Government Views

Government money intended to increase support for the nation's carers could be better optimised, new research shows. According to The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, 80 per cent of government money intended for carers is not being received. Instead, many of the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are ... read more

Pensioners could be turning to equity release to supplement their incomes, after missing pension contributions in their working lives.The government-backed Pensions Advisory Service believes that many employees, particularly women, are missing out due to the fact that they work part-time, the BBC reported.According to current pension rules, everyone who earns ... read more

People employed in the Civil Service will not longer be expected to step down when they turn 65 as new legislation is due to come into effect next year.The government has announced that it intends to remove the upper limit on the working age in the Civil Service by April ... read more

A consultation on the auto-enrolment reforms in the pensions sector has been launched by the government. Employers will now get the opportunity to voice their opinions on the second batch of regulations. Angela Eagle, minister of pensions and the ageing society, said that the new reforms will "ensure ... read more

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has launched a new tool for companies to demonstrate the value of their defined contribution pension scheme. Named the Pension Quality Mark, it is supposed to help employees improve their understanding of pensions and encourage them to join schemes. Kellogg's and Marks & ... read more

The government scheme to help vulnerable people fight fuel poverty has helped two million people since its inception. According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Warm Front programme has spent £2.2 billion on helping people including the over-60s tackle the problem. Energy and climate change minister David ... read more

A guide has been launched by the Pensions Regulator and the Financial Services Authority to help employers talk to staff about pensions. The leaflet is aimed at helping to answer questions about pensions that people approaching retirement may have. It is hoped that the new information will reinvigorate confidence in ... read more

An independent policy adviser has hit out at the fact that bankers' pensions are entitled to 100 per cent taxpayer protection.Dr Ros Altmann claimed that the government has not provided justification for the unequal treatment and that it raises concerns about fairness and social justice.She highlighted that bank workers will ... read more

A financial education commissioner could be appointed by the government in a bid to boost general awareness of money matters, it has been revealed. With a significant proportion of Britons currently lacking a full awareness of issues such as tax, pensions and equity release schemes, a new report has concluded ... read more

The number of pensioners in poverty is unacceptable, a Work and Pensions Committee has suggested. Around two million pensioners are thought to be living in poverty, which is actually a decline on 2007's figures but still a significant number. Terry Rooney MP, chairman of the committee, said that "there is ... read more