Why the pensions archive?

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The history of occupational pensions within the United Kingdom has been a progressive development over very many years, to the increasing advantage of retiring employees. It has been hailed by successive governments, and by many others, at home and abroad, as a remarkable success story.

But mistakes have been made, too, and, especially in view of the problems which have occurred to pension schemes in recent years, it is very important that the means of learning from both the successes and the shortcomings, over past years and into the present day, should be maintained for all time.

As things stand, the diversity and sheer volume of the information involved makes this a near impossibility.  Also, there is unfortunately a real danger that much of the documentation of that history and its ongoing evolution will be lost, not least due to the takeovers of a number of employing companies and firms of advisors.

So the aim is to try to ensure that as much of this material as possible is gathered together through a Pensions Archive, which will concern all matters affecting the management and development of occupational and personal pensions, in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

In that context, the main objectives will be:

• To establish and maintain the Archive, in formats that will ensure both the security of valuable historical records and optimum accessibility to all interested parties;
• To advance of the education, both of the general public and those involved in the operation of such schemes.