United Kingdom

UK - Proposals to allow early access to pensions will create a "bureaucratic nightmare" and should be shelved, industry groups say.

NETHERLANDS/UK - Philips Pensioenfonds has appointed Aviva Investors to manage its global multi-manager unlisted real estate portfolio in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific.

UK - Lloyds Banking Group made a net curtailment gain of £910m ($1.5bn) last year following changes to its UK defined benefit pension schemes, figures show.

UK - Merseyside Pension Fund is seeking new passive equity and bond managers to boost its responsible investing policy.

UK - Former National Association of Pension Funds chairman Robin Ellison has joined the executive advisory board of investment data firm SRL Global.

UK - Trustees risk being fleeced by underperforming investment managers after it was revealed management fees jumped 11% last year on the back of improved market conditions, a consultant says.

UK - The Conservative chairman of the Local Government Association has attacked coalition plans to hike council worker pension contributions warning the move would lead to mass opt-outs.

UK - Members of mobile phone firm O2's final salary scheme have avoided the scheme closing by voting to increase their contributions from 6% to 10%.

UK - Schemes could be paying hundreds of thousands of pounds more in annual administration fees than their peers, research from Kim Gubler Consulting reveals.

UK - The combined deficit of the UK's biggest schemes remains unchanged from six years ago at £68bn (108bn), despite contributions of more than £50bn, figures reveal.