Date posted: 01/08/2007
Audience:
- HR Managers and policy teams
- HR staff who are responsible for pensions communications
Action: Please issue attached Pension Reform Newsletter no 1 to all staff
Timing: As soon as possible
Background
- EPN177 gave you details of the pension reform proposals planned by Cabinet Office, subject to consultation with the Civil Service unions. The consultation finished on time and Cabinet Office Minister, Gillian Merron, has now made amendments to the rules of the Civil Service pension scheme (and consequential amendments to the rules of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme). These amendments are in line with those set out in EPN177.
- Gillian Merron announced the rule changes through a Written Ministerial Statement on 26 July 2007 (text attached at Annex A for ease of reference). The versions of the scheme rules held on the Civil Service Pensions’ website, have been updated and reflect these amendments. You can find the rules of the new scheme, nuvos, in Section III of the PCSPS.
- We are aware that the Office Notice that we asked you to issue in June referred to the changes as “proposals”, and that staff – particularly those who are due to retire soon – are keen to see confirmation that these changes are indeed happening.
- We therefore ask you to issue the attached Pension Reform newsletter to all staff. You will note that we are now adopting a format of numbered newsletters with the intention of drip-feeding information about pension reform over the coming months (and beyond). We see this as important in building understanding both about the existing scheme changes and the need to share responsibility for future increases in pension costs if the scheme is to remain sustainable.
Reference
This document refers to EPN177
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
