Prospective employers

This section holds information for employers who are thinking about joining Warwickshire Pension Fund (the scheme).

Making an application to be an employer within the scheme

If you would like to apply for admission to the Warwickshire Pension Fund in order to offer the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) as your occupational pension scheme to their employees, you will need to complete the relevant application form.

This application is necessary to ensure that you fulfil the requirements of the relevant LGPS regulations (the scheme regulations lgpsregs.org).

This is the application form (PDF, 222KB) which needs to be completed and, once completed, will need to be sent to pensions@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Please see our guidance notes (PDF, 168KB) when filling out the form and for guidance on what type of body you are.

Please note: if this involves an outsourcing of a service, the scheme employer who is outsourcing (generally an Academy or School) will be required to complete the Letting Authority Application Form (PDF, 199KB) alongside the application by the contractor

The extra process for outsourcing a service

If you are a scheme employer (generally an Academy or school) looking to outsource a service that involves a TUPE transfer of employees, we recommend that you contact us at the beginning of the procurement process.

An assessment of the employer contribution rate will need to be undertaken and this will need to be included in your tender documentation so that bidders are aware of the financial implications. 

Please read our guidance notes (PDF, 168 KB). This contains more information on types of rates and the consequences for the scheme employer of either – both in terms of retaining liability and extra actuarial fees incurred.

The pension rights are safeguarded by way of an Admission Agreement between the contractor, the scheme employer/letting authority body, and the pension fund. This is a legal and binding document that sets out the legal responsibilities of all parties.

Before you put out a tender to outsource a service, please contact the Pension fund to let us know:

• The service you are looking to outsource
• The date the contract is due to start
• The length of the contract
• The information included in your contract about pensions

If a contract is let before the admission agreement is in place there is a risk that your employees will not be covered by the pension scheme for the period, the agreement is not in place.

It is at the funds discretion as to whether membership can be back dated if an agreement is not in place at the start of the contract.

Enquires

For any queries regarding the application process to join the Warwickshire Pension Fund or early enquires, please contact pensions@warwickshire.gov.uk