Provision of a Judicial Pension Schemes Administration

Description

This Prior Information Notice is to alert the market that the Ministry of Justice is considering the placement of a contract for the administration of the Judicial Pension Schemes (JPS). Lot 1: These services are currently outsourced, and the department has considered options for future administration, and wishes to engage with the market to discuss the enhanced specification of requirements with interested suppliers ahead of launching the Invitation to Tender. The Judicial Pension Scheme (JPS) provides benefits to most judges in the United Kingdom and consists of three main legacy Schemes and one Active Scheme. Most of the serving judiciary are now members of JPS 2022, which is a Career Average Revalued Earnings Scheme that came into effect in April 2022 for the accrual of benefits from this date. All the schemes are defined benefit schemes, some of which are, for tax purposes, unregistered schemes. The schemes provide contingent dependents’ benefits as well as ill health and death benefits. The scheme membership at 31 March 2023 was: JPS 2022 (salaried and fee-paid) Active: 7413 Active Salary Link: 142 Deferred: 40 Pensioners: 109 Total: 7704 JUPRA schemes (salaried) Active Salary Link: 1049 Deferred: 48 Pensioners: 2,875 Total: 3,972 JPS 2015 (salaried and fee-paid) Active Salary Link : 5,564 Deferred : 218 Pensioners : 88 Total : 5,870 Fee-Paid Judicial Pension Scheme 2017 Active Salary Link: 3,456 Deferred : 284 Pensioners : 2,226 Total : 5,966 The legacy schemes were complex with high levels of member engagement, however we now have one active scheme, which forms an important element in the recruitment and retention of judges due to the quality of the benefits structure. The department's aim is to have an administration service that provides: • an accurate, professional and timely service that meets customers' needs, including timely and accurate responses to member queries • performance management arrangements that drive the right behaviour to deliver customers' needs • effective and efficient data interfaces, especially with the payroll providers to ensure data between systems links together to create a consistent service for members • up-to-date integrated technology, with high volumes of automation • continuous improvement and innovation • bulk activity routinely delivered via a member portal • an automated service that reduces costs in the long-term The department is currently addressing the impact on the schemes of various litigation cases, in particular McCloud, O'Brien 2 and Miller, but expects that delivery of the remedies in respect of these cases will have concluded before the commencement of a new contract. Work is also ongoing to rectify historic data issues and plan for future data interfaces.