Financial information provider Defaqto has launched a CPD accredited guide on the Pension Freedoms, nearly five years on from their introduction.

Scottish Friendly has completed the acquisition of a large book of life and pensions policies from Canada Life in a move which will see its assets under management more than double to over £5bn.

New figures published today by HMRC show that a total of £30bn has been withdrawn ‘flexibly’ from pensions, taking advantage of the new ‘pension freedoms’ introduced in 2015.  

The triple pensions lock and rising average earnings mean that the State Pension will rise by around 4% in April - an increase of about £350 a year.