Annual Allowance 2019/20

The annual allowance calculations will shortly be due for the year 2019/20 for all scheme members currently contributing.
To help reduce the number of individual requests for pensionable pay relating to these calculations, we have identified two categories of members that we consider may potentially breach the current HMRC limit of £40000:
• Employees who receive an annual salary of £90,000 or more per year, or
• Employees that have had an increase in salary over the last year of £5,000 or more.
It may still be necessary to request further pay information for other employees that have differing circumstances, but we hope that by providing these details annually from now on, these requests will reduce in number.
For employees that fall into either of the above two categories, please arrange for the Annual Allowance Spreadsheet on our website to be completed fully and returned to us by 5th July 2020, or as soon as possible.
Please send the data titled ‘Annual Allowance 2019/2020’ to our secure mailbox at: finance.pensionstechnicaltraining-mailbox@devon.gov.uk .
You may also use this mailbox for queries relating to the spreadsheet and Annual Allowance.

COVID-19 FAQs for administrators and employers published

The Local Government Association (LGA) have created a COVID-19 news page on www.lgpsregs.org with a set of administrator and employer FAQs. They will continue to add further FAQs as things develop, so please check the pages regularly. There is also an FAQ’s document for members which is available via our website.

McCloud judgement (UPDATE)

As you will be aware, the Government has confirmed that the McCloud judgment applies to all public service pension schemes. Despite this, we are aware that companies are actively encouraging members of these schemes to lodge costly claims. The pensions challenge website is one example of this.

It is important that members are made aware that if they qualify for protection it will apply automatically. They do not need to make an employment tribunal claim. Please communicate this to your employees.

Deferred Benefits

Deferred Personal Benefit Statements have been produced for all members who left on or before 31/3/2020. Emails will be sent to all MSS users over the next few weeks informing them their Deferred Statement is now available for viewing. Please provide any outstanding leavers forms/respond to leaver queries raised as soon as possible to ensure we can update all records and provide those members with their deferred statements.

Employee Retirement Planning Guide

The Local Government Association (LGA) have published a new guide for members planning their retirement which is designed to help members approaching retirement understand their options, the process and the timescales involved. The guide can be found on our website in the members Factsheets and Forms section.

Teachers’ pension employer contribution grant

The Department for Education (DfE) is funding the increase in employer contributions in the form of a teachers’ pension employer contribution grant for schools and local authorities. The Government have updated their TPS guidance on the employer contribution grant. The guidance covers the grant for the financial years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. More details can be found in Bulletin 191 and the Local Government Associations (LGA) note highlighting the key points.

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

Change to our online contacts form

Our online contact form has been amended so that you can confirm who will be completing and submitting your monthly interfaces. We would appreciate it if you would all take some time to update these details for us so that we have the correct contact listed within our Interface template. Just select ‘Keep us updated’ from the menus and select ‘Confirm contact for interfaces’.

Employee Contribution Rates 2020/21

The 2020/21 employee contribution bandings have been updated and are available on our website.

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.

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