In this episode of Pensions Unpacked, Georgie Frost is joined by Girish Menezes, President of the Pensions Management Institute, Fay Knight, Head of Service Operations at Brightwell, and Lottie Burdon, one of Brightwell’s pension administrators.

For pension scheme members, having questions answered accurately, empathetically and promptly is essential. Yet skilled pension administrators are in short supply, and demand for their expertise continues to grow.

At the same time, the recent Milburn report highlighted that around one million 16 to 24-year-olds are not in employment, education or training (NEET). Six in ten have never had a job, compared with four in ten in 2005. Many have valuable qualifications, with 15% holding a degree and almost 30% achieving good GCSE results.

So could the pensions industry do more to create meaningful career opportunities for young people? And how can employers challenge outdated perceptions of pensions as a career, showcase the variety of roles available, and build the workforce needed for the future?

Georgie and her guests explore the skills the industry is looking for, the opportunities it can offer, and what needs to change if pensions is to become a career by design not accident.

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In episode four of Pensions Unpacked series two, Georgie Frost is joined by Dave Eaton, Partner and Head of Financial Services Policy at H/Advisors, Tiffany Tsang, Head of DB, LGPS and Investment at Pensions UK, and Amy Mankelow, Head of Communications & External Relations at Brightwell, to explore what the new political landscape could mean for pension schemes, employers and savers.

Together, they discuss the political and economic priorities shaping the new administration, from economic growth, devolution and social care reform to the role pension funds play in supporting UK investment. The conversation also examines the ongoing regulatory roadmap and the perennial challenge of retirement adequacy.

The panel considers whether the country could be heading for yet another general election before the end of the year, what success for pensions policy would look like over the next 12 months, and the opportunities and risks that could shape retirement outcomes for years to come.  

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Automatic enrolment is widely seen as one of the great pension policy success stories of the last two decades. Millions more people are now saving for retirement each month. But getting people into the system is not the same as ensuring they will have enough to live on when they stop working.

Future generations will rely increasingly on defined contribution savings, yet concerns are growing that current contribution levels simply won’t deliver adequate outcomes. With lower earners, part-time workers, the self-employed and renters particularly exposed, attention is turning to how the system can be strengthened and what role the new Pensions Commission might play in closing the gap.

In the third episode of Pensions Unpacked series two, Georgie Frost is joined by Emma Douglas, Wealth Policy Director at Aviva, and Amy Mankelow, Head of Communications and External Relations at Brightwell.

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For years there was a clear decision for defined benefit pension schemes: buy out or run-on. Now for many, especially the largest schemes, run-on has become the dominant end game strategy.

New research from Brightwell and mallowstreet suggests that shift is now firmly embedded. Decisions are more settled and funding confidence is higher. The challenge now though, is how to build resilient portfolios, manage long-term risks and deal with the increasingly sensitive question of surplus.

In the second episode of Pensions Unpacked series two, Georgie Frost is joined by Ally Georgieva, Head of Insight, mallowstreet, Paul Kitson Partner and UK Head of Pensions Consulting at EY and Chris Threagold, Business Development Manager, Brightwell.

Read the full report here: DB Endgame Report :: Brightwell

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With the majority of defined benefit schemes now in surplus, it might be tempting to think the hard work is done. But Brightwell’s DB 2036 – Out of the Woods? report suggests the sector is entering a far more complex second act, one defined not by recovery, but by choice.

As schemes weigh up decisions that will shape outcomes for decades to come, the paths forward are diverging. While smaller schemes may still favour buy‑out or consolidation, larger, well‑funded schemes are increasingly exploring run‑on as a way to retain control and unlock long‑term value. But running on brings its own challenges - from governance and investment strategy to risk and member expectations.

In the first episode of Pensions Unpacked series two, Georgie is joined by Julie Aspinall, UK Pensions Director at Unilever, one of the senior figures interviewed for the report, alongside Alex Truscott, Business Development Manager at Brightwell, to unpack what this new phase really means for schemes.

Read the full report here: DB 2036 Report :: Brightwell

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When it comes to pensions, Australia appears light years ahead. Universal, compulsory, preserved to retirement, and big professional funds investing for decades. It's caught the attention of policymakers here in the UK. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is eyeing consolidation and better value, taking cues from Australia as well as Canada and the Netherlands. But you can't copy and paste a pension system. So what can the UK sensibly borrow? What should we believe, and what does it mean for members?

In the final episode of Pensions Unpacked series one, Georgie is joined by Gregg McClymont, executive director of Public Affairs at IFM investors, and Denise Le Gal, a Canadian who's worked in the UK pensions and financial services industry for nearly 40 years.

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In this episode of Pensions Unpacked, Georgie Frost is joined by Lord Alok Sharma KCMG PC to discuss the achievements of COP 26, the current direction of travel when it comes to global climate action and his hopes for COP 30.

As COP 30 in Belem approaches, the politics of climate and finance are shifting at home and abroad. The UK can point to sharp emissions cuts, even as momentum builds to roll back green rules. In the US, the policy direction is even less certain. Against that backdrop, what does transition finance look like in practice, and what is the role for long term pension capital?

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Pension administration is seen as the unglamorous side of the industry. Yet it's critical to how schemes run and how members experience their retirement. As expectations rise and risks multiply, the pressure to modernise has never been greater. So how do we move administration from back-office function to genuine driver of value?

In this edition of Pensions Unpacked, David Fairs, Chair, PASA, Helen Sparke, administration expert at Procentia, and Brightwell’s David Cheetham, join Georgie Frost to talk about the forces changing UK pension administration.

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Once the cornerstone of retirement, most DB schemes are now closed - yet they still hold over £1.4 trillion in assets and remain vital for millions of members and the wider economy.

And with new rules on surplus set to take effect from 2027, schemes and sponsors face fresh choices about whether to buy out or keep running on.

In this special live edition of Pensions Unpacked, Ian Mills, Head of DB Endgame Strategy at Barnett Waddingham, and Morten Nilsson, CEO at Brightwell, talk to Georgie Frost about the state of the UK’s defined benefit pensions.

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The government's recent plans for pension schemes to help support UK economic growth raise important questions about economic strategy, fiduciary duty, and the evolving role of pensions in supporting national interests.

Matt Cavanagh, Senior Counsel H/AdvisorsCicero and Amy Mankelow from Brightwell talk to Georgie Frost about whether these plans are genuine win-win, or a case of political overreach.

Find out more about Brightwell here.

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