The Teacher's Pension Scheme is a statutory occupational pension scheme for qualified and non-qualified teachers (full-time or part-time) between the ages of 16 and 75. Individuals are automatically placed into the scheme when commencing employment, and will need to formerly opt out of the scheme via the Teachers' Pensions website, should they not wish to be a member.
The amount of pension contributions an employee pays is dependent on the individual earnings and deductions are made in accordance with the provisions of the Teachers Pensions regulations.
Employment is pensionable up to the age of 75. Retired teachers who undertake further employment will automatically be entered into the scheme.
Teachers’ Pensions are responsible for administering the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme on behalf of the Department for Education.
Teachers’ Pensions – Employee Responsibilities
All teachers should check their payslips to ensure pension contributions are being deducted correctly. All teachers should be registered with ‘My Pension Online’, and regularly check their Benefit Statement to ensure their service is accurate and up to date.
My Pension Online (MPO)
It is important that when a teacher is first opted into the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme, they register for ‘My Pension Online’. MPO is the online access a teacher will have to their pension membership. It allows Teachers Pensions to keep in touch with members throughout their career, including when they are starting and leaving employment.
- MPO allows member to keep on track with their pension. Through this portal, they can:-
- View their Benefit Statement
- Contact Teachers Pensions in relation to queries with their pensions
- Change their personal details (like name, address etc)
- Use the helpful online calculators to plan their retirement
- Apply for certain flexibilities to enhance their pension
- Update their beneficiaries.
Please ensure all Teaching Staff are aware of My Pension Online and register within the first month or two of joining the scheme. You will receive a friendly reminder from HR Connect when we resolve your New Appointment e-form for any new teacher placed into the scheme.
Members are responsible for ensuring they check their pension statement regularly and ensure all the service they expect to see, is there. Missing service can be difficult to resolve years after the event when a member reviews this near retirement due to data access and retention of information. This may result in the member’s benefits being impacted upon retirement. This is why it is important members register for My Pensions Online, and regularly check their benefit statement.
Access to My Pension Online or for new members to register, can be done by following the below link:
Log in to My Pension Online & check your statement | Teachers'Pensions (teacherspensions.co.uk)
For new members who have not yet registered, they need to click on ‘register now’ under ‘forgotten your login details’:
For your employees to register, they’ll need their:
- Personal details
- National Insurance number
- Personal e-mail address*
*Please encourage your staff to register with their personal e-mail rather than their work e-mail address, as this can cause problems once they have left your employment.
Teachers’ Pensions – Employer Responsibilities
The administration is subject to statutory requirements that are governed by the Pensions Regulator, and must be adhered to.
Employers are responsible for ensuring their payroll providers are administering the scheme correctly as failure to do so can result in financial penalties. Failing to place someone into the scheme or late payments to Teachers’ Pensions will result in compound interest charges that are non-negotiable. Schools outside of Local Authority control are responsible for deducting their teachers’ pensions contribution from their salaries each month and ensuring this is paid over to Teachers’ Pensions by the deadline. Where payroll providers offer this service, it is important to remember Teachers’ Pensions hold the Employer responsible, and this is not passed to the payroll provider.
For maintained schools, the Local Authority is the overall responsible employer, and a single return is required.Local Authorities will have their own process for collecting the contributions and returns from all maintained schools, which must be followed. HR Connect do this on behalf of Kent County Council for Kent Maintained schools, and if you require further information on our process you can contact kentmcr@hrconnect.org.uk.
Missing Service
Teachers can access their Benefit Statement at any time to see what their benefits are currently worth via their online portal ‘My Pension Online’with Teachers' Pensions.
If a teacher identifies that they have any period of service that is missing or incorrect when viewing their Benefit Statement they or the school will need to contact the Teachers Pensions team at tpu@hrconnect.org.uk or via the helpdesk 0331 6306811.
Please ensure that the following information is included in the email or can be provided on the phone:
- Full name
- DOB
- N.I number
- Teachers Pensions reference number
- Period of service missing/incorrect
- School employed at that time
If the missing service relates to an academy, we will need to be made aware of which part of the Trust the query relates to.
If the query relates to a time prior to HR Connect becoming the payroll provider for the period of missing service, then the previous payroll provider or Local Authority for that time will need to be contacted to resolve the missing service enquiry.
Monthly Returns to Teachers’ Pensions
Employer’s will submit their monthly returns via one of two methods:
- Monthly Data Collection (MDC) and Monthly Contributions Breakdown method
- Monthly Contributions Reconciliation (MCR) method
You can only be on one of these methods. Teachers Pensions have recently introduced MCR, and are onboarding more and more employers each month onto this method. Eventually, all employers will need to submit their returns via the MCR method, which will replace MDC and the Contributions breakdown entirely.
Retirement
Pension benefits are payable when an employee reaches normal pension age.
Teachers wishing to take their pension should usually apply 4 months before the intended date. They can do this by logging into My Pension Online and submitting a retirement form online, they complete Part A of the form. Once they have submitted, this, this will then go to the employer via the online portal to complete Part B of the form. Once the employer completes Part B, the employer submits the fully completed application to Teachers Pensions. The onus is on the teacher to ensure the relevant paperwork is requested and completed. The actual forms required are dependent on individual circumstances.
We are able to help with the relevant forms and guidance.
Contact details for Teachers Pensions
The Teachers' Pension Website provides information on retirement, pensions and an online pensions benefit estimation service.
