The Board will have responsibility for assisting the scheme manager with securing compliance with the scheme regulations and other legislation relating to the governance and administration of the scheme and securing compliance with requirements imposed by the Pensions Regulator.

The scheme administration itself is mainly carried out by Capita under a contract with the Department for Education (DfE), which is managed by officials. There is also a contract with Optima Health to assess ill-health retirement applications and a Service Level Agreement with the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) to provide actuarial advice. The Board will assist Ministers by having oversight of the administration and by ensuring that the scheme is managed in accordance with relevant legislation and any guidance from the Pensions Regulator.

The Board has a role in ensuring that the services provided reflect the needs of the membership and employers, and that they have the mechanisms to deliver those.