EPN533 – Defined Contribution Transition Project: the interface requirements for employers

1. In EPN460 in August 2016, we advised that the Scheme Manager (Cabinet Office) had decided to move to a single DC provider and a procurement exercise would be undertaken.

2. In EPN508 in September 2017, we advised that the Scheme Manager had selected L&G as the preferred bidder. This decision was subject to member consultation and the consultation would run from 25 September 2017 to 25 October 2017.

3. In EPN 527 in January 2018, we confirmed that following the completion of the member consultation exercise, L&G had been selected as the new DC provider. Employers and payroll teams were asked to initiate change requests so that required changes could be implemented once confirmed.

4. This notice provides the L&G interface guide (please see Annex A) that will form the basis for the development of payroll systems in advance of the transition on 1 September 2018.

Introduction of the L&G Interface

5. The transition of member contributions to L&G is expected to take place on 1 September, and the first live data submission using the L&G interface will follow your September payroll run(s).

6. Data submission requires the employer or payroll to upload a CSV file into the LGIM Manage Submissions Web site and the attached interface guide outlines the CSV file requirements. 

7. The Scheme Manager and L&G will be running a series of conference calls to answer your queries on the data and contributions submission process.  The dates and times for these are shown below. Due to the number of employer and payroll teams, that need to be accommodated, we will only be able to provide places for two representatives from each organisation.

8. To book a place on a call, email your request to DC.transition@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. We will contact you in due course to confirm your place and provide dial-in details.

9. Once the system accepts the file submission, the payment is automatically collected from your bank account three or four working days later depending on whether the file is submitted before or after 2pm.

This is a Direct Debit system but you control the amount and date of the payment.

Please note: to ensure that payments are collected by the regulatory deadline, the data must be submitted to L&G by the 15th day of each month. You may therefore need to consider your current processes.

10. Although you will not be able to sign in to the system at this time, please ensure that you are able to access the LGIM Manage Submissions website. Please ensure that the team who will submit the data file can access the webpage and engage your IT team as appropriate to ensure this is in place by 31 May 2018.

Process development requirement

11. The Scheme Manager foresees the following changes being required because of the transition process.

• Updated new joiner and switch processes to account for the change of provider to L&G.
• Introduction of new business as usual procedures for L&G members, for example, a member requests to vary their AVC contribution amount.
• Simplification of AVC procedures for existing providers.
• Possible cessation of interfaces for some existing providers.

Please note: we expect to provide further guidance on aspects affecting the employer or payroll in March 2018.

Keeping in touch

12. A monthly project newsletter to help you keep in touch with the work on these schemes will be launched. Look out for the newsletter in your inbox soon.

13. A new webpage to bring together key information for employers on the DC schemes is also being launched soon. It will include the following information:

• DC related Employer Pension Notices
• Background to the DC Transition project
• Project Newsletters
• DC procedures, which draw together Employer Pension Guide references

We will notify you of when the new employer web page goes live, in the monthly project newsletter.