As explained in October’s Pensions Line, we have been advised by our database providers, Heywood Pension Technologies that with effect from 1 March 2023 we will no longer have access to the Employer Self Service (ESS) module.
If you missed the meetings on 10th and 23rd November, you can now watch a recording of the meeting and read the summary of the meeting below:
Here’s a summary of the main points we talked about:
Background:
Heywood Pension Technologies have confirmed that Employer Self Service (ESS) is being decommissioned and we will no longer have access from 1st March 2023. Replacement is I Connect or inhouse developed interfaces. Following research we have chosen interfaces. Neither option give employers ability to view member records and complete estimates.
Work completed on data quality and conversion to monthly data has helped put us in good position to move leavers into a different process and maintain good quality records as long as hour changes, starters and leavers also come in monthly.
Leavers spreadsheet
- Final stages of development – aiming to have a drop down selection for the reason for leaving which will bring up some conditional columns relating to that reason.
- Form will no longer ask:
- how you pay strain cost or whether you are awarding extra pension, waivering reductions or switching on the 85 year rule – introducing an employer form which asks you to confirm both in line with your discretions policy and if your payroll provider submits pensions data and leavers on your behalf (delegation). Will be sent to employers in due course – if strain cost payment not confirmed, one payment will be the default. Idea is that form will act as a sign off for payroll departments who provide services for multiple academies/clients.
- for hours history just Full Time Equivalent (FTE) percentage as at the date of leaving – we expect all changes of hours to be notified via monthly interface
- for FTE pay as at age 65 for underpin cases – this will now be collected via a report we run so will send request to you at the time the member reaches that age. Will be sent with age 75 report.
- Final salary pay to be provided for all leavers
- Not one form per leaver – Bulk spreadsheet so you add all leavers you need to tell us about.
- Previous year for CARE is still requested until all employers have been signed off for data quality and are submitting monthly interfaces.
- Guidance on how to complete the form will be included within the spreadsheet and we will also be doing a video to help.
- We expect every employer to move to this process including the one’s not currently using ESS
- This is in addition to the monthly interfaces to collect starters, changes and hours already in place
- Will be a specific mailbox to send leavers to (to be confirmed)
- Data provided on spreadsheet will be converted to individual PDF forms and uploaded to relevant members record – PDF will only show data for that member.
A draft Leaver’s spreadsheet has been shared with everyone who attended the meetings for information only – the final version will be shared via Pensions Line with all employers as soon as its ready. If you did not attend the meetings but would like to prepare for the change, please email the Employer & Communications Team to request a copy.
Estimates
- Employee’s should go via Member Self Service as that is continuing
- Employer led estimates – estimate form to be used for single requests. Spreadsheet for bulk requests (+10). Both will available on the website and to be sent to Employer & Communications team mailbox. Plan to return figures within a couple of days instead of the 10 days currently in place.
Work Activities
End of ESS means no more work activities – plan to move away from them ahead of ESS going. Incorrect ESS leavers will be added to a query spreadsheet and then list sent to you weekly (Friday) – expected to start w/c 28/11/2022
In the meantime, we request that all work activities are looked at, dealt with (revised forms uploaded to ESS) and completed. Our website shows how to search for work activities: An employer’s guide to Employer Self-Service (ESS) – Peninsula Pensions. Agreed that PP will send a final list w/c 28th Nov.
Outstanding leavers & chasers
With ESS being switched off end of Feb 2023, we would like to start afresh with the new leavers spreadsheet so need you to help us clear the outstanding leavers (currently approx. 2000 cases in total)
- Chaser lists will be sent in the next couple of weeks asking you to submit leavers by Friday 30th December 2022 – please do not ignore this email. If you are having problems with data speak to us so we can work with you to resolve the queries
- list will look different from what you are used to – full list of all cases held as employer query. Will include NI Number but no pay references listed but as the employer/payroll provider you know which cases are outstanding – you will have either received a work activity or you will have previously received a chaser email which had the reference quoted.
- In line with The Pension Regulator’s (TPR) guidelines, a letter will be sent to members for all cases listed shortly to inform them we are unable to calculate benefits as are awaiting information from the employer.
- We will re-assess the outstanding cases in January and any cases not dealt with will be escalated and added to breach register – pension fund committee will decide if fines to be applied or reported to TPR
- Going forward aim is to provide lists on a 2 weekly cycle but do not rely on us chasing. It’s for you to submit leavers without being prompted to!
Pensions Line will be sent to confirm all details talked about including the new chaser and escalation process so please pass onto your colleagues and anyone that should be aware. We will also provide updates to the new Leavers spreadsheet via Pensions Line so if you know anyone that doesn’t receive it but should, please ask them to sign up here: Update your contact details – Peninsula Pensions