EPN384 - Missing Pension Data - Employer Responsibilities and Guidance

Date posted: 02/05/2014

Audience: This notice will be of interest to:

• HR Managers;
• Pension Leads and
• Payroll Managers

Action: To read, note and act on the following guidance when dealing with cases of missing pension records.

Timing: Immediate

1. A number of employers have raised questions about what they should do and who has responsibility when they find there is vital pension information missing from a member’s record.
2. Where a person has a legitimate claim to pension benefits (including a refund of WPS contributions) then while it is the responsibility of MyCSP to correctly calculate those benefits it is the employer’s responsibility to supply the data on which the calculation is based. Where records are missing it is not acceptable to simply say there are no records available as the employee has a right to such benefits. So the employer has an obligation to ensure the correct data is supplied. (This would include any missing earnings or contribution history as well as other service details).
3. It is the employer’s responsibility to keep proper records and to supply MyCSP with accurate and complete payroll and service records. The Employers’ Pension Guide (Annex 5B) provides a link to a document setting out the employer responsibilities, Records Management – Retention Scheduling.
4. If the contribution and or earnings records are missing or incomplete (on MyCSP’s system) then the employer will need to undertake a search of available records. If the missing records relate to employment with a previous Government Department then the employer will need to investigate what records were passed across to them and if necessary support MyCSP in pursuing the appropriate HR unit.
5. Please see attached guidance (Annex A) on how to deal with such cases. Annex B gives you the background to member contributions. Annex C is the checklist for you to report what action you have taken to find missing data. Annex D is the historic pay scales you may find helpful.

Contacts

If you have a question about the distribution of EPNs or you need to receive them in a different format contact employerpensionnotice@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk. 

Attachments

• Annex A – Missing Pension Data – Employer Responsibilities and Guidance
• Annex B – Additional information on recovering missing Widow’s Pension Scheme and member contribution history
• Annex C – Missing Pension Records Checklist
• Annex D – Historic pay scales