Members meaning

Legislation safeguards the pension entitlements of members of occupational pension schemes and other employment‑related benefit arrangements, including workplace personal pension schemes that receive employer contributions, while they are away from work on statutory family leave. Statutory family leave encompasses: maternity leave paternity leave adoption leave parental leave shared parental leave parental bereavement leave carer’s leave Maternity leave Occupational pension schemes are taken to include a maternity equality rule requiring periods when a member is on maternity leave to be treated in the same manner as periods when they are not on maternity leave. This maternity equality rule applies to both paid and unpaid ordinary maternity leave (OML), as well as to paid additional maternity leave (AML). As a result, under this rule, time spent on OML and paid AML in a defined benefit (DB) scheme is recognised as pensionable service...

STOP PRESS The Loan Market Association (LMA) has released refreshed editions of the standard terms and conditions for Par and Distressed Trade Transactions, the complete set of Funded Participation and Risk Participation Agreements, and the Secondary Debt Trading Documentation User Guide, with effect from 17 March 2026. The changes remove LIBOR references, update IBOR rate definitions and the Target2 definition, and revise ERISA representations to incorporate additional exemptions to the prohibited transaction rules under ERISA and the US Internal Revenue Code. The revised documentation is available exclusively to LMA members, accessible via the LMA’s Documentation Hub. These publications are updated versions issued by the LMA. Summary A core principle of trading under the LMA protocol is that ‘Trade is a Trade’; i.e. once a trade is struck—including an oral contract agreed by telephone—it is binding, and subsequent developments, even if adverse to one or both parties, do not entitle either party to cancel or ‘break’ the trade. By way of example, a failure to secure consent for...

Special resolutions The Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) identifies particular business that must be approved by the company’s members (or any class of them) by special resolution, meaning a majority of not less than 75%, or by holders of at least 75% of the shares, or of a class of shares. Where a written resolution is intended to be a special resolution, it will only take effect as such if it expressly states that it is proposed as a special resolution. See Practice Notes: Member resolutions and Written resolutions for further information on shareholder resolutions and written resolutions. This threshold applies whether considering all members or a single class...

Complaints handling flowchart This complaints handling flowchart is designed to align with Precedent: Internal complaints handling procedure—law firms. Issue it to team members or attach it to your internal complaints handling procedure, offering a concise overview of your complaints process and the relevant timescales involved...

Checklist Many family-run enterprises often begin with a largely informal governance arrangement; relatives share a tacit grasp of duties and relationships, and decisions are taken swiftly at the kitchen table. By their nature these businesses are flexible and informal, with priorities typically guided by doing what is best for the family in line with the family’s values, rather than being driven solely by owners’ profit. However, as the business develops and more family members and other employees come on board, managing operations in this ad hoc way becomes progressively harder, as what was once straightforward to coordinate across a small group becomes complex to control as headcount and responsibilities increase. The pros and cons of formalising the family business are addressed in Practice Note: Family businesses. This checklist sets out questions an adviser can put to the family (or that the family can consider themselves) to help design an effective structure for the family business. The same questions will also help identify the matters to be covered in any...

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Mergers The Commission approved KKR & Co. Inc’s takeover of sole control of Encavis AG (M.11542) after a phase I review—see further details in Midday Express. The Commission has received notification of Blackstone/Winthrop Technologies (M.11548) under the normal merger procedure. NOTE—For current merger inquiries before the Commission, consult the EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. State aid Commission launches consultation on new procedure for access to justice in State-aid related environmental matters The Commission has opened a consultation on a proposed procedure designed to enable public access to justice for certain Commission decisions on State aid measures, for challenges based on alleged breaches of EU environmental law. More specifically, under the proposal, eligible members of the public—ie environmental non-governmental organisations—would be able to request an internal review by the Commission of a State aid decision for purported violations of EU environmental law. Those eligible applicants would have a right of redress before the EU Courts...

HMRC figures released on 31 July 2024 reveal that 2.6 million individuals have to date taken a flexible pension payment, with 43% aged under 60 and 28% aged 64 or below. Just Group reported that nearly two-thirds of the £83bn drawn via flexible payments since pension freedom rules were introduced in 2015 has been taken by those under 65. Stephen Lowe, group communications director at the retirement savings firm, warned that savers should handle withdrawals carefully and with caution...

What is the background to the call for evidence? Following Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt’s Mansion House address the night before, the DWP launched the call for evidence. Issued in tandem with several other DWP publications, these materials covered a broad spread of topics affecting UK pension schemes. Their shared aim was to boost investment in UK productive finance whilst shielding members’ benefits and giving precedence to a resilient, diversified gilt market. The Chancellor characterised the proposals across the various papers as the ‘Mansion House reforms’. The DWP placed the Response alongside further papers pertinent to DB pension schemes, including: the Autumn Statement 2023, which confirms that the Government will reduce the authorised surplus payments charge, currently payable on a return of surplus to a scheme employer, from 35% to 25% from 6 April 2024; and Call for evidence outcome: Pension trustee skills, capability and culture What was the outcome? ...

Family business culture Given the relatively high expense of sourcing and appointing senior staff, holding on to the right people with the right expertise is vital for any firm, and even more so for a family-run enterprise where hiring can be tougher than for rivals. Working in a family company brings upsides; research points to greater loyalty, satisfaction, flexibility and security. Yet drawbacks can appear, such as ambiguity, perceived unfairness, muddled accountability and family politics. The task is to bring in senior leaders who align with the culture and to ensure they are incentivised to remain and help grow the business. Therefore, a family business must shape recruitment and induction so they reflect its distinctive culture and complexity. Not every senior executive will thrive in a family setting, and cultural alignment may, in the end, matter as much as formal credentials. This must be weighed against the need to attract high-calibre people and keep them engaged for the long haul. Practical measures available to family firms include supporting new...

The Pensions Regulator (the Regulator) The Regulator is an arm’s-length public body set up under the Pensions Act 2004 (PeA 2004). Its authority to impose contribution notices and financial support directions appears in PeA 2004, ss 38–50. Although the Act does not use the label, these provisions are widely known as the Regulator’s ‘moral hazard’ powers. Their purpose is to counter the ‘moral hazard’ arising from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF): the possibility that corporate groups might organise their structures so as to heighten exposure within their pension schemes, comfortable that the PPF would intervene if the employer entered insolvency. The principal moral hazard tools—and the only ones exercised so far—are the power to issue a contribution notice (CN) and the power to issue a financial support direction (FSD). A CN compels the recipient to pay a specified amount into a defined benefit occupational pension scheme. A CN can be issued where the criteria in PeA 2004, s 38 are satisfied. These mechanisms exist to deter behaviour that would...

This tracker captures legislation taking effect in 2026, arranged in chronological order. Updates are published on a month-by-month basis throughout the year, and links to relevant news reports are included where appropriate. For legislation commencing later in 2026, see Practice Note: Legislation tracker—Employment. For measures in force prior to 2026, refer to these Practice Notes: Archived—2025 Legislation tracker—Employment Archived—2024 Legislation tracker—Employment Archived—2023 Legislation tracker—Employment Archived—2022 Employment horizon scanner—dates for your diary Legislation in force—January 2026 Commencement date (unless otherwise indicated) Legislative change 6 January 2026 Exclusivity clauses—protections for low-income and zero hours workers Section 8 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) widens the current protections to apply to all zero hours arrangements, whether contractual or not, and covers any restriction on taking work elsewhere. Any such term is void and unenforceable...

This deed is dated the [ INSERT DAY ] of [ INSERT MONTH AND YEAR ]. Parties The persons whose particulars are set out in the Schedule (the Indemnifiers); and [ Insert names of the Joint Liquidators ] of [ insert name and address of the Joint Liquidators’ firm ] (the Joint Liquidators) BACKGROUND [ Insert name of the company ] (the Company) was incorporated in England and Wales under company number [ insert number ]. [ Insert names of the joint liquidators ] are to be appointed as Joint Liquidators of the Company (the Appointment) by the members via written resolution. In consideration of the Joint Liquidators accepting the Appointment, the Indemnifiers agree to indemnify the Joint Liquidators, together with the members and employees of the Joint Liquidators’ firm, in the manner set out herein...

1 Introduction At [ insert the exact time ], I declare open the meeting of Creditors/Members of [ insert name of the company ] [ with [ insert type of claim ] claims, and the meeting of Creditors/Members of [ insert name of the company ] with [ insert type of claim ] Claims ]. I am [ insert name ], of [ insert firm or company name ], acting as [ insert details of who the chairperson is eg adviser etc ]. The Meeting [ s ] taking place today [ has OR have ] been convened by the Company pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Justice of England & Wales made on [ insert date ]. The purpose of the Meeting [ s ] is to review and, if considered appropriate, approve the Restructuring Plan(s) under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006 that the Company proposes to enter into with [ certain of ] its creditors/members. Pursuant to the...

registration number OC : [ insert registration number ] [ insert name ] LLP Minutes of a meeting of the members (the Meeting) of [ insert name ] LLP (the LLP ) Convened at: [ insert place of meeting ] Date and time: [ insert day, month and year of meeting ] at [ insert time of meeting ] [ am or pm ] Present [ insert name of member to be the chair ] (Chair) [ insert names of members who are physically present ] [ insert names of any members present by telephone as permitted by the limited liability partnership agreement ] (by telephone) [ insert names of any members present by other means ]...

In partnership with Alexander Stewart of Hogarth Chambers If a limited liability partnership (LLP) becomes insolvent, the preferred view is that members’ entitlements to amounts due under their capital and current accounts are subordinated to the claims of external unsecured creditors. That said, it can be contended that members’ claims for advances or loans made to the LLP—despite being entered in their current accounts—stand on the same footing as those of external unsecured creditors. LLPs are established by the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 (LLPA 2000). In several respects, including insolvency, LLPs are akin to limited companies rather than partnerships; see: Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and insolvency—overview. Where an LLP is insolvent, it is terminated by voluntary or compulsory winding-up. The winding-up regime under the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986) operates alongside LLPA 2000, s 14 and the Limited Liability Partnerships Regulations 2001 (LLPR 2001), SI 2001/1090, reg 5 and LLPR 2001, SI 2001/1090, Sch 3 (as amended)...

As a broad principle, obligation to observe or give due consideration to the Service Charge Statement rests solely with RICS members and firms regulated by RICS. Where neither the client nor its surveyors hold RICS regulation, they are under no duty to adhere to its requirements. As a practical reminder, solicitors who are not part of RICS do not have to comply with the Service Charge Statement; however, they ought to recognise that their RICS-registered clients, and/or any RICS-registered colleagues within their organisations, might still be required to comply with the Service Charge Statement...

The Finance Act 2004 (FA 2004) sets conditions for pensions and lump sums to be authorised payments. Under FA 2004, a member’s pension from a registered pension scheme must not begin before they reach the normal minimum pension age, unless the ill-health condition is met. In the same way, most lump sums are not payable before that age. The normal minimum pension age was 50 when FA 2004 took effect on 6 April 2006, rose to 55 from 6 April 2010, and will increase to 57 from 6 April 2028, excluding uniformed services pension schemes (army, navy, air force, police and firefighters). Transitional provisions preserve members’ subsisting rights to draw scheme benefits before age 55; this is referred to as a protection pension age. The Pensions Tax Manual confirms that, to hold a protected pension age, the member must have an unqualified right to receive benefits before the normal minimum pension age, i.e. not dependent on another person’s consent (PTM062210)...