News

Pensions are constantly evolving and there may be changes that affect your membership. Therefore, it’s important to keep up to date with what’s happening.

By keeping your records up to date, you can help ensure we can keep in touch about any matters that affect you. And if you’re already retired it means we can continue to pay your pension without disruption.

This includes changes to

• your contact details
• your bank or building society account

You can let us know about these changes by contacting your scheme administrator.

For ESPS members it’s RPMI - Tel: 02476 472 544 or email: enquiries@rpmi.co.uk

For UPP members it’s Fidelity - Tel: 0800 368 6868 or email:  pensions.service@fil.com

There are a range of other changes that could affect your pension too. We’ve listed a few of them below, along with details of what you need to do about it. 

Taking leave If you’re off work for an extended period, you’ll need to consider whether your pension contributions will continue. You can check this with your employer.

If you get maternity, paternity, additional paternity, family or adoption leave pay, what you pay into your pension will be based on what you are earning at that time. However your employer will continue to pay their contributions based on your normal rate of pay.

Going part-time If you transfer to part time work, your pension is calculated using the full time equivalent of your pensionable pay and your pensionable service is reduced in proportion. You can check the relevant rates with your employer.

Ill-health If you need to retire earlier than expected due to ill-health, you may be able to take your pension early too. Certain criteria apply and medical evidence will be required.

You can read more about the criteria in the Scheme booklet for your section. These are available in the Library for ESPS members here and for UPP members here.

Divorce or dissolution If you face divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership, your pension is likely to be considered along with your other assets when financial settlements are worked out. 

A court order can be made to transfer part of the value of your pension benefits to your ex-spouse, either during the divorce or dissolution proceedings or once you start claiming the pension yourself.

You should discuss this with your solicitor and remember to update your Expression of Wish too. You can find out more below.

Death If you die before you claim your Scheme benefits, a lump sum could be paid to your beneficiaries.

You can tell The Trustees who you’d like your beneficiaries to be by completing an Expression of Wish form. For ESPS members you can do that here. And for UPP members the form can be found here.