2008 No. 661

Pensions

The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Made

Laid before Parliament

Coming into force

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 175, 181(1) and 182(2) of the Pension Schemes Act 19931.

In accordance with section 185(1) of that Act2, he has consulted such persons as he considers appropriate.

Citation and commencement1

These Regulations may be cited as the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and shall come into force on 1st April 2008.

Amendment of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 20052

1

The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 20053 shall be amended in accordance with this regulation.

2

For regulation 6(2) (amount of the general levy: occupational pension schemes), substitute—

2

This is the table—

Number of members on the reference day

Amount of levy calculated by reference to number of members (M)

Minimum amount of levy

2 to 11

£33

12 to 99

£3.35 x M

100 to 999

£2.42 x M

£340

1,000 to 4,999

£1.88 x M

£2,420

5,000 to 9,999

£1.43 x M

£9,400

10,000 or more

£1.00 x M

£14,300.

3

For regulation 7(2) (amount of the general levy: personal pension schemes), substitute—

2

This is the table—

Number of members on the reference day

Amount of levy calculated by reference to number of members (M)

Minimum amount of levy

2 to 11

£14

12 to 99

£1.34 x M

100 to 999

£0.94 x M

£140

1,000 to 4,999

£0.81 x M

£940

5,000 to 9,999

£0.54 x M

£4,050

10,000 or more

£0.41 x M

£5,400.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Mike O’BrienMinister of State,Department for Work and Pensions
EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/626) (“the 2005 Regulations”).

Regulation 2 substitutes regulations 6(2) and 7(2) of the 2005 Regulations. This specifies the new figures to be used in calculating the rate at which the general levy is payable. The new figures apply for each financial year starting with the one which begins on 1st April 2008. The purpose of the general levy is to meet the expenditure mentioned in section 175(1) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c.48). Specified occupational and personal pension schemes pay the general levy (see regulation 3 of the 2005 Regulations).

The figures used to calculate the rate of the general levy have increased to reflect higher expenditure by the Pensions Regulator, the Pensions Advisory Service and the Pensions Ombudsman and the recovery of a £20.8million deficit from previous years.

These Regulations have only a negligible impact on the cost of business, charities or the voluntary sector. Publication of a full Impact Assessment is not necessary for such legislation.