Date posted: 01/12/2007
Audience:
- pension issues and liaison with your pensions administrator
- policy on flexible working arrangements and workforce planning
- administration of HR processes.
Action:
- Note the introduction of partial retirement on 1 March 2008
- Study the guide for employers and step by step process chart
- Introduce a process for handling enquiries and applications from employees for job reshaping, considering what timescales would be appropriate for the steps involving HR.
Timing: Immediate
Background
- EPNs 177 and 186 (and associated Q&A) gave details of the introduction of partial retirement for classic, classic plus and premium members from 1 March 2008. Partial retirement enables staff who reduce their pensionable earnings by at least 20% (by reshaping their job through a reduction in working hours and/or level of responsibility) to take some or all of the pension they have built up, while continuing to work.
- Partial retirement is intended to facilitate a gradual move from work to retirement and can potentially have considerable business benefits. It is likely to attract significant interest from staff, and you will need to put in place arrangements to deal with enquiries and with applications for job reshaping. In particular, you will want to consider what timescales would be appropriate for the steps in the process which involve HR.
- Guidance for employers was issued to HR Directors in HR Directors’ Bulletin No.16 on 19 November 2007. A further copy of the guidance is attached to this EPN together with a step by step process chart which highlights the actions you will need to take at various stages. Please note that your APAC will not be able to begin processing applications for partial retirement quotes until February 2008. Until that time, you should address any general enquiries about the new arrangements to our Employer Helpdesk rather than your APAC.
- We will send you a further EPN in January when we amend the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme rules to include the partial retirement provisions. Attached to the EPN will be a newsletter for you to send to your staff announcing the introduction of partial retirement. We will also make available a booklet, “Partial retirement – a guide for scheme members” (which will include an application form), and a calculator to help individuals understand the possible effect of partial retirement on their income during their transition to retirement and on their final pension. These will be available mid January.
Reference
This document refers to EPN177 and EPN186.
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
