Scottish Public Pension Agency (SPPA) Police pension: FOI release

Information requested

1. Have any staff been allocated to calculate the backdated figures or are all still working on the Remedy? If so why can a portion of staff not be allocated to this task?

2. Will retired officer receive the backdated monies by the end of 2025?

3. Are there statutory timelines to have these calculations made and paid to the retirees?

4. Will all backdated monies be paid in one instalment? Will we be written to to advise or will this merely appear in our pension?

5. Will backdated calculations be made for ill health pensions and injury on duty pensions at the same time and paid at the same time? If separately when will they be paid?

6. I’ve complained to SPPA regarding this delay. Can the Scottish Government provide extra resources to carry out the calculations?

7. How many staff members are working on the remedy process and how long have they been working on this?

8. Are we entitled to interest on the backdated pay given the length of time we are waiting for the payments?

Response

1. Yes, staff have undertaken preparatory work including cohort analysis and automation development.

2. Yes, this is the intention.

3. The Disclosure regulations specify informing the member about the change to benefits, not when the payment must be made. However, SPPA is committed to processing these revisions as soon as possible.

4. Arrears will be paid in one instalment. A letter outlining the pension change will be published on members’ online portals.

5. These calculations will be undertaken at the same time.

6. SPPA is recruiting additional resources, however, with the additional complexities of remedy and revisions, it takes time to develop staff.

7. Specific to Police - SPPA have 4 members of staff who are working in product development, these are the subject matter experts (SME’s) who are providing guidance/assurance and testing of the calculations which is then built into automation or manual processes. These SME’s draw on other resources/expertise when required.

SPPA has 4 pension administrators and 2 pension officers who are dedicated to calculating and issuing Police RSS which are manual or become manual because they fall out of automation. However they are also supported by other members as required.

8. Interest on revisions relating to Police pensions is within the Police pension scheme regulations.

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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.