SPPA launches new online webform to improve customer experience
The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) has launched a new online service to improve the way that customers contact the business about their pension scheme. The first in a series of interactive webforms are now available on the SPPA website, allowing members of Police, Fire, NHS and Teacher schemes to send queries and questions more effectively to the correct area of the business. The streamlined enquiry process will manage queries within a structured system which is designed to provide faster response times and the more efficient handling of requests.
Pensions Awareness Week
Understanding pension entitlements is crucial for long-term financial planning according to the new Chief Executive of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) Stephen Pathirana. Marking the start of Pensions Awareness Week, Dr Pathirana highlighted the range of tailored information, advice and guidance that the SPPA offers to over 600,000 individual members of schemes it administers for police, fire, NHS and teachers.
Change to pension payment date for NHS retired members
From August 2024, NHS, pensioners will receive their pension earlier in the month. We have made the decision to reduce the number of payrolls we run each month as part of our ongoing efforts to provide a cost-effective service to our members. While this change will impact the payment date of the monthly pension, please be assured that this adjustment will not affect the amount of pension members receive each month. If you retired after 2007 and currently receive your pension on the last working day of the month, there will be no change.
2024 Annual Pension Increase (API)
2024 Annual Pension Increase (API)The increase to your pension will be 6.7%, which will be applied to your pension from 8 April 2024.Not everyone is eligible for the full increase from this date, this could be because:
Our Annual Business Plan 2024/25
Our Annual Business Plan 2024/25 We’ve updated our priorities and plans in our Annual Business Plan for 2024/25.The new plan builds on last year’s through streamlining our priorities and setting out new Key Performance Indictors (KPIs).We’ll continue to focus on improving our service, as well as supporting our scheme members through 2015 Remedy, and updating our pension administration platform. A key enabler of this work is our people, which is why the plan also emphasises increasing our capability and improving the colleague experience.
Updated employer contribution rates for police, NHS and teacher schemes
The employer contribution rates from April 2024 have been announced for three of our pension schemes – police, NHS and teachers. The contribution rate for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will be shared early in the new year. From 1 April 2024 contribution rates will increase as follows:
Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme - Pension calculation for office holders in 2009
Please note that this has been updated to reflect the values for the 2022/23 financial year.
Changes to NHS contribution rates
From 1 October, contribution rates to the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme will change.The changes are necessary because current rates are not meeting the requirement that total contributions should be 9.8% of pay, set by HM Treasury.