New website

Our new website will go live on Thursday 3rd December and we hope you find the site easier to navigate. The website address remains the same https://www.peninsulapensions.org.uk/ but if you have any saved bookmarks or pages they may take you to the old site until the migration has been fully completed.

There’s still a dedicated Employers Section where you can find everything you need in one place and will we let you know about any important changes in procedures and regulations in the Employer News Section.

You will no longer need to login to the Employers Forms area because due to the developments with Employer Self Service and Interfaces, most pension forms have been removed so only the Ill Health Certificates and the EAS5 Monthly Contributions Form remain on the website. We are taking this opportunity to audit the use of the on-line form so please could you confirm who completes the EAS5 Monthly Contributions form for your authority via this form. 

The OCH Approved Doctors (IRMP’s) list will no longer be on the website for you to view because of the sensitive data held within the spreadsheet. If you need to see a copy, please email the Employer and Communications team who will securely share the information with you.

A new Employers Guide to ESS is available on the website but the videos are unfortunately still under re-construction to make sure that accessibility legislation is met.

Whilst the website is still new, there will be a pop-up survey asking for feedback so we would welcome your engagement with the survey in order to improve your website.

Employer Pensions Discretions Policy

All employers must formulate and publish a discretions policy and then send a copy to Peninsula Pensions. Your policy should be reviewed annually to ensure that the decisions are still relevant to you as an employer and your scheme members and your policy adheres to current legislation. There has been some slight changes to what is required in the policy and full guidance can be found within the Employer Guidance area of the new website along with a new example template We would be grateful if you could review your current discretions policy against current guidance and send your updated discretions policies to the Employer & Communications team.

‘NEW’ monthly interface template

The data content, layout and formatting remains the same, but the template now includes a front sheet we need you to complete before submitting the data, and an information tab with some guidance notes which we hope you will find useful.

To ensure that members receive the correct pension benefits it is crucial that the CARE Pay figures include the Assumed Pensionable Pay (APP) for any periods of reduced pay, or nil pay due to sickness/injury. If you have any questions regarding APP please contact Jane Aplin (jane.j.aplin@devon.gov.uk)

The new template can be found on the Systems Development Team page within the Employer Guidance area of the new website.

Please replace any existing spread sheets/templates with this new one, complete the relevant tabs as appropriate and submit your template to our shared mailbox at the end of each month: pensionsinterfaces-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

From 1st January 2021 we will not be able to accept the old-style template.

Christmas Closing Times

Our office will be closed from 12pm on 24th December 2020 and will reopen at 9am on 4th January 2021.

Employer PLOG’s 2021

We will be running our annual Employer PLOG’s remotely next year and plan to hold a few sessions so that you will all be able to attend. Dates, times and topics will be circulated in the new year.

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 any authorised delegated contacts, your IDRP Stage 1 Appeals Officer, your Payroll Provider, your contact for Interfaces and to sign up to our employer newsletter Pensions Line

Change of Payroll Provider & Provision of Data

It is important that you contact the Employer & Communications Team if you are changing your payroll provider. We can then work with you to ensure you put processes in place to retain access to historical payroll information and continue to fulfil your responsibilities as a Scheme employer.

TUPEs & 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.

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.

Contacts

Employer & Communications Team

Quick linlks

Employer Services (ESS) Guide

Peninsula Pensions Employers' Pages

Peninsula Pensions Employers' Guide

LGPS regulations and guidance

Fund Investments

LGPS National Website

Newsletters

Back copies