This page provides information and guidance to assist Scheme Employers in administering the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and their responsibilities as a Scheme Employer within Hertfordshire Pension Fund (HPF).
The administration and management of the fund is split between HPF and the Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA).
At HPF, we are responsible for the collection of employee and employer contributions, actuarial valuations, financial reporting (FRS102/IAS19), pension fund accounting and governance.
LPPA are responsible for the day-to-day pensions administration of the LGPS, including Scheme Employer training, guidance, and support. More information for scheme members and employers can be found on the LPPA website.
Regular newsletters and bulletins are also emailed to the Scheme Employers from both LPPA and us, therefore, you should always ensure that LPPA hold up to date contact details for your organisation.
A full list of our responsibilities and the responsibilities of LPPA and Scheme Employers can be viewed within the ‘Administration Strategy’
Payment of contributions
Pensions contributions must be paid into the HPF's bank account by the 19th of the month following payroll, or before if the 19th falls on a non-working day. For example, April payroll employee and employer contributions must be paid and received by us by the 19th of May. We endeavour to support Scheme Employers in meeting these submission deadlines but if there is a persistent failure, then penalties will be imposed as set out in the Administration Strategy.
Bank: NatWest
Account: 18396828
Sort Code: 60-10-39
Account Name: HERTFORDSHIRE P SCHEME
Ref: LGPS and your company name
Submitting LG221 forms – YourFund
Along with the payment of pensions contributions, Scheme Employers must submit the ‘LG221’ form (this form records what you are paying into HPF's bank account each month by the 19th of the month following payroll, or before, if the 19th falls on a non-working day, via the YourFund employer portal, under the LG221 category on the homepage.
The form will be populated with the Scheme Employer contribution rate for 2023/24 and will be updated should the contribution rate change, following a valuation, for example. Again, we endeavour to support Scheme Employers in meeting these submission deadlines but if there is a persistent failure, then penalties will be imposed as set out in the Administration Strategy.
To request access to YourFund please complete the ‘YourFund user request form’ available on LPPA’s ‘submitting information to us’ webpage.
The ‘Site Administrator’ will then provide you with ‘user’ access to YourFund, where you will be able to submit the LG221 forms.
Member data – UPM Employer Portal
As a Scheme Employer, you must submit all employee data to LPPA via the UPM employer portal.
To request access to the UPM employer portal, please complete the ‘UPM employer portal user access form’ available on LPPA’s ‘submitting information to us’ webpage.
The ‘Site Administrator’ will then provide you with ‘users’ access for you to be able to submit member data via the UPM employer portal.
Updating employer contact information
To ensure we and LPPA have your correct employer contact information for queries or for requesting information, please ensure that LPPA are advised when there are any changes in your contact details, such as staff leaving, by emailing the LPPA Engagement Team Engagement@localpensionspartnership.org.uk.
Changes to payroll providers
To ensure we and LPPA have your correct contact information for payroll queries or for requesting information, please ensure that we are advised when there are any changes in payroll providers by emailing hertsyearend@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Please detail:
- Employer code
- Employer Name
- Old Payroll Provider
- New Payroll Provider
- New Payroll Provider name, phone and email contact
- Date effective from
We will then send a welcome email to your new payroll provider with the responsibilities and deadlines they are required to adhere to for paying contributions and submitting LG221 breakdown forms.
Training and support
Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
Scheme Members are able to top up their pension by making additional voluntary contributions via an AVC arrangement. This arrangement does not include employer contributions and is separate to their LGPS Herts pension.
If you are a scheme employer without any members currently paying into an AVC, Standard Life will need to set your organisation up before a member can make an AVC application. To get set up with Standard Life, please complete the site set up form and send this to eis_contributions@standardlife.com.
Once set up, or if your organisation already has members contributing to AVCs (i.e. your organisation is already set up with Standard Life), please refer your members to the members’ area of our website, where they can find more information together with the AVC application form and step by step guidance on how to submit their AVC application to LPPA.
Guidance for academies
The Education & Skills Funding Agency has released LGPS guidance for academies. The guidance, produced by the Academy Working Group, was published on 24 April 2024 and is aimed at academies in England.
Key areas of the guidance:
- LGPS overview
- regular valuations
- LGPS academy guarantee from the Department for Education 7
- pooling
- academy conversions and transfers
- engaging with the LGPS.