Latest news with #Wesleyan
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Taxpayers on the hook for ‘multi-million pound' bill after NHS pension delays
Taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million pound bill after new delays to NHS pensions, an expert has warned. Pensioners have already waited months for vital paperwork to tell them how much they should be receiving, but many could now be due compensation for underpayments following a series of missed deadlines. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) was required to send 382,000 pension statements by March 31, but ministers had to announce a new timetable after just 21 were actually issued. Health minister, Karin Smyth, has now confirmed that another set of extensions is required after just 1,338 more statements were sent over the next three months. This has left more than 380,000 statements outstanding, despite the allocation of extra staff. She also confirmed that the Government would add 8pc interest to any underpayments, which Alec Collie of advisors Wesleyan, said 'could run into the millions'. Shadow health minister, Dr Luke Evans, warned the failure had 'real consequences', and said NHS patients had been left to pay for Labour's choices. The problems stem from the 2015 changes to public sector pensions, including the NHS scheme, amid fears they had become unaffordable. Workers were moved away from gold-plated final salary pensions and into schemes based on their average earnings. However, the implementation was ruled to be age discriminatory following legal action from members of the judges' and firefighters' schemes. As a result, retirees were offered a choice between both schemes for their service between 2015 and 2022 under the so-called 'McCloud Remedy', which was already expected to cost taxpayers £17bn. Those affected should receive a remediable service statement, which outlines the choice between both schemes, and gives them 12 months to decide. The original delivery date of March 31 was set out in legislation, but Ms Smyth has repeatedly appeared in the House of Commons to confirm that numerous deadlines had been missed. As a result, the retirees affected won't know the true amount of their pension until their statement arrives, and many could be receiving less than they're entitled to. Any funds owed will be back paid with an additional 8pc in interest – around double the current interest rate. Mr Collie said: 'These situations won't just need to be remedied by the Government – the 8pc interest will also need to be paid. 'We can't say for sure how much it's going to cost in total because the circumstances will be so unique to each person. But what's for sure is that the nature of the McCloud process means this is likely to roll on for many years to come – it's not going to be a 'one and done' settlement.' Ms Smyth said that she had met NHSBSA's chief executive, Michael Brodie, to express her disappointment, and ordered an independent review from Lisa Tennent, who serves as independent chair of the NHS Pension Board. The disarray comes amid repeated delays to remediable pension service statements, which outline how much staff may have actually paid into their pension once McCloud changes are taken into account. The statements help doctors, who often also work privately, to track their income and avoid a tax charge by exceeding the annual £60,000 limit on contributions. Just £1 of additional income can generate a £22,500 tax bill in some circumstances. The NHSBSA was supposed to send 137,000 statements to staff by October 6 last year, but at least 34,000 were still outstanding by June 2. It admitted that the true figure was not available because the data was still being collated. Experts have already warned that doctors are turning down work to avoid potential tax bills, with knock-on effects for frontline care. Dr Evans said the Government was continuing to miss legal and self-imposed deadlines, leaving patients to pay the price. He said: 'Labour admit that their plan is failing, but offer no serious way to resolve it. 'This failure has real consequences. Senior doctors are turning down extra work for fear of unexpected tax bills running into thousands. Vague promises and talk of 'conversations with the board' won't cut it. 'As a result of Labour's choices, patients will pay the price – especially if senior doctors won't step in during strikes. 'Labour must urgently set out a clear delivery plan to resolve both delays and hold the NHSBSA to account. With a summer of strikes looming, the complacency from Labour is both telling and dangerous.' An NHSBSA spokesman said: 'We appreciate that this news will be disappointing for NHS Pension Scheme members affected by the McCloud Remedy. 'We apologise for the delays and assure our members that we are working hard to deliver remediable saving statements as quickly as possible.'
NZ Herald
02-07-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Bay News: Historic clock heads home
The clock that was brought to New Zealand by missionary John Hobbs will soon be going back to Māngungu Mission in Horeke, Hokianga. Photo / Supplied Historic clock heading back to Māngungu Mission A wall clock with early links to New Zealand will return to the Hokianga more than 200 years after it first arrived in the country. Brought out from England by Wesleyan missionary John Hobbs in 1823, the clock has been gifted to Heritage
Business Wire
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
SS&C to Power Wesleyan's New Digital-First Wealth Platform
WINDSOR, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSNC) today announced that Wesleyan Assurance Society ('Wesleyan'), a financial services mutual, has partnered with SS&C to develop its digital-first wealth management platform. The platform builds on Wesleyan's long-term existing relationship with SS&C, which has served as the fund transfer agent for the Wesleyan Unit Trust Managers range of funds for over 20 years. 'We are delighted Wesleyan has chosen to deepen our long-standing collaboration through this transformative project,' said Damien Barry, Head of SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, EMEA. Share Following a competitive tender process, Wesleyan selected SS&C Hubwise to deliver the new platform, which will broaden the range of investment and retirement products available to Wesleyan's specialist financial advisers and their customers. The platform will give Wesleyan advisers centralized access to open and manage accounts and investments while offering an enhanced, modernized user experience. SS&C will also provide customer service support under the Wesleyan brand. Access to the offering will open to a select pilot group of advisers in June 2025. 'Extending our relationship with SS&C with this exciting project is a significant milestone for us,' said Katie Wadey, Wesleyan's Chief Product and Commercial Officer. 'When fully developed, the new platform will allow us to better meet the savings, investments and wealth needs of doctors, dentists and teachers in an agile way, with the right technology and fund choice.' The platform will support Wesleyan's flagship With Profits Fund as well as a broader range under development. 'We are delighted Wesleyan has chosen to deepen our long-standing collaboration through this transformative project,' said Damien Barry, Head of SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, EMEA. 'We look forward to leveraging our deep understanding of the Wesleyan business to deliver a modern, integrated platform.' Since its acquisition in 2022, SS&C Hubwise has become one of the fastest-growing platforms in the U.K., onboarding 25 new firms over the past 18 months. The platform now administers more than GBP 20 billion in assets. SS&C's growth comes at a critical time for the wealth management community in the U.K., as shifting regulatory requirements and technological advancements put increasing pressure on advisers to streamline their advice businesses. Learn more about SS&C Hubwise here. About Wesleyan Wesleyan is a mutual founded in Birmingham in 1841. Wesleyan also provides access to its flagship With Profits Fund via the intermediary advice sector. The Wesleyan Group has £7.6 billion of assets under management as of 31 December 2024. About SS&C Technologies SS&C is a global provider of services and software for the financial services and healthcare industries. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices around the world. More than 22,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale and technology. Additional information about SS&C (Nasdaq: SSNC) is available at
Boston Globe
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Decades after a tense N.H. protest, nuclear energy has become a rare bipartisan issue. Here's why.
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT As a college sophomore at Wesleyan in 1977, Fred Hewett was a self-described nerd who spent most of his time in the library, chemistry lab, or playing Frisbee. He largely avoided politics. But even he couldn't miss the chaotic scene unfolding in Seabrook, N.H., where thousands of environmental activists were trying to block the construction of a nuclear power plant. The 1977 protests, which helped delay the opening of the Seabrook plant until 1990, led to 1,400 arrests. They also reflected the idea, common among liberal activists then, that nuclear power was dangerous. 'Being antinuclear was part of environmentalism,' said Hewett, who followed the Seabrook protests in local media. But over the years, as Hewett became a writer on energy issues and learned more about the threat of climate change, the criticisms of nuclear power he once sympathized with began to seem wrong-headed. In 2023, he Advertisement Hewett is among a growing contingent of liberals embracing nuclear power as a complement to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources. Strong majorities of Republicans and independents Advertisement Today's newsletter explains why both parties have gotten more bullish on nuclear — and why it still faces opposition. The liberal case Even factoring in the climate costs of building and fueling power plants, nuclear power is a far cleaner source of electricity than oil, natural gas, or coal. It also skirts some of the downsides of renewables, such as the acreage required to scale up solar power, Hewett said. It may better fit the political zeitgeist, too. President Trump has called renewable energy a 'scam' and tried to block the construction of coastal windmills. But he has also 'The political winds are at the back of the nuclear industry now,' Hewett said. Hewett also argues that nuclear energy, despite its reputation, is relatively safe. Yes, there have been three major accidents over the past four decades, including Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, and Fukushima in Japan. Chernobyl's death toll is disputed, but estimates from the World Health Organization and others put it Advertisement The conservative case Many Republicans doubt the science of climate change and prefer fossil fuels to renewable energy; some of their enthusiasm for nuclear power may simply reflect disdain for liberals like those who tried to block Seabrook, said Andrew Cline, who leads But Cline also argues nuclear power is more reliable than those other methods. Solar panels need daylight and turbines need wind to generate electricity; nuclear power plants can operate continuously. National security is another motive. The US The challenges The bipartisan interest in nuclear power has yielded some changes already. Last year, then-President Biden Yet hurdles to wider adoption remain. Some are economic. The up-front costs to build a nuclear power plant are high. Others are regulatory. Protesters delayed Seabrook's opening, but cost overruns and onerous government rules also contributed. In recent years, the median amount of time it took to build new reactors was Other challenges are political. Despite converts like Hewett, Advertisement The right's commitment to nuclear power is also uncertain. The Trump administration has Still, Cline sees a future in which innovation makes nuclear both a climate-friendly and low-cost energy source capable of powering everything from electric cars to artificial intelligence data centers. 'The environmentalists are looking for no emissions. The conservatives are looking for low cost and reliability,' he said. 'That would be an amazing world.' 🧩 8 Across: 84° POINTS OF INTEREST Muslims told Massachusetts lawmakers stories of Islamophobia during a day of lobbying at the State House yesterday. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Massachusetts and New England Karen Read retrial: A forensic pathologist testified for the defense that a car Islamophobia: Muslim residents urged Massachusetts lawmakers to pass to study issues facing Muslims in the state. Same name, different face: The children of several well-known New England politicians — including Senator Angus King's son and Senator Jeanne Shaheen's daughter — Trump administration Congresswoman charged: A grand jury indicted Representative LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, on charges of interfering with immigration officials during a protest outside an ICE facility last month. McIver called the charges 'a brazen attempt at political intimidation.' ( The Army turns 250: Trump gave a campaign-style speech at Fort Bragg, where uniformed soldiers, who are supposed to be apolitical, booed Biden and 'the fake news' and cheered when Trump said he would rename a base for Robert E. Lee. ( Homeland: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested to lawmakers that the US would expand the use of troops to 'secure' the country. ( Crisis comms: Harvard has taken to TV, newspapers, and social media Underwater: Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Cuts: Senators of both parties grilled Trump's National Institutes of Health director over Tariffs: Higher food costs have New England restaurants The Nation and the World New Jersey governor's race: Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, will face Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican former state assemblyman, in November. ( LGBTQ+ rights: The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US, endorsed overturning the Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. ( Austria shooting: A gunman killed 10 people at a high school in the city of Graz. Police said the suspect, a former student, killed himself. ( Greta Thunberg: Israel deported the Swedish climate activist and three others who tried to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid. ( BESIDE THE POINT ❤️ Love letters: Is it OK to tell a friend that 😴 Say goodnight: This TikTok trend is helping people deepen their friendships. ( 🎥 TV magic: Massachusetts gave a 'Dexter' spinoff a $23 million tax credit. Insiders say Advertisement 🍽️ Taste of Somerville: The annual food and arts festival, which takes place this evening at Boynton Yards, features local restaurants, breweries, and wineries. ( 🤔 Gut feeling: 📚 Murder mystery: From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, lots of 20th century serial killers were products of the Pacific Northwest. A new book offers a theory. ( $ ) Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
Western Telegraph
04-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Narberth's former library for sale with £120,000 guide price
The former Narberth Library in St James Street, Narberth, has been empty since the town's new library opened last year. Concern was recently raised after the building was broken into and vandalised, with police saying they would be stepping up patrols to protect it from further damage. Originally a Wesleyan church, the single-storey building, declared surplus to requirements by Pembrokeshire County Council, is now on the market with a guide price of £120,000. The sale of the former library offers an 'exciting opportunity', say the agents. (Image: John Francis) It is due to be sold by agents John Francis under the Modern Method of Auction, enabling interested buyers to bid online. The library was temporarily closed by the council for essential building work in November 20222, re-opening almost a year later. Its final chapter came in October 2024 when Narberth's new purpose-built library opened in the redeveloped Old School site at the entrance to the Townsmoor car park. It is operated by the Friends of Narberth Library, in conjunction with Pembrokeshire County Council and Narberth Town Council. The former library is 'a versatile space full of character'. (Image: John Francis) The agents state that the sale of the former library building is 'an exciting opportunity'. They add: "This unique premises offers a versatile space full of character and potential, suitable for a variety of uses (subject to the necessary planning consents). "The premises feature a spacious open-plan studio area, complemented by office space and kitchen facilities, making it ideal for creative, commercial, or community purposes." The building features a porch, reception room/open plan area, inner hallway, kitchen area, office and outbuilding.
