Many occupational pension schemes have been wound-up meaning the loss of members' pension rights — in some cases 25 years of pension membership contributions being lost.  These infamous "wind-ups" included well known companies such as ASW, Dexion, and Anglo United Pension Scheme [Coalite Products].  Members of some of these companies even marched on Parliament to demonstrate their plight.  Other well knowns such as British Telecom, ICI, and the Post Office remain underfunded, but have announced plans that will hopefully make up their current huge shortfalls.

Pension Plans offered by some Insurance Companies are also known to be in crisis.  Firstly, The Equitable could not meet the guarantees offered to policy-holders and closed for new business.  Other well known insurance companies have also ceased accepting new pension business.

The Regulators have also been concerned about the decreasing solvency margins of many insurance companies, and have allowed affected companies to register to enable them to utilise a lower solvency status.  This may help the companies concerned and allow them to stay open for business - but it is hardly comforting for policy-holders.
Additionally some companies with so called "with profits" funds have imposed a "market value reduction" (MVR) to more accurately reflect the fall in value of underlying investments.

The British Government announced in June 2003 that a lifeboat scheme would be launched to assist members of failed company pension schemes.  However, this was not in place until 2005 and is funded by all occupational pension schemes — which serves to increase costs and induced some to wind-up sooner rather than later.  No life belt was available to members of pension schemes which failed before 2005, until December 2007 when The Government relented the position it had previously taken, also stating that they would not guarantee the fund, as is the case in the United States of America, Canada and Germany.  This means that the lifeboat itself could "sink" in a worst case scenario.