Immediate
Each year, we issue:
Distribution schedules are provided for both ABS and PSS on the dedicated ABS and PSS pages.
ABS are available to view/download online (unless a member has requested a paper copy). For more information, please see the Paperless ABS section below.
We will send ABS either to members' home addresses (using the addresses provided by employers) or for security reasons, to their employer.
To receive an ABS, a member must:
In addition, employers must also have provided a sufficient record of pensionable earnings for members of alpha for the 2022/23 scheme year.
2015 Remedy (McCloud)
Members who have built up pension benefits in alpha between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 will be able to see how they are affected by the 2015 Remedy (McCloud) in their 2024 statement. In the meantime, visit our website for more information.
To receive a PSS a member must meet one or more of the following criteria:
* Please note, high income individuals may be subject to a tapered Annual Allowance. Information and guidance on how to calculate tapered Annual Allowance can be found on HMRC’s website.
PSS to members NOT impacted by 2015 Remedy (McCloud)
In EPN685, we were anticipating more alpha members to exceed their Annual Allowance for the 2022-23 tax year compared to previous years.
Please be assured that if a member who is not affected by the 2015 Remedy exceeds their Annual Allowance limit, they will be issued with a PSS by 6 October 2023.
PSS to members impacted by 2015 Remedy (McCloud)
Members who had alpha service between 2015 and 2022 will not receive a 2022/23 PSS.
This is because their service during that period will be adjusted, or 'rolled back' into their relevant legacy scheme, resulting in changes to the Pension Input Amounts (PIAs) for that period.
As a result, the information contained in their 2023/23 PSS may not be accurate.
The Scheme Administrator will recalculate the PIAs for the 2022/23 tax year and will issue a revised PSS to each affected member by 6 October 2024.
We will provide those members with more information about this in due course.
PSS
The Scheme Administrator will contact employers to request contact details of the appropriate person to send Annual Statement MI to.
The Scheme Administrator will provide indicative PSS MI by
30 June 2023. Indicative PSS MI is provided to help you determine if you would like to arrange any tax awareness sessions for members who receive a PSS. Please note this is not a mandatory requirement.
Complete and member specific PSS MI will be issued to all employers by 16 September 2023.
If you believe members who earn over £100,000 are missing from the PSS MI, please let us know and we will check our records.
ABS
When ABS are ready to be distributed, the Scheme Administrator will produce MI of the members in your organisation where a statement has been produced. You should check this MI against your HR records to identify any eligible employees who we may have been unable to produce a statement for.
Following completion of the ABS exercise on 31 August 2023, you will also receive a final MI list by 8 September 2023.
If you have any queries about members who may have been missed from ABS distribution, please wait until you have received your final MI list before contacting the Scheme Administrator.
Once you have received your final ABS MI list you must review the data provided and where necessary inform the Scheme Administrator of any concerns. If there are any subsequent queries with regards to your final ABS MI list, these must be issued to the Scheme Administrator no later than 31 December 2023.
Once the detailed MI (as described above) is provided, it is important that you work promptly with the Scheme Administrator to ensure all eligible members receive their statements by the regulatory deadline.
Please visit the dedicated ABS and PSS pages for information.
Free Annual Statement Awareness webinars for Civil Service employers will take place on 21 and 27 June 2023. Visit the MyCSP training web pages for information and how to book.
Employers can contact the Scheme Administrator using the dedicated email address: SEABS@mycsp.co.uk
Please do not send individual member queries to this e-mail address.
There is lots of information available for members on the dedicated ABS and PSS pages on the Civil Service Pensions website.
The Scheme Administrator offers group tax awareness sessions and pension tax one-to-one sessions to members who may have a pension tax charge to pay. Alternatively, you may wish to arrange your own sessions with another provider. It is not mandatory for employers to provide this support.
For information about how to book a session, please visit the MyCSP training web pages. The sessions will be delivered by webinar and telephone. More information can be found on the website.
Civil Service Pensions is committed to keeping its members informed about their pension benefits.
Each year, we distribute nearly half a million benefit statements, ensuring that our members receive the information they need to make informed decisions.
We understand the crucial role an ABS plays in pension planning and our priority each year is to ensure that every eligible member receives their ABS by 31 August.
We appreciate that the information in an ABS may lead to questions or clarifications.
However, to assist the Scheme Administrator in the efficient distribution of statements, we kindly request that members submit their queries after 31 August 2023 (when ABS distribution has been completed). Thereafter, the Scheme Administrator will promptly redirect efforts to addressing ABS queries and will review and respond to queries in the order they are received.
Firstly, we encourage members to visit the ABS page on our scheme website. They may find the answer(s) within the frequently asked questions.
To ensure the best possible experience, we recommend that members submit ABS queries using the Contact Us form on our scheme website.
Please note: some ABS queries may be more complex and require additional investigation time, but members should be assured that once the Scheme Administrator has addressed their query, they will be contacted with an answer.
Members can play a crucial role in ensuring that their queries are dealt with as quickly as possible by ensuring they go to the right place.
Queries about general pension scheme information should be directed to the Scheme Administrator - the most effective way to do so is using the Contact Us form available on our website.
Queries regarding personal information, such as changes to personal details or employment history, should be directed to the member’s HR or shared service function.
We recommend that members submit PSS queries using the Contact Us form on our scheme website.
Again, members can play a crucial role in ensuring that their queries are dealt with as quickly as possible. Queries about general pension scheme information should be directed it to the Scheme Administrator - the most effective way to do so is using the Contact Us form available on our website.
Queries regarding personal information, such as changes to personal details or employment history, should be directed to the member’s HR or shared service function.
Members can download a printable version of their ABS from the Pension Portal.
For more information on how to register and login to the Pension Portal, visit the Guide to registering for the Pension Portal page.
Replacement PSS and Pension Input Amounts can be provided by the Scheme Administrator on request.
As in previous years, ABS will only be available online. Paper copies are only issued if requested.
Members need to login to the Pension Portal to view/download their ABS. There are some exceptions to this, for example if they are paid in Euros, we will post a paper copy in line with the distribution schedule.
Members who haven’t yet registered for the Pension Portal should follow our step-by-step guide on how to register.
ABS will be produced in line with the ABS distribution schedule which members can find on the ABS page (similar to last year). Production will start from 26 June and finish on 31 August 2023.
Employers are asked to communicate their dates to their members.
To support employers, we will share a digital pack of campaign materials for you to use. The campaign reminds members of the benefits of registering for the Pension Portal and informs them to view their ABS online. Please use these materials to encourage members to visit the Pension Portal and scheme website.
Since its launch in 2019, more than 50% of active members have registered for the Pension Portal. If you would like to see how many of your staff have registered, please speak to your Employer Relationship Manager.
On the Pension Portal, members can view their ABS, use the retirement modeller to project their pension, and update their Death Benefit Nomination and personal information.
Members who haven’t yet registered for the Pension Portal should follow our step-by-step guide on how to register.
To create your Pension Portal account, you will need:
If a member has a question about the Portal, they should visit the dedicated web page. If they are still unable to resolve their query, they should email portal@mycsp.co.uk for assistance.
If you have a question about the distribution of EPNs or would like to receive them in a different format, please contact EPN@MyCSP.co.uk.
You can find electronic copies of the Employer Pension Guide, all current EPNs and forms in the Employer section of the Civil Service Pensions website.
This notice is for employers and should not be issued to scheme members.
Members can find information about their pension by visiting the scheme website.
As part of this year's Annual Benefit Statement distribution, we have created a pack of promotional material, signposting, links and copy to support you to promote ABS season with your members.
The pack includes:
Please use these materials to promote ABS season with your employees.