08 January 2008
TPAS today issued the following press release on its website
usage.
Figures revealed by The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) this
week show that its main website -
www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk - is now receiving over half a
million visits a year.
The website has been progressively developed over time as a
comprehensive but easy to understand guide to pensions across the
board - occupational, personal and state. It is an invaluable aid
both for individuals seeking information and help about their own
situation and those, e.g. financial journalists and researchers,
looking for a wider perspective of the UK system as a whole.
Amongst other things the site explains rights for particular
groupings such as women and the self employed plus more specialised
arrangements involving SIPPs, SSAS and so on. It includes details
of significant pension events with dates over the years, offers a
simple state pension age calculator, an "Ask the Experts" facility
and a periodical live, interactive Q & A session.
"There are some people in the pensions industry", observes TPAS
Chief Executive, Malcolm McLean "who still associate the work of
TPAS as being solely in the area of dispute resolution. Whilst that
most certainly is, and will remain, an important part of our role,
it would be quite wrong to see us as limited in that respect. In
recent years our general information and guidance function has
taken off in a big way, as clearly demonstrated by the figures
showing a large increase in the usage of our website. I would urge
anyone who could benefit from our free and independent advice
service to get in touch with us - via our website, on the phone on
our helpline or by email or correspondence - and we will do our
utmost to help".
A postscript on all this comes from a member of the public who
paid tribute to the accessibility of the information on the website
in the following terms:
"I would like to congratulate you on the clarity and
responsiveness of your very helpful website - one of the best I
have ever come across". Mike Palmer, pensioner.
