Guidance

Pension schemes newsletter 124 – September 2020

Updated 6 October 2020

1. Temporary changes to pension processes as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19)

1.1 Extension to the temporary changes to pension processes as a result of coronavirus

In recent newsletters we’ve told you about temporary changes to some pension processes to help scheme administrators during the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve reviewed the following temporary changes and are extending them until 31 March 2021.

We provided guidance on:

• rent and loan payment holidays

• R63N repayment requests for registered pension schemes

• AFT return submission and payment delays

• APSS262 – reporting transfers to qualifying recognised overseas pension schemes

• pension scheme returns for 2019 to 2020

• benefits crystallisation event 1 and valuing sums and assets held within a registered pension scheme

• other scheme valuations

• APSS105 relief at source repayment claims

• APSS106 relief at source repayment claims

• submitting the APSS107 registered pension schemes annual statistical return without a signature

• APSS590 relief at source declaration

• relief at source – excess relief

You can find more information on these temporary changes in Pension Schemes Newsletters 118, 119, 120 and 121.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on any further changes in future pension schemes newsletters.

1.2 Re-employment in response to the coronavirus outbreak

Update on 6 October 2020

The protected pension age easement will not be extended and will expire on 1 November 2020.

In Pension Schemes Newsletter 120 we explained the protected pension age easement had been extended up to 1 November 2020. We’re currently unable to provide an update on this easement but as soon as we can, we’ll update you through our pension schemes newsletters.

1.3 Relief at source and suspension of the process for applying for a National Insurance number

In Pension Schemes Newsletter 120 we explained that we had suspended the process for applying for a National Insurance number, as a result of coronavirus. We provided guidance on what you should do if your relief at source repayment claims include individuals who have been unable to get a National Insurance number because we’ve suspended the process.

You should continue to follow the guidance in Pension Schemes Newsletter 120 and we’ll update you once the National Insurance number application process has been reinstated in a future newsletter.

2. Relief at source

2.1 Annual return of information – notification of residency status reports

If you need to submit an annual return of information for 2019 to 2020 and you haven’t already done so, it’s really important that you successfully submit this as soon as possible. Without this we’ll be unable to give you a notification of residency status report in January 2021.

You can find more information about the notification of residency status reports our GOV.UK guide check a pension scheme member’s residency status for relief at source.

2.2 Call for evidence: Pensions Tax Relief Administration

We explained in Pension Schemes Newsletter 122 that the government’s Pensions tax relief administration: call for evidence closes on 13 October 2020.

If you want to respond to this you should email your response to Pensionstaxreliefadministrationcfe@hmtreasury.gov.uk before 11pm on 13 October 2020.

3. Managing Pension Schemes service

3.1 Schemes without PSTRs

As part of the work we’re doing to prepare for migrating schemes to the Managing Pension Schemes service, we’re currently looking at pension schemes that were registered before 6 April 2006 that were provided with an SF reference number.

If you’re a scheme administrator for one or more of these pension schemes and do not currently have access to the scheme on the Pensions Schemes Online service, so do not have the PSTR, please contact us at pensions.administration@hmrc.gov.uk with ‘SF reference pension schemes’ in the subject line. You should include a list of your SF reference numbers and scheme names in your email.

We’ll provide you with more information on the migration timeline in a future newsletter.

3.2 Signing in to online services

As we explained in the Managing Pension Schemes service Newsletter – July 2020 HMRC is due to start an ongoing programme of deleting credentials (user ID and password) for users who have not signed in to a service for 3 years. We’ll start this work in October 2020.

It’s important for all scheme administrators and practitioners who have not signed onto either the Pension Schemes Online service, the Managing Pension Schemes service or other tax services for a while, to make sure that you log into your Business Tax Account as soon as you can so that your credentials remain active and are not deleted.

In particular, we want to encourage those scheme administrators who are registered and have schemes registered on the Pension Schemes Online service to log onto either the Pension Schemes Online service or other tax services as soon as possible so that we don’t delete your credentials.

Credentials for pension scheme administrators and practitioners who regularly use the Pension Schemes Online service, the Managing Pension Schemes service or other tax services through your Business Tax Account will remain active and we will not delete these.

We’ll provide guidance in a future newsletter on what to do if your credentials are deleted and you still need access to the services.