Colleague Handbook
Colleague Handbook
Salary exchange is available as a different way of paying your pension contributions to the pension scheme and involves giving up the equivalent amount of salary as your pension contributions in an agreement that Barnardo’s will pay this amount into the scheme on your behalf instead.
This produces National Insurance savings for you so your net pay is higher than it would otherwise have been, assuming other things remain equal. It also produces a National Insurance saving for Barnardo’s. The maximum contribution you can make via the Salary Exchange method is 17.5%.
Salary exchange is suitable for all BRSP members who will earn a minimum amount and who are paying National Insurance contributions. Total salary exchange deductions cannot take your hourly rate below the National Living Wage. Further details and information can be obtained from the Pensions Department.
Please also see ‘Barnardo’s Benefits’ for further details of non-contractual benefits that can be salary exchanged.
Barnardo’s Retirement Savings Plan (BRSP) members will pay pro rata pension contributions during any periods of half pay sickness absence and Barnardo’s will do the same.
During any periods of zero pay sickness absence, no colleague or employer contributions will be made to your pension.
If you are employed by Barnardo’s as a teacher, head teacher or deputy head teacher, in a registered establishment, you have the right to remain as a contributing member of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), or the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme (STSS) if you are working in Scotland. Please note: you will be placed in the TPS/STSS (as appropriate) following the commencement of your employment with Barnardo’s. Should you not wish to participate in TPS/STSS you will need to contact the administrators of the relevant scheme to obtain an opt-out form.
Barnardo’s colleagues that have joined the Teachers’ Pension scheme, will have to gather information regarding the scheme directly from Teachers Pension on 08456 066 166 or 01325 745 000 or from The TPS website. For teachers in Scotland you should contact the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) via The SPPA website or 01896 893000.
Where colleagues transfer to Barnardo’s under TUPE we are required to provide a comparable pension up to six percent employer contribution. This will usually be provided via BRSP. Transferring colleagues who are not pension members will be assessed under the auto enrolment criteria set out above and be auto enrolled regardless of any previous opt outs.
In a limited number of transfers membership of a previous pension scheme is retained. The rules and conditions of that previous scheme will still apply and these schemes will continue to be administered by the previous administrator. If this is applicable to you, you should direct any queries to the previous administrator accordingly.
Where a TUPE colleague later transfers onto a Barnardo’s contract of employment, our terms and conditions only permit access to Barnardo’s own pension arrangement, BRSP. Therefore, the individual will no longer be entitled to remain in any previous pension scheme which was retained under their TUPE arrangement, such as the Local Government Pension Scheme. In these circumstances, when membership of an external pension arrangement comes to an end, the colleague will be auto-enrolled into BRSP.
If you are unable to continue in your job through illness or disability and no alternative employment is available within Barnardo’s, you may be able to access the accumulated funds in your BRSP pension account with Aviva. Aviva have their own process to determine if access is available if aged under 55. Whilst current Legislation would allow anyone over the age of 55 to access the accumulated funds.
If you are a former member of BASS, incapacity pension benefits may be payable in line with the Rules of the scheme if you are no longer able to work due to your condition/ disability. In the first instance you should contact the administrators of the Scheme, Hyman Robertson on 0121 212 8188 or e-mail [email protected]to request an ill health retirement application pack.
Any general retirement enquiry for a former BASS member should also be directed to Hyman Robertson.
Colleagues who are actively contributing to Barnardo’s Retirement Savings Plan (BRSP), Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme, Local Government Pension Scheme or NHS Pension Scheme are generally* covered for life assurance (death in service) benefits as described above and in the appropriate pensions booklet.
Detailed information can be obtained from the Pensions Team and an ‘Expression of Wish’ form can be downloaded from Inside Barnardo’s.
*Exclusions may apply; refer to the appropriate scheme rules for clarification.
The Trustees of Barnardo’s agreed that an award of £450 in gift vouchers will be presented upon the completion of 25 years’ continuous Barnardo’s service to reward loyalty.
An additional award of £450 in gift vouchers will be presented upon the completion of 40 years’ continuous Barnardo’s service to reward loyalty. To qualify for this award, the 40th year of service must fall on or after 1st April 2008.
These awards should be financed by the colleague’s department budget using the department cost code.