The Department for Education has published a consultation to seek your views on the Teachers’ Pension Scheme; this is specifically looking at the opportunities to change the rules for independent schools only, making them more flexible when opting out of the Scheme.

Under current scheme rules, an independent school electing to opt-out of the scheme results in all members at that school becoming deferred. The proposal could allow an Independent school to leave the scheme in a different way, whereby current participants remain as active members. Teachers joining an independent school which had made this choice would no longer be able to participate in the Scheme.

The proposal is being considered in order to support Independent schools to meet the increased employer contribution costs, which were introduced from 1 September 2019, and so that more teachers can remain as active members than if an Independent school elected to leave outright.

Schools, which are funded by the Government, are unaffected as it’s mandatory for them to participate in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

The consultation seeks your views and any alternative proposals to achieve the aims outlined in the consultation document.

You can find out more information on the consultation and have the opportunity to give your views here (This link opens in a new window). The consultation closes on 3 November 2019.