Employer bulletin January 2026

Each year we provide all our contributing members with an annual benefit statement. We calculate these statements using the figures from your March data submission. Therefore, it is important to ensure the data in your March file is correct.

We are running the following training and information sessions throughout February and March to help you prepare for submitting your March file and dealing with any subsequent queries that may arise.

• The importance of your March submission.
• Managing your year end queries.

We are also holding a final salary pay training session on 19 February 2026 and an assumed pensionable pay training session on 23 February 2026 at 10:00am, open to all employers. We would encourage you to book on to refresh your knowledge about what should be included in members’ pay and how to calculate it. You can book any of the above sessions by visiting our events page.

We have now begun issuing employer contribution rates to our employers for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. We anticipate that we will have issued all rates by the end of February and appreciate your patience whilst we work through this task. Videos of the 2025 Valuation employer engagement sessions held in December have also been added to our website under the ‘Training webinars’ section.

When a transfer of undertakings occurs, it is essential that the member’s new employment start date is the day immediately following their leaving date from the previous employment. This ensures there is no break in service due to the transfer.

Example:

If the new contract begins on a Monday, the leaving date for the old contract must be the preceding Sunday - even if the member’s last working day was Friday. Similarly, if the new contract starts on the first day of a new school term, the leave date should be the day before, not the last day of the previous term.

The deadline for submitting both your i-Connect monthly data return and your contribution payments is the first working day of the month following the deduction being made. Please ensure your contribution payment matches the information you are providing on your i-Connect submission. Where this is not the case, it is important that you understand the reasons for any differences.

Please contact iconnect@gmpf.org.uk if you need help with your monthly data return or contact accountancy@gmpf.org.uk regarding your contribution payments.

We have recently received an update from the Local Government Association (LGA) regarding the LGPS Access and Fairness consultation. The Government is expected to introduce the changes in phases, with the first phase scheduled to commence on 1 April 2026 and a second phase planned for later in the year. The LGA will shortly publish a bulletin outlining the specific details of what each phase will include.

We continue to run employer training workshops on several topics. These sessions may be helpful if you are new or want to refresh your knowledge on subjects such as ill health, pensionable pay, retirements, leavers, topping up benefits, and employer discretions.

You can book by visiting the events section of the employer website. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  

You can also access recordings of all these sessions on our website. You can do this any time and will find them under training webinars on the technical and training guides page of our employer website.  

The Local Government Association (LGA) has published Bulletin 271, which contains several LGPS updates.

You can access Bulletin 271 and all previous LGPC bulletins by clicking here. 

The latest publications from our Actuary, Hymans Robertson, are available. The webpage allows you to filter subjects and audience types easily so you can read the publications that are of interest to you.