The Pensions Dashboards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022

Connection where the staging profile does not apply

18.—(1) If—

(a) a pension scheme does not exist at the reference date or has fewer than 100 relevant members at the reference date, but is established (if it did not exist previously) and has 100 or more relevant members within 2 years of the reference date (that is, at a scheme year end between 1st April 2021 and 31st March 2023 inclusive), and

(b) the trustees or managers have not been granted permission for the scheme to connect on a voluntary basis under regulation 16,

then the deadline for connecting to the Money and Pensions Service is as provided for in paragraph (2).

(2) The deadline is whichever is the later of the following—

(a) 6 months from the end of the scheme year in which the scheme first exists and has 100 or more relevant members, or

(b) the staging deadline for the equivalent scheme type and size (as if it did exist at the reference date).

(3) If—

(a) a pension scheme does not exist at the reference date or has fewer than 100 relevant members at the reference date, but is established (if it did not exist previously) and has 100 or more relevant members following a scheme year end on or after 1st April 2023, and

(b) the trustees or managers have not been granted permission for the scheme to connect on a voluntary basis under regulation 16,

then the deadline for connecting to the Money and Pensions Service is to be 6 months after the end of the scheme year during which the scheme is first established and has 100 or more relevant members.

(4) Once a deadline applies pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3)—

(a) that deadline remains fixed, even if there is a change in the classification of the scheme type or in its size, unless—

(i) permission to connect early or to defer connection is given under regulation 16 or 17 respectively, or

(ii) all the members of the scheme become pensioner members;

(b) the connection window for the scheme is the period of one month leading up to and including that deadline.

(5) Trustees or managers must—

(a) register the scheme with the Money and Pensions Service, having regard to the guidance referred to in regulation 15(2)(d);

(b) connect the pension scheme to the Money and Pensions Service within the connection window referred to in paragraph (4)(b), in compliance with the standards referred to in regulation 15(2)(c) and having regard to the guidance referred to in regulation 15(2)(d);

(c) meet the requirements in regulation 15(4) and (5).