FOI reference - FOI-157
Date 6 September 2023
Request
As at 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023, for each of the 4 covenant groups (Strong, Tending to Strong, Tending to Weak and Weak), please could you provide the following:
- Distribution by scheme size: Broken down by no. of members, assets, TPs, Buyout, Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TPs to Total TPs)
- Distribution by scheme size: Broken down by Funding Level (TP and Buyout)
Response
I can confirm that we hold information falling within scope of your request / the information you have requested.
Information we are able to supply
Please find the information we can supply in the data tables below.
I do need to make you aware of the following caveats and limitations which apply to the information we have provided:
- The scheme population was derived from TPR’s Register of Pension Schemes as at 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023 and includes all private sector occupational Defined Benefit and Hybrid schemes subject to Part 3 funding requirements.
- The data for memberships is the latest position from TPR’s Register of Pension Schemes as at 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023 for all private sector occupational Defined Benefit and Hybrid schemes subject to Part 3 funding requirements.
- The data for funding level distributions on a Technical Provisions basis and Buyout basis have been estimated by the actuarial team at TPR by adjusting the position from a schemes latest triennial Part 3 valuation (some of which relate to scheme’s positions as far back as 2017) up to the 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023. These estimates allow for the following calculation methodology:
- In estimating the technical provisions, we assume that trustees do not make any changes to the funding methodology due to changing market conditions. We assume financial assumptions were set with reference to gilt markets and adjust for changes in gilt markets only.
- In estimating buyout liabilities, we make allowance for changes in gilt markets only and do not make any other adjustments to changes in insurance premia over time.
- In estimating assets to 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023, we use relevant index returns based on the asset allocations submitted to TPR in the 31 March 2022 Scheme Return. (These asset allocations are as at the date of each Scheme’s latest audited accounts, rather than all being a consistent date).
- Where asset data indicates that schemes have leveraged LDI (Liability Driven Investment), we have made broad adjustments to the asset values for any collateral calls that may have applied.
- We rely on the accuracy of the third-party information that is provided to us. In some instances, the information is incomplete, and we take steps to estimate information via other means.
- Given the data limitations our calculations use general actuarial methods and techniques including the use of index returns. Results are therefore approximate in nature compared to those that would apply if granular scheme specific member and asset data were available.
- Whilst we do not expect a pronounced systemic bias in the model, results may be materially inaccurate at an individual level where different funding methodologies are adopted, and asset returns are materially different to index returns.
- This work has been completed in accordance with the Financial Reporting Council’s Technical Actuarial Standard, TAS 100.
- The data covering Covenant Grades (CG) is drawn from a number of sources, the principal source being the dataset underpinning the regulator’s annual Scheme Funding Statistics Publication. In certain instances, we have supplemented this with more recent CG assessments, or assessments estimated using in house models.
Data tables
Table 1: Covenant group 1 (Strong) – 31 March 2022
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 235 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2% | 34% | 58% |
£10m to £100m | 437 | 109 | 16 | 17 | 22 | 33% | 45% | 59% |
£100m to £500m | 202 | 273 | 45 | 45 | 60 | 33% | 44% | 54% |
£500m to £1bn | 43 | 513 | 31 | 33 | 42 | 39% | 45% | 56% |
£1bn to £5bn | 54 | 493 | 104 | 108 | 136 | 37% | 49% | 58% |
> £5bn | 12 | 1,140 | 200 | 194 | 243 | 44% | 51% | 59% |
Table 2: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – 31 March 2022
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 605 | 37 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6% | 36% | 57% |
£10m to £100m | 990 | 259 | 38 | 40 | 52 | 33% | 46% | 57% |
£100m to £500m | 417 | 565 | 97 | 100 | 127 | 35% | 44% | 55% |
£500m to £1bn | 87 | 349 | 63 | 64 | 82 | 35% | 45% | 57% |
£1bn to £5bn | 132 | 1,501 | 303 | 312 | 391 | 40% | 50% | 57% |
> £5bn | 34 | 2,145 | 486 | 479 | 493 | 45% | 52% | 62% |
Table 3: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2022
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 258 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14% | 36% | 52% |
£10m to £100m | 427 | 111 | 16 | 18 | 24 | 34% | 47% | 58% |
£100m to £500m | 196 | 276 | 43 | 47 | 62 | 34% | 44% | 53% |
£500m to £1bn | 48 | 221 | 33 | 36 | 46 | 33% | 44% | 52% |
£1bn to £5bn | 40 | 411 | 78 | 80 | 102 | 33% | 48% | 55% |
> £5bn | 5 | 273 | 51 | 49 | 63 | 35% | 36% | 55% |
Table 4: Covenant group 4 (Weak) - 31 March 2022
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 389 | 345 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 13% | 40% | 58% |
£10m to £100m | 330 | 209 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 35% | 45% | 57% |
£100m to £500m | 129 | 129 | 28 | 32 | 42 | 31% | 44% | 54% |
£500m to £1bn | 25 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 23 | 37% | 46% | 51% |
£1bn to £5bn | 24 | 17 | 45 | 47 | 59 | 39% | 49% | 62% |
> £5bn | 3 | 0 | 20 | 21 | 27 | 31% | 46% | 62% |
Table 5: Covenant group 1 (Strong) - 31 March 2022 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 0.3% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 5.0% | 12.0% |
£10m to £100m | 0.9% | 3.6% | 5.4% | 11.7% | 22.9% |
£100m to £500m | 0.2% | 1.3% | 2.1% | 5.2% | 11.7% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 1.8% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.5% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2.2% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
Table 6: Covenant group 1 (Strong) – 31 March 2022 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 9.4% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 2.0% | 3.7% |
£10m to £100m | 13.9% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 5.5% | 3.0% |
£100m to £500m | 5.0% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 3.1% | 1.1% |
£500m to £1bn | 1.0% | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
£1bn to £5bn | 1.2% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
> £5bn | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
Table 7: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – March 2022 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 2.4% | 2.6% | 4.5% | 6.7% | 10.5% |
£10m to £100m | 1.4% | 3.7% | 6.8% | 11.4% | 20.4% |
£100m to £500m | 0.2% | 1.2% | 2.7% | 5.5% | 8.8% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.4% | 1.7% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.1% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 2.0% | 2.3% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
Table 8: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – 31 March 2022 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 11.5% | 6.1% | 3.9% | 3.0% | 2.2% |
£10m to £100m | 15.1% | 11.3% | 9.5% | 5.3% | 2.4% |
£100m to £500m | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 3.2% | 1.1% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
£1bn to £5bn | 1.3% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.4% |
> £5bn | 0.2% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Table 9: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2022 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 4.1% | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.9% | 8.3% |
£10m to £100m | 3.1% | 6.2% | 8.7% | 11.7% | 14.2% |
£100m to £500m | 0.8% | 2.7% | 4.5% | 5.9% | 6.3% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 1.6% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 2.2% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Table 10: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2022 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 15.2% | 5.6% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 0.7% |
£10m to £100m | 22.0% | 9.4% | 7.1% | 3.5% | 1.8% |
£100m to £500m | 9.3% | 5.9% | 3.3% | 0.6% | 1.0% |
£500m to £1bn | 1.8% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
£1bn to £5bn | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Table 11: Covenant group 4 (Weak) – 31 March 2022 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 9.7% | 5.2% | 6.3% | 7.3% | 14.7% |
£10m to £100m | 5.3% | 5.0% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 11.0% |
£100m to £500m | 1.1% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 4.0% | 3.9% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.0% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
Table 12: Covenant group 4 (Weak) – 31 March 2022 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 24.3% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 3.6% | 4.2% |
£10m to £100m | 19.4% | 8.3% | 4.2% | 2.4% | 2.2% |
£100m to £500m | 7.0% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 0.6% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.1% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.8% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Table 13: Covenant group 1 (Strong) – 31 March 2023
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 248 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4% | 42% | 65% |
£10m to £100m | 451 | 120 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 39% | 51% | 63% |
£100m to £500m | 180 | 291 | 41 | 36 | 44 | 42% | 50% | 61% |
£500m to £1bn | 38 | 510 | 28 | 26 | 30 | 46% | 51% | 63% |
£1bn to £5bn | 44 | 442 | 78 | 70 | 81 | 45% | 57% | 64% |
> £5bn | 11 | 1,133 | 167 | 137 | 164 | 50% | 57% | 66% |
Table 14: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – 31 March 2023
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 640 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12% | 42% | 62% |
£10m to £100m | 957 | 278 | 36 | 32 | 39 | 40% | 52% | 62% |
£100m to £500m | 372 | 568 | 82 | 74 | 89 | 41% | 53% | 62% |
£500m to £1bn | 85 | 427 | 61 | 54 | 65 | 42% | 54% | 62% |
£1bn to £5bn | 120 | 1,556 | 266 | 243 | 283 | 47% | 58% | 65% |
> £5bn | 24 | 1,898 | 358 | 292 | 355 | 49% | 57% | 64% |
Table 15: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2023
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 281 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21% | 47% | 61% |
£10m to £100m | 413 | 121 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 39% | 52% | 62% |
£100m to £500m | 180 | 284 | 40 | 38 | 47 | 39% | 52% | 58% |
£500m to £1bn | 39 | 228 | 27 | 25 | 31 | 40% | 50% | 53% |
£1bn to £5bn | 33 | 395 | 62 | 56 | 66 | 38% | 54% | 62% |
> £5bn | 4 | 214 | 37 | 31 | 36 | 41% | 43% | 48% |
Table 16: Covenant group 4 (Weak) – 31 March 2023
Scheme size (Assets) | Number of schemes | Number of members (Thousands) | Total assets (£billion) | Total TP (£billion) | Total buyout liabilities (£billion) | Maturity (Ratio of pensioner TP to total TP) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | ||||||
< £10m | 397 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 22% | 46% | 64% |
£10m to £100m | 313 | 83 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 40% | 51% | 63% |
£100m to £500m | 118 | 206 | 26 | 25 | 31 | 39% | 50% | 59% |
£500m to £1bn | 18 | 76 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 37% | 56% | 66% |
£1bn to £5bn | 17 | 224 | 34 | 32 | 36 | 53% | 56% | 65% |
> £5bn | 2 | 44 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 29% | 38% | 46% |
Table 17: Covenant group 1 (Strong) – 31 March 2023 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 0.0% | 0.1% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 21.9% |
£10m to £100m | 0.0% | 0.6% | 2.8% | 6.4% | 36.6% |
£100m to £500m | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 1.9% | 15.4% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 2.1% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.9% | 3.1% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
Table 18: Covenant group 1 (Strong) – 31 March 2023 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 2.0% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.5% | 11.1% |
£10m to £100m | 3.3% | 5.9% | 9.5% | 10.1% | 17.7% |
£100m to £500m | 0.8% | 2.1% | 2.9% | 4.1% | 8.6% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.2% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.4% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.1% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.7% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Table 19: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – 31 March 2023 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 0.7% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 3.1% | 22.8% |
£10m to £100m | 0.2% | 0.7% | 3.3% | 6.1% | 33.2% |
£100m to £500m | 0.0% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 3.0% | 12.4% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 3.0% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 4.0% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Table 20: Covenant group 2 (Tending to strong) – 31 March 2023 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 3.8% | 4.5% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 10.6% |
£10m to £100m | 3.3% | 6.7% | 9.1% | 10.4% | 14.1% |
£100m to £500m | 0.7% | 2.2% | 4.5% | 3.9% | 5.6% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.2% | 0.4% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.4% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.2% | 0.5% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 2.0% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Table 21: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2023 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 1.2% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 4.3% | 19.2% |
£10m to £100m | 1.2% | 2.2% | 4.5% | 7.9% | 27.7% |
£100m to £500m | 0.3% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 4.5% | 11.5% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 2.8% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 2.8% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Table 22: Covenant group 3 (Tending to weak) – 31 March 2023 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 7.3% | 4.5% | 5.6% | 4.8% | 7.4% |
£10m to £100m | 8.6% | 8.1% | 8.7% | 8.3% | 9.7% |
£100m to £500m | 2.3% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 3.4% | 4.1% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 1.5% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
Table 23: Covenant group 4 (Weak) – 31 March 2023 / TP
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 3.8% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 5.1% | 30.4% |
£10m to £100m | 1.7% | 2.1% | 4.5% | 5.2% | 22.7% |
£100m to £500m | 0.5% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 3.0% | 8.1% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 1.2% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 1.0% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
Table 24: Covenant group 4 (Weak) – 31 March 2023 / Buyout
Scheme size (Assets) | Proportion of schemes with funding level (TPs) of: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
< 70% | 70% to 80% | 80% to 90% | 90% to 100% | > 100% | |
< £10m | 11.4% | 7.5% | 6.2% | 6.0% | 14.7% |
£10m to £100m | 8.2% | 5.8% | 7.7% | 6.6% | 7.9% |
£100m to £500m | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 3.6% |
£500m to £1bn | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
£1bn to £5bn | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
> £5bn | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |