tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733583.post5124093105712488327..comments2024-03-04T08:34:20.376+00:00Comments on John's Labour blog: "Pensions people can trust"John Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14269161145575667147noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733583.post-50531259221251771942012-08-07T08:15:43.423+01:002012-08-07T08:15:43.423+01:00Hi NewhamSue
Pity I missed that meeting. The &quo...Hi NewhamSue<br /><br />Pity I missed that meeting. The "self employed" (real or not) also get a rough deal from the pension industry. They need access to a low cost well run collective scheme that you find in other countries (such as Denmark and Australia). We've "talked" online about access to the LGPS before. I'm still keen on this but it is early days. <br /><br />Very interesting in the view about private investment funds investing in social housing. I've not come across the “regulators” argument before? Yes, of course such investments would be higher risk than some bonds but so will be the potential return? The risk should be less than equities? You would only put a very small percentage of the total fund in such investments. So what's the problem? <br /><br />Instead of being the regulators fault it is I'm afraid the case of lazy thinking by fund managers who would rather invest in office blocks and warehouses rather than social housing. Which is seen as being "just too difficult". Strange attitude from people who try and justify their often huge salaries on the basis that they are doing difficult and complex things.John Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14269161145575667147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733583.post-39891703119583040232012-08-06T22:39:03.842+01:002012-08-06T22:39:03.842+01:00Went to a great Young Fabians discussion on pensio...Went to a great Young Fabians discussion on pensions last week, where a very honest conversation between around 6 Fabians (some younger than others) with Labour MP, Gregg Mclymont; Huw Evans from the Association of British Insurers (amusingly somewhat nearer his pension than the somewhat fresh-faced pic on his association's website might suggest) and Fabian President, Andrew Harrop. <br />Great to be able to share my absolute lack of trust of the private sector - the high admin charges of my early private pensions and the irrelevance of a BBC contract/ Prudential private pension that requires people to be contracted for 6 months at a time to qualify for employer contributions at a time when typical TV freelance contracts (where they materialise) are generally 3/4 months tops (the typical length of a series production period).<br />Most depressing part was learning that Ken Livingstone's dream of funding social housing developments with pension funds probably wouldn't have been workable (with private pension funds at least) as regulators dub such schemes 'high risk'. Higher it would seem than investing in bonds etc (in their eyes).<br />Also depressing to see that home ownership stlil seen to be so key to personal old age provision at a time when lending so restricted, the future of housing market feels so uncertain and coalition are powering ahead with new wave of sell-offs without seemingly starting on any new programmes of construction.<br />The one thing everyone seemed agreed on was that we are all headed for very tough times.NewhamSuenoreply@blogger.com