Ill Health Retirement

CAMBRIDGESHIRE LOCAL PENSIONS ADVICE NOTE 1 GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME October 2010

PENSION ADVICE NOTES, PENSIONS INFORMATION NOTES AND FUND POLICY

PURPOSE 1. To explain the purpose of Pensions Advice Notes, Pensions Information Notes and Fund Policy Documents and how they will work.

Explanation: This section identifies what the note is there for.

KEY POINTS  Pensions Advice Notes give in depth information on a subject – they contain information which will be needed in more difficult cases.  Pension Information Notes provide information or direct the employer to action that needs to be taken.  Fund Policy Documents set out the policy of the Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund on a range of issues.  Most Pensions Advice Notes will follow the basic structure laid out in this note.

Explanation: This section summarises the key points of the notes.

HISTORY 2. This is the second Pensions Advice Note on this subject and replaces the one issued in July 2004. It has been expanded to include information on Pensions Information Notes and Fund Policy Documents.

Explanation: This section gives a history of the notes on this subject and summarises the changes from the previous version if there is one.

OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS 3. All of the Pensions Advice Notes are relevant.

4. The Pensions Service also issues Pension Information Notes which give specific advice on what action needs to be taken following the issue of the Pension Advice Note.

Explanation: This section makes links to other forms, processes, Pensions Advice Notes etc. so that you can make sure action is integrated.

BACKGROUND 5. Pensions Advice Notes were introduced in July 2004. They provide a detailed explanation of the legal/regulatory background on a subject and give practical

Note 1 October 2010 information on ‘how’ to do things, particularly focused on those areas which are done rarely or which are complex. They have a long life. 6. Pensions Information Notes were introduced in 2008. They focus on the action an employer needs to take and generally have a relatively short life.

7. Fund Policy Documents were introduced in 2010. They set out the policies of the Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund on a range of issues.

Explanation: This section describes why this note is being issued.

APPLYING THE REGULATIONS 8. No specific regulations apply for this Pensions Advice Note.

Explanation: This section takes a step by step look at how the regulations apply to the particular situation and any thinking on why the regulation is being used.

THE PRACTICALITIES Pensions Advice Notes 7. Pensions Advice Notes will normally follow a fixed format – demonstrated by this one. In this one we’ve included an explanation of which each section is intended to cover prefaced by “Explanation:“.

8. Occasionally an alternative format will be used if it is felt the alternative format improves the presentation.

9. Pensions Advice notes will all be individually numbered and updates will be issued periodically. A comprehensive list of the current advice notes can be found at: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/jobs/benefits/lgps/employers/notes/Pension+Advice+Notes.htm

Pensions Information Notes 10.Pensions Information Notes will normally follow a fixed format. They make it clear who the note is intended for, give limited background information, give an explanation of what is required and then focus on what action is required by the employer.

11.Most information notes have a relatively short life span – they are intended to get information out to employers relatively quickly. Where the topic becomes permanent the information will be converted into a Pensions Advice Note or a Fund Policy Document.

12.Pension Information Notes will be sequentially numbered and will be withdrawn once they become obsolete.

13.The current Pension Information Notes can be found at: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/jobs/benefits/lgps/employers/notes/Pension+Information+Notes.htm

Fund Policy Documents 14.Fund Policy Documents will normally follow a fixed format. The intention is to make policy clear.

Explanation: This section provides practical information on how to do something. Where appropriate it gives examples of common mistakes and issues to look out for.

Note 1 October 2010 SPECIFIC GUIDANCE 15.You are advised not to store copies of the Pensions Advice Notes or Fund Policy Documents. Please access them via a hyperlink to the Cambridgeshire Fund Employer Web Pages: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/lgpsadmin

Explanation: This section provides specific guidance on a subject. This includes information as it relates to disputes.

PENSIONS SECTION CONTACT Employers Team (01223) 715611 [email protected]

Note 1 October 2010