Employer Training Sessions
Employer Services can offer a comprehensive suite of on-site and off-site coaching sessions to help you and your staff carry out the day-to-day administration of the scheme.
Free to attend, the sessions will be useful both as a refresher for existing staff, or an introduction to processes for those that are new to Fund administration. If you would like to book on any of the sessions, just click the relevant date to be taken straight to the booking page. A link to the webinar will be sent to you in the Eventbrite confirmation email; please save this, otherwise you will not be able to access the webinar.
If you have never used Adobe Connect before you may find our Webinar Etiquette and Troubleshooting, in the Downloads section, useful.
Introduction to LGPS (I9)
Suitable for Payroll/Pensions Administrators, HR Officers and anyone else who wants to learn more about the LGPS, this session will give you an overview of the scheme, outline employer roles and responsibilities in the scheme, and introduce you to our Employer Self-Service.
- Date/Time: Wednesday 10th July, 10:00am – all day
- Date/Time: Tuesday 8th October, 10:00am – all day
Understanding Pay and Service in the LGPS (Webinar)
Administrators who are new to the LGPS will find this session particularly useful, as it will cover exactly what pay information is needed by the Fund for your monthly submissions and leaver notifications. We strongly recommend completing this session before joining any of our leaver notification sessions.
- Date/Time: Monday 15th July, 10am – 11:30am
- Date/Time: Wednesday 6th November, 10am – 11:30am
Accounting Disclosures (Webinar)
This session is aimed at School Bursars/Business Managers and will give a high-level overview of what your Accounting Disclosure Report contains. Please note that this is not an in-depth session and is unlikely to be suitable for Finance Directors/CFOs.
- Date/Time: Tuesday 16th July, 10am – 10:45am
Leavers, Retirements (I9)
Essential for existing and new users alike, our retirement notification session will guide you through the Employer-Self Service process from start to finish. We strongly encourage attendance at one of our 'Understanding Pay and Service in the LGPS' sessions prior to attending any of our leaver submission sessions; whilst not essential, the pay and service information will give you a detailed account and deeper understanding of the pay figures that are needed to submit an accurate leaver notification.
- Date/Time: Thursday 18th July, 10am – all day
- Date/Time: Tuesday 15th October, 10am – all day
Estimates and Early Retirement Costs (Webinar)
Before you process any redundancy/business efficiency retirements, grant flexible retirements, or waive any actuarial reductions for members, we advise that an estimate is run through Employer Self-Service to establish any potential costs to the employer. This session will show you how to do just that.
- Date/Time: Tuesday 23rd July, 10am – 11:30am
- Date/Time: Monday 9th September, 10am – 11:30am
- Date/Time: Thursday 28th November, 10am – 11:30am
Employer Discretions (Webinar)
The Local Government Pension Scheme regulations require employers who participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) to draw up and publish a discretions policy and to keep it under review. Discretions are powers that enable employers to choose how to apply the scheme in respect of certain provisions. There are a number of discretions that employers may have a policy in relation to; five of which are mandatory. This session will give employers an overview about the discretions that should be included in a policy and give you the information that you need to help you formulate your own organisational discretionary policy.
- Date/Time: Tuesday 17th September, 10am - 11.30am
- Date/Time: Monday 2nd December, 10am - 11.30am
Ill-Health Retirements (Webinar)
Suitable for HR Officers or senior management in all of our member organisations, this comprehensive session will guide you step-by-step through the ill health retirement process, from when your own internal management of attendance process concludes that a member is recommended to pursue retirement on the grounds of ill health.
- Date/Time: Monday 7th October, 10am – 11:30am
- Date/Time: Friday 6th December, 10am – 11:30am
Final Statement (Webinar)
As part of the Year End process the Fund requires completion of the Final Statement as an annual certification of the contributions paid to the Fund by your organisation. This short session will guide you through the requirements for its completion and submission.
- Date/Time: Thursday 10th April 2025, 10am – 11:30am
- Date/Time: Wednesday 7th May 2025, 10am – 11:30am
*WMPF reserve the right to cancel webinars where uptake is low. If it becomes necessary to cancel a webinar we will endeavour to offer alternative dates, where available*
We also offer bespoke training sessions to employers if they have a number of staff that require training in any particular area (not necessarily one of those listed above). Please let us know on the email address below if this would be of interest to you.
If you are unsure which sessions would be suitable for you, please call us on 0300 111 6516 or email WMPFEmployerLiaison2@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Feedback from attendees is always appreciated and suggestions for further topics are welcome.
AGM/MYR
The Fund hosts employer events on a bi-annual basis and invites all employers to attend a half-day session to learn about the LGPS industry which includes topical presentations and interaction sessions.
For further information on the day, please email WMPFEmployerLiaison2@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Peer Group
If you would like to register your interest or obtain further information, please review the 2022/23 Employer Peer Group Terms of Reference (below) or feel free to contact the Employer Services Team.
This is a group of employer representatives who meet on a quarterly basis and discuss new initiatives and changes to the scheme processes and policies. The group provide valuable feedback to help shape the Fund's services.
Employer Peer Group - Terms of reference
The Employer Peer Group consists of a group of representatives from across the Fund’s employer base e.g., District Councils,
educational establishments, private companies and other participating organisations. The group discusses a range of topics
(based on an agreed agenda) such as the legal obligations of scheme employers, ongoing or topical issues and upcoming events.
Primary purposes of the group
- To enable the Fund to work collaboratively with employers
- To share best practice
- To discuss current pensions issues and their impact on the WMPF/LGPS/wider Pensions Industry
- To encourage engagement between the Peer Group (representing Fund Employers) and the Fund to improve the exchange of data and communication.
- Provide feedback to the Fund to assist them when implementing improvements
Meeting information
- Peer Group is usually held at the Fund offices (i9 – Wolverhampton) however, sessions can also be attended via the online platform, Microsoft Teams, when circumstances require (see ‘virtual meeting etiquette’).
- At least three Fund representatives will attend each meeting, to include specialist presenters on set topics as required. In the event of employee representation via Microsoft Teams, a meeting organiser will also be appointed.
- Membership of the group is open to all scheme employers via an expression of interest.
- The membership and attendance of the group will be reviewed annually or at such a point as required.
- Depending on attendee availability, and content for discussion, it is anticipated that each session will last for 2 to 3 hours.
- Common roles of the employee representatives include: Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Pension staff, along with any other staff who liaise with the Fund on a regular basis or have a strategic role within their organisation.
- Minimum number of attendees: 7 (if attendance is lower than the minimum number, the Fund will consider rescheduling the meeting); Maximum number of attendees: 20.
- Attendance is limited to 1 representative per organisation (2 representatives will be considered with prior notification in circumstances such as shadow working, personal development and change of job role etc).
- Notification of non-attendance must be given one week in advance of the scheduled meeting. In such circumstances, a substitute is expected to attend.
Virtual meeting etiquette
- Check that the computer/laptop used to join the meeting is functioning. Check that headphones (if required), microphones, internet connection, etc. are all up and running prior to the meeting start time.
- Be ready to start a few minutes ahead of time to ensure the meeting can begin on the scheduled start time.
- Mute the microphone unless you wish to contribute to the conversation (in which case, see below)
- During the meeting, you can raise a virtual hand to let all participants know, including the meeting organiser, you wish to contribute without interrupting the ongoing conversation. The meeting organiser will then confirm, at the appropriate time, when the microphone can be unmuted, and the conversation can begin based on the order in which the virtual hands were raised.
How are the items for the agenda generated?
- The Fund will forward an invitation in the first quarter of the scheme year for each of the planned Peer Group meeting dates.
- The agenda will be issued to the Peer Group no later than 1 week prior to the scheduled meeting.
- The Fund will produce a meeting summary and action points for circulation amongst the group no later than one month after the meeting.
How will information be relayed from the group to the wider employer base?
- Employer brief (circulated to all employers on a quarterly basis)
- Annual survey (potential inclusion of discussion points in questions)
- AGM (Annual General Meeting) and MYR (Mid-Year Review)
- Fund’s website
- Peer Group minutes will be available to all scheme employers upon request