Highlights In This Section
Are you saving enough?
Find out how much your lifestyle could cost when you retire and how to work out if your savings are on track.
Try it nowNew year, new job? Make the most out of your new pension
If you’ve kick started the new year landing a new job – congratulations! With the new job comes a whole host of other new things you need to think about or at least be aware of. One of those things is your new pension plan.
Depending on where you are on your career journey, your pension may not be a top priority at the moment. But the earlier you start saving towards it, the better. It means you’ll have more to enjoy your working days are over.
Here are a couple of useful tips on how to make the most out of your new pension:
Explore your pension
Get familiar with your pension and benefits by having a good look at your Amey pension website. Pension jargon can feel confusing, which is why we’ve created a dedicated area of our website, where you can find tons of guidance and useful information about your pension. Our FAQs and Glossary make complex topics easier to understand providing explanations to common pension terms. Our News offers insights to help you understand and manage your pension, tells you about changes in the industry and shows how we are working to look after your pension.
Set saving goals
Whether you want to enjoy a steadier pace of life or continue the lifestyle you have now, deciding what you’re saving for early on makes your goal for the future clearer and will help you plan more effectively to achieve it.
Think about saving more - you can make Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
AVCs, put simply, are extra money you can put aside now to boost your pension benefits. Here, it’s helpful to consider the basics - home and bills, your wish-list – holidays and sports clubs, and the rest – family needs and potential unforeseen pay outs to see if you can afford to put a bit more aside towards your life after work.
What to do if you get stuck…
Simply get in touch with our friendly Helpline agents who would happily answer any questions you may have about your pension. Call 0345 112 0025 or email amey@railpen.com
Matt Riley
Manager
Matt joined Zedra Governance Limited (formerly PTL) in January 2008 having previously worked for Mercer Limited, Hazell Carr and Prudential.
As a Manager for the company's Birmingham Office, Matt’s responsibilities include working closely with Client Directors and individually liaising with Employers, Trustees and Members to ensure the smooth running of their pension schemes. Matt’s current portfolio of clients covers ongoing, paid-up and winding-up schemes. In addition, Matt has experience of schemes that have transferred or are in the process of transferring to the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme. Matt also works closely with clients in relation to risk registers and internal controls.
Matt particularly enjoys resolving issues in a fair and pragmatic way ensuring that the right result is reached for the member or employer.
Sam Burden
Client Director
Sam Burden joined Zedra Governance (formerly PTL) in 2022. He is an Accredited Professional Pension Trustee (AMAPPT) and an Associate of the Pensions Management Institute (APMI)
Sam has more than 25 years’ experience in the pensions industry gained with WTW, KPMG, and Standard Life working with a wide range of pension schemes and sponsoring employers. His trustee appointments include DB, DC and hybrid pension schemes and he has experience of handling a broad range of projects relating to the management of pension schemes.
Beyond his pensions experience Sam is a former Birmingham City Councillor where he chaired the audit committee and a current charity trustee.
Payam Kazemian
Client Director
Payam Kazemian joined Zedra Governance Limited (formerly PTL Governance Limited) in 2021. He is an Accredited Professional Pension Trustee (AMAPPT) and an Associate of the Pensions Management Institute (APMI).
Payam has more than 17 years of experience in the pensions industry. Through his current role as a professional trustee, as well as previously as a pension’s de-risking and investment structuring expert at financial institutions including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, he has had overall responsibility for creating investment, de-risking, journey planning, and governance solutions for a wide range of UK DB pension schemes. He currently holds a number of board positions (as Chair of Trustees) and sole trustee in his professional trustee capacity. Payam has been involved with a number of pensions projects including pensions buy-in, pensions buy-out, GMP equalisation, investment strategy reviews, and dialogue with the pensions regulator. Payam looks to create and believes in a collaborative relationship between the sponsor, the trustee, and all other parties involved as this results in best member outcomes and helps deliver pragmatic solutions for scheme. Aside from his pensions experience, Payam holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Cambridge.
