This year was yet another busy one for the pensions industry. As the sector adjusted to the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill and the swathe of new regulations it brought, in what could prove to be the biggest shake-up since pension freedoms.

However, it was not the Pension Schemes Bill that took top ‘billing’ on our most read stories of 2021. That honour goes to a story that seems to crop up every year – rumours that the government was planning to make changes to pension tax. Although this time it was to help pay for the cost of the pandemic, the government again refrained from major changes.

The termination of the Aon and Willis Towers proposed merger came a close second, as the industry saw the collapse of what could have been one of the largest mergers ever seen in the financial sector.

The Pensions Schemes Bill came in third, while stories on ESG data and the government issues surrounding women’s state pension payments made up the top five.

A big theme this year, judging by the list, were court cases and Judicial Reviews, with three articles of this type making it into the top 20.

Other big stories of the year, such as the first defined benefit (DB) superfund and the expansion of the Dormant Assets Scheme were highly read, while the industry’s interest in GMP and McCloud continued.

Take a look at the full top 20 most read stories of 2020 here:
1. Govt mulling pension tax raid to fund pandemic response
2. Aon and Willis Towers Watson terminate proposed merger
3. Pension Schemes Bill to receive Royal Assent
4. Nearly three quarters of pension scheme trustees in need of better ESG data
5. DWP accused of maladministration amid women's state pension failings
6. UK pension system 'falls short' as Finland tops global pension rankings
7. GMB Union joins firefighters and doctors in seeking Judicial Review over pensions
8. Speculation on incoming higher-rate pension tax relief consultation intensifies
9. Govt to consult on further changes to pension scheme charge cap
10. Clara-Pensions becomes first TPR-assessed DB superfund
11. Govt expands Dormant Assets Scheme to include pensions
12. Trustee wins ‘ground-breaking’ pension rectification High Court case
13. PensionBee confirms plans to float on London Stock Exchange
14. Cardano joins Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative
15. High Court in 'ground-breaking' pension scheme forfeiture and limitation judgment
16. Firms sign up for alpha testing of pensions dashboards
17. Number of state pension claimants falls by 1.6%
18. Govt drops GMP conversion in favour of full GMP indexation for public service schemes
19. Pension schemes 'overestimating' liabilities by ignoring Covid-19 consequences
20. Govt publishes McCloud ruling guidance

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