Date posted: 01/11/2006
Audience:
- HR Managers
- HR staff dealing with age retirement
- Policy teams
Action: To consider writing to members of staff who are approaching pension age to find out when they plan to retire. This will help you to take prompt action to ensure that their pension is paid on time.
The attached model letters are intended for you to use to ensure that members’ pensions are paid on time.
Timing: Immediate
Detail
- As part of our Communication Strategy, the Pensions Communication Network (PCN) looked at how employers inform their Authorised Pension Administration Centre (APAC) of members’ retirement dates. The PCN representatives discussed concerns that employers are not always telling their APAC promptly when members want to take their pension. There is a risk that members will not get their pension paid on time. Late notification of retirement dates creates extra work for the APAC and extra costs for you, the employer. The timescale for retirement actions is clearly set out in section 7 of the Employers’ Pension Guide.
- We, in consultation with employer representatives from the PCN groups, have produced model letters that you can use when writing to staff who are approaching pension age, to ask when they are planning to retire. This is becoming more important as retirement age is no longer linked to pension age in many organisations. From 1st October 2006 most staff will have the right to work to 65, but the majority of staff will still have a pension age of 60.
- We have produced four model letters, two for classic, classic plus and premium members and two for partnership members. We’ve also included a form which you can use to find out about members’ intentions. See Annex B
- You can send the first of the model letters before age 59 and the second at age 59. It is for you, as the employer, to decide which letter(s) and optional text to use in your organisation. The letters are designed to give the member a clearer understanding of:
- the choices they have (if applicable);
- the things they need to consider;
- the sources of information and help available to them;
- the actions they need to take; and
- the notice period required.
You can include the appropriate paragraphs from the model letters into your own pre retirement letters, ensuring that you follow the notes on the right hand side of the page.
- The attached model letters and intentions form will be included in the Employers’ Pension Guide, which we are currently revising.
- If you are interested in finding out more about the PCN groups further details can be found in the employer section of our website.
Contacts
Enquiries about content, distribution or to receive in a different format
employerhelpdesk@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
01256 846414
Employer Helpdesk
Civil Service Pensions
Grosvenor House
Basing View
Basingstoke
RG21 4HG
Attachments
