Minister for Pensions Steve Webb today set out how the Government will help ensure value for money in workplace pensions – safeguarding against high and unfair charges and transferring around £200m to savers. From April, people automatically enrolled into a workplace pension will see their charges capped at 0.75%, unless they have chosen a more expensive option. The details are set out in draft regulations laid before Parliament today.

Improved governance standards in workplace pensions will protect consumer rights

For an average earner currently paying into a fund with a charge of 1.5%, this new cap could save them around £100,000 over the course of their working life.

Over the next decade, the default fund charge cap will transfer around £200 million from the pensions industry to savers.

Mr Webb said: “Today is an excellent day for pension savers. It is vital that workplace pension schemes are run in the interests of their members and that their hard-earned savings are not eaten away by excessive charges. “Over 5 million people have now been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension and by 2018, millions more will be saving for the first time, or saving more. This is why we are building a pensions system that these workers can save into with confidence – and not see their money disappear in opaque charging structures. There is an understandable buzz around what April will bring for those retiring now, with the unprecedented pension freedoms coming in. But these reforms show we are also determined to help the pensioners of tomorrow – people working hard and saving hard for their families’ future.”

Charge cap to transfer around £200m to savers over the next ten years

Regulations are being laid today alongside the Government’s response to its consultation “Better workplace pensions: Putting savers’ interests first”. The Financial Conduct Authority will also be making corresponding rules to control charges and introducing Independent Governance Committees for workplace personal pension schemes from April 2015.

Their rules, together with today’s regulations, will ensure that savers are protected regardless of the type of workplace pension they are saving into.  Subject to Parliamentary approval, these draft regulations will be a major step towards ensuring a positive outcome for millions of people in retirement. The next stage of the Government’s work to ensure full disclosure of costs and charges throughout the value chain is also set out in today’s paper – with the plan to publish a joint call for evidence with the Financial Conduct Authority in spring 2015.

The updated draft regulations, to be laid before Parliament today, subject to Parliamentary approval, will mainly come in to force on 6 April 2015.

The Government’s response to its consultation “Better workplace pensions: Putting savers’ interests first” is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/better-workplace-pensions-putting-savers-interests-first

Today’s Written Statement made by the Minister for Pensions Steve Webb is available here: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/February%202015/4th%20February%202015/5.DWP-Pensions.pdf