Issue - meetings

Proposal to adopt e-payslips for LGPS pensioners

Meeting: 13/12/2021 - Staff and Pensions Committee (Item 2)

2 Proposal to Adopt E-Payslips for LGPS Pensioners pdf icon PDF 211 KB

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Minutes:

Victoria Jenks (Pensions Admin Delivery Lead) introduced the report which outlined current practices followed by the Pensions Administration Service to issue monthly paper payslips to members of the Warwickshire Pension Fund. She advised that since January 2018, newly retired members of the Fund have received payslips electronically unless they had indicated a preference to receive a paper copy. The report presented to the Committee outlined the case for moving to e-payslips as the default arrangement for all pensioners, whilst retaining the option for members to opt out and continue to receive paper payslips. 

 

Victoria Jenks advised that the report set out the annual cost of issuing paper payslips, which equated to approximately £70,000, as well as the associated environmental impacts.

 

Victoria Jenks stated that the Committee’s approval was sought for the proposed changes. She advised that e-payslips had been widely adopted by other pension funds. Funds that made use of this arrangement reported that approximately 10% of retired members had chosen to continue to receive paper payslips.

 

Victoria Jenks advised that members that had opted-in to the initiative could specify that a paper payslip be issued if there had been a change to the amount being paid or a change to the tax code.

 

Councillor Gifford (Vice-Chair of the Committee and Chair of the Meeting) stated that the proposal was sound. It provided scope for members to opt out if they wished to continue to receive paper payslips. He stated that, in his experience as a councillor, many retired residents were content to make use of digital resources. It was a legitimate and practicable way to proceed.

 

In response to Councillor Horner, Neil Buxton (Technical Specialist - Pension Fund Policy and Governance) advised that it was proposed that pensioners would receive a log-in to an online account to access payslips. A paper P60 form would be issued to pensioners in the first year. However, there was no legal requirement for P60s to be issued as a paper document.

 

In response to the Chair, Victoria Jenks indicated that the Pensions Administration Service was prepared for an increased number of enquiries from members during the first year of transition to the new arrangement.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Staff and Pensions Committee approves the adoption of e-payslips as the default position for pensioners who are members of the Warwickshire Pension Fund.