Date posted: 01/07/2007
Audience: HR Managers and payroll managers
Action: Review progress and manage with your payroll provider the development and testing of payroll changes for the new pension arrangements (nuvos).
Timing: Immediate
Detail
- EPN159 set out employer responsibilities in managing the payroll changes for the new Civil Service pension arrangements (nuvos). The changes require changes to payroll and to the interface with PenServer, the scheme administration software used by your APAC.
- This EPN reminds you of your responsibilities and asks for details of progress with developing and testing the changes for the nuvos arrangements. EPN172 provided you with details about nuvos which applies to new entrants to the Civil Service starting on or after 30 July 2007.
Managing the payroll interface changes
- The data provided by your payroll to your APAC will need to change for members joining nuvos. A summary of these changes was given in EPN159. EPN159 further explained that you would need to discuss the changes with your payroll provider and manage their work to develop, test and introduce the changes. This work would need to be co-ordinated through CSPD (and our software supplier Claybrook Computing Ltd) and your APAC.
- We have provided copies of the revised payroll interface specifications to a number of payroll providers and held two workshops for payroll providers to ask questions about the changes. The payroll providers were also asked to send details of their planning arrangements to us with timescales so that we could co-ordinate the testing and confirm progress.
Planning arrangements
- We are concerned that a number of payroll providers have yet to give us details of their plans. We need assurance that changes are developed in time to provide the data on which the APAC can build nuvos member records and details are available for the issue of benefit statements and the calculation of benefits.
Year end balance
- Nuvos is different from the other defined benefit sections of the Civil Service pension scheme in that no changes can be made to pensionable earnings after the end of the scheme year. This year end balance is struck on 31 March. Any adjustments to pensionable earnings after 31 March must be recorded in the year in which they fall.
- The year end balance must not be struck without up to date pensionable earnings data on PenServer. The changes to the payroll interface must be live by 31 March 2008.
Action
- You should review progress with your payroll provider and confirm that the changes can be made in time. The changes should be in place as soon as possible but you must ensure that nuvos details are being sent across the interface to your APAC by 31 March 2008 at the latest. You should also confirm that details of your providers plans have been sent to us (Taz Poullais, Tel: 01256 846451, email: anastasis.poullais@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk)
- If following discussions with your payroll provider, you have any doubts whether your provider can make the changes in time please contact Taz Poullais.
Reference
This document refers to EPN159 and EPN172
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
