 
As you may be aware, Devon Assurance Partnership recently completed an audit on the quality of data provided by employers – with a focus on the monthly interface submissions that provide information on CARE pay information for their employees, as well as information relating to new starters, service interruptions, changes to working hours, and leavers.
The audit reviewed a sample of 29 employers, with interfaces submitted between November 2024 and January 2025, and sought to verify the accuracy of the data through matching back to the original payroll / supporting information provided by you as the employers. This review identified that submissions were accurate and fully matched the payroll information for 23 (79%) of the employers reviewed.
Of the remaining six (21%) employers, there were issues highlighted that include; CARE pay inconsistencies and discrepancies in the leaver information that had been provided. Unfortunately, the audit team also failed to receive any data in response to their enquiry from two employers, with one employer not responding at all.
Furthermore, the review highlighted that accurate and timely submissions of data by employers are essential and required to enable Peninsula Pensions to support the precision of benefit calculations. Failure to do so may result in inaccurate pension contributions and benefit amounts awarded over the years in payment, causing underpayments or overpayments for scheme members and potential subsequent survivors. In addition, this will impact on regulatory compliance, resulting in potential fines being imposed and reputational damage for the pension administrator.
Given the importance of having accurate information on file, we have already contacted the employers that were highlighted in the audit report and will continue to work with you all to overcome any challenges that you’re having with your submissions. If any of you are unsure of the interface requirements, please firstly view our 'Employer Guidance' area of the website Systems Development Team Guides - Peninsula Pensions; and if you also need some additional support or training in this area, please reach out to our Employer & Communications team at finance.peninsulaemployers-mailbox@devon.gov.uk and a member of the team will be happy to assist. It is recommended that all employers visit our website link above to refresh on responsibilities and processes to ensure compliancy - further audits will be happening over this financial year to provide assurance with member data.
Lastly, a big thank you from all of us at Peninsula Pensions for those that continue to provide regular, accurate submissions – your focus and support in this area allows us to look after your employees’ pensions, whilst meeting our regulatory requirements.
Affinity Connect has been delivering webinars on McCloud to LGPS members in England, Wales and Scotland since March. Feedback from members who have attended a session has been very positive.
Members can currently book a place on webinars in June and July 2025. Further dates will be added to the booking pages on a rolling basis.
Please let your members know about these free informative sessions.
There is more information about the webinars and a link to book a place on the member websites:
On 24 February 2025, the Department for Business and Trade laid the Neonatal Care Leave and Pay (Consequential Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Regulations 2025.
The regulations came into force on 6 April 2025 and make changes related to neonatal care leave (NCL) and pay. This is a new statutory entitlement for employed parents whose child receives neonatal care starting within 28 days of birth and goes on to spend seven or more continuous days in care. Eligible parents will be entitled to up to 12 weeks of NCL in addition to existing entitlement such as maternity, adoption and paternity leave. The leave must be taken within 68 weeks of the baby’s birth. The entitlement applies to children born after 5 April 2025.
This means the definition of ‘child related leave’ has been changed and now treats neonatal care leave similarly to most other types of child-related leave. Members on paid neonatal care leave are treated as receiving assumed pensionable pay. Members on unpaid neonatal care leave can choose to buy back the lost pension through a shared-cost additional pension contract.
 Just to remind you that there are differences in how to calculate final pay for term-time employees depending on whether you are a Devon Fund or Somerset Fund employer. Please see our website for more guidance:
Pensionable Pay - Peninsula Pensions
Employer Focus Sessions - Peninsula Pensions
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We would like to say thank you to the employers who worked with our Employer & Communications Team to bring the older queries up to date and we are pleased to say that we did not have to issue any fines.
The next batch of employer performance reports will be sent within the next week to those of you that currently have outstanding information/queries pending to us. The reports will include any outstanding cases covering the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and we will ask that you review your list and provide the outstanding information by 31 August 2025 to avoid any fines.
If you have any questions or concerns when you have received your report, please contact the Employer & Comms team to discuss outstanding cases without delay and work with us to get the information to us within the agreed timescale so that we can finalise any outstanding calculations for the members impacted.
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Keep us updated with any changes in staff responsible for completing our forms (authorised signatories). This can be done by completing our online form.
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 you are changing your Payroll Provider, please contact the Employer & Communications Team so that we can help you through the process and make sure you retain access to historical payroll information.
TUPEs & New Academies - Please do not complete the leaver spreadsheet if members are leaving your employment and transferring to another employer under TUPE. Follow the process outlined on our website instead.
Useful Links
Peninsula Pensions Employers' Pages
LGPS regulations and guidance
Fund Investments
LGPS National Website
Previous editions of Pensions Line
Employer Meetings and Focus Sessions
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