<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Pensions Barrister]]></title><description><![CDATA[An up-to-date pensions legal resource for use by PSLs, solicitors and knowledge management professionals in the pensions industry.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:07:50 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[John Quarrell (1948-2026)]]></title><description><![CDATA[We are very sorry to report the death of John Quarrell, aged 77, one of the most distinguished and influential pensions solicitors of his generation. JQ (as he was widely known) joined Nabarro in the 1970s and went on to lead its pensions practice for 26 years, becoming one of the best-known names in the pensions industry. He was one of the founders of the APL and a former Chairman, as well as playing prominent roles in the wider pensions community through the NAPF and the PMI. He was also a...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/john-quarrell-1948-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a82e34a0d24f7afd0f51e6f</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:37:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pensions Barrister is on holiday!]]></title><description><![CDATA[We are now taking a break until the Autumn, when we will be back with more content. In the meantime, we will of course continue to publish news items if relevant, because pensions news never sleeps and it certainly doesn't sunbathe.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/pensions-barrister-is-on-holiday-1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6a1ebb5329f38dcec6c937</guid><category><![CDATA[Chat]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 04:45:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_7eec19e8c9184774b4d450d692eee0ca~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Northumbrian Water: Court rules on conditional increases]]></title><description><![CDATA[The High Court has today handed down judgment in Northumbrian Water Ltd v Northumbrian Water Pension Trustees Ltd [2026] EWHC 1952 (Ch). The case concerned rules guaranteeing annual pension increases in line with RPI up to 5%, with any excess payable where the trustee considered, after consulting the scheme actuary, that this could be done without increasing the employer’s ordinary annual contributions. The disputed excess increases affected some 2,000 members and had an estimated value of...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/northumbrian-water-court-rules-on-conditional-increases</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7089ad97fde8a3b3e8fa51</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:31:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investment mandation and members’ "best interests"]]></title><description><![CDATA[Zara Yusuf of Three Stone considers the Pension Schemes Act 2026’s investment mandation power and asks what the Stena Line case can tell us about its new “best interests” safeguard. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/investment-mandation-and-members-best-interests</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6a21efcd8d822ee179af14</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:45:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[High Court approves MIPP equalisation compromise]]></title><description><![CDATA[The High Court has approved a compromise of a long-running equalisation issue affecting the Motor Industry Pension Plan in Ross Trustees Services Ltd v Rowe [2026] EWHC 1901 (Ch).   The issue arose from uncertainty as to whether amendments made in 1992 had effectively equalised Normal Retirement Ages at 65. The compromise reflected a 66:34 assessment of the competing arguments and provides for an NRA of 60 for service from 17 May 1990 to 12 May 1992, 61.7 for service from 13 May 1992 to 5...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/high-court-approves-mipp-equalisation-compromise</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a65db50b59210289e90b313</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 04:45:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When is a pension not a pension?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC considers how new draft legislation would let DB schemes share surplus directly with members, and the difficult questions the new “authorised member surplus payment” leaves for trustees about scheme powers, vested rights and how the award should work in practice. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/when-is-a-pension-not-a-pension</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6085e35240f49d5ffea2c4</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Local investment and fiduciary duty: where the new line is drawn]]></title><description><![CDATA[In the second of two articles on the recent LGPS governance guidance, Paul Newman KC looks at one of its more controversial aspects: the use of LGPS assets to pursue local investment objectives. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/local-investment-and-fiduciary-duty-where-the-new-line-is-drawn</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a564078870c7bdb8f431c21</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:45:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Fiduciary duties on LGPS pooling: Responsibility without control?]]></title><description><![CDATA[In the first of two articles on the recent LGPS governance guidance, Paul Newman KC considers the new division between strategic responsibility and practical implementation under the new asset pooling arrangements. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/fiduciary-duties-on-lgps-pooling-responsibility-without-control</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4e36f8d173dba82bbb3254</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:45:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Explanatory guides as rectification evidence]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC considers a very recent High Court decision on a rectification application in which particular reliance was placed on the explanatory guides prepared for the trustees and employer on the adoption of a new deed and rules. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/explanatory-guides-as-rectification-evidence</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a43aa352481452f72d975b5</guid><category><![CDATA[On The Case]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:45:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da1461a6c9de4ad28118fddf69b1e630~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LGPS Guidance published]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Government has published its long-awaited package of statutory guidance for the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales, accompanying the investment and governance reforms in the Pension Schemes Act 2026. The guidance covers three linked areas: asset pooling, preparing and maintaining Investment Strategy Statements, and fund governance.   The guidance is likely to become a central reference point for administering authorities, LGPS pools and advisers as the new regime beds...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/lgps-guidance-published</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a43d0a03c06bdad54297b8b</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:20:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The wrong route? FAAs and commercial DB consolidation]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC asks whether the use of flexible apportionment arrangements for commercial DB consolidation risks using the wrong statutory path for such a transaction. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/the-wrong-route-faas-and-commercial-db-consolidation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3b9953a6b1dcc288e21aed</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[New surplus power: False comfort?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC considers whether the proposed repeal of the DB surplus “members’ interests” test instead gives rise to a harder fiduciary question: why, as trustees, is it proper to pay scheme assets to the employer? To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/new-surplus-power-false-comfort</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a311d43a3833966018b32d3</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Public Trustee for pension schemes?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC looks at a recent DWP consultation which has revived an old question: does pensions law need a public trustee of last resort for orphan or troubled schemes? To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/a-public-trustee-for-pension-schemes</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a27e04257d70dac979687e4</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da0b5c1b936545d587bbdff829a34714~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Time limits, discretions and the Ombudsman]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC looks at a recent NHS Pension Scheme determination which shows why a deadline may not be the end of the matter where the scheme contains a discretion to extend time. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/time-limits-discretions-and-the-ombudsman</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a1f0298ae0d73d1087e4f79</guid><category><![CDATA[On The Case]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da1461a6c9de4ad28118fddf69b1e630~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is a pension liability worth?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Paul Newman KC looks at a recent High Court insolvency case which sheds light on the important issue of how to value pension scheme liabilities in professional negligence disputes. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/what-is-a-pension-liability-worth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a16e951d715e4cc2ae42451</guid><category><![CDATA[On The Case]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 04:45:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da1461a6c9de4ad28118fddf69b1e630~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[FRC issues final guidance for Virgin Media confirmations]]></title><description><![CDATA[Following the passing of the Pension Schemes Act 2026, the Financial Reporting Council has today published its finalised guidance for scheme actuaries when asked to provide retrospective confirmation to validate historic amendments invalidated by the Virgin Media decision. The substance of the guidance is unchanged from the version issued in January: the final version introduces minor amendments to the wording and references to ensure clarity and alignment with the enacted legislation.   The...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/frc-issues-final-guidance-for-virgin-media-confirmations</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a106d1c91f0686a20276713</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:51:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[New LGPS governance and pooling regs]]></title><description><![CDATA[Two significant LGPS statutory instruments were laid before Parliament yesterday.   The Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (Governance) Regulations 2026 introduce a new governance framework for administering authorities, including mandatory governance, training and conflicts documents, a senior LGPS officer, an independent person, knowledge and understanding requirements, administration strategies and independent governance reviews aligned with valuation cycles.   The Local...]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/new-lgps-governance-and-pooling-regs</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a103b3a0ac12a65423a7d31</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 11:20:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_84a2af5fb8db4f629ef4d56340550059~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A rose by any other name …]]></title><description><![CDATA[Naomi Kilcoyne of Wilberforce Chambers looks at a recent decision by the Pensions Ombudsman on whether a pension scheme provision which appeared on its face to be a forfeiture clause in fact operated to deprive the member of the benefit. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/a-rose-by-any-other-name</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0db0e98e0cce8d79c86a61</guid><category><![CDATA[On The Case]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 04:45:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_da1461a6c9de4ad28118fddf69b1e630~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Interesting issues in indemnity insurance – Part 2]]></title><description><![CDATA[In the second of his alliteratively titled articles on trustee indemnity insurance, Paul Newman KC considers the circumstances in which pension trustees can use scheme assets to purchase run-off insurance cover during the winding-up of the scheme. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/interesting-issues-in-indemnity-insurance-part-2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0358cff6126ac2c9ceb142</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 04:45:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_32b6f60807564a63ace6aa6af11d8648~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Interesting issues in indemnity insurance]]></title><description><![CDATA[In the first of two articles on trustee indemnity insurance, Paul Newman KC asks whether trustees can be required to disclose in proceedings whether they have indemnity insurance in place. To read the article, click on the pdf below.]]></description><link>https://www.pensionsbarrister.com/post/interesting-issues-in-indemnity-insurance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f9d9a07c961ad0b9fd7c92</guid><category><![CDATA[In Focus]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 04:45:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ec8280_32b6f60807564a63ace6aa6af11d8648~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Paul Newman KC</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>