Citation, extent and commencement

1.  These Regulations—

(a) may be cited as the Teachers’ Pensions Schemes (Amendment) Regulations 2025,

(b) extend to England and Wales, and

(c) come into force on 1st April 2025.

Amendment of the Teachers’ Pensions Regulations 2010

2.—(1) The Teachers’ Pensions Regulations 2010( 6) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In Schedule 2, in paragraph 17, in sub-paragraph (a), for “Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991” substitute “Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021( 7)”.

Amendment of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme Regulations 2014

3.  The Teachers’ Pension Scheme Regulations 2014( 8) are amended in accordance with regulations4to 8.

Amendment to regulation 185 (members’ contributions)

4.  In regulation 185, in the table, for column 2 substitute—

Amendments to regulation 196 (payment by employers to scheme manager)

5.  In regulation 196, in paragraph (4)—

(a) in the opening words, for “7” substitute “15”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (a), for “8th” substitute “16th”.

Amendments to Part 1 of Schedule 1 (general)

6.—(1) In Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Fair Deal transfers)—

(a) in paragraph 4, for the definition of “contracting scheme employer” substitute—

““ contracting scheme employer ” means an employer mentioned in any of the following paragraphs, who is a party to a Participation Agreement—

(b) in paragraph 6(a)—

(i) omit “with a contracting scheme employer”;

(ii) for “fair deal transfer date” substitute “Fair Deal transfer date”.

(2) The amendments made by paragraph (1)(a) and (b)(i) have effect from 14th November 2024.

Amendment to Part 2 of Schedule 1 (service pensionable without election)

7.  In Part 2 of Schedule 1, after paragraph 22 insert—

“22A.   Teacher employed by the National Institute of Teaching( 12) . ”.

Amendment to Part 3 of Schedule 1 (service pensionable on election)

8.  In Part 3 of Schedule 1, in paragraph 26(a), for “Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991” substitute “Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021”.

Amendment of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023

9.  The Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023( 13) are amended in accordance with regulations10and11.

Amendment to regulation 13 (deferred choice decision to be made by M)

10.  In regulation 13(5)(b), for “paragraph (3)” substitute “paragraph (2)”.

Amendments to regulation 19 (meaning of “ alternative amount”)

11.  In regulation 19—

(a) in paragraph (1)(a), for paragraph (i) substitute—

“(i) where the initial amount was determined under section 29(2) of WRPA 1999 in relation to a percentage value to be transferred from the initial scheme, the amount that would have been determined had the remediable relevant benefits been secured in the alternative scheme and the same percentage value been applied under section 29(2) of WRPA 1999 on the valuation day; ”;

(b) in paragraph (3), omit the definition “relevant percentage value”.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Teachers’ Pensions Regulations 2010 (“ the 2010 Regulations”), the Teachers’ Pension Scheme Regulations 2014 (“ the 2014 Regulations”) and the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 (“ the 2023 Regulations”).

The 2010 Regulations

Regulation2replaces the reference to the “ Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991” in paragraph 17(a) of Schedule 2 to the 2010 Regulations with a reference to the “ Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021”.

The 2014 Regulations

Regulation4makes changes to members’ contribution rates in the table in regulation 185 of the 2014 Regulations. As members’ contribution rates are “protected elements” of the scheme under section 22 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (c. 25), the Secretary of State has laid a report in Parliament explaining why changes have been made in the protected period (28th February 2014 to 31st March 2040).

Regulation5amends regulation 196 of the 2014 Regulations to change the day on which employers must pay the scheme manager contributions and interest relating to a person’s pensionable earnings.

Regulation6amends paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 (relating to Fair Deal transfers) to expand the definition of “contracting scheme employer” to include certain further education establishments. Regulation6also amends the definition of “accepted employer” in paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to remove the requirement that an employer to whom an accepted member is transferring must be in a contract for services with an employer from whom that accepted member is transferring. These amendments have effect on and after 14 November 2024 notwithstanding that the Regulations come into force after that date. The power to make retrospective provision is set out in section 3(3)(b) of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

Regulations7and 8 add the National Institute of Teaching to the list of eligible employment in Schedule 1 and replace the reference to the “ Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991” in paragraph 26(a) of Schedule 1 with the “Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021”.

The 2023 Regulations

Regulation10corrects a cross-reference in regulation 13 of the 2023 Regulations. Regulation11removes the definition of “relevant percentage value” and amends the definition of “alternative amount” in regulation 19 of the 2023 Regulations. This is to clarify that where a relevant pension sharing order that does not relate to mixed service (as described in regulation 18(3)) specifies a percentage value in relation to the initial scheme, the alternative amount calculated under regulation 19(1)(a)(i) can only ever be the amount that would have been determined had the remediable relevant benefits been secured in the alternative scheme and the same percentage value been applied under section 29(2) of the Welfare and Reform Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30)on the valuation day.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary sector or community bodies is foreseen.