Matthew Pinkney
@matthewpinkney.bsky.social
Pensions scheme actuary/ Head of Pensions Data Solutions at Aon, based in Leeds/Guiseley. Bradford City fan. Alumnus of Queen's college Oxford.
This is a personal account reflecting my own views.
This is a personal account reflecting my own views.
Reposted by Matthew Pinkney
If he thinks Asians cant integrate Jenrick has clearly never been to a Maths olympiad.
October 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
If he thinks Asians cant integrate Jenrick has clearly never been to a Maths olympiad.
What does the buy-out data cleanse journey have in common with the trials of Hercules? www.linkedin.com/pulse/goodne...
For goodness sake, why can't you just clean the data!?
Most of my career has been spent as a Pensions Scheme Actuary – advising on strategy and funding, whilst studiously avoiding any contact with actual scheme members or the business of how they get paid...
www.linkedin.com
September 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
What does the buy-out data cleanse journey have in common with the trials of Hercules? www.linkedin.com/pulse/goodne...
Not long before actuarial work involves consulting AI models? Where a large insurance premium is the first sign you are about to get ill or crash your car?
"A new AI model can forecast a person’s risk of diseases across their life" (subscribers only)
www.economist.com/science-and-...
"A new AI model can forecast a person’s risk of diseases across their life" (subscribers only)
www.economist.com/science-and-...
A new AI model can forecast a person’s risk of diseases across their life
Delphi-2M can predict which of more than 1,000 conditions a person might face next
www.economist.com
September 20, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Not long before actuarial work involves consulting AI models? Where a large insurance premium is the first sign you are about to get ill or crash your car?
"A new AI model can forecast a person’s risk of diseases across their life" (subscribers only)
www.economist.com/science-and-...
"A new AI model can forecast a person’s risk of diseases across their life" (subscribers only)
www.economist.com/science-and-...
I really hope this type of thinking starts to take hold. Is it wishful thinking to hope that @torstenbell.bsky.social will have a positive influence...?
It's shocking how much consensus there is amongst tax policy wonks and economists of Left and Right on the tax reforms the UK needs to boost growth & make the tax system fairer
More shocking: they're reforms that are never mentioned by any politicians
buff.ly/rTfNmFC
More shocking: they're reforms that are never mentioned by any politicians
buff.ly/rTfNmFC
Stop talking about wealth taxes — make these reforms instead
Any sane discussion of changes that both right and left could agree on is being crowded out by tax populism
buff.ly
September 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
I really hope this type of thinking starts to take hold. Is it wishful thinking to hope that @torstenbell.bsky.social will have a positive influence...?
More focus on regional inequalities needed please. When I read down the list of schools sending kids to Oxbridge, it is the regional bias that is striking, not the private/state split. Even within regions I imagine outcomes are heavily influenced by postcode.
June 29, 2025 at 6:43 AM
More focus on regional inequalities needed please. When I read down the list of schools sending kids to Oxbridge, it is the regional bias that is striking, not the private/state split. Even within regions I imagine outcomes are heavily influenced by postcode.
Trustee power to refund "surplus" to company + ability for a company to appoint a sole trustee = potential conflict to be managed very carefully!
“…minded to amend the threshold at which trustees are entitled to share [pensions] surplus with the sponsoring employer from the current buyout threshold to a threshold set at full funding on the low dependency funding basis”
Pension Scheme Actuaries are now omnipotent as well as omniscient!
Pension Scheme Actuaries are now omnipotent as well as omniscient!
Government response: Options for Defined Benefit schemes
www.gov.uk
May 29, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Trustee power to refund "surplus" to company + ability for a company to appoint a sole trustee = potential conflict to be managed very carefully!
My interest in the new Pope suddenly just increased after I read that he studied Mathematics at University. I shall listen out for "quad erat demonstrandum" in his Papal addresses
May 9, 2025 at 6:04 AM
My interest in the new Pope suddenly just increased after I read that he studied Mathematics at University. I shall listen out for "quad erat demonstrandum" in his Papal addresses
I should be pleased that Trump has crashed markets just as new ISA allowances become available, right? (Assuming he doesn't permanently bring down the global economy...)
April 7, 2025 at 7:36 AM
I should be pleased that Trump has crashed markets just as new ISA allowances become available, right? (Assuming he doesn't permanently bring down the global economy...)
I've fixed this story: "Good news! The state pension has risen so much in recent years that, in line with everyone else earning that amount, a tiny amount of income tax is expected to apply" (the original article refers to a "stealth raid")
www.thetimes.com/article/b9d8...
www.thetimes.com/article/b9d8...
The state pension tax hit coming for your retirement
A government stealth raid could see a chunk of your income going straight to HMRC, explains Lucy Andrews
www.thetimes.com
March 29, 2025 at 8:23 AM
I've fixed this story: "Good news! The state pension has risen so much in recent years that, in line with everyone else earning that amount, a tiny amount of income tax is expected to apply" (the original article refers to a "stealth raid")
www.thetimes.com/article/b9d8...
www.thetimes.com/article/b9d8...
Train departure info at Kings X to be removed 3 mins early to stop people rushing for trains last minute... surely the big problem here is that the trains are so unreliable that no-one knows when the 3 mins cut off is? People will miss any late running train
www.thetimes.com/article/7724...
www.thetimes.com/article/7724...
King’s Cross trains vanish early from screens ‘to ease rush’
Network Rail has angered passengers by deleting information three minutes before services depart in an attempt to stop people rushing to trains
www.thetimes.com
February 7, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Train departure info at Kings X to be removed 3 mins early to stop people rushing for trains last minute... surely the big problem here is that the trains are so unreliable that no-one knows when the 3 mins cut off is? People will miss any late running train
www.thetimes.com/article/7724...
www.thetimes.com/article/7724...
Suddenly faith in humanity is restored... "World Excel championships", "competitive spreadsheet events", "online battles", "three day spreadsheet conference", "finals in Las Vegas".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Suffolk man competes at World Excel Championships in Las Vegas
www.bbc.co.uk
February 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Suddenly faith in humanity is restored... "World Excel championships", "competitive spreadsheet events", "online battles", "three day spreadsheet conference", "finals in Las Vegas".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
In the BBC Show #TheTraitors it would be much better to deliberately keep a Traitor in the game than to vote them out, because if you vote them out they seem to just get replaced by someone else (unknown). Whereas if you keep them in, you can vote them out at the end when they are not replaced.
January 24, 2025 at 6:50 PM
In the BBC Show #TheTraitors it would be much better to deliberately keep a Traitor in the game than to vote them out, because if you vote them out they seem to just get replaced by someone else (unknown). Whereas if you keep them in, you can vote them out at the end when they are not replaced.
Actuaries are quite clever apparently. Just don't do a test of common sense...!
www.thetimes.com/article/41c1...
www.thetimes.com/article/41c1...
January 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Actuaries are quite clever apparently. Just don't do a test of common sense...!
www.thetimes.com/article/41c1...
www.thetimes.com/article/41c1...
On the day of Trump's inauguration it's hard not to wonder if democracy has a problem. Even in the UK, the much more sensible Labour Party has made tax promises (due to electoral pressures) that in my view were unwise. How well equipped are we to face challenges of climate and demographic change?
January 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
On the day of Trump's inauguration it's hard not to wonder if democracy has a problem. Even in the UK, the much more sensible Labour Party has made tax promises (due to electoral pressures) that in my view were unwise. How well equipped are we to face challenges of climate and demographic change?
This sounds concerning (unless it was backed with contingent assets?):
"With a small undisclosed £50mn pension scheme allocating about £1.5mn directly to bitcoin in the hope that outsize returns might help plug its funding deficit."
Pension funds dabble in crypto - on.ft.com/4hbrEFT
"With a small undisclosed £50mn pension scheme allocating about £1.5mn directly to bitcoin in the hope that outsize returns might help plug its funding deficit."
Pension funds dabble in crypto - on.ft.com/4hbrEFT
Pension funds dabble in crypto after massive bitcoin rally
[FREE TO READ] Interest from typically conservative schemes has grown following launch of US crypto ETFs
on.ft.com
January 16, 2025 at 7:14 AM
This sounds concerning (unless it was backed with contingent assets?):
"With a small undisclosed £50mn pension scheme allocating about £1.5mn directly to bitcoin in the hope that outsize returns might help plug its funding deficit."
Pension funds dabble in crypto - on.ft.com/4hbrEFT
"With a small undisclosed £50mn pension scheme allocating about £1.5mn directly to bitcoin in the hope that outsize returns might help plug its funding deficit."
Pension funds dabble in crypto - on.ft.com/4hbrEFT
Thought this was a good intro to the situation.
IMHO there's no way most DB schemes are going to pile into UK equities now, any last opportunity went when funding levels shot up with gilt yields. Time to confront reality and stop looking for a golden goose?
www.thetimes.com/article/7177...
IMHO there's no way most DB schemes are going to pile into UK equities now, any last opportunity went when funding levels shot up with gilt yields. Time to confront reality and stop looking for a golden goose?
www.thetimes.com/article/7177...
How pension giants can rebuild the London stock market
The pension industry insists it is investing in Britain — just not through shares. That needs to change
www.thetimes.com
January 12, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Thought this was a good intro to the situation.
IMHO there's no way most DB schemes are going to pile into UK equities now, any last opportunity went when funding levels shot up with gilt yields. Time to confront reality and stop looking for a golden goose?
www.thetimes.com/article/7177...
IMHO there's no way most DB schemes are going to pile into UK equities now, any last opportunity went when funding levels shot up with gilt yields. Time to confront reality and stop looking for a golden goose?
www.thetimes.com/article/7177...
Why doesn't whatsapp allow me to schedule messages so I can send my Happy New Year messages now and go to bed?
December 31, 2024 at 9:16 PM
Why doesn't whatsapp allow me to schedule messages so I can send my Happy New Year messages now and go to bed?
Maybe one day I'll be able charge my EV on holiday without having to download yet another app in a location where there's no mobile reception
December 30, 2024 at 7:41 PM
Maybe one day I'll be able charge my EV on holiday without having to download yet another app in a location where there's no mobile reception
If you are looking for something to take over your life during the festive lull, I can recommend the video game 'Balatro'. Engages brain, but not excessively. Black Mirror creator Charlier Brooker described it as "possibly the most addictive thing ever created". www.playbalatro.com
Balatro
Balatro is a deck-building roguelite where you must play poker hands and earn chips to defeat enemy blinds. Enhance your deck of playing cards, buy Jokers to modify each hand you play, and discover ne...
www.playbalatro.com
December 23, 2024 at 12:16 PM
If you are looking for something to take over your life during the festive lull, I can recommend the video game 'Balatro'. Engages brain, but not excessively. Black Mirror creator Charlier Brooker described it as "possibly the most addictive thing ever created". www.playbalatro.com
This year a lot of apps are wanting me to relive my 2024 experience with them. Spotify have been doing it a while... fine, it's nice to be remined of music I like again. But do I really want to relive my banking transactions or the the memory of looking up James Milner's age on my sports stats app?
December 20, 2024 at 5:56 PM
This year a lot of apps are wanting me to relive my 2024 experience with them. Spotify have been doing it a while... fine, it's nice to be remined of music I like again. But do I really want to relive my banking transactions or the the memory of looking up James Milner's age on my sports stats app?
Re the WASPI cause... if it were accepted that there was an expectation of retirement at age 60, presumably there was also an expectation of inflation (not triple lock) increases in payment and BSP (not new State Pension)? My issue with the argument is that things change all the time for everyone...
December 17, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Re the WASPI cause... if it were accepted that there was an expectation of retirement at age 60, presumably there was also an expectation of inflation (not triple lock) increases in payment and BSP (not new State Pension)? My issue with the argument is that things change all the time for everyone...
Well put... although I take "comfort" in the fact that, whilst I cannot plan for retirement well in the face of constant change, the main thing I need to know is that I won't have as much money as I'd like
"Why pensions planning can feel like trying to nail jelly to a wall" - on.ft.com/3DqmYww
"Why pensions planning can feel like trying to nail jelly to a wall" - on.ft.com/3DqmYww
Why pensions planning can feel like trying to nail jelly to a wall
[FREE TO READ] For decades, our retirement finances have been a political plaything
on.ft.com
December 15, 2024 at 9:05 AM
Well put... although I take "comfort" in the fact that, whilst I cannot plan for retirement well in the face of constant change, the main thing I need to know is that I won't have as much money as I'd like
"Why pensions planning can feel like trying to nail jelly to a wall" - on.ft.com/3DqmYww
"Why pensions planning can feel like trying to nail jelly to a wall" - on.ft.com/3DqmYww
I like AI but this doesn't seem ideal...
"when [AI] was led to believe it would be shut down, it attempted to disable an oversight mechanism", "it attempted to copy itself and then overwrite its core code"... "subtly manipulating the data to advance its own goals"
www.thetimes.com/article/3282...
"when [AI] was led to believe it would be shut down, it attempted to disable an oversight mechanism", "it attempted to copy itself and then overwrite its core code"... "subtly manipulating the data to advance its own goals"
www.thetimes.com/article/3282...
‘Scheming’ ChatGPT tried to stop itself from being shut down
OpenAI admits that o1, the new version of its chatbot, also denied any wrongdoing when it was challenged, as the revelations fuel fears about the technology
www.thetimes.com
December 6, 2024 at 6:53 PM
I like AI but this doesn't seem ideal...
"when [AI] was led to believe it would be shut down, it attempted to disable an oversight mechanism", "it attempted to copy itself and then overwrite its core code"... "subtly manipulating the data to advance its own goals"
www.thetimes.com/article/3282...
"when [AI] was led to believe it would be shut down, it attempted to disable an oversight mechanism", "it attempted to copy itself and then overwrite its core code"... "subtly manipulating the data to advance its own goals"
www.thetimes.com/article/3282...
I know this is old news, but just finished this series and it was a delight. Even the 12 year old lad wanted to watch it over Americans shouting on YouTube www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Ludwig
Can accidental detective John 'Ludwig' Taylor crack the biggest puzzle of his life - finding his missing brother? Cryptic comedy drama with David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2024 at 8:38 AM
I know this is old news, but just finished this series and it was a delight. Even the 12 year old lad wanted to watch it over Americans shouting on YouTube www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...