EPN323 - Civil Service Pension Scheme

Date posted: 01/03/2012

Audience: HR Managers and HR Policy advisors

Action: To note information about Automatic Enrolment legislation requirements and support available

Timing: Staging commences October 2012 through to February 2016

This notice is from Cabinet Office, Scheme Management Executive

In accordance with the Pensions Act 2008, from 2012 all employers with one worker or more will be required to automatically enrol all eligible jobholders into a qualifying workplace pension scheme and make an employer contribution towards it – this is known as Automatic Enrolment. More details are available on The Pensions Regulator (TPR) website http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/professionals/help-clients-prepare-for-auto-enrolment.aspx- guidance.aspx. Civil Service Employee Policy has provided information and updates on automatic enrolment to department’s Single Point of Contact (SPoC) in HR.
Automatic Enrolment is an employer responsibility. Employers will need to prepare for their staging date. TPR will write to each employer to give 12 months’ notice of their staging date. TPR and DWP are already working with the largest departments who will stage first. Information on staging dates is on the TPR website: http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/what-is-my-staging-date.aspx and guidance will be provided for Civil Service employers – see below.
The Minister for the Cabinet Office (MCO) has decided, under the Superannuation Act 1972, that all Civil Service departments, and their executive agencies, will use the Civil Service pension scheme for automatic enrolment as well as making the decision for all workers to be enrolled at staging regardless of age or earnings. The Cabinet Office will ensure that the scheme rules accommodate the requirements of automatic enrolment.
Other employers who participate in the Civil Service pension (CSP) arrangements could choose to provide a different qualifying scheme in which to automatically-enrol their employees. It is therefore, strongly recommended that NDPBs and Sponsor departments liaise with each other.

Support and guidance

CS Employee Policy is one of the three expert services set up as part of the Next Generation HR programme to reshape HR in the Civil Service. During automatic enrolment roll out:CS Employee Policy will engage with Civil Service departments, agencies and crown NDPBs, provide in depth guidance, an expert advice service and support throughout implementation. For those employers who are not signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding to receive CS Employee Policy services, they will share products without providing additional support and advice  Anyone who would like further information about the Memorandum of Understanding and CS Employee Policy should in the first instance contact the general e-mail address: CONTACT.US@CSEMPLOYEEPOLICY.GSI.GOV.UK
CS Employee Policy are working closely with DWP, TPR, Cabinet Office and ourselves to produce guidance on automatic enrolment aimed specifically at Civil Service employers. They will produce recommended communications, in-depth advice on implementation and model letters to enable Civil Service employers to fulfil their automatic enrolment duties. CS Employee Policy will be contacting each department approximately 12 months prior to their staging date to offer support throughout the process if required.
CS Employee Policy are now issuing products to the first tranche of departments who are to stage between October/November 2012 and March 2013, with all other departments receiving them in May 2012. This is to allow CS Employee Policy time to test the products with the first tranche and amend them where necessary. It will also give them time to design and incorporate the model letters after the legislation has been confirmed and laid in April. CS Employee Policy will issue the guidance via their agreed contact routes to all departments who are signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding.
Any queries relating to CS Employee Policy should be sent to their Inbox and a member of the team will make initial contact within 3 working days. mailto:contact.us@csemployeepolicy.gsi.gov.uk

Roles and responsibilities

Employers

At staging date automatically enrol all staff who are not already in a qualifying scheme, into a qualifying workplace pension scheme (Note: members of partnership are already n a qualifying scheme)
After staging date automatically enrol all new entrants into a qualifying workplace pension scheme within one month of starting employment
Re-enrol everyone who has opted out and not joined another qualifying scheme (e.g. partnership) more than one year previously at the 3rd anniversary of the employer’s staging date.

Cabinet Office

Ensure that the Civil Service pension scheme and partnership remain qualifying pension schemes

MyCSP

Maintain the Employers’ Pension Guide to include general guidance on automatic enrolment to make sure that new entrant Starter Packs reflect provisions for auto enrolment