Active police members not eligible for tapering: FOI release

Information requested

Could you please provide information specifically relating to active police members who were not eligible for tapering.

1. When did the SPPA first phone, email or letter active members informing them that they would be liable to pay interest on contributions?
2. When did the SPPA first phone, email or letter active members informing them of the interest rate that would be payable?
3. What plans were made before October 2024 to allow members to pay these contributions in full up front using savings etc and not from salary on receipt of their remedy statement from October 2024?
4. When did the SPPA first inform the police credit union that active members would begin receiving remedy statements in October 2024?

Response

1. Treasury Directions ('The Directions') on interest were published on 10 December 2022 and different member groups were informed at different times. The first members were informed directly from 1 October 2023. The last update on the SPPA Active / Deferred member website was on 30 September 2024 providing guidance about interest on contributions.
2. Treasury Directions on interest were published on 10 December 2022 and different member groups were informed at different times. The first members were informed directly from 1 October 2023. The last update on the SPPA Active / Deferred member website was on 30 September 2024 providing guidance about interest on contributions.
3. Ahead of October 2024, provisions for members to pay their contributions in full up front using savings or other means rather than through salary deductions were not part of the standard approach, as defined in The Directions. However, subsequent to the change in The Directions we planned for this to be available through an exception process as a result of the late change in The Directions. Members who wished to make such arrangements were able to contact us directly to request this option, and these requests would have been considered on an individual basis. Although we received some enquiries about this, no formal requests were submitted or progressed.
4. SPPA was not obligated to engage SPCU and at the point of engagement 13 November 2024, 90% of RSS had been issued to active Remedy eligible members.

A link to the Treasury Directions is here:

The_Public_Service_Pensions__Exercise_of_Powers_Compensation_and_Information__Directions_2022.pdf

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.