PTM167300 - Information and administration: other information requirements for scheme administrators: pension savings statements requested by the member

Glossary PTM000001

Regulation 14B The Registered Pension Schemes (Provision of Information) Regulations 2006 - SI 2006/567

For guidance on the information that a member can request for tax years 2011-12 to 2014-15 and the deadlines for providing the statements see the Registered Pension Schemes Manual on the National Archives website.

For guidance on the information that a member can request for tax years 2015-16 and 2016-17 and the deadlines for providing the statements, and on the content of statements involving tax years 2015-16 or 2016-17 (or both tax years), see previous versions of the Pensions tax Manual on the National Archives website.

A member (or former member) can ask the scheme administrator to give them information about their pension input amounts for the scheme.

Also, without any request from the member, a scheme administrator may have to give a member information about their pension input amounts for the scheme, even though the scheme administrator is not required to provide that information to the member in a pension savings statement (see PTM167100).

If the registered pension scheme is a split scheme in accordance with the Registered Pension Schemes (Splitting of Schemes Regulations) 2006 - SI 2006/569 - the requirement to provide information falls on the sub-scheme administrator.

Information that can be requested
Deadline for providing the requested information
When the scheme administrator does not provide the requested information on time
When incorrect information has been given

Information that can be requested

A member, or former member, can ask for the same information that would be given in a standard or money purchase pension savings statement (see PTM167100). Such a request can be made regardless of whether either a standard or money purchase pension savings statement would have been given to that individual automatically.

The scheme administrator must provide the information if asked for it in writing.

The member can ask for the information in the form of a money purchase pension savings statement even if their money purchase inputs under the scheme are not more than £4,000.

The member can ask for either a standard or a money purchase pension savings statement, but not both.

Details of the information that is given in both types of pension savings statement are given in PTM167200.

Format of information given

It is up to scheme administrators to decide in which format they give individuals the requested information. However, in designing processes scheme administrators should bear in mind all the following:

  • the need for an audit trail - a scheme needs evidence to satisfy the member and HMRC that they have complied with the requirement to provide the requested information, and HMRC may enquire into an individual’s tax return, so individuals will need evidence to back up what they say on their tax return
  • the requirement to keep information in accordance with the guidance at PTM160200
  • the member’s ability to receive the information, for example, a member may not have internet or e-mail access, or they may have a visual impairment which makes using electronic communication difficult without using specialist software or equipment.

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Deadline for providing the requested information

The scheme administrator has until the later of:

  • 3 months following the date of receipt of the request for information, and
  • 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year.

For certain schemes the scheme administrator needs information from another person to allow them to calculate the pension input amount for a member. There are regulations requiring certain information to be provided to the scheme administrator - see PTM167400.

If the scheme administrator has not been given this required information on time the deadline for giving the pension statement to the member is extended. The deadline for providing the requested information will be 3 months following the day the scheme administrator received the required information.

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When the scheme administrator does not provide the requested information on time

Section 98(1) Taxes Management Act 1970

If the scheme administrator does not provide the requested information on time they can be liable to the penalties described at PTM160800.

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When incorrect information has been given

Section 98(2) Taxes Management Act 1970

The most important thing is to give the correct information to the individual as soon as an error has been identified.

Penalties can be given for supplying incorrect information - see PTM160800.