PARLIAMENT Effective Date Effect Bills (and Acts not yet in force) FINANCE BILL 2025/2026 HMRC published draft IHT legislation on 21 July 2025 The Bill will be introduced in Parliament following the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025 including
More about Part 4 – Pensions Ready Reckoner October 2025HMRC’s draft legislation issued on 21 July 2025 for Technical Consultation features the points of principle in the adjacent box. Many comments have been made in response to the Consultation. We now await the Finance Bill which may contain changes.
More about Part 3 – Inheritance Tax and PensionsProject Nemo: navigating global pension complexities in a share sale Project Nemo involved WB and i-Global Law acting for a US-headquartered cloud computing specialist in the Sale of its global communications division to a leading provider of share registration services.
More about Part 2 – Key Wedlake Bell international pensions and employee benefit projectsIn Pelgrave v The Pensions Regulator[1], the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) considered whether Elizabeth Ann Pelgrave should be subject to a contribution notice (CN) under section 38 of the Pensions Act 2004. The case arose from a determination by
More about Part 1 – TPR Contribution Notice against Director upheldThe government’s original proposals aimed to address concerns that pensions were increasingly being used as strategic estate planning vehicles, rather than encouraging saving for retirement. However, the proposals raised confusion in the industry as it was not clear whether all
More about From nest egg to tax target: Pension funds will no longer be exempt from IHTOther Bill Changes Some other changes in the Bill not featured in the preceding parts of this Pensions Compass: Pensions Ombudsman and Recovery of Overpayments The Bill gives the PO power (like those of a competent court) to facilitate scheme
More about Part 4 – Pensions scheme bill: Other changes and missing legislationOn 5 June 2025, the UK Government published the Pension Schemes Bill, outlining significant reforms aimed at transforming the defined contribution (“DC“) pension scheme landscape. The Bill was accompanied by the Government’s final report on its Pension Investment Review and a DWP publication entitled “Workplace
More about Part 3 – Pension Schemes Bill – Defined contribution schemesThe UK Government has taken a significant step with the introduction of the new Pension Schemes Bill towards making it easier for defined benefit (“DB“) pension scheme surpluses to be paid to employers. According to the Government’s consultation response in
More about Part 2 – Surplus reformsBroadly, the Bill’s Royal Assent is not expected until mid-2026. Then Consultation starts on the proposed associated Regulations on which the government has to consult – which it must do in many cases. Finalised Regulations and Guidances are generally likely
More about Part 1 – Pension Schemes Bill timelineUndoubtedly the Government’s aims are bold: to slant schemes’ investments in ways the Government perceive to be in the interests of the UK economy, improving the lot of members by hopefully enhancing investment returns, and releasing – so the Government hopes
More about Pension Schemes Bill due to be laid in parliament on 5th June 2025 – Giant STEP forward?