When you apply to retire, we’ll offer you a choice between legacy scheme (final salary) and reformed scheme (CARE) benefits for the pension you built up between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. This is called the Remedy period.

To help you decide, we’ll send you a choice letter, known as a Remediable Service Statement (RSS). This will show your pension benefits side-by-side in the final salary and CARE scheme for the remedy period, to help you decide which option is the right one for you.

If you are eligible for 2015 Remedy, your Annual Benefit Statement (ABS) has been combined combined with a Remediable Service Statement (RSS) so that you can keep track of benefits in the alternative scheme. This statement is called an ABS-RSS.

If you did not get an ABS-RSS

To manage the complexity of the programme and volume of cases, the SPPA has been developing new systems. This is being done in parallel with the issuing of cases the system is currently configured to process. Further system configurations are required to provide accurate statements for all cases, especially those that require additional processing work.

If you have not received an ABS-RSS, we will be in touch with you.

These are some of the scenarios that require additional processing work:  

• Transferred in service in the remedy period
• Added Pension
• Where there are data inconsistencies

If you have a deferred pension, you will get a Deferred Benefit Remediable Service Statement (DB-RSS). We were hoping to provide you with a statement by 31 August 2025. However work is still underway to complete the necessary technical solution. Based on our current plan and system capability, we are aiming to deliver the majority of statements by the end of March 2026. However, additional processing work is required to produce DB-RSS as per scenarios listed above and this may affect delivery dates. We would like to apologise for the further delay.

To help you work out what you will receive when you retire, you can use one of our pension calculators:

• Teachers Remedy calculator (for members with service between April 2015 and March 2022)
• Teachers pension scheme calculator

Estimates

To enable us to prioritise processing retirement applications during Teachers summer retirements, we have taken the decision to only do estimates for:

• requiring an estimate pending redundancy
• divorce
• ill-health
• mortgage applications

If you require an estimate to support with retirement planning because you are:

• At retirement age and ready/thinking about retirement
• Within six months of retirement

In the meantime you can use our pension calculator.

Enquiries relating to my ABS-RSS

If you have received your ABS-RSS, these resources will help you to understand your statement.

Why does my ABS look different this year?

If you are eligible for the 2015 Remedy, your Annual Benefit Statement or ABS looks a little different. It’s been combined with a Remediable Service Statement or RSS, into a new document called an ABS-RSS.

What is a Remediable Service Statement?

A Remediable Service Statement, sometimes shortened to an RSS, is a statement which must be provided to you if you are eligible for the 2015 Remedy to enable you to make an informed choice about your benefit options for remediable service when you retire.

What is remediable service?

Remediable service is any pensionable service that occurs in the remedy period, between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022, and which meets the criteria set out in the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022.

What is the 2015 Remedy?

When public sector pensions were reformed, discrimination was found in the transitional protections offered to some older scheme members. As a result, all members who are eligible for 2015 remedy are being offered a choice of which pension benefits they want to take between the legacy (final salary) scheme and reformed (CARE) scheme for the remedy period. You can find out more on our Remedy Hub.

Why have I not received an ABS-RSS?

This is the first time that pension scheme members are being provided with a dual ABS-RSS. To manage the complexity of the programme and volume of cases, the SPPA has been developing new automated systems. This is being done in parallel with the issuing of cases the system is currently configured to process. Further system configurations are required to provide accurate statements for those cases still requiring manual intervention. This currently includes the 8% of cases where members did not receive an ABS-RSS. 

If you have not received an ABS-RSS, we will be in touch with you by letter. 

If you are affected by any of the following, these won’t be reflected in the figures you find in your ABS-RSS:

• Pension Sharing on Divorce
• Scheme Pays

If any of the following scenarios apply to you, we are unable to provide an ABS-RSS at this time. We will update our website with the expected delivery timeline:

• Transferred in service in the remedy period
• Added years
• Added Pension

If you have not received an ABS-RSS or a letter explaining why this has not yet been issued, you may wish to check your junk email folder as ABS-RSS were issued by email and post this year rather than via the SPPA’s online member self-service portal. 

If you have a deferred pension, you will get a Deferred Benefit Remediable Service Statement (DB-RSS). We were hoping to provide you with a statement by 31 August 2025. However work is still underway to complete the necessary technical solution. Based on our current plan and system capability, we are aiming to deliver the majority of statements by the end of March 2026. However, additional processing work is required to produce DB-RSS as per scenarios listed above and this may affect delivery dates. We would like to apologise for the further delay.

Why have I received a paper copy of my ABS-RSS?

If we do not have a valid email address for you, we have sent your ABS-RSS by post. You can tell us your email address by contacting us and using our webform.

Lifetime Allowance (LTA) was abolished so why am I seeing LTA information on my ABS-RSS?

The LTA is still included because members with fixed or individual protection will still need to use this information.

I have received my ABS-RSS and some of the personal details are incorrect?

If your name, address or marital status is incorrect, please update your personal details in line with your employer process to ensure that your HR/Payroll record reflects your correct details.

Can I correct my email address?

You can update your email address by contacting us and providing the updated email address on our webform.

I have updated my personal information. Will my ABS-RSS be re-issued?

Your personal information will be updated but you won’t get a replacement ABS-RSS at this time. 

What is the pensionable pay used on my statement? 

We have used the salary rate from your main employment (ie the one you have worked the most days in) to calculate your pension benefits. The statement provides you with estimated figures only. This information is provided by your employer, please contact your employer if you have any queries. 

The service in my ABS-RSS is incorrect? 

You can find out how your service is represented on your statement by reviewing the guide to your Annual Benefit Statement on our website: keep track of your pension | SPPA

If you still think the service is incorrect, you can contact the SPPA using our webform.

I can’t find the answer to my question

Please use the SPPA’s webform for any other queries not already addressed.

For information about the 2015 Remedy and Annual Allowance, please visit our Impacts of Remedy on Annual Allowance webpage.

If you bought an Additional Pension or Faster Accrual arrangement, you will have a choice of what happens to this for your service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 – this is called the Remedy period.

We will need you to confirm what you’d like to do. To help you make your decision, we will send you a letter, the letter will include:

• A decision guide, including a personalised table of your options
• A decision form to complete and send back to us 

When you get your letter, take some time to review your options, then sign and send your form to confirm your decision. Letters will be issued in batches.

You will have 6 months to make your decision, but please tell us when you’re ready so we can make sure you’re paid the benefits you want when you retire.

If you have more than one Additional Pension or Faster Accrual arrangement in the Remedy period, you will need to make a decision for each one.

Annual Allowance

The UK Government have agreed that if, because of Remedy, the amount of Additional Pension you buy changes, it will not impact on your Annual Allowance.

If you bought an Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out arrangement, you will have a choice of what happens to this for your service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 – this is called the Remedy period.

We will need you to confirm what you’d like to do. To help you make your decision, we will send you a letter. The letter will include:

• A decision guide, including a personalised table of your options
• A decision form to complete and send back to us

When you get your letter, take some time to review your options, then sign and send your form to confirm your decision. Letters will be issued in batches.

You will have 6 months to make your decision, but please tell us when you’re ready so we can make sure you’re paid the benefits you want when you retire.