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The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 286, 315(2) and (4) and 318(1) and (4)(a) of the Pensions Act 2004[1]. In accordance with section 316(2)(n) of that Act, a draft of this instrument was laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament. Before making these Regulations the Secretary of State consulted such persons as he considered appropriate[2]. Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation 1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Financial Assistance Scheme (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on the day after the day on which they are made. (2) These Regulations extend to Northern Ireland. (3) In these Regulations—
Amendment of the FAS Regulations 2. The FAS Regulations are amended in accordance with this Part. Amendment of Part 1 3. In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—
(b) more than one employer,
at the same time;";
(d) immediately before the definition of "qualifying member" insert—
Amendment of Part 3
(b) where either there is no principal employer in that section or, where the principal employer is not an employer, there has been no insolvency event in relation to such a principal employer in that section—
(ii) where there is more than one employer in that section, in relation to all the employers in that section.";
(b) in paragraph (2), for sub-paragraph (b) substitute—
(ii) where there is more than one employer, in relation to all the employers.";
(c) in paragraphs (3) and (4)—
(ii) omit "are"; and (iii) for "to the person" substitute "include every person"; and
(d) in—
(ii) paragraph (5) and the definition of "principal employer" in paragraph (6), for "the employer" in each place it occurs, substitute "the person".
(4) After regulation 13(3) insert—
(b) the value of the assets of the employer is less than the amount of its liabilities, taking into account its contingent and prospective liabilities; and (c) the employer is unable to pay its debts as they fall due or have fallen due.".
(5) After regulation 13(4) insert—
(ii) Article 105(2) to (4) and (12) (other than paragraph (3)(f) of that Article), and (iii) paragraph (4) of this regulation; and
(b) that employer is unlikely to continue as a going concern.".
(6) In paragraph (6), after the definition of "administration order" insert—
Amendment of Part 4
(ii) at the end of sub-paragraph (b) insert—
(c) he died before the date of the coming into force of these Regulations, but would have satisfied the condition in either sub-paragraph (a) or (b)";
(b) in paragraphs (4)(b) and (c) and (5)(d)(ii), for "2007" substitute "2019".
Amendment of Part 5
(b) if the total of all such monthly instalments is greater than that amount of arrears payable—
(ii) the difference between that total and the amount of arrears payable is recoverable from the beneficiary in accordance with regulation 7 of the FAS Information and Payments Regulations (recovery of overpayments).".
(2) In regulation 18 (initial payments)—
(b) in paragraph (2)(a), after "or his survivor" insert ", and on account of such a payment"; (c) after paragraph (4) insert—
Amendment of Schedule 2
(b) after the definition of "the certification date" insert—
(b) died before attaining that age but would have attained that age on or before that date;
(b) died before attaining that age but would have attained that age during that period;
(b) died before attaining that age but would have attained that age during that period;".
(2) In paragraph 2 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – actual pension)—
(ii) after "which has been," insert "can be"; and
(b) in sub-paragraph (3)—
(ii) after "shall be determined" insert "(or, as the case may be, redetermined)"; and (iii) in paragraph (a), for "immediately before that scheme began to wind up" substitute "on the crystallisation date".
(3) In paragraph 3 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – qualifying members receiving pensions from the qualifying pension scheme)—
(ii) after "under the scheme rules" add "on the crystallisation date";
(b) for sub-paragraph (2), substitute—
(c) in sub-paragraph (3), after ""expected pension" means", insert ", subject to sub-paragraph (4),"; and
(4) In paragraph 4 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – active and deferred members)—
(ii) after "a deferred member of that scheme" add "on the crystallisation date";
(b) for sub-paragraph (2), substitute—
(c) in sub-paragraph (3), for "sub-paragraph (4)" substitute "sub-paragraphs (3A), (3B) and (4)";
(3B) In a case where the certification date is on or before the day on which the qualifying member's pensionable service ended, "expected pension" means, subject to sub-paragraph (4), the amount specified in sub-paragraph (3)(a).";
(f) after sub-paragraph (12), insert—
(b) the revaluation amount for the period specified in paragraph (a) shall be calculated in accordance with sub-paragraph (6)(a) and (b).".
(5) In paragraph 5 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – survivors of qualifying members)—
(bb) (directly or indirectly) to a pension credit to which the member became entitled under section 29(1)(b) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999[9] (creation of pension debits and credits); or
(ii) was an active member or a deferred member of that scheme;
(b) that member dies on or after the day on which the scheme began to wind up; and
(ii) would have been entitled to such an annual payment had he not died before he became so entitled.";
(b) for sub-paragraph (3) substitute—
(c) in sub-paragraph (4), for "immediately before his death", in both places it occurs, substitute "on the crystallisation date"; and
(6) In paragraph 6 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – exclusion of certain benefits)—
(b) at the end of sub-paragraph (2)(b) omit "and", and (c) omit sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (3).
(7) In paragraph 7 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – cap on expected pension and actual pension), after "multiplied by 0.8" in each place it occurs, insert "(where the qualifying member is a Group 1 qualifying member), 0.65 (where the qualifying member is a Group 2 qualifying member), or 0.5 (where the qualifying member is a Group 3 qualifying member)".
(9) In paragraph 10 of that Schedule (determination of annual and initial payments – initial payments)—
2. —(1) In this Schedule, "interim pension" means, subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), the annual rate of pension that was in payment, is in payment, or is proposed to be paid, to a qualifying member, or to a survivor of that qualifying member, from the assets of the qualifying pension scheme of which that qualifying member is, or was, a member—
(b) before the day on which the scheme's liabilities to or in respect of the qualifying member are, or were, discharged.
(2) Where—
(ii) was determined following commutation of some of the benefits deriving from the scheme to which that qualifying member is entitled,
that annual rate shall be redetermined on the basis that there was no such communication; and
(3) Where the scheme manager is satisfied that it is not possible for him to determine the annual rate of pension for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) having regard to the information available to him, he shall determine the annual rate of pension on the basis of that portion of the assets of the qualifying pension scheme (of which the qualifying member is, or was, a member) provisionally allocated to the member by the trustees or managers, or survivor of that member—
(b) before the day on which the scheme's liabilities in respect of the qualifying member are, or were, discharged,
and such other matters as the scheme manager considers relevant.".";
(c) for sub-paragraph (e), substitute—
(b) in any other case—
Amendment of the FAS Internal Review Regulations 8. —(1) The FAS Internal Review Regulations are amended in accordance with this regulation. (2) In regulation 1(3) (interpretation), after "potential beneficiary" insert ", except where the context otherwise requires,". (3) In regulation 2(1) (reviewable determinations)—
(b) at the end of sub-paragraph (d) insert—
(e) whether or not the scheme manager is satisfied that a qualifying member of a qualifying pension scheme is terminally ill for the purposes of regulations 17(3) (annual payments: terminally ill qualifying member) and 18(1)(a)(ii)(bb) (initial payments: terminally ill qualifying member) of the FAS Regulations ("terminal illness eligibility")".
(4) In—
(b) regulations 3(1)(b), 5(1)(c)(ii), 11(2) and 16(1)(b) and (2)(b), for "or member assessment" substitute ", member assessment or terminal illness eligibility"; and (c) regulation 6(1)(b), for "member assessment or member eligibility" substitute "member eligibility, member assessment or terminal illness eligibility".
(5) In regulation 3 (notice of a reviewable determination)—
(b) after paragraph (1) insert—
(b) addressed to the members, or to a class of members, of a named scheme as a group, rather than to an individual or individuals,
if in the opinion of the scheme manager it is reasonable to do so."; and
(6) In regulation 6(1) (applications for a review of a reviewable determination)—
(b) in sub-paragraph (b), after "a potential beneficiary", omit "of the financial assistance scheme".
Amendment of the FAS Appeals Regulations 9. —(1) The FAS Appeals Regulations are amended in accordance with this regulation. (2) In regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of "survivor" add—
(3) In regulations 6(2)(b) (notice of appeal) and 17(4)(a) (time and place of oral hearings), for "or a member eligibility decision" substitute ", a member eligibility decision or a terminal illness decision". (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations amend the Financial Assistance Scheme Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1986, as amended) ("the FAS Regulations"), the Financial Assistance Scheme (Internal Review) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1994, as amended) ("the FAS Internal Review Regulations"), and the Financial Assistance Scheme (Appeals) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3273) ("the FAS Appeals Regulations"). Part 1 makes provision for citation, commencement, extent, and also interpretation. Part 2 amends the FAS Regulations. In particular it—
makes provision for an employer in relation to a scheme that has not formally had an insolvency event to be treated as having had an insolvency event for the purposes of regulation 13 of the FAS Regulations, as long as the scheme manager is satisfied that the value of its assets is less than the amount of its liabilities, that it cannot pay its debts as they fall due or have fallen due, and that it is unlikely to continue as a going concern; and also for an employer (in relation to a scheme) that has had an overseas insolvency event that the scheme manager is satisfied substantially corresponds to a qualifying insolvency event (as set out in regulation 13 of the FAS Regulations) also to be treated as having had a qualifying insolvency event as long as the scheme manager is also satisfied that that employer is unlikely to continue as a going concern (regulation 4), clarifies that a member of a qualifying pension scheme who satisfies the relevant conditions will still be a qualifying member even if he died before the coming into force of the FAS Regulations, as long as he would have satisfied those conditions; it also extends eligibility for assistance to members who were within 15 years of their normal retirement age for their scheme at 14th May 2004 (regulation 5), clarifies that initial payments are on account of annual payments, clarifies the circumstances under which overpayments will be recoverable, provides that the scheme manager may deem a member or survivor to be receiving an interim pension for the purposes of calculating the amount of initial payments in certain circumstances, and provides that some of the members to whom the extension set out in regulation 5 applies will not be eligible for initial payments (regulation 6), and amends Schedule 2 to set out how the amount of annual payments is to be calculated for the members and survivors to whom the extension set out in regulation 5 applies, and makes some other amendments in respect of payments to survivors (regulation 7).
Part 3 amends the FAS Internal Review Regulations. In particular it clarifies the definition of potential beneficiary, provides for a right of review and appeal of a decision as to whether or not a member is terminally ill by adding a new reviewable determination, and provides that the scheme manager may issue certain notices via the FAS website where in his opinion it is reasonable to do so (regulation 8). Notes: [1] 2004 c.35. Section 286 is modified in its application to multi-employer schemes by S.I. 2005/441 (amended by S.I. 2005/993, 2005/2113 and 2006/566). Section 318(1) is cited because of the meaning there given to "modifications", "prescribed" and "regulations".back [2] See section 317(1) of the Pensions Act 2004.back [3] S.I. 2005/1986, amended by S.I. 2005/3256.back [4] S.I. 2005/1994, amended by S.I. 2005/3256 and 2006/349.back [6] S.I. 2005/2189, amended by S.I. 2005/3256.back [7] Paragraph 2 is modified by paragraph 10(a) of Schedule 2.back [8] S.I. 1996/3126; although regulation 4 was substituted by S.I. 2005/706 (as amended by S.I. 2005/2159) that substitution does not have effect in relation to any scheme which was regarded, by virtue of regulation 2 of S.I. 1996/3126 or in accordance with the Pensions Act 1995 (c.26), s. 124(3A)–(3E) (as inserted by s.49(2) of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c.19) and amended by paragraph 69(3) and (4) of Schedule 12 to the Pensions Act 2004), as having begun to be wound up before 6th April 2005 (see regulation 1(2) and (3) of S.I. 2005/706).back [10] The Financial Assistance Scheme website address is: www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/penret/penreform/fas/.back
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