The past year has been yet another busy one for the pensions industry, as the summer election meant all change, with a new Pensions Minister, and a new policy direction for the pensions industry.

Given this, it's unsurprising that political issues have dominated the top 20 most read stories on Pensions Age this year, with the key takeaways from the Labour manifesto, and initial reaction to the change in government from the industry, topping the list for 2024.

And the announcements since the change in government have kept the industry busy, with plans for a 'landmark' pensions review, and a Pensions Schemes Bill confirmed in the King's Speech, which many in the industry highlighted as a sign of continuity.

Speculation that further change could be on the horizon continued though, as news of a ‘£20bn black hole’ in public finances that needs to be plugged sparked rumours of potential reform to pension tax policy.

And whilst the government held off on plans for a flat rate of tax relief, the Chancellor's Autumn Budget revealed plans to remove the concession for pension pots to be passed on to anyone free of inheritance tax (IHT).

Hot on the heels of this news, Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced plans to create 'pension megafunds' in her inaugural Mansion House speech, as part of a "radical" set of pension reforms designed to unlock billions of pounds of investment in infrastructure and local projects.

But the end of the year brought an apparent blow for the review, as reports emerged that the second phase of the review could be delayed, with a government spokesperson since confirming that it will set out more details on the second phase "in due course".

But broader momentum has continued in the industry, with key updates on a number of ongoing initiatives, including The Pensions Regulator's long-awaited General Code of Practice and Defined Benefit (DB) Funding Code, building momentum around pensions dashboards, and the launch of the UK's first collective defined contribution (CDC) scheme.

With further updates on a number of key issues expected in January, including the Pension Protection Fund's (PPF) decision on its 2025/26 levy and clarification on the Virgin Media ruling, 2025 is set for a busy start.

Take a look at the full top 20 most read stories of 2024 here:

1. Labour's plans for pensions - what we know so far
2. Govt announces new Pension Schemes Bill
3. Labour manifesto confirms key pension priorities
4. The latest pension updates from the Spring Budget 2024
5. Blog: Mental Health Awareness Week 2024
6. State pension set to rise by over £400 in 2025
7. Pension tax reform rumours swirl following Reeves speech
8. Reeves launches 'landmark' pensions review
9. 'Sigh of relief' as Labour drops plans to bring back LTA
10. Exclusive: A trillion pound industry working for pensioners now and in the future
11. Blog: International Women's Day 2024: Time for action, not talk
12. Court of Appeal upholds Virgin Media v NTL court case ruling
13. TPR publishes General Code of Practice ahead of March implementation
14. Reeves to announce plans to form pension megafunds in 'radical' reform package
15. PDP to prioritise work to launch Moneyhelper dashboard; connection timelines unchanged
16. Pension Attention 2024: The voices behind the megaphone
17. Royal Mail launches UK's first CDC scheme
18. Over 200,000 NHS workers 'missing out' on pension payments
19. Blog: Reflections from a pensions newcomer
20. Reeves considering ‘Canadian-style’ pension model to unlock LGPS investment

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