This is Money Podcast

How good are public sector pensions - and should we cut them or protect them?

24 snips
Dec 5, 2025
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Public Versus Private Pension Structures

  • Public sector pensions are typically defined benefit schemes that promise a guaranteed income based on salary history.
  • Private sector pensions are mostly defined contribution and leave retirees exposed to investment risk and complex withdrawal choices.
INSIGHT

Unfunded Promises And Taxpayer Liability

  • Unfunded public sector pensions are paid by taxpayers now while employers record large nominal contribution rates.
  • The guarantees are strong, with the Pension Protection Fund backstops if employers fail.
INSIGHT

Policy Moves Widen Pension Divide

  • The government is tightening salary sacrifice and other pension tax breaks, widening the gap between public and private pensions.
  • Analysts warn this could make private pensions comparatively worse while public pensions remain protected.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app