The IDS Pensions Bulletin is published ten times a year and is one of the three elements that make up the IDS Pensions Service. Recent feature articles in the Bulletin include:

• Average pensions reach £5,472 pa – Analysis of the most recently available annual reports and accounts published by the trustees of occupational pension schemes shows that the average pension-in-payment has risen to £5,472 pa and the total spending on pensions by these schemes rose by 4.4 per cent. The findings are based on the data provided by 204 schemes with a combined pensioner membership of 2.4 million … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 216

• Defined benefit schemes have mixed investment returns – In out latest look at the investment returns among defined benefit schemes IDS found that among a sample of 72 DB schemes with investment year ends on 31 March 2007 a total of 38 schemes achieved an investment return over the previous 12 months that was lower than their stated benchmark … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 215

• United Biscuits moves to CARE Scheme – In December 2007 United Biscuits (UB) decided to close its final salary scheme to future accrual and put in place a new CARE scheme for the active members of the now closed final salary scheme. We look at the new scheme and at how the company consulted with the affected members … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 214

• Looking at DC contributions and funding levels – An analysis of the contributions being paid into 57 trust-based DC occupational pension schemes shows that the annual average contribution paid in respect of an active member was £2,633. The average fund built up by an active or deferred member in 55 of these schemes was £9,915 … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 213

• Employer contributions fall from previous all-time peak – Office of National Statistics figures show that in the year ending 31 March 2006 total employer contributions to self-administered occupational pension schemes increased year-on-year by a hefty 34.4 per cent. The comparable figure as at 31 March 2007 is a year-on-year decrease of 10.5 per cent … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 212

• Focusing on defined contributions – As it becomes the norm for employers only to offer membership of defined contribution pension arrangements to new employees, a recent survey from Mercer comments that employer contributions to DC schemes, at 6.8 per cent of pay, remain too low to support employees in retirement … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 211

• ONS survey shows schemes in decline – In October 2007 the Office of National Statistics published the 2006 edition of its Occupational Pension Schemes Annual Report. This survey shows that there is a growing difference between the pension contributions being paid to DB and DC schemes. Also, as more DB schemes in the private sector close to new members, there has been a decline in private sector scheme membership in general, although the number of active members in public sector schemes has increased … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 210

• Engineering firms continue to move away from defined benefits – The eighth survey of Pay and conditions in engineering conducted by IDS shows that the trend away from final salary schemes has persisted this year. As employers continue to seek ways of minimising risk while still providing a pension for staff, the popularity of defined contribution products has continued to grow … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 209

• Average pensions-in-payment have risen by four per cent – The eleventh IDS Pensions Service survey of the average pension paid by occupational pension schemes shows that the latest mean annual payment made by 236 schemes was £5,251, compared to £5,051 paid by the same schemes in the previous scheme year … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 208

• The Pension Regulator sets out its future strategy – The Pensions Regulator has published its corporate plan for the period 2007-2010. In this article we report details of the challenges to which the Regulator will have to respond together with its operational workload estimates for the next 12 months … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 207

• Dealing with pension scheme deficits – In recent years there has been a great deal of pressure on employers to find ways of reducing pension scheme deficits, particularly with the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund's risk-based levy and the Pensions Regulator's scheme funding requirements. But what options are available to employers wanting to reduce scheme deficits? … more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 206

• Investment returns show DB schemes beating their benckmarks – The IDS Pensions Service has found that among 85 defined benefit schemes with investment year ends on 31 March 2006 the overall return achieved over the year ranged from 29.4 per cent to 14.4 per cent, while Mellon Analytical Solutions reports that median scheme at that date returned 23.1 per cent. Among the 82 schemes with a bespoke benchmark, 60 schemes either beat or equalled that benchmark ... more in IDS Pensions Bulletin 205