The variety of pension switch requests in August that triggered a ‘purple flag’ rip-off warning fell by 7% to 86%, in accordance with knowledge from XPS Pensions Group.
That is the primary time XPS’s Rip-off Flag Index has fallen under 90% since Might 2022.
XPS stated the principle driver behind the autumn was a bigger variety of transfers getting used to buy a direct annuity, somewhat than being moved to a private pension or different product.
Rising rates of interest have pushed up annuity charges and made annuities a extra engaging potential choice to advisers and their shoppers.
Transfers into annuities are at decrease threat of producing rip-off warning flags than transfers into different receiving automobiles. It is because the member isn’t required to make any funding selections, lowering the alternatives for a scammer to affect the member and their choice making.
The variety of members transferring rose through the month.
XPS Pension Group’s Switch Exercise Index recovered from its earlier low throughout August, with an annualised price of 28 members per 100,000 transferring out of their present scheme to an alternate association.
XPS Pension Group’s Switch Worth Index continued to stay pretty secure, ending the month at £159,000.
XPS Pensions Group’s Switch Worth Index exhibits the estimated Money Switch Worth of a 64-year-old member with a pension of £10,000 a 12 months with typical inflation will increase. The worth adjustments over time with market actions. Mortality assumptions are reviewed periodically.
Separate analysis from Normal Life stated that whereas annuity charges have reached their highest degree in 20 years, half of over 50s don’t perceive how they work.
When 2,000 over 50 12 months olds have been requested about their general data of annuities, and whether or not 18 statements have been true or false, on common, half (49%) responded ‘do not know’ throughout all statements.
Based on the supplier, annuity charges have improved by 20% since June 2022, and have seen a complete enhance of 48% because the begin of 2022.