Employer PLOG Meetings 2020

The venues and dates are now confirmed for next years meetings which are open to all Pension Fund employers and are aimed at staff who are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

For more information on the events and to book your place, please click here.

Christmas Closing Times

Our office will be closed from 12pm on 24th December 2019 and will reopen at 9am on 2nd January 2020.

Please give us time to process your retirement leavers and requests for information before we break for the festive season.

LGPS Pensions Made Simpler Videos

The Local Government Association (LGA) have released ‘Pensions Made Simple’ member videos which are now available to view on www.lgpsmember.org. There are seven videos in total with English and Welsh versions available for all. These videos are designed for members of the scheme so please feel free to direct members to the LGPS member website to watch.

Pensions Ombudsman’s Determination PO17634 – Ill Health

This complaint is about an ill health application from deferred status. It covers:

• administrative delays between 2011 and 2016,
• a request for the member to pay for the cost of a specialist report, and
• the fact that once the pension was awarded in 2016, it was only backdated to 2015 and not 2011, the date of the original request for payment.

The Ombudsman upheld the member’s complaint and to put matters right instructed the Council to consider backdating the ill health pension to May 2011. The Council was also instructed to pay £1000 to the member for causing serious distress and inconvenience. You can view the determination here.

Refunds for leavers within three months

Just to remind you that refunds of contributions to a member via the payroll should only be processed when an employee has opted out of the LGPS.

If they have left employment within 3 months, the refund of contributions has to be paid by us here in Pensions so a leaver form will need to be submitted via ESS with a copy of the opting form.

McCloud – latest position

The Scheme Advisory Board has updated the McCloud page of www.lgpsboard.org with its understanding of the latest position.

Provision of Data

It is important that you put processes in place to retain access to historical payroll information when you change payroll provider so that you can continue to fulfil your responsibilities as a Scheme employer

TUPE’s & New Academies

If you are outsourcing services and have a number of staff who will be subject to TUPE and moving to a new employer or your school is converting to an Academy or moving MAT, please do not submit any leaver forms as this will complicate the process – instead there is a staff data capture spreadsheet you can complete on our website.

Keep us updated

Please remember to keep us updated with any changes in staff responsible for completing our forms (authorised signatories). This can be done by completing our via our online form.

You can also use this form to notify us of your IDRP Stage 1 Appeals Officer and any delegated authorised contacts.

Payment of Pension Fund Contributions

Please remember to inform us and the relevant Finance team each time you have paid your pension scheme contributions, by filling in the Monthly Contributions Form. If we receive the returns right away with the payments and they are correct - it makes the process so much easier, so please ensure that you build this form into your procedures.

If you are a Somerset Pension Fund employer, please contact the Corporate Finance Team for a copy of the Monthly Contribution Return: Corporatefinancepens@somerset.gov.uk

If you are a Devon Pension Fund Employer, you will need to use the online EAS5 form. If you have not already registered, a login can be obtained from the Employer and Communications Team.

Contacts

Employer & Communications  Team

Quick links

Employer Services (ESS) Guide

Peninsula Pensions Employers' Pages

Peninsula Pensions  Employers' Guide

Ill Health Retirement Guidance

Pensionable Pay Guidance

Assumed Pensionable Pay Guidance

IDRP Guidance

LGPS regulations and guidance

Fund Investments

LGPS National Website

Newsletters

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