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R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
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The FCA reported that several complainants condemned its management of the scandal, claiming the authority had persistently lagged behind in addressing the fallout for scheme members. Almost 8,000 people in the ‘gold‑plated’ British Steel Pension Scheme were urged to shift their savings — £2.8bn ( US$3.5bn) — out of the secure fund and into high‑risk investments between 2016 and 2018. The FCA estimates 46% of the advice given to steelworkers was inadequate, and has instructed the businesses involved to pay millions in compensation to former clients, many of whom lost their savings after moving into poorly designed plans. Complainants said it was consistently behind the curve......
On 19 April 2024, the PPF backed government plans set out by ministers, arguing they would spur ‘productive investment’ across the economy. The Department for Work and Pensions is proposing a fresh remit for the PPF, effectively sweeping up smaller, well-funded pension schemes that cannot secure an insurance buyout of their liabilities with a private provider. However, specialists have criticised the plan, warning that creating a new state consolidator might disrupt the commercial bulk annuity market, interfere with existing transactions, and expose taxpayers to risks in the process......
Lane Clark & Peacock LLP ( LCP) On 17 April 2024, Lane Clark & Peacock LLP ( LCP) reported that polling carried out among scheme trustees, lawyers and pension managers indicates considerable work remains before readiness is achieved, with numerous schemes due to go live by April 2025. At an LCP webinar held on 15 April 2024, only 39% of participants said they had put a dashboard project plan in place, according to the consultancy. A further 42% said they had not done so, and 19% were unsure......
Lane Clark & Peacock LLP ( LCP) warned that the proposals would heap significant costs on both employers and pension providers, while forcing staff to grapple with hard choices about their retirement savings. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP) outlined plans in November 2023 for regulations that would let employees choose to keep contributing to a single pot instead of opening a new benefits arrangement when they move to a new job. The changes have been labelled in different ways, including the so-called lifetime provider model, or a 'pot for life' concept......
The Association of British Insurers ( ABI) cautioned that the Department of Work and Pensions’ plan to reshape the PPF into a public sector consolidator could bring needless meddling into a market that already works effectively for trustees of every size. Yvonne Braun, the ABI’s director of long-term savings, said that although a public consolidator is meant to take on only pension schemes that are not commercially sustainable, this accounts for just a small minority of schemes. She added that underfunded schemes lacking a strong employer covenant should be the core focus for any public sector consolidator, helping to ensure the broader market is not weakened......
On 3 April 2024, TPO informed Parliament’s Work and Pensions Committee—via a letter subsequently published on 17 April 2024—that it has finalised 164 scam-related cases since March 2021. MPs are assessing what insights can be taken from the Norton pension scams. ‘ Protecting members from scams, holding offenders to account, and pursuing redress for members is of significant importance, and our distinctive powers as an ombudsman mean we are well placed to secure justice for victims,’ wrote Dominic Harris of TPO to the committee. Stuart Garner, the former proprietor of Norton Motorcycles, received a suspended custodial sentence in March 2022 for illegally......
Largely, these changes extend the so‑called productive finance push the chancellor has backed since summer 2023, alongside efforts to lift outcomes for defined contribution ( DC) pension savers through the value for money ( VFM) framework and the lifetime provider model. The strands are closely connected, and the legal and operational issues for pensions professionals run across all three. Although further specifics are awaited, it is already evident that trustees and providers will have to fundamentally rework their investment approach and the way they prove they are securing good outcomes for pension savers. Productive finance In recent years, successive chancellors have proposed ways to spur pension schemes to back investment in Britain, yet such blueprints have typically lacked substance. The current chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, appears to have embraced the agenda in full. In summer 2023 he set out proposals to accelerate...
Original news Ms E ( CAS-50008- T7M8)—17 December 2023 Summary The Pensions Ombudsman ( PO) upheld a complaint requiring a pension scheme to provide redress after it wrongly advised a member that his partner would receive a survivor’s pension. Relying on that incorrect assurance, the member decided not to marry his partner. The PO found that, had he been accurately informed that survivor’s pensions are not available to unmarried partners, he would have chosen to marry so that she qualified for a survivor’s pension. In upholding the complaint, the PO concluded that the scheme should grant redress for the misleading statement. The determination illustrates that, in some situations, false statements can give rise to legal redress. What were the facts? Ms E’s partner ( Mr N) was a pensioner member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (the Scheme). Terminally ill, and shortly before his death, Mr N asked the...
FSCS reported that men accounted for four in every five complaints it handled. Of the 43,000 individuals who lodged claims for losses, 95% were aged between 45 and 75. ' The impact on people's pensions evident within our claims is very significant and has severe consequences for thousands of people every year,' said Martyn Beauchamp, interim chief executive at FSCS......
Original news Mr H ( CAS-83901- H1T3)—23 October 2023 Summary The Deputy PPFO has dismissed a complaint alleging the PPF’s reconsideration committee erred by declining to apply increases to pensions earned before 1997. Statutory PPF compensation parameters, as prescribed, are unequivocal and make no allowance for such uprating. The complaint did not fall within the Equality Act 2010 ( Eq A 2010) because any purported discrimination arose under the Pensions Act 2004 ( PA 2004). Moreover, no cause of action existed under retained EU law, given that the complaint was brought after the conclusion of the EU withdrawal transition period. Consequently, the challenge failed and the refusal to apply pre-1997 increases stood as decided under the legislation......
Original news Mr Y ( CAS-94719- B9L5)—1 November 2023 Summary The PO dismissed a challenge regarding the distribution of a portion of a scheme surplus to the employer when the fund was wound up. The trustees followed the scheme provisions correctly, weighed pertinent considerations and did not arrive at an irrational outcome or act perversely. The PO’s decision underlines that dislodging a trustee’s discretionary judgement requires meeting a very stringent threshold. What were the facts? Mr Y was a member of the CCHT Pension Fund (the Scheme). Under the Scheme rules, trustees held discretion on a winding-up to use some or all of any surplus to enhance members’ benefits, with any remaining balance to be returned to the employers......
According to the FCA, there were 18,073 transfers between April 2022 and March 2023, a fall from 26,619 in the prior financial year. The regulator recorded 30,596 the year before that. Brian Nimmo, head of redress solutions at actuarial consultancy OAC, said the FCA’s figures reflect an ongoing decline in defined benefit to DC transfers. He noted that shrinking transfer values have likely sped up this shift, as pension savers increasingly recognise the risk of giving up the value of the guarantees within a DB pension when moving into......
In this issue The Pensions Regulator Disclosure requirements Transfers Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers The Pensions Regulator TPR spurs trustees on climate transition In its climate disclosure review dated 11 April 2024, TPR noted that pension arrangements are edging nearer to net-zero alignment across portfolios, having refreshed investment approaches and increased exposure to low-carbon vehicles. It also observed that updating strategies and tilting capital towards cleaner assets had moved many schemes along the transition path. The paper encouraged trustees to look to formal guidance on shifting portfolios towards net-zero benchmarks. Trustees were urged to weigh the emerging guidance when charting credible pathways to net-zero portfolio standards. TPR added that, although adopting the government’s Transition Plan Taskforce guidance is not yet mandated, it would help with managing climate risks. HM Treasury established the Taskforce at COP26 in...
According to the FCA's figures, 41,500 individuals accessed their pensions for lump-sum withdrawals in the last financial year, up 14.6% from 36,200 a year earlier, the watchdog said. At the same time, the FCA noted a 13.6% slide in annuity sales, falling to 59,100 over the last financial year from 68,500 the year before, according to the regulator. The regulator also reported that transfers from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes decreased, dropping to 18,073 in the financial year ending March 2023 from 26,619 in the preceding year......
On 12 April 2024, LCP proposed that the PPF, presently a backstop, might take on a bigger function for pension schemes nearing the final stages of their funding paths, under government proposals permitting the PPF to take on schemes that are solvent yet unable to pass liabilities to insurers. LCP argued that the PPF’s capabilities ought to be harnessed to better and more effectively meet the requirements of schemes at both the large and small ends of the spectrum, as well as those with stronger finances, LCP said. Jonathan Camfield, a partner at LCP, noted that these are buoyant times for the DB arena and that the Pension Protection Fund could be pivotal in capitalising on the many current opportunities......
The Society of Pension Professionals ( SPP) stated on 11 April 2024 that parts of the Pensions Regulator’s ( TPR) proposed statement of strategy rules risk being ‘unduly onerous’. In March 2024, TPR set out measures requiring trustees to explain, in additional documentation, how they intend to handle a scheme’s long‑term obligations via their investment approach, with the ultimate aim of achieving a position where the scheme depends only marginally on its sponsoring employer. However, commentators have subsequently cautioned about the practical challenges and expenses involved in implementation processes......
TPR reported that trustees are pushing investment managers to obtain data on the emissions generated by varying asset types, enabling more effective management of climate threats. More than 60% of scheme reports included a net-zero ambition, aiming for 2050 or an earlier date. According to Mark Hill, who leads on climate and sustainability at TPR, these climate-related disclosures ought to be 'the product of good risk management'. He added: ' That's why we want schemes to know what 'good' looks like and improve their management of climate-related risks and opportunities'. Hill also urged schemes not yet required to disclose to act now without delay, using this report to help them in their strategic decision-making......
OAC, a subsidiary of the Broadstone Group, reported via its quarterly redress tracker that, as of early April, a typical complainant might be set to receive only £12,000 in compensation, compared with more than £150,000 two years earlier. The firm explained that overall levels of redress have fallen sharply and materially owing to recent rises in annuity rates. As a result, pension transfer customers may now expect a higher level of income from their new pots, OAC noted. That, the company said, would minimise the financial shortfall faced by individuals pursuing compensation......
Transition TPR indicated that, although complying with the government’s Transition Plan Taskforce guidance is not currently a legal obligation, taking it on board would help schemes to manage climate-related risks. This statement came after the taskforce’s publication, on 9 April 2024, of transition plan materials offering sector-specific direction for progressing towards net-zero carbon emissions. The taskforce was established by HM Treasury during the COP26 meeting of nations in Glasgow in November 2021. The government’s ambition remains for the UK economy as a whole to transition to net-zero by 2050, setting a clear pathway for organisations to align their plans with national climate objectives......
In this issue: The Pensions Regulator The lifetime allowance Members and benefits Funding, surplus and investment Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers The Pensions Regulator TPR review shows how pension trustees are addressing climate risks and opportunities A fresh review of climate-related reporting by the Pensions Regulator ( TPR) confirms trustees are taking action to manage climate risks and harness opportunities. The review highlighted strong strategic choices, noting that over 60% of reports in TPR’s sample included a net zero objective dated 2050 or earlier. It recorded numerous examples of effective strategic decision-making across schemes. In addition to tailored feedback for trustees and preparers of climate disclosures, TPR set out observations on effective practice and areas for improvement, presented by each key reporting section. Collectively, the findings signpost where schemes can strengthen both...
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
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