The Firefighters' Pension Scheme Local Pension Board met on Tuesday, 7 January 2025, to discuss a range of pension-related matters. Key decisions included agreeing to invite the Cabinet Member for Community Services to observe relevant sections of future meetings and a discussion on the Home Office Pension Contribution Consultation, with a response to be submitted on behalf of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS).

Monitoring Report and Key Pension Issues

The Board received a comprehensive Monitoring Report, which consolidated several previously reported matters. A significant concern raised was the delay in producing Annual Benefit Statements (ABS) and Remedial Service Statements (RSS) for eligible active and deferred members by the statutory deadline of 31 August 2024. This delay is attributed to data issues and ongoing remedy work stemming from the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 (PSPJOA), which aims to address unlawful age discrimination in public service pension schemes. The Board was informed that a report on whether this breach should be reported to The Pensions Regulator (tPR) would be presented to the Scheme Manager.

The Pensions Dashboard project, which aims to provide individuals with a consolidated view of their pensions, was also discussed. All public sector bodies have a deadline of 31 October 2025 for implementation, with responsibility resting with Scheme Managers. The Board noted that while the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) would undertake much of the administrative work, the FRA would need to ensure robust processes for data accuracy.

Updates were also provided on payroll, with financial data supplied to WYPF and monthly returns being up to date. The Board will receive an update on outstanding Stage 2 Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures (IDRPs) at its next meeting. The contract with WYPF, due to expire on 28 February 2025, is being reviewed for an extension, with a hope to avoid a full procurement exercise due to the current workload. A communication strategy is to be developed to update members on the McCloud and Matthews¹ reforms.

Bluelight Fire Pension Bulletins and Age Discrimination Remedy

The Board reviewed Bluelight Fire Pension Bulletins, highlighting new content on the Local Pension Board (LPB) Knowledge and Understanding section of the LGA website and further guidance on Pensions Dashboards. The Scheme Manager or a substitute is encouraged to attend Board meetings and available training sessions. Regarding the Age Discrimination Remedy, WYPF is awaiting software updates from Civica, with no firm timeframe for release. The Board Secretary, S Long, will review the LPB Template Agenda to ensure all required items are included.

Retained Firefighters' Pension Settlement Second Options Exercise (Matthews)

An update was provided on the Retained Firefighters' Pension Settlement Second Options Exercise, which allows retained firefighters employed between 7 April 2000 and 5 April 2006 to purchase pensionable service. A consultation has commenced, proposing to extend the exercise period by 12 months to 31 March 2026, as no member has yet received a Statement of Service. Significant work remains to meet this new deadline. The Board agreed that the Cabinet Member for Community Services be invited to observe the relevant section of future meetings.

Home Office Pension Contribution Consultation

The Board received information on the Home Office Pension Contribution Consultation, which proposes amendments to the member contribution structure. The changes are necessary as calculations by the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) indicated a projected yield lower than the target. The consultation, running until 29 January 2025, aims to encourage scheme participation and ensure administrative sustainability. S Long confirmed he would submit a response on behalf of NFRS.

Draft Annual Report and WYPF Reports

The Draft Annual Report of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Local Pension Board for 2023/24 was noted, with a review of its format planned for the following year's report. The Board also received and noted the WYPF Monthly Client Reports for October, November, and December 2024, which include details on regulations, member issues, administration updates, membership numbers, and key performance indicators.

WYPF Report and Valuation

H Scargill provided an update on the valuation of the firefighters' pension scheme, which has been extended to 31 December 2024 due to issues with ABS RSS production. While Northumberland's data for ABS is ready, the overall valuation is not yet finalised. Fixes and updates for the ABS RSS are expected to be transferred to the live pension system in the following week. The HMRC deadline for Pension Savings Statements (PSS) for members affected by Remedy and Rollback is 31 January 2025, with WYPF having established a dedicated team to meet this.

Regarding the Matthews exercise, it is estimated that up to 5,000 records may need processing across all WYPF clients, with limited resources. The Board was also updated on the status of Red Cases for Immediate Choice, with processing potentially commencing in the next two to three weeks.

Future Meetings

The Board is scheduled to meet again on 8 April 2025 at 11:30 am in County Hall.