In June 2026, Dean Wetton Advisory (DWA) contributed a high level perspective to the View from The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP)’s column in the Pensions Age publication, offering trustees a concise view on how to navigate uncertainty in a shifting geopolitical and economic environment. The published version is included below exactly as written, followed by a brief extension that reflects our broader DWA perspective.
At Dean Wetton Advisory (DWA), we believe that meaningful engagement with investment managers starts with clarity. Effective engagement requires clear goals, a collaborative approach and a credible plan of action if outcomes fall short. For many pension schemes, stewardship is not exercised directly. Instead, clients rely on their investment managers to vote and engage with issuers in a way that reflects the scheme’s beliefs and long-termobjectives.
Today, on 19 June 2026, we join the UK’s employee owned community in celebrating Employee Ownership Day (EO Day). As a partner of the Employee Ownership Association (EOA), we unite behind this year’s bold theme #OwningIt, recognising the role each of us plays in strengthening employee ownership and amplifying its impact for employees, businesses, communities and the wider economy.
Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes are becoming increasingly rare. According to the UK Pension Protection Fund’s Purple Book 2025, the number of private-sector DB schemes has fallen from around 7,800 in 2006 to just 4,840 today, with the majority now closed to new members...
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) integration has moved far beyond a regulatory requirement. For trustees and pension scheme managers, the challenge is to embed ESG principles into investment beliefs, governance frameworks and long-term strategy.
For years, trustees have worked within a familiar rhythm: a major strategy review every three years, tied to regulatory requirements for the Statement of Investment Principles (SIP). In practice, this often means that conversations focus more on manager performance than on forward-looking strategy. process to make strategy the centrepiece of trustee discussions.
The UK Defined Benefit (DB) pension risk transfer market is set for another record-breaking year. In 2024, insurers completed nearly 300 buy-in and buy-out transactions, generating over £47 billion in premiums. For 2025, industry forecasts point to £50 billion in bulk annuity deals and a further £20 billion in longevity swaps.
A More Inclusive Approach for Pension Schemes The UK bulk annuity market recorded over £47.6 billion in transactions in 2024, reflecting growing momentum among Defined Benefit (DB) schemes seeking de-risking opportunities. Yet behind the headline figures lies a persistent imbalance: smaller schemes, particularly those under £100 million, often struggle to access insurers on fair terms.
Value for Members (VFM) refers to the overall value that Defined Contribution pension scheme members receive from their investments, considering costs, returns and service levels. VFM assessments are regulatory requirements that ensure members of pension schemes receive fair value for their investments.
DWA Unveils Master Trust Performance Comparisons. Pete Osthwaite asks just how much master trust value is added because of high equity allocations?
Dean Wetton Advisory Enhances Its Services: Introducing Risk Transfer & DB Wind-Up Advisory
While buyout may still be the best outcome for DB schemes, the recent market turmoil has given funding employers the opportunity to explore other end-game options available to them.
While buyout may still be the best outcome for DB schemes, the recent market turmoil has given funding employers the opportunity to explore other end-game options available to them.