Date posted: 01/01/2007
Audience: HR Managers & HR Staff
Action:
- Read and circulate briefing material to all HR staff who may be asked questions by scheme members
- Issue Office Notice and Questions and Answers for scheme members on 9 January 2007 • Use supporting materials to communicate with staff as appropriate
- Feed back questions not covered by the Questions and Answers to employer helpdesk
Timing: THE INFORMATION ENCLOSED WITH THIS NOTICE SHOULD BE TREATED AS UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 9 JANUARY 2007
Office Notice and Questions and Answers for scheme members to be issued on 9 January 2007 followed by supporting communications as required
Detail
- Plans for reform of the Civil Service pension arrangements were issued to the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU) on 4 December 2006. The CCSU has responded positively to the plans. A copy of the correspondence is available on the Civil Service Pensions website.
- The reform package is the result of negotiations between Cabinet Office and the CCSU in accordance with the principles agreed by the Public Services Forum in October 2005. See earlier EPNs (127, 131 and 136) for background details.
- It is important that both employers and scheme members are aware of the Government’s plans. We have written to HR Directors to ask them to make sure that staff are informed. CSPD will develop the detailed plans in discussion with the CCSU. A summary of the plans is set out in the briefing pack attached to this Notice. It contains:
For members
- An Office Notice to tell staff about the plans (Annex A)
- Questions and Answers for scheme members – to be issued with the Office Notice - you can also put these on your intranet and/or circulate them to any HR staff who may receive queries from staff (Annex B)
For employers
- The package at a glance – briefing information for HR staff (Annex C)
- Questions and Answers for employers (Annex D) (See also the Questions and Answers for scheme members)
- New scheme factsheet (Annex E) Note – this is designed as a double sided leaflet folded into three
- On our website (with the EPN) you will find a PowerPoint slide presentation with speaking notes for you to cascade to staff if you wish, (we do not suggest that this is used routinely but only where you feel there is a real need for clarification). If you are unable to download this you can request a copy from the employer helpdesk.
- We have sent the same information to the APACs so that they are able to answer queries from staff via their helplines. 5. Please note that any future additional features for the current scheme, such as a higher tax-free lump sum will only be introduced following detailed discussions, and subject to agreement, with the CCSU. No changes are expected before July 2007 at the earliest. There are no current plans to allow existing scheme members to move to the new scheme. 6. If you are asked any questions not covered by the briefing material, or if you have any questions, please send these to the Employer Helpdesk: employerhelpdesk@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk. We will put all the briefing material on our website on the Pension Reform pages and will update the Questions and Answers as received. If there are substantial numbers of additional questions we will issue them under a supplementary EPN.
- Please note that any future additional features for the current scheme, such as a higher tax-free lump sum will only be introduced following detailed discussions, and subject to agreement, with the CCSU. No changes are expected before July 2007 at the earliest. There are no current plans to allow existing scheme members to move to the new scheme.
- If you are asked any questions not covered by the briefing material, or if you have any questions, please send these to the Employer Helpdesk: employerhelpdesk@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk. We will put all the briefing material on our website on the Pension Reform pages and will update the Questions and Answers as received. If there are substantial numbers of additional questions we will issue them under a supplementary EPN.
- Please liaise with your HR Director to make sure that all HR staff who may be involved in taking questions from staff receive the briefing information and that the Office Notice and Questions and Answers for scheme members are issued on 9 January 2007.
Reference
This document refers to EPNs 114, 127, 131 and 136
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
