Pensions Advisory

The regulation around pension scheme funding has evolved rapidly in recent years. New rules have placed greater onus on corporates to engage proactively with scheme trustees, fund deficits more quickly and provide mitigation where a scheme’s employer covenant may be negatively impacted by corporate activity. For trustees, we can also advise on making sure decisions made by them or the sponsoring employer act in the best long-term interests of the scheme members.

We are at the forefront of the market, advising scheme trustees and corporates across the full range of situations. This can range from regular triennial covenant reviews and ongoing monitoring through to assisting negotiations and implementing complex transactions and restructurings.

We have significant experience across a range of sectors and work with all sizes of schemes and businesses.

We deal with a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, trustees, shareholders (UK and overseas), the Pensions Regulator, the Pension Protection Fund, providers of finance and the main pension advisory firms.

What we do 

Employer Covenant Reviews - Evidenced and proportionate assessments of the financial strength of sponsoring employers in support of triennial valuations and ongoing monitoring, for both trustees and sponsors.

Transaction Reviews and “Type A” events - Corporates and trustees are required to assess whether corporate activity results in detriment to the employer covenant, and to negotiate “appropriate mitigation”.

Distressed Solutions - When a business faces financial stress or distress, corporates and trustees need to carefully consider the options available to protect members and the business.