportion just four years ago. Most employers will be enrolling members into the new scheme of personal accounts rather than plumping for the existing schemes. An ageing population coupled with government regulations and economic volatility has effectively put an end to the costly final salary schemes. In fact, The Association of British Insurers and Age Concern on Sunday called for the age at which people must buy an annuity with pension savings to rise  from  75  to  80.

USS, the second-largest private-pension scheme in the UK, said the value of its fund was £26.8 billion as of 30 September 2009. With £31.8 billion of benefits promised to members, this left it with a £5 billion deficit on the "technical provisions" basis.
So, what can you do to protect your pension and make sure your pension pays out? Luckily, you have the option of moving into a SIPP (Self Invested Pension Plan) or a QROPS (Qualifying Recognized Overseas Pension Scheme). If you don't intend to return to the UK, the QROPS is often the better option, whilst if you ever want to return to the UK it is more prudent to invest in a SIPP. They both provide protection against income tax and capital gains tax whilst a QROPS also protects against inheritance tax (currently 40%). It is important to choose a scheme which is approved by HMRC (Inland Revenue) and ideally based in Guernsey or the Isle of Man (which both offer 90% protection for your pension, should the insurance company you use goes bust).

Of course, not all pensions should be transferred offshore. Some final salary schemes provide a high level of benefits which makes it not worth moving. The best thing to do is to get your local qualified financial advisor to take a look at your pension.

Richard D. Malpass

Credenda Associates

Contact Richard / Visit Credenda website




Comments

No comments yet

Post your comment

Comments are moderated and will not appear instantly.

Featured Jobs

NES Grade 4 Math and Science Teacher

฿40,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Early Years Teacher

฿60,000+ / month

Bangkok


Primary Science Teachers for MEP Program

฿33,000+ / month

Maha Sarakham


Part-time NES Summer Camp Teachers

฿450+ / hour

Bangkok


Summer Camp Teachers

฿700+ / hour

Chiang Mai


NES Primary English Teacher

฿45,000+ / month

Bangkok


Featured Teachers

  • Catherine


    Filipino, 30 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Bryan


    Australian, 40 years old. Currently living in Vietnam

  • Kendrick


    Filipino, 39 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Jehoshaphat


    Filipino, 24 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Cherry


    Filipino, 23 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Nyan


    Myanmarese, 26 years old. Currently living in Thailand

The Hot Spot


The Region Guides

The Region Guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

Many schools ask for demo lessons before they hire. What should you the teacher be aware of?


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

If you like visiting ajarn.com and reading the content, why not get involved yourself and keep us up to date?


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.


Need Thailand insurance?

Need Thailand insurance?

Have a question about health or travel insurance in Thailand? Ricky Batten from Pacific Prime is Ajarn's resident expert.


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


Teacher mistakes

Teacher mistakes

What are the most common mistakes that teachers make when they are about to embark on a teaching career in Thailand? We've got them all covered.