LONDON (04 March 2019) – Aon, the leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, has said that sponsors and trustees at around 15% of UK pension schemes have 31 March 2019 valuation dates and so need to discuss their options given the clash with the proposed date for the UK leaving the European Union.

As much as 15% of UK schemes have a valuation date of 31 March 2019 – which is a Sunday this year. That means that their valuation will be driven by the market conditions at the close of markets on Friday, 29 March – and that could be an atypical day on the financial markets.  If no action is taken now, then this potentially atypical point could lead to more difficult valuation negotiations.

Lynda Whitney, partner at Aon, said:
“There are plenty of levers that can be used within the legislative framework for valuations – but ultimately it’s a matter of sponsors and trustees having a grown-up conversation ahead of the end of March.

“If markets do react significantly on 29 March it will inevitably be to the benefit of one side or the other – to the company sponsor or to the trustees. Therefore, both sides should hold an ‘in principle’ conversation as soon as possible, which will allow them to agree to use levers they may have ruled out in the past. They can for example, consider whether to have a one-off adjustment in the level of prudence, consider a one-off change in outperformance in the Recovery Plan period, or formally take into account post-valuation experience (although this has other consequences)."

Lynda Whitney continued:
“The aim here would be to avoid potential friction after 31 March – while nobody knows which side any market movements could favour.

“We all hope that whatever might happen on 29 March will cause the minimum of disruption to both the economy and to pension schemes too, but it’s best for schemes to build in some tolerance ahead of the event if they have an imminent valuation date.”
 

Media Contact
For further information please contact:
Colin Mayes                                            Anelia Fikiina
Aon                                                          Kekst CNC
01372 733689                                           0203 755 1629
colin.mayes@aon.com                              aon@kekstcnc.com

Notes to Editors

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.

Aon announced in May 2018 it will retire the business unit brands of Aon Benfield and Aon Risk Solutions, which follows the retirement of the Aon Hewitt business unit brand in 2017. This move was designed to increase the rate of innovation across the firm and make it easier for colleagues to work together to bring the best of Aon to clients. Aon has five specific global solution lines: Commercial Risk Solutions, Reinsurance Solutions, Retirement Solutions, Health Solutions and Data & Analytic Services.

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