Employers are being too optimistic about the time it takes to prepare for auto-enrolment, with nearly one-third of firms hoping to prepare in less than three months, research shows.

UK defined benefit schemes have hit a funding low after combined deficits increased nearly £100bn last month to hit £312bn, statistics show.

Three trade unions have joined forced to launch a campaign against government proposals to increase the UK state pension age to 68.

The UK pensions bill hit £7.1trn at the end of 2010, weighed down by firms with defined benefit (DB) schemes owing £1.3trn in pension obligations, national statistics show.

Bluefin Corporate Consulting is merging with Capita Hartshead after being sold by its parent company AXA to Capita for £50m.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has spent almost £3.2m on external barrister fees over the past two years, with one-third of those costs spent on one legal case alone, figures show.

BUDGET ODDS

The Pension Infrastructure Platform (PIP) will avoid construction risk and offer both debt and equity investment portions for UK investors, plan organisers say.

Charges on a government-backed UK infrastructure vehicle owned and run by UK pension funds will be capped at 0.5%, the Treasury has confirmed.

The BBC Pension Scheme has been taken to the High Court over changes to member benefits it made last year.