Please note that due to the upcoming System Transition, we have suspended our usual programme of employer coaching events. To book onto the ESS training sessions, visit System Transition.
Employer Coaching Sessions
Employer Services can offer a comprehensive suite of on-site and off-site coaching sessions to help you and your staff carry out the day-to-day administration of the scheme.
Free to attend, the sessions will be useful both as a refresher for existing staff, or an introduction to processes for those that are new to Fund administration. If you would like to book on any of the sessions, just click the relevant date to be taken straight to the booking page. A link to the webinar will be sent to you in the Eventbrite confirmation email; please save this, otherwise you will not be able to access the webinar.
If you have never used Adobe Connect before you may find our Webinar Etiquette and Troubleshooting, in the Downloads section, useful.
Understanding your Accounting Disclosure (FRS102) Report
This session is aimed at School Bursars/Business Managers and will give a high-level overview of what your Accounting Disclosure Report contains. Please note that this is not an in-depth session and is unlikely to be suitable for Finance Directors/CFOs.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Understanding Pay and Service in the LGPS
Administrators who are new to the LGPS will find this session particularly useful, as it will cover exactly what pay information is needed by the Fund for your monthly submissions and leaver notifications. We strongly recommend completing this session before joining any of our leaver notification sessions.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Estimates for Early Retirement Costs
Before you process any redundancy/business efficiency retirements, grant flexible retirements, or waive any actuarial reductions for members, we advise that an estimate is run through Employer Self-Service to establish any potential costs to the employer. This session will show you how to do just that.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
All about Ill-Health Retirements
Suitable for HR Officers or senior management in all of our member organisations, this comprehensive session will guide you step-by-step through the ill health retirement process, from when your own internal management of attendance process concludes that a member is recommended to pursue retirement on the grounds of ill health.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Pensions Administration Strategy; Employer Responsibilities
Legislation dictates minimum standards that pension schemes should meet in providing certain pieces of information to the various parties associated with the LGPS. In addition, regulatory guidance sets out a number of requirements for the Fund and scheme employers to provide information to each other, scheme members and prospective scheme members, dependents, other pension arrangements or other regulatory bodies. This session will set out what those expectations are and will tell you how to meet them.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Submission of your Monthly Data File
How to create and submit the monthly data file using Employer Self-Service; this comprehensive session is suitable for new administrators or employers, or for those that would like a refresher.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Assumed Pensionable Pay
Assumed pensionable pay (APP) is a notional pay figure that is used to ensure that a member's pension is not affected by any reduction to, or suspension of, their pensionable pay due to a period of sickness or injury, or any reduction due to relevant child related leave or reserve forces leave. This session will teach you how to calculate APP and when to apply APP. This session is strongly recommended for payroll and pensions administrators within all of our scheme employers.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Refunds, Defers and Notification
Our Early Leaver (refunds & deferments) session will guide you through the Employer Self-Service process for members leaving the Fund/employment who are entitled to a refund or deferment. We strongly encourage attendance at one of our 'Understanding Pay and Service in the LGPS' sessions prior to attending any leaver submission sessions; whilst not essential, the pay and service information will give you a detailed account and deeper understanding of the pay figures that are needed to submit an accurate leaver notification.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Introduction to LGPS
Suitable for Payroll/Pensions Administrators, HR Officers and anyone else who wants to learn more about the LGPS, this session will give you an overview of the scheme, outline employer roles and responsibilities in the scheme, and introduce you to our Employer Self-Service.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Death in Employment and Notification
This brief session will support employers in submitting death notifications to the Fund in the event of a death of an active member.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Leavers, Retirements and Notifications
Aimed at Human Resource officers at our employers, this session will explain the retirement process from an HR perspective, detailing all of the requirements prior to a retirement notification being submitted to the Fund.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
TUPE, Tenders & Pass-through Arrangements
This session is aimed at guarantors (for example, Local Authorities, Academy Trusts), or contractors who are looking to bid for contracts with one of the aforementioned organisations. It will guide you through the regulations applicable to becoming an admission body, and WMPF's arrangements and requirements.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
New Academies in WMPF
This session is ideal for maintained schools that are due to convert to an academy, or academy trusts that are due to take on a new academy converter or sponsored academy. We will guide you through WMPF's administrative requirements of conversion, and budgetary considerations that will need to be taken into account, including an explanation of primary and secondary contribution rates. Academies that are changing trusts may also find this session beneficial.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
Employer Discretions
The Local Government Pension Scheme regulations require employers who participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) to draw up and publish a discretions policy and to keep it under review. Discretions are powers that enable employers to choose how to apply the scheme in respect of certain provisions. There are a number of discretions that employers may have a policy in relation to; five of which are mandatory. This session will give employers an overview about the discretions that should be included in a policy and give you the information that you need to help you formulate your own organisational discretionary policy.
- Date: Tuesday 17th October 2023
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
- Date: Wednesday 15th November 2023
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
- Date: Thursday 7th December 2023
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
- Date: Monday 15th January 2024
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
Completing and Submitting your Final Statement
As part of the Year End process the Fund requires completion of the Final Statement as an annual certification of the contributions paid to the Fund by your organisation. This short session will guide you through the requirements for its completion and submission.
- Dates: More dates coming soon
*WMPF reserve the right to cancel webinars where uptake is low. If it becomes necessary to cancel a webinar we will endeavour to offer alternative dates, where available*
We also offer bespoke training sessions to employers if they have a number of staff that require training in any particular area (not necessarily one of those listed above). Please let us know on the email address below if this would be of interest to you.
If you are unsure which sessions would be suitable for you, please call us on 0300 111 6516 or email WMPFEmployerLiaison2@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Feedback from attendees is always appreciated and suggestions for further topics are welcome.
Webinars
We understand that it is not always convenient for members to attend face-to-face events - therefore, we offer webinars to cover all the basics of the scheme and provide members with links and guidance to assist them to take control and plan their retirement. Webinars are run at various times including evenings to try and ensure all members have access to pension support.
Remember, our services are provided FREE OF CHARGE to employers of the West Midlands Pension Fund.
To book an event today please email wmpfevents@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Employer Discretions
The Local Government Pension Scheme regulations require employers who participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) to draw up and publish a discretions policy and to keep it under review. Discretions are powers that enable employers to choose how to apply the scheme in respect of certain provisions. There are a number of discretions that employers may have a policy in relation to; five of which are mandatory. This session will give employers an overview about the discretions that should be included in a policy and give you the information that you need to help you formulate your own organisational discretionary policy.
- Date: Wednesday 15th November 2023
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
- Date: Thursday 7th December 2023
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
- Date: Monday 15th January 2024
- Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
AGM/MYR
The Fund hosts employer events on a bi-annual basis and invites all employers to attend a half-day session to learn about the LGPS industry which includes topical presentations and interaction sessions.
For further information on the day, please email WMPFEmployerLiaison2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Peer Group
If you would like to register your interest or obtain further information, please review the 2022/23 Employer Peer Group Terms of Reference (below) or feel free to contact the Employer Services Team.
This is a group of employer representatives who meet on a quarterly basis and discuss new initiatives and changes to the scheme processes and policies. The group provide valuable feedback to help shape the Fund's services.
Employer Peer Group - Terms of reference
The Employer Peer Group consists of a group of representatives from across the Fund’s employer base e.g., District Councils,
educational establishments, private companies and other participating organisations. The group discusses a range of topics
(based on an agreed agenda) such as the legal obligations of scheme employers, ongoing or topical issues and upcoming events.
Primary purposes of the group
- To enable the Fund to work collaboratively with employers
- To share best practice
- To discuss current pensions issues and their impact on the WMPF/LGPS/wider Pensions Industry
- To encourage engagement between the Peer Group (representing Fund Employers) and the Fund to improve the exchange of data and communication.
- Provide feedback to the Fund to assist them when implementing improvements
Meeting information
- Peer Group is usually held at the Fund offices (i9 – Wolverhampton) however, sessions can also be attended via the online platform, Microsoft Teams, when circumstances require (see ‘virtual meeting etiquette’).
- At least three Fund representatives will attend each meeting, to include specialist presenters on set topics as required. In the event of employee representation via Microsoft Teams, a meeting organiser will also be appointed.
- Membership of the group is open to all scheme employers via an expression of interest.
- The membership and attendance of the group will be reviewed annually or at such a point as required.
- Depending on attendee availability, and content for discussion, it is anticipated that each session will last for 2 to 3 hours.
- Common roles of the employee representatives include: Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Pension staff, along with any other staff who liaise with the Fund on a regular basis or have a strategic role within their organisation.
- Minimum number of attendees: 7 (if attendance is lower than the minimum number, the Fund will consider rescheduling the meeting); Maximum number of attendees: 20.
- Attendance is limited to 1 representative per organisation (2 representatives will be considered with prior notification in circumstances such as shadow working, personal development and change of job role etc).
- Notification of non-attendance must be given one week in advance of the scheduled meeting. In such circumstances, a substitute is expected to attend.
Virtual meeting etiquette
- Check that the computer/laptop used to join the meeting is functioning. Check that headphones (if required), microphones, internet connection, etc. are all up and running prior to the meeting start time.
- Be ready to start a few minutes ahead of time to ensure the meeting can begin on the scheduled start time.
- Mute the microphone unless you wish to contribute to the conversation (in which case, see below)
- During the meeting, you can raise a virtual hand to let all participants know, including the meeting organiser, you wish to contribute without interrupting the ongoing conversation. The meeting organiser will then confirm, at the appropriate time, when the microphone can be unmuted, and the conversation can begin based on the order in which the virtual hands were raised.
How are the items for the agenda generated?
- The Fund will forward an invitation in the first quarter of the scheme year for each of the planned Peer Group meeting dates.
- The agenda will be issued to the Peer Group no later than 1 week prior to the scheduled meeting.
- The Fund will produce a meeting summary and action points for circulation amongst the group no later than one month after the meeting.
How will information be relayed from the group to the wider employer base?
- Employer brief (circulated to all employers on a quarterly basis)
- Annual survey (potential inclusion of discussion points in questions)
- AGM (Annual General Meeting) and MYR (Mid-Year Review)
- Fund’s website
- Peer Group minutes will be available to all scheme employers upon request