Pensions Services

Overview

Pensions are increasingly complex and highly-regulated, with pitfalls, penalties and risks for the unwary. We understand the industry challenges, can cut through complexity, explain regulation in practice, and help clients manage risk and successfully navigate any challenges

Our pensions practice advises on all aspects of pensions law.  We advise businesses on their obligations, rights, and duties, whether in relation to their own private sector pension schemes or their participation in public sector schemes.  We will work with your other professional advisers in establishing, amending, closing, winding up, or merging pension arrangements.  We can also advise you on the legal issues concerning scheme deficits and the potential strategies to manage these.

We also regularly advise trustees, scheme administrators, and pension providers on their obligations, rights, and duties under pensions, trust, and tax law.

Corporate Transactions

Our pensions practice assists at all stages of corporate deals. We work with corporate colleagues in carrying out due diligence, reporting on issues and identifying potential solutions. We ensure that pensions are covered in the documentation and provide suitable warranties and indemnities. We can also help you liaise with the pension scheme trustees and the Pensions Regulator to move matters forward with the minimum of friction.

Employment

We assist employment colleagues in drafting the pensions clauses in employment contracts, staff handbooks and settlement agreements and in advising employers on their obligations generally, including under automatic enrolment.  We also assist with staff consultations where changes to pension schemes are proposed and with the pension issues arising from redundancy exercises.

Documentation

We can provide bespoke or standard documentation, including deeds establishing or amending pension schemes, appointing or removing trustees, or for employers to cease or commence participation in an occupational pension scheme.

Disputes

Where pension scheme members raise concerns about their schemes, Vialex can assess the issues that are in dispute and help try and resolve these before a formal complaint is made. If that is not possible, we can advise employers or the managers or trustees of the pension scheme on defending complaints under their scheme’s internal dispute resolution (IDR) procedures and/or with the Pensions Ombudsman. We can also assist occupational pension schemes in putting in place appropriate IDR procedures or reviewing existing ones.

SSASs and SIPPs

We advise scheme providers and can provide them with standard documentation for Small Self-Administered Schemes (“SSASs”) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (“SIPPs”). Our pensions practice advises members, scheme administrators and trustees on interpreting the legislation and case law.

Working with our commercial property and corporate colleagues we also regularly advise SSASs and SIPPs on whether proposed investments can be made under pensions and tax law.

Pensions As a Business

Pensions is a recognised industry. It has many facets and participants. The industry continues to be challenged to generate returns that provide sustainable retirement incomes. Each firm involved in the industry contributes to that goal, and is a unique business dealing with deliverables and risk – including legal risk.
Vialex is uniquely placed to help pension providers, advisors, suppliers and outsourcers meet their strategic and business goals, and manage their risk.