Prospects for Occupational Pension Funds Available to Purchase

The future prospects of pension funds in the private sector are linked inextricably with those of their sponsoring organisation. In the face of substantial economic and financial difficulties facing funds and the employers, with pressure from the trade union movement for greater accountability also mounting, alternative schemes such as Pay‐as‐you‐go (PAYG), are being more thoroughly considered. This system, widely used in the public sector, removes the necessity for complex administrative set‐ups and copes more effectively with the supplementation of pensions to allow for price inflation impact. However, it poses a significant financial burden on the employing organisation. “Book reserve” or “self‐investment” schemes allow members a motivating stake in the employing enterprise and allow the company to keep control of its cash and ensure worthwhile pensions.