Scheme administrator meaning

ARCHIVED: This Checklist sets out information on retirement options for DC members prior to 6 April 2015. It is no longer maintained and is provided for background purposes only. For more information on retirement options for DC members, see Practice Note: Retirement options—DC members. Pre-6 April 2015 pension payment options Until 5 April 2015, a DC member’s pension pot could be applied to deliver one of the following pension payments: scheme pension — a ‘scheme pension’ is either a pension paid straight from the scheme’s own funds by the scheme administrator, or a pension arranged with an insurance company selected by the scheme administrator. DC occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes did not usually make a scheme pension available...

Original news Mr T (CAS-64304-R5R1)—14 April 2025 Summary The Pensions Ombudsman dismissed a complaint concerning the distribution of death benefits from a pension scheme. It concluded the scheme administrator’s decision was reasonable, neither irrational nor perverse. The complainant was not named in a supposed will—which was invalid as it lacked witnesses—and was the sole beneficiary of the late member’s estate. Before deciding, the administrator carried out extensive enquiries. This outcome serves as a reminder that trustees and administrators of pension schemes should undertake appropriate enquiries when determining death benefit payments. What were the facts? Mr S was a member of the AJ Bell You Invest Self invested Personal Pension Plan (the Scheme). Following his death, he was survived by, among others, Mr T. Mr T had entered into a civil partnership with Mr S...

Original news Mr Y (CAS-57893-P0C6)—20 August 2025 / Ms R (CAS-58612-P1X1)—18 July 2025 Summary The Pensions Ombudsman dismissed a complaint concerning a loan note investment. The scheme’s independent trustee bore no responsibility for losses arising from this high-risk, speculative asset. The complainants had completed forms confirming the trustee was not giving investment advice and could not be held accountable for any investment loss. The arrangement ran on an execution-only basis. The trustee also undertook appropriate due diligence before proceeding. In light of these factors, no liability ultimately attached to the trustee for the loan note loss. The determination highlights the perils of placing funds into non-standard investments. Accordingly, the complaint failed. What were the facts? Ms R and Mr Y were members of the Westerby Pension Scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme was a self-directed, self-invested personal pension (SIPP) scheme. Westerby Trustee Services Limited (Westerby) was the Scheme’s independent trustee and administrator...

Summary The DPO dismissed a grievance concerning a pension transfer. The move occurred within the six‑month statutory window and there were no undue delays. The scheme undertook checks required by HMRC on the receiving arrangement, with those verifications in place to protect members’ interests. The complainant declined an option to proceed without the checks. This determination serves as a reminder that scheme members should avoid causing unjustified delay to a transfer at any stage... What were the facts? Mr E was a member of the HSBC Bank (UK) Pension Scheme (the Scheme), administered by Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Mr E wished to transfer his Scheme benefits to a personal pension arrangement...

The extended producer responsibility (EPR) regime for packaging and packaging waste The extended producer responsibility (EPR) regime for packaging and packaging waste shifts the entire cost of managing household packaging waste from households to packaging producers, placing on them accountability for their packaging costs throughout its lifecycle. Lower charges apply to sustainable packaging, incentivising designs that use fewer materials and are easier to recycle. Under EPR, Local Authorities (LAs) receive producer-funded payments covering the net costs of collecting, managing, recycling and disposing of this household packaging waste. EPR is governed by the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, SI 2024/1332 (as amended). These regulations define a range of persons and bodies with specific functions within the regime. These are: producers—these are the principal duty holders compliance schemes the Scheme Administrator (SA) (PackUK) ‘relevant authorities’ which are LAs as household waste collection and disposal authorities responsible for household waste services reprocessors and exporters the ‘appropriate agency’—in England, the Environment...

Sound administration underpins the smooth operation of a pension scheme and the delivery of good member outcomes, not least because administrators are typically members’ first port of call; consequently, their effectiveness, consistency and accuracy indeed strongly influence member experience and results. In short, administration counts because it is the usual locus of pension governance, safeguarding data accuracy, regulatory compliance and correct member outcomes being delivered on a consistent basis. What is a scheme administrator? For the purposes of this Practice Note, ‘scheme administrator’ means the individual or entity that supports the scheme’s day-to-day running by planning, managing and performing its administrative tasks. This can be an external provider, a dedicated internal team within the employer and/or the employer’s human resources or finance functions and departments. This usage is different from the ‘scheme administrator’ in Part 4 of the Finance Act 2004 (FA 2004), denoting the person or persons who ensure the scheme meets FA 2004 requirements in full. In practice, that statutory capacity is...

The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) ESOS is a statutory programme for energy assessments and savings, mandatory for organisations that meet the eligibility criteria. It originates from the EU Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU, art 8(4)–(6), which requires Member States to ensure that enterprises other than small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) undergo an energy audit at least once every four years. For further information, see Practice Note: Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU—snapshot [Archived]. The UK implemented art 8(4)–(6) via the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1643). Post-Brexit, the Energy Act 2023 provided powers to update ESOS, and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/1182) introduced revisions ahead of the Phase 3 compliance deadline. Qualifying organisations must carry out an assessment and audit of their total energy consumption. In most circumstances the audit must be performed or reviewed by a ‘lead assessor’, who is a member of a professional body approved by the Environment Agency (EA), the scheme administrator. For more details, see Practice Note: Energy Savings...

[ Letter to be printed on company headed paper ] [ Insert name of Company ] SAYE share option scheme (the Scheme) Application form You are invited to apply for a three- or five-year option (the Option) to purchase ordinary shares in [ insert name of Company ] (the Company and the Shares, respectively) in line with the rules of the Scheme. The deadline for returning your Application Form is [ insert closing date ]. If you are not familiar with the Scheme, please refer to the explanatory brochure, which outlines the rules of the Scheme and explains the principal terms of the savings contract prospectus (the Prospectus). Both the explanatory brochure and the Prospectus are [ enclosed OR available on request from [ insert name of administrator ] OR can be viewed online at www.[ insert web address ] ]...

[ INSERT NAME OF COMPANY ] SAYE share option scheme (the Scheme) Notice of exercise of option To: the [ Secretary OR Administrator ] Of: [ insert address ] I confirm I hold an SAYE option over ordinary shares of [ insert nominal value of shares ] in [ insert name of company whose shares are under option ] (the ‘Company’), awarded to me under the Scheme, with the following particulars: Date of grant: Number of shares: Exercise price: Savings period start date: Unique SAYE account number: I seek to exercise this option in respect of either: All the shares The following number of shares Tick here: or Insert number here: and I: hereby authorise [ insert name of bank/building society/authorised savings ...

1 Introduction The current time is [ insert the exact time ], and I hereby formally commence and open the meeting of Scheme Creditors of [ insert name of the company ] [ with [ insert type of claim ] claims, and the meeting of Scheme Creditors of [ insert name of the company ] with [ insert type of claim ] Claims ]. My name is [ insert name ], from [ insert firm or company name ][ insert details of who the chairperson is eg adviser/administrator/provisional liquidator, etc ]. The meeting [ s ] that [ is OR are ] being held today [ has OR have ] been called by the Company under an Order of the High Court of Justice of England & Wales issued on [ insert date ]. The aim of the Meeting [ s ] is to review and, if deemed appropriate, approve the scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 that the Company intends to enter into...

The Housing Act 2004 (HA 2004) The Housing Act 2004 (HA 2004) places a duty on landlords to manage deposits taken for assured shorthold tenancies in line with schemes authorised by the Act (HA 2004, s 213(1)). There are two approved models: a custodial scheme and an insurance scheme (HA 2004, s 212(8); HA 2004, Sch 10, paras 1(2), 4). Under the custodial option, the deposit is lodged in an account operated by a scheme administrator. Under the insurance option, the landlord retains the deposit but gives an undertaking to the administrator to return the money; the administrator, in turn, maintains insurance to meet repayment if the landlord fails to comply. This Q&A does not explore the sanctions for breach of these obligations (HA 2004, s 214), nor the restriction on the landlord serving a section 21 notice (section 21 of the Housing Act 1988) for so long as any non-compliance endures (HA 2004, s 215). In view of the relatively modest sums typically involved, it is scarcely surprising...