OREANDA-NEWS. Lighthouse Group plc (AIM:LGT), a leading national financial adviser for Middle Britain, is pleased to announce that Lighthouse Pensions Trust, the multi-employer pensions master trust, has received a 5-star rating from Defaqto in the auto-enrolment ("AE") trust-based schemes category.

Defaqto, an independent researcher of financial products providing a rating service for AE trust-based schemes, launched the AE Star Ratings this year to help financial advisers and small and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs") navigate the auto-enrolment wave. Star Ratings indicate Defaqto's opinion on where a product sits in the market in terms of the features and benefits it offers.

Lighthouse Pensions Trust is a multi-employer pensions master trust ("the Scheme") and was created by Lighthouse Group plc to provide additional capacity for SMEs looking for a simple AE solution from an expert in employee benefits.

The Scheme is managed by Bridge Trustees Limited, a professional independent trustee firm that is 100% owned by Eversheds LLP. The scheme uses BirthStar® Target Date Funds, managed by AllianceBernstein, as the default investment option, alongside a range of self-select options, including risk-profiled funds from Architas, an ethical fund and a Sharia fund. It also utilises AllianceBernstein's Retirement Bridge facility as an alternative to early annuitisation for members with "pots" of ?20,000 or more at retirement.

The Scheme's all-in cost, known as 'Member Borne Deductions' is 0.75% for those in the default investment option. Member Borne Deductions is the Department for Work and Pensions defined measure, covering investment total expense ratios and scheme administration costs for a workplace pension scheme, and is capped at 0.75% from April 2015.

On launching the ratings, Richard Hulbert, Insight Analyst at Defaqto, said: 

"Defaqto's AE Star Ratings give advisers an at-a-glance view of the market and helps them segment this growing market."

Ian Davies, CEO of Bridge Trustees Limited, said:

"The Scheme was developed to reflect best practice and we are glad to see this acknowledged by Defaqto's 5-star rating."

Roger Sanders, Managing Director of Lighthouse Group Employee Benefits, said:

"Scheme quality is about putting members' interests first, which is absolutely essential for employers and their advisers looking for a straightforward way of addressing their automatic enrolment legal responsibilities. We are delighted to see that the high quality of the Lighthouse Pensions Trust's Scheme has been acknowledged by Defaqto with this 5-star rating."