Helping Members run their schemes, July 2023 update

One of my reasons for writing this month is to make sure you have seen the PLSA’s latest resource for our members - Supporting Savers in financially difficult times - a resource for schemes.

I know from my conversations with our members (including at our Investment and Local Authority Conferences in recent weeks), that many of you are fielding questions about the pressures on household budgets from inflation and rising mortgage costs. Scheme managers are looking to equip savers with reliable guidance and information – and this guide is full of ideas on how to do exactly that.

It will help you to help your members take good decisions about their pension contributions, savings and where to find practical support. There are signposts to mental health organisations, free and impartial information from PensionWise and MoneyHelper and information about welfare benefits and help with energy costs. Do please let me know if you have any comments – email me at [email protected].

My second reason for writing is to give you a ‘heads-up’ about the Chancellor’s Mansion House Speech next Wednesday 12 July, which looks set to include a slew of announcements and initiatives about ‘pensions and growth’ - all with the aim of increasing pension investment in the UK economy.

Our Policy team remains highly engaged with HM Treasury and other arms of the Government, ensuring Ministers and officials are well-briefed on how pensions investment works. We have also made sure they have our Pensions and growth policy paper, which identifies a dozen ways of making UK assets more appealing to pension funds.

You can expect plenty of comment and analysis from the team after next Wednesday. We’ll be pleased to hear your reactions as well, of course.

And finally, you now have the opportunity to access our recent Investment and Local Authority Conference content on-demand via the PLSA events app. To view the digital content, simply register here.