Citation and commencement1
These Regulations may be cited as the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Funding) Regulations 2005 and shall come into force on 30th December 2005.
Interpretation2
1
In these Regulations—
“the 1993 Act” means the Pension Schemes Act 1993 M1;
“the 1995 Act” means the Pensions Act 1995;
“the 2004 Act” means the Pensions Act 2004;
“the actuary”, in relation to a scheme, means the actuary appointed under section 47(1)(b) of the 1995 Act (professional advisers) in relation to that scheme;
F17...
“the commencement date” means 30th December 2005;
F22“the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations” means the Occupational Pension Schemes (Funding and Investment Strategy and Amendment) Regulations 2024;
“insurance policy” means an insurance policy which is a contract on human life or a contract of annuity on human life, but excluding a contract which is linked to investment funds;
“pension credit rights” has the meaning given by section 124(1) of the 1995 Act M2;
F22“relevant date” has the meaning given by regulation 2 of the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations;
“the relevant accounts”, for the purposes of identifying and valuing the assets of a scheme, are audited accounts for the scheme—
a
which comply with the requirements imposed under section 41 of the 1995 Act M3 (provision of documents for members), and
b
which are prepared in respect of a period ending with the effective date of the valuation.
2
In these Regulations “scheme” must be read in appropriate cases in accordance with the modifications of Part 3 of the 2004 Act made by paragraphs 1, 4, 5 and 7 of Schedule 2 (multi-employer sectionalised schemes, partly foreign schemes and schemes with a partial public authority guarantee), and “employer” and “member” must be construed accordingly.
Determination of assets and liabilities3
1
The assets of a scheme to be taken into account for the purposes of Part 3 of the 2004 Act are the assets attributed to the scheme in the relevant accounts, excluding—
a
any resources invested (or treated as invested by or under section 40 of the 1995 Act) in contravention of section 40(1) of the 1995 Act (employer-related investments);
b
any amounts treated as a debt due to the trustees or managers under section 75(2) or (4) of the 1995 Act M4 (deficiencies in the assets) or section 228(3) of the 2004 Act (amounts due in accordance with a schedule of contributions) which are unlikely to be recovered without disproportionate cost or within a reasonable time, and
c
where it appears to the actuary that the circumstances are such that it is appropriate to exclude them, any rights under an insurance policy.
2
The liabilities of a scheme to be taken into account for the purposes of Part 3 of the 2004 Act are any liabilities—
a
in relation to a member of the scheme by virtue of—
i
any right that has accrued to or in respect of him to future benefits under the scheme rules, or
ii
any entitlement to the present payment of a pension or other benefit which he has under the scheme rules, and
b
in relation to the survivor of a member of the scheme, by virtue of any entitlement to benefits, or right to future benefits which he has under the scheme rules in respect of the member.
3
For the purposes of paragraph (2)—
“right” includes a pension credit right, and
“the survivor” of a member is a person who—
a
is the widow, widower or surviving civil partner of the member, or
b
has survived the member and has any entitlement to benefit, or right to future benefits, under the scheme in respect of the member.
4
Where rights under an insurance policy are excluded under paragraph (1)(c), the liabilities secured by the policy shall be disregarded for the purposes of paragraph (2).
5
Where arrangements are being made by the scheme for the transfer to or from it of accrued rights and any pension credit rights, until such time as the trustees or managers of the scheme to which the transfer is being made (“the receiving scheme”) have received assets of the full amount agreed by them as consideration for the transfer, it shall be assumed—
a
that the rights have not been transferred, and
b
that any assets transferred in respect of the transfer of those rights are assets of the scheme making the transfer and not of the receiving scheme.
Valuation of assets and determination of the amount of liabilities4
1
Subject to paragraph (2), the value to be given to the assets of a scheme for the purposes of Part 3 of the 2004 Act is the value given to those assets in the relevant accounts, less the amount of the external liabilities.
2
The value to be given to any rights under an insurance policy taken into account under regulation 3(1) is the value the actuary considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
3
In paragraph (1), “the external liabilities” of a scheme are such liabilities of the scheme (other than liabilities within regulation 3(2)) as are shown in the net assets statement in the relevant accounts, and their amount shall be taken to be the amount shown in that statement in respect of them.
4
The assets of the scheme shall be valued, and the amount of the liabilities determined, by reference to the same date.
Calculation of technical provisions5
1
Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), it is for the trustees or managers of a scheme to determine which method and assumptions are to be used in calculating the scheme's technical provisions.
2
The method used in calculating a scheme's technical provisions must be an accrued benefits funding method.
3
In determining which accrued benefits funding method and which assumptions are to be used, the trustees or managers must—
a
follow the principles set out in paragraph (4), and
b
in the case of a scheme under which the rates of contributions payable by the employer are determined—
i
by or in accordance with the advice of a person other than the trustees or managers, and
ii
without the employer's agreement,
take account of the recommendations of that person.
4
The principles to be followed under paragraph (3) are—
a
the economic and actuarial assumptions must be chosen prudently, taking account, if applicable, of an appropriate margin for adverse deviation;
b
the rates of interest used to discount future payments of benefits must be chosen prudently, taking into account either or both—
i
the yield on assets held by the scheme to fund future benefits and the anticipated future investment returns, and
ii
the market redemption yields on government or other high-quality bonds;
c
the mortality tables used and the demographic assumptions made must be based on prudent principles, having regard to the main characteristics of the members as a group and expected changes in the risks to the scheme, and
d
any change from the method or assumptions used on the last occasion on which the scheme's technical provisions were calculated must be justified by a change of legal, demographic or economic circumstances.
Statement of funding principlesC16
1
A statement under section 223 of the 2004 Act must include the following matters, in addition to those specified in that section—
a
any funding objectives provided for in the rules of the scheme, or which the trustees or managers have adopted, in addition to the statutory funding objective;
b
whether there are arrangements for a person other than the employer or a member of the scheme to contribute to the funds held by the scheme, and, if there are such arrangements, the circumstances in which they apply;
c
whether there is a power to make payments to the employer out of funds held for the purposes of the scheme and, if there is such a power, the circumstances in which it may be exercised;
d
whether there are discretionary powers to provide or increase benefits for, or in respect of, all or any of the members and, if there are such powers, the extent to which they are taken into account in the funding of the scheme;
e
the policy of the trustees or managers regarding the reduction of the cash equivalent of benefits which have accrued to or in respect of members on account of the state of the funding of the scheme, and
f
the intervals at which the trustees or managers will obtain actuarial valuations in accordance with section 224(1)(a) of the 2004 Act, and the circumstances in which and occasions on which they will, or will consider whether to, obtain actuarial valuations in addition to those obtained at such intervals.
C92
The first statement under section 223 of the 2004 Act in respect of a scheme must be prepared by the trustees or managers within 15 months after the effective date of the first actuarial valuation obtained by them under section 224 of that Act.
3
A statement under section 223 must be reviewed, and if necessary revised—
a
within 15 months after the effective date of each subsequent actuarial valuation, and
b
within a reasonable period after any occasion on which the Regulator has exercised any of the powers conferred by section 231(2) of the 2004 Act in relation to the scheme.
4
A statement under section 223 must specify the date on which it was prepared, or, if it has been revised, the date on which it was last revised.
Actuarial valuations and reportsC27
1
In addition to the regular valuations provided for in section 224(1)(a) of the 2004 Act, the trustees or managers of a scheme must obtain an actuarial valuation where the Regulator has given directions under section 231(2)(b)(i) of that Act as to the manner in which the scheme's technical provisions are to be calculated.
2
Where the trustees or managers have obtained an actuarial valuation or an actuarial report, they must ensure that it is received by them—
a
in the case of a valuation under section 224(1)(a), within 15 months after its effective date;
b
in the case of a valuation where the Regulator has given directions under section 231(2)(b)(i)—
i
within three months after the date of the directions if the effective date of the valuation is before the date of the directions, and
ii
within six months after the effective date of the valuation if that date is the same as or later than the date of the directions;
c
in the case of a report, within 12 months after its effective date.
3
Where the assets taken into account in an actuarial valuation include rights under an insurance policy, the valuation must state the reason why the value given to such rights is considered appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
4
An actuarial valuation must include—
a
the actuary's certification of the calculation of the technical provisions, in the relevant form set out in Schedule 1, F23...
c
the actuary’s estimate of—
i
the maturity of the scheme as at the effective date of the valuation,
ii
the maturity of the scheme as at the relevant date, where the relevant date is different from the effective date of the valuation,
iii
the date on which the scheme is expected to (or, if applicable, did) reach significant maturity, and
iv
the funding level of the scheme as at the effective date of the valuation, calculated in accordance with the requirements in regulation 9(2) of the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations (actuarial methods and assumptions for purposes of funding level) and expressed as a ratio.
F244A
Where, for the purposes of the actuary’s estimates in paragraph (4)(c), the actuary is required to use actuarial assumptions, the actuary must use the assumptions chosen by the trustees or managers of the scheme, in accordance with the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations, for the purposes of the determination or revision of the funding and investment strategy for which the actuarial valuation is the actuarial valuation to which the funding and investment strategy relates.
5
An actuarial report must include an assessment by the actuary of changes in the value of the scheme's assets since the last actuarial valuation was prepared.
6
In F27paragraph (4)(b) , “the actuary's estimate of the solvency of the scheme” means—
a
except in the case referred to in sub-paragraph (b), an estimate by the actuary of whether, on the effective date of a valuation, the value of assets of the scheme to be taken into account under paragraph (1) of regulation 3 exceeded or fell short of the sum of—
i
the cost of purchasing annuities, of the type described in section 74(3)(c) of the 1995 Act M5 (discharge of liabilities by purchase of annuities satisfying prescribed requirements) and on terms consistent with those in the available market, which would be sufficient to satisfy the liabilities taken into account under paragraph (2) of regulation 3, and
ii
the other expenses which, in the opinion of the actuary, would be likely to be incurred in connection with a winding up of the scheme,
and the amount of the excess or, as the case may be, the shortfall;
b
where the actuary considers that it is not practicable to make an estimate in accordance with sub-paragraph (a), an estimate of the solvency of the scheme on the effective date of the valuation made in such manner as the actuary considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
7
Where the actuary's estimate of solvency is made under paragraph (6)(b), the valuation must include a brief account of the principles adopted in making the estimate.
F258
For the purposes of paragraph (4)(c)(i) to (iii), the estimates are to be determined in accordance with the principles in regulation 4(1) to (4) of the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations (scheme maturity).
9
In paragraph (4A), “the actuarial valuation to which the funding and investment strategy relates” has the meaning given by regulation 2 of the Funding and Investment Strategy Regulations (interpretation).
10
Paragraphs (4)(c), (4A) and (8) apply only in relation to actuarial valuations with an effective date on or after 22nd September 2024.
Recovery planC58
1
Where section 226(1) of the 2004 Act applies, and the trustees or managers of a scheme are required, following an actuarial valuation, either to prepare a recovery plan or to review and if necessary revise an existing recovery plan, they must do so—
C10a
in the case of the first actuarial valuation obtained by them under section 224 of the Act and each subsequent valuation under section 224(1)(a), within 15 months after the effective date of the valuation;
b
in the case of a valuation under section 224(1)(b) and regulation 7(1), within whichever period is applicable under regulation 7(2)(b).
F291A
For the purposes of section 226(3A) of the 2004 Act (principles to be followed in determining whether a recovery plan is appropriate), in determining whether a recovery plan is appropriate having regard to the nature and circumstances of the scheme, the trustees or managers must follow the principle that the period specified for the purposes of section 226(2)(b) of the 2004 Act (recovery plan: period within which steps to be taken to meet the statutory funding objective is to be achieved) must be as soon as the employer can reasonably afford.
2
In preparing or revising a recovery plan, the trustees or managers must take account of the following matters—
a
the asset and liability structure of the scheme;
b
its risk profile;
c
its liquidity requirements;
d
the age profile of the membersF32;
e
in the case of a scheme under which the rates of contributions payable by the employer are determined—
i
by or in accordance with the advice of a person other than the trustees or managers, and
ii
without the agreement of the employer,
the recommendations of that personF31, and
f
the impact of the recovery plan on the sustainable growth of the employer
3
A recovery plan must be reviewed, and if necessary revised, where the Regulator has given directions under section 231(2)(b)(ii) of the 2004 Act as to the period within which, and manner in which, a failure to meet the statutory funding objective is to be remedied.
4
Where paragraph (3) applies, the review and any necessary revision must be completed within a reasonable period after the date of the Regulator's directions.
5
A recovery plan may be reviewed, and if necessary revised, where the trustees or managers consider that there are reasons that may justify a variation to it.
6
A recovery plan must specify the date on which it was prepared, or, if it has been revised, the date on which it was last revised.
7
A copy of any recovery plan sent to the Regulator by the trustees or managers of a scheme must be accompanied—
a
in a case where the plan has been prepared or revised following an actuarial valuation, by a summary of the information contained in the valuation, and
b
in a case where the plan has been revised in the circumstances described in paragraph (5), by an explanation of the reasons for the revision.
F307A
The requirement in paragraph (7)(a) does not apply where the effective date of the actuarial valuation to which the recovery plan relates is on or after 22nd September 2024.
7B
Paragraphs (1A) and (2)(f) apply only in relation to recovery plans where the effective date of the actuarial valuation to which the recovery plan relates is on or after 22nd September 2024.
F48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Schedule of contributionsC39
C111
A schedule of contributions for a scheme must be prepared within 15 months after the effective date of the first actuarial valuation following the establishment of the scheme.
2
Where a schedule of contributions has been prepared, it must be reviewed, and if necessary revised—
a
within 15 months after the effective date of each subsequent actuarial valuation under section 224(1)(a) of the 2004 Act;
b
within whichever period is applicable under regulation 7(2)(b) after any valuation under section 224(1)(b) and regulation 7(1), and
c
within a reasonable period after any revision of a recovery plan under regulation 8(3) or (5).
Content and certification of schedules of contributionsC610
1
A schedule of contributions must show the rates and due dates of all contributions (other than voluntary contributions) payable towards the scheme by or on behalf of the employer and the active members during the relevant period.
2
In this regulation, “the relevant period” means the period of five years after the date on which the schedule is certified, or, in a case where—
a
a recovery plan is in force, and
b
the period set out in the recovery plan as the period within which the statutory funding objective is to be met is longer than five years after the date on which the schedule is certified,
that longer period.
3
The schedule must show separately—
a
the rates and due dates of contributions payable by or on behalf of active members of the scheme;
b
the rates and due dates of the contributions payable by or on behalf of the employer, and
c
if separate contributions to satisfy liabilities other than those referred to in regulation 3(2) which are likely to fall due for payment by the trustees or managers during the relevant period are made to the scheme, the rates and due dates of those contributions.
4
Where additional contributions are required in order to give effect to a recovery plan, the rates and dates of those contributions must be shown separately from the rates and dates of contributions otherwise payable.
5
The schedule must be signed by the trustees or managers of the scheme, and make provision for signature by the employer in order to signify his agreement to the matters included in it.
6
The schedule must incorporate the actuary's certification, in the relevant form set out in Schedule 1.
Records11
1
The trustees or managers of a scheme to which Part 3 of the 2004 Act applies must keep records of all contributions made to the scheme by any person, showing separately—
a
the aggregate amounts of contributions paid by or on behalf of active members of the scheme (whether by deductions from their earnings or otherwise) and the dates on which they are paid, distinguishing voluntary contributions from other contributions, and showing the amounts of voluntary contributions paid by each member, and
b
the aggregate amounts of contributions paid by or on behalf of each person who is an employer in relation to the scheme and the dates on which they are paid.
2
The trustees or managers must also keep records of any action taken by them to recover—
a
the amount of any contributions which are not paid on the date on which they are due, and
b
the amount of any debt which has arisen under section 75(2) or (4) of the 1995 Act (deficiencies in the assets).
Failure to make payments12
The trustees or managers of a scheme are not required to give notice, under section 228(2) of the 2004 Act (requirement to notify Regulator of failure likely to be of material significance), of a failure to make a payment in accordance with the schedule of contributions where they have given the Regulator notice of the failure under—
a
section 49(9)(b) of the 1995 Act M6 (failure to remit deductions from members' earnings), or
b
section 30(7)(c) of the 2004 Act (failure to pay employer's contributions in accordance with Regulator's order).
Period for obtaining employer's agreementC413
Where, following an actuarial valuation, the trustees or managers of a scheme are required under section 229(1) of the 2004 Act to obtain the agreement of the employer to any of the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) of that provision, they must do so within 15 months after the effective date of the valuation.
Powers of the Regulator14
1
In exercising any of the powers conferred by section 231 of the 2004 Act in the case of a scheme of the kind referred to in regulations 5(3)(b) and 8(2)(e), the Regulator must take into account any relevant recommendations made to the trustees or managers under those regulations.
2
In exercising the power in section 231(2)(b)(i) to give directions as to the manner in which a scheme's technical provisions are to be calculated, the Regulator must include a direction specifying the effective date by reference to which assets are valued and the amount of liabilities is determined.
F15Guidance relating to actuarial advice15
When advising the trustees or managers of a scheme on any of the matters specified in section 230(1) of the 2004 Act, the actuary shall have regard to any guidance or standards adopted or prepared, and from time to time revised, by F16the Financial Reporting Council Limited which are relevant to the matters specified in that section.
Modification of shared cost schemes16
1
The trustees of a shared cost scheme to which Part 3 of the 2004 Act applies may by resolution modify the scheme with a view to making such provision that, where any additional contributions are required to give effect to a recovery plan, those contributions are payable by the employer and the members in the appropriate proportions, unless the employer and the trustees or managers agree—
a
that the additional contributions should be payable by the employer alone, or
b
that he should pay a greater proportion than would otherwise fall to be paid by him.
2
In paragraph (1)—
“shared cost scheme” means a scheme under the provisions of which—
- a
the level of benefits expected to be provided is defined;
- b
contributions are payable by the employer and the active members in specified proportions, and
- c
if—
- i
it appears to the trustees or managers, or
- ii
an actuarial valuation shows,
that otherwise the assets of the scheme will (or are likely to) fall short of its technical provisions, the rates of contributions payable by both the active members and the employer may be increased in specified proportions, and
- i
- a
“the appropriate proportions” means those specified proportions.
3
For the purposes of paragraph (2) there shall be disregarded—
a
voluntary contributions by members and any associated contributions by the employer, and
b
any temporary suspension of the liability to make contributions, or alteration in the proportions in which the contributions are payable, under any provision of the scheme allowing such a suspension or alteration in any circumstances.
Exemptions - generalC717
1
Part 3 of the 2004 Act does not apply to—
a
a scheme which—
i
is established by or under an enactment (including a local Act), and
ii
is guaranteed by a public authority;
b
a pay-as-you-go scheme;
c
a scheme which is made under section 2 of the Parliamentary and other Pensions Act 1987 M7 (power to provide for pensions for Members of the House of Commons etc.);
F14ca
a scheme, provision for which is made by virtue of section 81(3) of the Scotland Act 1998 (remuneration of members of the Parliament and Executive);
F18d
a scheme which is treated as such by virtue of paragraph 4 or 5 of Schedule 2 to these Regulations and applies to members in employment outside the United Kingdom;
e
a scheme which—
i
provides relevant benefits;
ii
is neither a relevant statutory scheme nor a tax approved scheme, or, from 6th April 2006, is not a tax registered scheme, and
iii
has fewer than 100 members;
f
a section 615(6) scheme which has fewer than 100 members;
g
a scheme which has fewer than two members;
h
F5a scheme with fewer than 12 members, where all the members are trustees of the scheme and either—
i
the provisions of the scheme provide that F6any decision made by the trustees is made by the unanimous agreement of the trustees who are members of the scheme, or
i
F8a scheme with fewer than 12 members, F9where a company is the sole trustee of the scheme and all the members of the scheme are directors of the company and either—
i
the provisions of the scheme provide that any decision made by the company in its capacity as trustee F10is made by the unanimous agreement of the directors who are members of the scheme, or
ii
F11one of the directors of the company is independent in relation to the scheme for the purposes of section 23 of the 1995 Act and is registered in the register maintained by the Authority in accordance with regulations made under subsection (4) of that section;
j
a scheme under which the only benefits provided for (other than money purchase benefits) are death benefits, if the death benefits are secured by insurance policies or annuity contracts;
k
a scheme which is the subject of a scheme failure notice under section 122 or 130 of the 2004 Act;
l
m
the Chatsworth Settlement Estate Pension Scheme F20, or
F21n
a scheme or a section of a scheme which is a collective money purchase scheme for the purposes of Part 1 of the Pension Schemes Act 2021.
F21A
Section 231A of the 2004 Act applies to a scheme where—
a
a recovery plan has been prepared under section 226 of the 2004 Act, and
b
the scheme begins to wind up during the recovery period.
2
In paragraph (1)—
“enactment” includes an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament;
“pay-as-you-go scheme” means an occupational pension scheme under which there is no requirement for assets to be set aside in advance for the purpose of providing benefits under the scheme (disregarding any requirements relating to additional voluntary contributions);
“public authority” means—
- a
a Minister of the Crown (within the meaning of the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975) M9;
- b
a government department (including any body or authority exercising statutory functions on behalf of the Crown);
- c
the Scottish Ministers;
- d
the National Assembly for Wales, or
- e
a local authority;
- a
“relevant benefits” has the meaning given in section 612(1) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 M10 (interpretation) or, from 6th April 2006, section 393B of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 M11 (relevant benefits);
“relevant statutory scheme” has the meaning given in section 611A(1) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 M12 (definition of relevant statutory scheme);
“section 615(6) scheme” means a scheme with such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 M13 (funds for the provision of benefits in respect of employment outside the United Kingdom);
F13“a section of a scheme” means a section of a multi-employer scheme where a specified part or proportion of the assets of the scheme is attributable to that section and cannot be used for the purposes of any other section of the scheme;
“a tax approved scheme” means a scheme which is approved or was formerly approved under section 590 or 591 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 M14 (approval of retirement benefit schemes) or in respect of which an application for such approval has been duly made but has not been determined;
“a tax registered scheme” means a scheme which is, or is treated as, registered under Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Finance Act 2004 (registration of pension schemes).
F32A
In paragraph (1A) “recovery period” means the period specified in the scheme’s recovery plan in accordance with section 226(2)(b) of the 2004 Act;
3
In paragraph (2), “local authority” means—
a
in relation to England, a county council, a district council, a London borough council, the Greater London Authority, the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;
b
in relation to Wales, a county council or county borough council;
c
in relation to Scotland, a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 M15 (constitution of councils);
d
an administering authority as defined in Schedule 1 to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997 M16.
4
Where Part 3 of the 2004 Act ceases to apply to a scheme to which it previously applied, because the scheme satisfies any of the criteria for exemption in paragraph (1), that does not affect any rights or obligations arising before Part 3 ceased to apply.
Exemption connected with winding upC818
1
Where the winding up of a scheme begins on or after the commencement date, the exemption provided for in regulation 17(1)(l) is subject to the condition set out in paragraph (2).
2
The condition referred to in paragraph (1) is that the trustees or managers of the scheme ensure that they receive, before the end of each scheme year following the scheme year in which the winding up of the scheme begins, the actuary's estimate of the solvency of the scheme as at the end of the preceding scheme year.
3
In paragraph (2)—
“the actuary's estimate of the solvency of the scheme” means—
- a
except in the case referred to in sub-paragraph (b), an estimate by the actuary of whether, at the end of the relevant scheme year, the value of assets of the scheme to be taken into account under paragraph (1) of regulation 3 exceeded or fell short of the sum of—
- i
the cost of purchasing annuities, of the type described in section 74(3)(c) of the 1995 Act M17 and on terms consistent with those in the available market, which would be sufficient to satisfy the liabilities to be taken into account under paragraph (2) of regulation 3, and
- ii
the other expenses which, in the opinion of the actuary, would be likely to be incurred in connection with the winding up of the scheme,
and the amount of the excess or, as the case may be, the shortfall;
- i
- b
where the actuary considers that it is not practicable to make an estimate in accordance with sub-paragraph (a), an estimate of the solvency of the scheme at the end of the relevant scheme year made in such manner as the actuary considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case;
- a
“scheme year” means—
- a
either—
- i
a year specified for the purposes of the scheme rules in any document which contains those rules, or
- ii
if no such year is specified, the period of 12 months commencing on 1st April or on such date as the trustees or managers select, or
- i
- b
such other period (if any) exceeding six months but not exceeding 18 months as is selected by the trustees or managers in connection with—
- i
the commencement or termination of the scheme, or
- ii
a variation of the date on which the year or period referred to in paragraph (a) is to commence.
- i
- a
Modification of provisions of the 2004 Act19
Schedule 2 has effect for the purpose of modifying Part 3 of the 2004 Act and these Regulations as they apply in the circumstances specified there.
Supplementary and consequential provisions, transitional provisions and savings20
1
Schedule 3 has effect for the purpose of making supplementary provisions and consequential amendments connected with the commencement of Part 3 of the 2004 Act and Part IV of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 M18 and the coming into force of these Regulations.
2
Schedule 4 has effect for the purpose of making transitional modifications of the 2004 Act and these Regulations, and saving the effect of repealed provisions of the 1995 Act and provisions revoked by these Regulations.
Revocations21
The enactments mentioned in Schedule 5 are revoked to the extent specified, subject to the savings in Schedule 4.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.