Savings and financial wellbeing

This event will be delivered as a live webinar. Register before bookings close at 17:00 on Monday 3 May 2021.

Since the launch of automatic enrolment in 2012, over 70% of UK workers now own a pension. Although automatic enrolment is a highly successful nudge and an introduction to retirement savings, employee engagement is low and pensions are often prioritised after other financial needs. Covid-19 continues to highlight the challenges facing many savers who are juggling different priorities like rainy day savings and mortgage payments. Financially vulnerable customers face a choice between funding shorter-term needs and their retirements.

More consideration of how to support these customers will be crucial in the coming years. In light of the Government and regulators’ work on the customer journey and the treatment of vulnerable customers, it is timely to reflect on the industry’s efforts so far and discuss the challenges ahead.

These challenges sit in the context of the well-known need for workplace pensions coverage and contributions to increase if more savers are to achieve an adequate retirement income. The Pensions Minister has also restarted debate on using a pension to buy a home, and is seeking solutions for small pension pots accrued through automatic enrolment.

This event will specifically explore:

• The future of automatic enrolment, including who’s not covered and how contributions should rise
• Choices between saving for retirement, saving for emergencies and saving for a home
• The industry’s role in improving customers’ financial wellbeing and supporting financially vulnerable customers 
• Helping reconnect people with lost policies and using dormant assets for good causes

Confirmed speakers:

• Baroness Barran MBE, Minister for Civil Society, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
• Lord David Willetts, President, Resolution Foundation
• Nicola Parish, Executive Director of Frontline Regulation, The Pensions Regulator
• Andy Curran, Chief Executive Officer, Savings and Retirement, Phoenix Group
• Rob Branch, Head of Conduct & Client service, Hargreaves Lansdown
• Rowena Crawford, Associate Director, Institute for Fiscal Studies
• Helen Dean CBE, Chief Executive Officer, NEST
• Joanna Elson, Chief Executive, Money Advice Trust
• Alastair Reed, Principal Policy Adviser, Money, Which?
• Paul Cullum, Associate Director, Frontier Economics
• Yvonne Braun, Director of Policy, Long-Term Savings and Protection, ABI
• Hetty Hughes, Manager, Long-Term Savings, ABI

Why attend?

• Hear insights from industry experts on the future of automatic enrolment and what can be done in the short to medium term to improve customer outcomes 
• Discuss the impacts of Coronavirus on financial wellbeing as well as a range of other strategic issues the industry should consider
• Gain 3 CPD hours by attending this CII accredited event

What will delegates learn?

At the end of this event, delegates will be able to:

• Describe how to tackle the challenges to expand automatic enrolment’s coverage and the Government’s plan.
• Explain the industry’s role in reconnecting with customers and the impact of Dormant Assets Scheme expansion.
• Understand how to best support vulnerable customers, especially those with financial challenges.