Ros Altmann

5 days ago | finance.yahoo.com | Ros Altmann

The Union Jack flag flies above the Houses of Parliament in Westminster The Government rightly wants to boost British growth and urgently needs new investment in infrastructure, housing and start-up companies. But, with a massive budget deficit, who will fund all this? Well, why not harness the power of our pension funds? Every year, over £70bn is spent on tax reliefs for our pensions.

5 days ago | telegraph.co.uk | Ros Altmann

Since the 1980s and 1990s, UK pension funds have cut their UK equity allocations from around half, to under 5pc. In international comparisons, other major countries invest far more than us in their home markets. In other words, British pension funds have given a huge vote of "no confidence" in Britain. How can we expect to attract overseas investors or strengthen our growth potential, if our own institutions do not believe in our markets or assets?

1 week ago | pensionsandsavings.com | Ros Altmann

Government should embrace bold pension reforms as a radical game-changer for UK growth. At least 25% of each pension fund originates from tax reliefs and 25% can be taken tax free, so Government should require at least 25% of new contributions to invest in Britain. Tax reliefs cost over £70billion each year, so pension funds should invest more here, rather than allocating most of the money to boost other countries, not Britain.

1 week ago | pensionsandsavings.com | Ros Altmann

Social care kicked into the long grass yet again as older and disabled people remain a low political priority.  The broken UK care system has had umpteen reviews and Commissions, but now we are back to square one.  Telling Baroness Casey that she cannot assume any extra funding will be available, makes meaningful long-lasting reforms almost impossible.  The announcement that we are to have yet another Commission to review social care is deeply depressing. A huge sense of déjà vu.

1 month ago | pensionsandsavings.com | Ros Altmann

Investment trusts in the FCA firing line as consultation proposals want to reimpose damaging cost disclosures which would reverse its recent forbearance and defy Government policy. New FCA regulatory regime for ‘Consumer Composite Investments’ favours unit trusts/OEICs over closed-ended investment trusts and benefit index funds relative to active managers.