Communications Policy Statement

Background The Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations require each administering authority to prepare and maintain a written statement setting out their policy concerning their communications with:

(a) Prospective members; (b) Members; (c) Representatives of members; and (d) Employing authorities.

In particular, the statement must set out their policy on:

(a) the provision of information and publicity about the scheme to members, representatives of members and employing authorities; (b) the format, frequency and method of distributing such information or publicity; and (c) the promotion of the Scheme to prospective members and their employing authorities.

Prospective Members The authority will supply a document in electronic format to scheme employers with prospective members setting out the main benefits of the scheme. This will enable employers to personalise the document and distribute it to prospective scheme members, either as part of the recruitment process, to publicise the benefits of the scheme, or to new employees with a right to join the scheme.

Additionally, some of the communications provided to employers for distribution to scheme members, particularly in relation to changes to the scheme, may be appropriate for distribution to prospective members.

Members When a member joins the scheme, they will be provided with a current scheme booklet at the same time as their statutory notification. Where this is not possible, for example when the booklet is being reprinted or re-written, they will be issued with a booklet as soon as it is available, and will be advised of this.

Active and deferred members will be issued with an annual benefit statement, which will detail the value of accrued pension, lump sum and death benefits at the calculation date, and a projection of benefits if they continue in membership until the age of 65.

Scheme booklets and guides to aspects of the scheme are available on request from the pensions section. Details for contacting the section are set out below. Scheme guides can also be viewed and downloaded by Merton employees with access to the authority’s intranet.

1 Members can request electronic copies of these documents in Microsoft Word, Portable Document Format (Pdf) by telephone, post or e-mail.

Newsletters will be sent in electronic format to all scheme employers for distribution to active members and prospective members as necessitated by scheme developments. Where appropriate, these will also include details of consultation papers on scheme development. Where changes to the scheme affect deferred or pensioner members, paper newsletters will be issued to them. For deferred members, the newsletter may form part of the annual benefit statement.

Pensioners will be issued a newsletter at the end of each April detailing the date of the annual pensions increase award.

Newsletters will also be published on the Merton intranet for Merton employees, and details of these will be included in staff bulletins.

Participating Scheme Employers All employers are issued with a paper copy of the Employers Guide. Further copies are available in both paper and electronic format on request from the Pensions Section.

Employers with current members are provided a hard copy of the full annual report each year. Further copies are obtainable by all employers from the Pensions Section.

Employers are provided with communications to distribute to their own members and prospective members as set out in the section above.

Employers are advised by e-mail of consultation documents and regulations issued in relation to the scheme. Where such documents are available electronically, these will be attached to the e-mail, or link to the relevant website will be included.

Circulars from the Employers Organisation relating to the scheme will be circulated electronically as appropriate.

Employers with no active members in the scheme will only receive such communications where they are relevant to that employer’s liabilities.

The Pensions Section can be contacted: By : 020 8545 3512 / 020 8545 3516 By e-mail: [email protected] By post: The Pensions Section London Borough of Merton Merton Civic Centre London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX Website http://intranet/corpresources/corporateand strategicfinance/pensions.htm

2 Provides information to stakeholders including:  The current and New Look Local Government Pension Scheme 2008  Guidance on pensions and divorce  Exercise under Pension Scheme Regulations  Flexible Retirement Policy  LGPS Statement of Investment Principles  Redundancy scheme provisions  Communications Policy

Contacts The Pensions Section London Borough of Merton Merton Civic Centre London Road Morden SM4 5DX e-mail [email protected] 020 8545 3516 for detail information: Benefits and Contributions enquiries to Pension Section Pension Manager – David Leaney 020 8545 3511

Accounts and Actuarial Enquiries Head of Finance - Grant Miles 020 8545 3647

Investment enquiries Treasury Services Manager - Basil Lambourne 020 8545 3647

Pensions Ombudsman www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk Office of the Pensions Ombudsman 11 Belgrave Road London SW1 1RB  020 7834 9144

Pensions Regulator www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk Napier House Trafalgar place Brighton BN1 4DW 0128381180

Department for Work and Pensions http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

Pensions Reform www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/pensions-reform