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Public sector pensions reform
Welcome to our public sector pensions tracker page.
Keeping track of the reform of public service pension scheme is not an easy task given the divergence of the schemes and their negotiations.
This webpage brings together all the key documents and announcements for the main schemes dating right back to the formation of Lord Hutton's Independent Public Service Pensions Commission in 2010.
Whether you are looking for historic documents or the latest developments as they arise, this page should be your first port of call.
Updates
4 October 2018 |
MHCLG launches consultation on technical changes to the LGPS, including recent legal judgments relating to same-sex partners and cohabitees. |
19 April 2018 |
MHCLG publishes response to May 2016 consultation on implementation of New Fair Deal within LGPS Regulations. |
16 November 2017 |
Department for Education publishes proposed response to consultation on new Teachers' Pensions Scheme technical amendments |
8 November 2017 |
Department of Health consults on new NHS Pension Scheme technical amendments. The consultation closed on 29 December 2017. |
24 March 2017 |
Department of Health publishes response to consultation on introduction of an administration levy for the NHS Pension Scheme |
24 March 2017 |
Department of Health publishes response to consultation on new NHS Pension Scheme amendments relating to new care models and other technical amendments |
20 February 2017 |
HM Treasury closes consultation on proposed change to indexation and equalisation of GMP in public service pension schemes |
27 September 2016 |
DCLG publishes responses to consultation on new LGPS investment regulations |
26 September 2016 |
HM Treasury publishes response to consultation on pubic sector exit payments |
15 September 2016 |
DCLG publishes new guidance for LGPS funds on preparing and maintaining an investment stategy statement |
27 May 2016 |
DCLG publishes consultation on changes to LGPS Regulations, incorporating "New Fair Deal" provisions |
5 February 2016 |
HM Treasury publishes consultation on public sector exit payments |
25 November 2015 |
DCLG publishes criteria for LGPS pooled funds
|
19 March 2015 |
DCLG publishes response to LGPS amendment regulations |
13 March 2015 |
DCLG publishes response to consultation on new governance arrangements for Firefighters' Pension Scheme |
12 March 2015 |
HM Treasury publishes directions on the employer cost cap mechanism and actuarial valuations |
10 March 2015 |
DCLG publishes response to consultation on Firefighters' Pension Scheme transitional arrangements |
5 March 2015 |
New governance regulations for the Firefighters' Pension Scheme laid before Parliament |
5 March 2015 |
New regulations for the Police Pension Scheme laid before Parliament Click here to view the Regulations Click here to view our speedbrief on the governance requirements |
26 February 2015 |
Department of Health publishes response to consultation on new NHS Pension Scheme Regulations |
20 February 2015 |
The Pensions Regulator publishes the public service schemes version of its trustee toolkit |
29 January 2015 |
DCLG publishes response to consultation on new LGPS governance regulations |
22 January 2015 |
DCLG publishes consultation on transitional arrangements for the new Firefighters Pension Scheme |
January 2015 |
Pensions Regulator publishes response to the consultation on the draft code of practice on governance and administration of public service pension schemes |
20 November 2014 |
Department of Health publishes consultation on NHS transitional regulations and injury benefits and AVC regulations |
31 October 2014 |
Department of Health publishes consultation on regulations relating to the introduction of the new NHS Pension Scheme |
28 October 2014 |
DCLG publishes response on consultation on new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme regulations |
20 October 2014 |
Department of Health publishes consultation on NHS Pension Scheme Regulations |
10 October 2014 |
DCLG publishes consultation on new governance arrangements for Firefighters’ Pension Scheme |
10 October 2014 |
DCLG publishes consultation on new governance arrangements for LGPS |
6 October 2014 |
Home Office publishes circular on new governance arrangements for Police Pension Scheme |
3 October 2014 |
Department for Education publishes response to TPS consultation |
19 September 2014 |
Department of Health publishes policy note on new Fair Deal |
29 August 2014 |
Cabinet Office launches consultation on DC arrangements in the PSCPS |
19 August 2014 |
GAD publishes announcement on broad comparability against the PCSPS |
1 August 2014 |
Department of Health publishes update on NHS Pension Scheme reforms |
8 July 2014 |
Pensions Regulator publishes quick guide to public service pension boards and quick guide for board members
|
3 July 2014 |
Government publishes response to consultation on new record keeping and miscellaneous amendment regulations for public service pension schemes |
1 July 2014 |
GAD publishes announcements regarding staff transfers in public sector pension schemes |
23 June 2014 |
DCLG publishes consultation on new regulations for new LGPS scheme governance arrangements |
9 June 2014 |
GAD publishes actuarial valuation as at 31 March 2012 for NHS Pension Scheme |
23 May 2014 |
DCLG publishes consultation on new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Regulations |
1 May 2014 |
DCLG publishes consultation on future structure of LGPS |
21 March 2014 |
Department for Health publishes new Fair Deal guidance on NHS Pension Scheme. |
19 March 2014 |
GAD publishes paper on long term financial management and reform of benefits in relation to public sector pensions |
13 March 2014 |
Government publishes technical note on actuarial valuations and the establishment of an employer cost cap mechanism in the public service pension schemes. |
11 March 2014 |
Government publishes response to LGPS Transitional Provisions Regulations |
10 March 2014 |
Government publishes response to consultation on NHS Pension Scheme regulations |
10 March 2014 | Government publishes response to Teachers’ Pension Regulations 2014 Click here to view the response |
10 March 2014 |
The Local Government Pension Scheme (Transitional Provisions, Savings and Amendment) Regulations 2014 are published Click here to view the Transitional Regulations |
6 March 2014 | DCLG publishes response to consultation on Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Click here to view the response |
4 March 2014 | Department for Education publishes response to new Fair Deal and increased contribution rates in respect of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme Click here to view the response |
January 2014 |
NHS Pensions publishes detailed guidance on direction order status following new Fair Deal |
22 January 2014 |
DCLG publishes government response to consultation on the new LGPS regulations |
18 December 2013 |
DCLG publishes consultation on the new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme |
10 December 2013 |
The Pensions Regulator publishes draft code of practice and consultation on governance and administration of public service pension schemes. |
3 December 2013 |
The Department of Health publishes consultation and draft regulations on changes to the NHS Pension Scheme |
19 November 2013 |
The Home Office publishes a circular on reform of the police pension scheme |
October 2013 |
Civil Service Pensions publishes guidance on compliance with new Fair Deal, including standard admission agreements and guidance. Click here to view the guidance and standard admission agreements |
October 2013 |
The Cabinet Office publishes a consultation on proposed increases to employee contribution rates to the PCSPS |
23 October 2013 | |
7 October 2013 |
DCLG publishes consultation on pooling arrangements for academies within the LGPS |
4 October 2013 |
HM Treasury publishes new Fair Deal policy Click here to view the new Fair Deal policy |
4 October 2013 |
The government publishes its further response to the Fair Deal consultation |
24 September 2013 |
The Government publishes its responses to the LGPS 2014 consultation |
13 September 2013 |
The Department for Education launches consultation on draft Teachers’ Pension Regulations 2014 |
13 September 2013 |
The Department for Education publishes its response to the TPS consultation |
6 September 2013 |
The Pensions Regulator publishes an overview of public sector pension scheme governance |
2 September 2013 |
NAPF responds to proposed changes in LGPS governance structure |
2 August 2013 |
LGA publishes its response to the consultation on the LGPS |
21 June 2013 |
DCLG issues call for evidence on the future structure of the LGPS |
20 June 2013 |
DCLG launches consultation on new governance arrangements for the LGPS |
20 June 2013 |
DCLG launches consultation on draft regulations for the new LGPS |
7 May 2013 |
The Department for Education launches consultation on the new Teachers’ Pension Scheme |
10 April 2013 |
DCLG issues consultation on access by councillors and other elected local office holders to the LGPS. |
28 March 2013 |
DCLG issues consultation on the new LGPS draft regulations. |
25 March 2013 | Unison announces proposal to use Scottish council pension funds to invest in social housing. |
20 March 2013 | Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union and Unite strike over the proposed changes to pensions and pay, and the PCS announces a second national strike to be held on 5 April 2013. |
18 March 2013 | The NUT and NASUWT announce that teachers are planning a series of strikes over changes to pensions, pay and workload commencing on 27 June. |
29 January 2013 |
The Government Actuary's Department issues an announcement in relation to applications for broad comparability in light of LGPS reforms. |
18 January 2013 |
The LGPS 2014 project board issues joint statement with an update on the latest position on LGPS reform. |
16 January 2013 | The Public and Commercial Services Union announces that it will ballot about a quarter of a million civil and public servants about taking part in further industrial action. |
21 December 2012 |
The new draft LGPS Regulations and consultation document are published. |
November 2012 |
HM Treasury publishes paper entitled "Actuarial valuations of public service pension schemes". |
November 2012 |
HM Treasury publishes paper entitled "Establishing an employer cost cap in public service pension schemes" |
19 November 2012 |
HM Treasury publishes summary of responses to Fair Deal consultation. |
1 November 2012 |
The Local Government Association, GMB, UNISON and Unite issue joint statement on reform of the LGPS. |
29 October 2012 | The GMB warns that the Government is putting the reforms to the LGPS at risk with delays and confusion surrounding their implementation. |
26 October 2012 |
The Department for Education issues a further consultation on proposed increases to contribution rates for members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme and the removal of regulations governing scheme valuations. |
13 September 2012 |
The Public Service Pensions Bill is published. |
4 September 2012 |
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, outlines reforms to the Police Pension Scheme to be introduced from 6 April 2015. |
30 August 2012 | LGA members vote in favour of accepting the Government's new LGPS proposals. |
24 August 2012 | Unite and Unison vote in favour of the new LGPS proposals |
17 August 2012 | GMB members vote in favour of accepting the Government's new LGPS proposals. |
31 July 2012 | The majority of Unison's executive groups announce a campaign urging members to vote "yes" in a ballot on LGPS reform. |
5 July 2012 | Unite announces that it opposes the introduction of the Public Service Pensions Bill. |
4 July 2012 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander releases a written ministerial statement announcing that the Government will be taking forward the Public Service Pensions Bill announced in the Queen's Speech in the current Parliamentary Session |
28 June 2012 | BMA votes in favour of further strike action and Unite calls for reopening of pensions talks in relation to the NHS Pension Scheme. |
21 June 2012 | Doctors take part in national industrial action. |
8 June 2012 | Unite announces that its NHS members will be supporting the BMA protests on 21 June. |
31 May 2012 |
The Local Government Association and trade unions announce the outcome of their negotiations on new LGPS proposals to take effect from 1 April 2014. |
30 May 2012 | BMA publishes the results of its ballot, announcing that doctors will take part in industrial action for the first time in almost 40 years over changes to the NHS Pension Scheme. The first day of action is due to take place on 21 June 2012. |
28 May 2012 | The NUT and NASUWT reach a joint agreement to oppose the Government's plans to reform the Teachers' Pension Scheme, threatening co-ordinated strike action in the Autumn. |
24 May 2012 |
The Department for Communities and Local Government publishes the proposed final agreement for the Firefighters' Pension Scheme Click here to view the proposed agreement for the Firefighters' Pension Scheme |
22 May 2012 | Unite calls on the Government to ditch its reform proposals for the NHS Pension Scheme. |
22 May 2012 | GMB members employed in the NHS voted by 96.5% to reject the Government's reform proposals for the NHS Pension Scheme. |
14 May 2012 | Civil servant members of the Prospect Union have accepted the Government's pension proposals on the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. |
14 May 2012 | BMA opens ballot on industrial action for doctors over the NHS pension changes. |
10 May 2012 | Hundreds of thousands of workers take part in national strike action |
3 May 2012 | Unite announces hundreds of firefighters employed by the Ministry of Defence will join the strike on 10 May. |
26 April 2012 | Unite announces that its members in the Ministry of Defence and other government departments will join the strike on 10 May. |
17 April 2012 | Unite announces that up to 100,000 members will strike on 10 May over the proposed changes to pensions. |
17 April 2012 |
The Public and Commercial Services Union agrees on co-ordinated national strike action to take place on 10 May. |
7th April 2012 | The NUT and NASUWT pass motions at their respective conferences rejecting the Government’s pension proposals and calling for further industrial action. |
1 April 2012 |
New tiered contribution rates come into force for the Teachers' Pension Scheme. |
28 March 2012 | The NUT and University and College Union stage a one-day strike in London |
20 March 2012 |
The Court of Appeal rejects the unions' appeal on the change in indexation to CPI. |
20 March 2012 |
Unite announces that it will strike over proposed changes to the NHS Pension Scheme. |
19 March 2012 |
The Public and Commercial Services Union announces that it will strike over proposed changes to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. |
16 March 2012 |
The NUT announces it will strike over the proposed changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme |
09 March 2012 |
Government publishes proposed final agreements for NHS, Civil Service and Teachers’ Pension Schemes, based on the Heads of Agreement from 20 December 2011. Click here to view the proposed final agreement for the NHS Pension Scheme |
13 January 2012 |
GMB (with 10 other trade unions) appeal RPI/CPI ruling. |
11 January 2012 |
Unite’s MoD/Government Departments Staff committee rejects proposed heads of agreement for public sector pensions. |
11 January 2012 |
The Public and Commercial Services Union rejects the Government’s plans to cut public sector pensions. |
10 January 2012 |
The GMB advisory bodies representing various NHS employees have called on the GMB Central Executive Council to ballot members in the NHS once the final offer has been negotiated with Government ministers. |
10 January 2012 |
UNISON activists voted to give the union’s negotiators the green light to continue discussions with the government. |
06 January 2012 |
NUT rejects proposed heads of agreement for Teachers’ Pension Scheme. |
06 January 2012 |
NASUWT rejects proposed heads of agreement for Teachers’ Pension Scheme. |
06 January 2012 |
Unite’s local authority sector committee rejects proposed heads of agreement for LGPS Click here to view the Eversheds Sutherland speedbrief |
05 January 2012 |
Unite’s health sector committee rejects proposed heads of agreement for NHS Pension Scheme. |
20 December 2011 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, reported to the House of Commons that heads of agreement had been established in relation to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, Teachers’ Pension Scheme, Local Government Pension Scheme and NHS Pension Scheme. Click here to view the Eversheds Sutherland speedbrief Click here to view Danny Alexander's statement Click here to view the written Ministerial statement from the Department of Eduction. Click here to view the heads of terms for the Teachers’ Pension SchemeClick here to view the Employer & Union agreement on the future of the LGPS. Click here to view the written Ministerial statement on the NHS pension scheme. Click here to view the NHS pension scheme heads of agreement. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
16 December 2011 |
Department for Education issues response to consultation on the proposed pension contribution increases for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme from April 2012 |
15 December 2011 |
Cabinet Office issues response to consultation on the proposed pension contribution increases for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme from April 2012 (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License V1.0) |
08 December 2011 |
Department of Health issues response to consultation on the proposed pension contribution increases for the NHS Pension Scheme from April 2012 Click here to view the consultation document |
02 December 2011 |
High Court finds in favour of Government in RPI/CPI judicial review case |
30 November 2011 |
National strike action |
02 November 2011 |
Government sets out revised offer, including more generous accrual rate and protection for anyone within 10 years of pension age. Click here to view this article on the HM Treasury website. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
07 October 2011 |
DCLG issues consultation on proposed increases to employee contribution rates and changes to scheme accrual rates for LGPS Click here to view the consultation document (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License V1.0) |
28 July 2011 |
Government issues its consultation on the proposed pension contribution increases for civil servants, teachers and NHS staff from 2012/13 for civil servants, teachers and NHS staff from 2012/13 (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License V1.0) |
19 July 2011 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, confirms that to deliver the first year’s savings of £1.2 billion through employee contribution increases, scheme-by-scheme consultations for the unfunded public service pension schemes will commence by the end of this month. The Government remains committed to securing the full Spending Review savings of £2.3 billion in 2013-14 and £2.8 billion in 2014-15. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
17 June 2011 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, sets out initial offer (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
05 April 2011 |
HM Treasury issues the Summary of Responses on its consultation on the discount rate. Click here to view the consultation and response documents. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
23 March 2011 |
Budget – George Osborne announces that the Government accepts the recommendations of the IPSPC’s Final Report as a basis for consultation with public sector workers, unions and others and that there should be no “cherry-picking” on either side. He also announced the outcome of the discount rate consultation and that a discount rate of 3 per cent above CPI will be adopted for future valuations of the unfunded schemes. Click here to view the budget documents (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
23 March 2011 |
Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, announces the immediate revocation of the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Local Authority Service Contracts (“Two-tier code” as it applies to local authorities) Click here to view the announcement (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
10 March 2011 |
IPSPC issues its Final Report Click here to view the Eversheds Sutherland speedbrief Click here to view the final report (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
03 March 2011 |
HM Treasury announces its consultation on the Fair Deal guidance as recommended by the IPSPC Interim Report. Click here to view the consultation document |
13 December 2010 |
Francis Maude, the minister for the Cabinet Office, announces that the Government has withdrawn the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Public Sector Service Contracts (the “Two-tier Code”) Click here to view this article on the Cabinet Office website. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
09 December 2010 |
HM Treasury announces its consultation on the discount rate used to set contribution rates for the unfunded public service pension schemes as recommended by the IPSPC Interim Report. Click here to view the consultation documents (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
20 October 2010 |
Spending Review - Government accepts the findings of the Interim IPSPC Report. The Government will seek progressive changes to the level of employee contributions that will deliver an additional £1.8 billion of savings a year by 2014-15. Click here to view the spending review documents (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
07 October 2010 |
Independent Public Service Pensions Commission issues its Interim Report. Click here to view the Eversheds Sutherland speedbrief Click here to view the Interim report |
22 June 2010 |
Emergency Budget – George Osborne announces that the Government will adopt the CPI for the indexation of public service pensions from April 2011. Click here to view the budget documents (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
20 June 2010 |
George Osborne appoints Lord Hutton to chair the new Independent Public Service Pensions Commission Click here to view the Eversheds Sutherland speedbrief Click here to view this article on the HM Treasury website. (Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v1.0) |
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