19 April 2022

Further to last month’s communication regarding Re-Enrolment, it is moving closer and staff that may be affected are reminded of the process and the action they may need to take.

If you are currently NOT contributing to a workplace pension scheme, (NHS Pension or NEST), then this communication may apply to you.

Back in April 2013, the Trust reached its Pension Regulator set Auto Enrolment Staging Date and went live with statutory Auto Enrolment responsibilities and obligations from the 1 June 2013.

As part of these responsibilities, the Trust is required to undertake a ‘Re-Enrolment’ exercise for members of staff who satisfy specific criteria every three years.

The 1 June 2022 will be the next Re-Enrolment exercise this Trust will go through and set out below is an overview of the process to be followed and details of which members of staff are to be subject to re-enrolment.

Who may be affected and Re-Enrolled?

Pension scheme members as at 30.06.2019, who have since opted out of the NHS Pension Scheme or the alternative workplace pension scheme NEST longer than 12 months prior to the Re-Enrolment date.

Or

New staff commencing after 01.07.2019 who have subsequently opted out of the NHS Pension Scheme or the alternative workplace pension scheme NEST longer than 12 months prior to the Re-Enrolment date.

HMRC Pension LTA Protection Certificates

If you have some form of protection in place in respect of pension savings built up above the HMRC Lifetime Allowance then you may be exempt from the re-enrolment process. Subject to provision of evidence of the protection that is in place, we can remove staff holding protection from the re-enrolment process.

If you hold HMRC Lifetime Allowance Protection then you will have a certificate from HMRC. To be exempt from the re-enrolment process, you must provide a scanned copy of the certificate by 31.05.2022 to: merseycare.pensions@sthk.nhs.uk

Or post a copy to:   

Pensions Team, Payroll Services,

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,

3rd Floor Court, Alexandra Business Park,

Prescot Road, St Helens

WA10 3TP

If you hold any HMRC Pension Protection Certificates to cover potential breach of Lifetime Allowance e.g. Primary, Enhanced Protection / Fixed Protection 2012, 2014 or 2016 and Individual Protection 2014 or 2016 and do not provide a copy to Payroll Services before the above date then upon auto re-enrolment, unless you opt out at the end of the first month you may lose your protection status. You may wish to seek independent advice from your financial advisor.

Where an individual loses either Enhanced or Fixed Protection they must notify HMRC as soon as possible as HMRC have time limits in which they must be notified. If the individual does not meet those time limits, HMRC may impose fines on that person. The time limits and fines are confirmed in the HMRC RPSM manuals at:

When will Re-Enrolment take place?

For those staff meeting the criteria as stated above, assessment for re-enrolment will take place during June 2022. Payroll will undertake the assessment of re-enrolment eligibility and will write to staff who will be re-enrolled after the final June 2022 payroll process.

What will I need to do?

All staff subject to re-enrolment will have the option to remain in the pension scheme or opt out. The arrangements for opting out are as follows.

Opting Out of the NHS Pension Scheme:

Form SD502 must be obtained by the individual member from the NHS Pensions website.

If you do not have personal access to a computer, you can contact NHS Pensions for an opt out form by telephoning the Member Helpline on 0300 3301 346.

Please be advised that this form cannot be provided by Payroll Services and cannot be submitted in advance on the re-enrolment.

Any member of staff who is subject to auto enrolment has the right to opt out, but this can only be done once you have been opted in. Each individual post a member holds will require a separate opt out form.

Once you have completed the form, send it to:

Pensions Team, Payroll Services,

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,

3rd Floor Court, Alexandra Business Park,

Prescot Road, St Helens

WA10 3TP

Or email the signed form from your NHS email account to merseycare.pensions@sthk.nhs.uk

Opting Out of NEST:

You will only be able to opt out after you have been opted in and you have received your NEST Welcome Pack which will contain your NEST ID. You will need your ID to complete the opt out process. You can also opt out by contacting NEST on-line, over the phone or request a paper form. NEST telephone number: 0300 020 0090

Where can I get further information?

Staff currently members of NHS Pension Scheme / NEST are NOT affected by this action.

Next atage action:

At this stage, no action by any member of staff is necessary and current pension scheme arrangements continue to apply. If however you require any further information regarding Auto Enrolment visit their website.

Please note: Auto Enrolment is part of the Government’s statutory pension enrolment legislation introduced in 2012.

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