Richard Evans

This Practice Note considers bulk transfers between occupational pension schemes. A bulk transfer is the transfer of a group of members from one scheme (the transferring scheme) to another (the receiving scheme). The transferring scheme will make a transfer payment to the receiving scheme, covering all of the transferring members. The transferring members will cease to be entitled to benefits in the transferring scheme, and will become entitled to benefits under the receiving scheme.This Practice Note considers the circumstances when bulk pension transfers may be made, the main issues for trustees, member consent and whether it is required, the main issue for trustees when considering a bulk transfer, the legislation governing the transfer, tax issues and discharge of trustees following the pension transfer.Common uses and active member considerationsCommon circumstances in which bulk transfers are madeBulk transfers are most commonly made in conjunction with the merger or demerger of schemes. This may occur where an employer is selling or demerging part of its business, or where an employer

This Practice Note looks at how section 75 debts (also known as employer debts or statutory debts) are calculated for both single-employer and multi-employer defined benefit (DB) occupational pension schemes, including who is responsible for calculating the section 75 debt, the relevant calculation date, an example of a section 75 debt calculation, challenging a section 75 debt calculation and, in relation to multi-employer schemes, orphan liabilities.

This Practice Note covers the circumstances in which a section 75 debt (also known as an employer debt or statutory debt) may be triggered on a participating employer of a single-employer or multi-employer defined benefit (DB) occupational pension scheme, whether on the occurrence of an employment cessation event, on the winding up of the scheme or on the occurrence of a relevant event in relation to the employer (effectively insolvency). This Practice Note also looks at the scope of the section 75 debt regime, its application to former employers, the date on which a section 75 debt arises and is treated as becoming due, as well as easements available.

This Precedent set outs an example of an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy for the trustee board of a pension scheme.