The Surrey Local Firefighters' Pension Board met on Thursday 16 April 2026 to discuss various updates on pension administration, policy changes, and risk management. Key decisions included the closure of several items on the action tracker and the proposal to close specific risks on the risk register.

Action Tracker Updates

The board agreed to close several items on the action tracker, with updates to be incorporated into the scheme manager's report. This included action A120, relating to the immediate choice service statement, and A1725, concerning XPS providing a response on the position of GMP (Guaranteed Minimum Pension). The latter was combined with A2020, which also relates to GMP, to avoid duplication. An update on GMP indicated that a proposal is being drafted and is expected to be sent out within the next month, with a more detailed update to be provided at the next board meeting.

Scheme Manager's Report

Annual Benefits Statement (ABS) and Immediate Claims and Refunds Statements (ICRSS) The majority of annual benefits statements have been issued, with outstanding matters likely to be captured in this year's reports. The transition to a new administration platform, Aurora, in late January meant that the functionality to produce ABS and ICRSS statements through the previous system, Altair, was lost. These statements are now considered day two developments for Aurora, with the next round of statements due in July/August. A standalone calculator has been developed for ICRSS statements and is undergoing testing, with issuance expected later this month. For ICRSS, only one outstanding statement remains, with work ongoing to issue it.

Pension Contributions Historic issues regarding pension contributions, specifically overpayments, have been resolved through close collaboration between the pensions and payroll teams.

Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP) Claims One IDRP claim has progressed through stages one and two, but no response has been received from the individual. The possibility of escalation to the ombudsman remains.

Consultation Responses and Contribution Structure The response regarding the contribution structure, published in December and implemented on 1 April, has been received. The aim was to align the firefighters' pension scheme more closely with other public sector schemes, such as the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The new structure includes an additional contribution band, which is expected to benefit many members and encourage scheme participation. However, some members at higher salary scales will see an increase in their contributions. This change has been communicated to the Leaders Forum and all scheme members, with the changes reflected in April's payslips.

Amendments to the Firefighters Pension Scheme and Retained Firefighters A statutory instrument formalising amendments to the Firefighters Pension Scheme and for retained firefighters was laid on 1 April, with changes taking effect from the same date. The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) calculation is awaited in June, which may delay implementation until March 2027.

Matthews and On-Call Settlements Consultation responses for Matthews and on-call settlements have been published. Surrey is reportedly performing well in this area compared to other services, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). Some cases remain on hold pending the introduction of legislation.

10% Allowance Work is underway to reassess and group individuals for the 10% allowance, particularly for active employees. Challenges remain due to the interaction with Matthews and McLeod arrangements. A timeline for completion is being developed, with approximately 60-70 members requiring individual assessment.

Governance Review of Payroll The governance review of payroll has been completed, with the pensions team working closely with payroll to ensure payments are processed correctly.

LGA Review of the Firefighters Compensation Scheme An informal consultation on the firefighters' compensation scheme has been launched by the LGA to ensure its fairness, effectiveness, and financial sustainability. The consultation closed recently, and the LGA will analyse responses to develop proposals and recommendations for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Pension Clinic and Station Visits Pension clinics continue to be well-received, with a wide range of inquiries addressed. The possibility of conducting station visits to reach more members locally is being explored.

Code of Practice Compliance Report Work continues to address areas identified in the Code of Practice compliance report.

Dashboards The initial rollout of dashboards in October was successful, and work is ongoing to make the next stage publicly accessible in October of this year.

Communications Communications efforts include Affinity Connect sessions for retirement courses, the introduction of my pension (a health service portal), and updates on the new LGA member FPS website and government consultation responses. Website traffic is increasing, with popular areas including the homepage, XPS administration, and FAQs.

Training and Development Scheme manager training is scheduled for September, and additional pre-retirement courses are being planned for the summer. There is a focus on developing a more holistic pre-retirement package that includes a wellness aspect, with input from Sally Wilson and the Health and Wellbeing team.

Risk Register

The risk register has been aligned with the service's, with some risks moving from red to green status. The board proposed closing the risks associated with Annual Benefits Statements (ABS) and McLeod, as these have been largely resolved or are being managed through other processes. Risks related to data management, team skills and resourcing, and payroll software reporting facilities remain in amber status, with ongoing mitigation efforts. A new risk concerning affected on-call staff not repaying pension contributions has been added and is currently assessed as green. The board noted the updated risk register and the removal of several risks, indicating positive progress.

Bulletins

The board noted the most recent bulletins, which were covered within the scheme manager's report.