Finance Bill

Compulsion to take out annuities is increasingly regarded as a barrier to saving for retirement, so we need a wider range of options. The amendments would give greater flexibility as to the minimum income to be drawn down from an ASP, thus creating a more attractive alternative to an annuity. There is cross-party support in the Lords for the principle, and it is time for the Government to decide whether they want to be part of the consensus, or to continue in their dogged determination to oppose giving people choice over how they manage their retirement funds.