EPN731 - Update to Fair Deal Guidance and Supporting Documentation for Employers

Audience

• This notice will be of interest to employers who are responsible for contracting, tendering, and outsourcing public services under New Fair Deal.

Summary

• This is to bring your attention to HM Treasury’s updated Fair Deal policy and guidance for employers, along with new supporting documentation.

Actions

• To comply with the updated Fair Deal policy.

To note the new application form and process maps on the Civil Service website.

Timing

• Immediate

Detail

• The government is fully committed to the timely implementation of the Fair Deal policy under the oversight of HM Treasury. 
• The new guidance sets out the details of how the policy will operate and that departments are responsible for the completion of protections for staff relating to the transfer of employment in such cases.
• The Fair Deal for staff pensions: staff transfer from central government guidance reinforces the following messages:
  
  1)  Any application process for membership of the pension scheme must be completed so that transferred staff are covered by the scheme from the staff transfer date.
  
  2) This means that any application must be submitted with sufficient notice to allow staff to be covered by the scheme from the first day of transfer (applications must be submitted at least 3-6 months before the transfer date).
  
  
• Completion of a required bulk transfer option is expected to be achieved within 12 months of the staff transfer date to avoid disadvantaging the transferred staff.
• This means that there must be a good level of engagement with the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), the department, the previous employer and their staff, and the scheme actuary.
• You can read more about GAD’s requirements and timelines here.

Support available

• If you have any questions about this EPN or the content, please email: PCSPSadmissions@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 

Contacts

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.