Contracting-out: dealing with the abolition of protected rights

This note covers practical and legal issues that will have affected sponsoring employers and trustees of contracted-out defined contribution (DC) occupational pension schemes in relation to the abolition of protected rights on 6 April 2012. The note highlights events straddling 6 April 2012, such as death claims, transfers, bankruptcy, serious ill-health claims and short-service refunds. It also sets out some practical issues affecting disclosure requirements for appropriate personal pension schemes.