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4 Eur. J. Soc. Sec. 5 (2002)
The 'Pillared-Privatisation' of Pension Provision in the European Union: The Case of the United Kingdom

handle is hein.journals/eujsocse4 and id is 5 raw text is: European Journal of Social Security, Volume 4/1, 5-24, 2002. 5 (D Kluwer Law International (KLI). Printed in the Netherlands. PATRICK RIN'G RODDY McKiNNON* The 'Pillared-Privatisation' of Pension Provision in the European Union: The Case of the United Kingdom Abstract: Across the European Union, national governments are re-assessing the institutional mechanisms through which pension provision is delivered. This articles sets the debate within the wider context of the 'pillared' structural analysis often adopted by international institutions when discussing pensions reform. It then sets out a detailed discussion of developments in the UK, arguing that the UK is moving towards a model of reform akin to that promoted by the World Bank -referred to here as 'pillared-privatisation'. The themes of this model indicate more means-test- ing, greater private provision, and a shift of the burden of risk from the government to individuals. An assessment is then made of the implications of UK developments for other EU countries. It is suggested that while there are strong reasons to think that other countries will not travel as far down the road of 'pillared-pnivatisation' as the UK, this should not be taken as a 'given'. 1. INTRODUCTION Across Europe old-age benefit provision is delivered using a variety of institutional mechanisms, involving both the public and private sectors. Although the post-War development of social security brought 'public' social insurance provision for the elderly into a position of institutional dominance, the role of state-mandated old age provision is currently under critical review and reform is now high on the agenda in many countries. As will be outlined below in relation to developments in the United Kingdom, the present international context of national pension system reform has come to focus on a multi-pillared approach and, in particular, what is referred to here as a 'pillared-pri- vatisation' approach. This can be characterised largely as advocating an expanding * Patrick Ring is a Lecturer in the Division of Risk, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 013A. E-Mail: P. Ring~gca.ac.uk. Roddy McKinnon is a Regional Research Analyst, International Social Security Association, 4 route de Morillons, Geneva 22, CH-121 I, Switzerland- E-Mail: mckinnon~ilo.org. The opin- ions expressed are the views of the authors and do not represent the views of the International Social Security Association. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SECURITY

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