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Pension Payments
This area of our website is being developed to provide information specifically to the members who are in receipt of their pension from the SPPA. Please check back regularly for further information and updates from our Payroll Department.
NFI FAIR PROCESSING NOTICE
GROS INFO
TAX CODES
CHANGE OF DETAILS
GUARANTEED MINIMUM PENSION INFO
OVERSEAS PENSION PAYMENTS
NFI Fair Processing Notice
This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud. On behalf of {the Accounts Commission/the Auditor General for Scotland – delete as appropriate}, Audit Scotland appoints the auditor to audit the accounts of this authority. Audit Scotland also assists appointed auditors by conducting a National Fraud Initiative which is a data matching exercise. Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out. Audit Scotland currently requires us to participate in a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to Audit Scotland for matching for each exercise, and these are set out in Audit Scotland’s handbook, which can be found at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php The use of data by Audit Scotland in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority, under auditors’ powers in section 100 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and section 53 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998. Data matching by Audit Scotland is subject to a Code of Data Matching Practice. This may also be found at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php For further information on Audit Scotland’s legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information, see the Level 3 fair processing notice at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/nfi.php
GROS info
SPPA also periodically engage in a data matching exercise with General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). This exercise is designed to ensure that our records are as up to date as possible and is particularly effective in highlighting deceased members who’s pension have remained in payment.
TAX CODES
We are instructed by HMRC to apply the relevant tax codes. We are unable to provide advice or explanations as to how our Pensioners’ tax codes are calculated.
If your tax code has changed and you require further information or have any questions about your Tax affairs, please contact:
Scottish Teachers
HM Inspector of Taxes, Centre 1, Queensway House, Stewartfield Way, East Kilbride, G79 1AA. Telephone 0845 070 3703
Tax Reference (also known as PAYE reference)
Retired Teacher 961 9000458
Family Benefits 961 8235354
GAC 961 8229439
ECON: E3900002R
SCON: S2731010L
NHS Members
HM Revenue and Customs, Ty Glas, Cardiff, CF14 5YA. Telephone 0845 300 3949
Tax Reference (also known as PAYE reference)
948 VZ17588
ECON: E3900008J
SCON: S2730012K
You should have your National Insurance number to hand when you make your call.
Change of Details
If your circumstances change at all please inform us immediately by completing the form below.
Change of Details form (pdf 23kb)
Guaranteed Minimum Pension
Overpayments Issue: Background
A small minority of pensioners who worked in the public sector have been getting a larger than expected increase in their pensions year on year. This is because of the way that some annual pension increases have been calculated. This issue affects all public sector schemes and not just those in Scotland.
The annual pension increase for occupational pensions is adjusted to reflect a person’s entitlement to a Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP). In the affected cases, interest on the GMP element has erroneously been paid twice – once by the pension scheme administrator and once by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This means that some pensioners have received larger pensions increases than they are entitled to.
On 16 December 2008 the Scottish Parliament was informed that a total of 6,009 pensioners in the Scottish NHS and Teachers schemes were affected by this issue. This figure represented just under 5% of all NHS and Teacher pensioners in Scotland. Parliament was informed that it was likely that a similar proportion of cases would occur in the Scottish Local Government, police and Fire pension schemes. However, the exact numbers of cases in those schemes is subject to confirmation by relevant scheme administrators.
On 23 January 2009 the SPPA was informed by the UK National Insurance Contributions Office (NICO) that a further tranche of overpayments had been identified. Following further detailed checks by SPPA, a total of 421 STSS and 287 NHS additional cases have been confirmed.
The action to be taken for these new cases is the same as that announced on 16 December for members of the NHS and STSS schemes. All overpayments received will be written off. There is therefore no question of any pensioners being required to pay back any money. However, the pension will be amended to the correct level as soon as possible. This means that the majority of those affected will receive a pensions increase in 2009-10 that is lower than they would normally receive. A minority of affected pensioners will see a reduction in their pension.
Different arrangements apply for members of the Police, Fire and Local Government schemes. Details of these can be obtained from relevant pension administrators.
The Agency has written to those members of the NHS and Teachers schemes who are affected by this latest development and where necessary, corrections to the current pension payments will be made from 1 September 2009.
You can access further information in the “Questions & Answers”
Overseas Pension Payments:
If you live abroad and require that your pension payments are paid into an overseas bank account, via our overseas service provider Citibank, please contact the Payroll Department on 01896 893049. We will issue you with the appropriate mandate for your country, which you should complete and return to the Agency. We would advise that you contact your bank for assistance in completing the form to ensure that the information you provide is correct.
Please note that payments will be made in the local currency of the country in which you reside. Further information on Citibank and the transfer of funds can be found by clicking on the link below. (Link is Citibank leaflet)