sppa.gov.uk Firefighters Pension Schemes United Kingdom : Scottish Public Agency

Name of the Organization : Scottish Public Pensions Agency
Type of Facility : Firefighters’ Pension Schemes
Country : United Kingdom

Website : http://www.sppa.gov.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=429&Itemid=8

Firefighters’ Pension Schemes :

** In September 2013 the Scottish Ministers announced that following the creation of a unitary Scottish Fire and Rescue Services for Scotland with effect from 1st April 2013.

Related : Scottish Public Agency Local Government Pension Scheme UK : www.statusin.org/26009.html

The administration of all the current and new 2015 Schemes for the Fire Pension Schemes in Scotland would transfer from the current regional administrators to the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) by 1st April 2015.

Membership :
** Members should have received an “easy to read” guide for the Local Government Pension Scheme from their Pension Fund administrator but if you have not already done so, do not hesitate to contact them direct to obtain a copy.

** You can access some general information about membership through the menu on the left.

Am I eligible to join?
** To be able to join the LGPS you need to have a contract of employment that’s for at least 3 months, be under age 75 and work for an employer that offers membership of the Scheme.
** If you are employed by a non-Local Government organisation which participates in the LGPS (an admission body), you can only join if your employer nominates you for membership of the Scheme.
** Teachers, police officers, operational firefighters and employees eligible to join another statutory pension scheme (such as the NHS Pension Scheme) are not allowed to join the LGPS.

How do I join?
** To secure your entitlement to the Scheme benefits, even if you automatically become a member, it is important that you complete and return a joining form (available from your employer).
** On receipt of your form, relevant records will be set up and you will be sent an official notification of your membership of the Scheme.
** You should check your payslip to make sure that pension contributions are being deducted.

What happens to my pension if I leave?
Refunds of Contributions :
** If you leave with less than two years total membership, have not brought a transfer into the LGPS and do not already have a deferred benefit in the LGPS in Scotland, you may take a refund of your contributions, less a deduction for tax and, if any, the cost of buying you back into the State Second Pension scheme (S2P).

Deferred benefits :
** If you leave before age 65 and your total membership is two years or more, or you have transferred other pension rights into the LGPS, or already have a deferred benefit in the LGPS in Scotland, you will be entitled to deferred benefits within the LGPS.

** Your deferred LGPS benefits will be calculated as described in The Benefits section of the guide using the length of your membership up to the date that you left the Scheme.
** Unless you decide to transfer your deferred benefits to another pension scheme they will normally be paid at age 65, but please refer to the appropriate section of the guide for further information.**

Benefits :
** As a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme, you can pay extra to increase your pension benefits.
** You may wish to consider paying extra contributions, which are a tax efficient way of topping up your income when you retire.
** You can combine any of these options.

You can improve your retirement benefits by paying :
** Additional Regular Contributions (ARCs) to buy extra LGPS pension,
** Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) to the in-house AVC scheme,
** Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVCs) to a scheme of your choice,
** Contributions into a stakeholder or personal pension plan.

Are there any limits on how much I can pay to increase my pension benefits?
** At the present time there is no overall limit on the amount of contributions you can pay (although there is a limit on the extra Scheme pension you can buy).
** However, tax relief will only be given on contributions up to 100% of your taxable earnings.

** Additionally, under HM Revenue and Customs tax rules there are controls on the pension savings you can have before you become subject to a tax charge – these will mainly affect some higher paid people.

Can I increase my dependant’s benefits?
** You can pay extra contributions to increase the level of your husband’s, wife’s, civil partner’s or nominated co-habiting partner’s pension and any pension payable to your eligible children on your death.
** You can also increase your death in service life cover as part of an AVC arrangement.

Contact details :
** To contact a member of the SPPA Fire Pensions Team by phone please use the contact number below.
Fire Pensions Team: 01896 893080
** To contact a member of the Fire Pensions Team by email please use the SPPA Fire Pensions Team email address below.

Email : sppafirepensions AT gov.scot

By Post:
Fire Pensions Team
Scottish Public Pensions Agency
7 Tweedside Park
Tweedbank
Galashiels
TD1 3TE