The United Kingdom pension system: key issues

This paper examines the key issues relating to the UK pension system. It reviews the current system of pension provision, describes and analyses the reforms since 1980, examines the legal regulatory and accounting framework for occupational pension schemes, assesses the different types of risks and returns from membership of defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes, and investigates the management and investment performance of pension fund assets. The paper ends with a discussion of the review of institutional investment in the UK conducted by Paul Myners and published in March 2001.