Social Security Pensions Act 1975

44 Premium on termination of contracted-out scheme

(1) In the case of an occupational pension scheme which is contracted-out, the Occupational Pensions Board may, for the event of its ceasing to be contracted-out, approve any arrangements made or to be made in relation to the scheme, or for its purposes, for the preservation or transfer—

(a) of earners' accrued rights to guaranteed minimum pensions under the scheme ;

(b) of the liability for the payment of guaranteed minimum pensions thereunder in respect of persons who have then become entitled to receive them.

(2) If the scheme ceases to be a contracted-out scheme (whether by being wound up or otherwise) then—

(a) in respect of each earner whose accrued rights to guaranteed minimum pensions under the scheme are not subject to approved arrangements ; and

(b) in respect of each person who has then become entitled to receive a guaranteed minimum pension under the scheme and whose guaranteed minimum pension rights are not so subject,

a state scheme premium shall be payable by the prescribed person.

(3) A premium under subsection (2)(a) above may be referred to as an " accrued rights premium " ; and a premium under subsection (2)(b) may be referred to as a " pensioner's rights premium "; and in each case the premium shall be paid within the prescribed period to the Secretary of State.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, an earner's accrued rights or, as the case may be, a person's guaranteed minimum pension rights are subject to approved arrangements if (either before or after the scheme ceased to be contracted-out) the Occupational Pensions Board have approved arrangements under subsection (1) above which operate as respects him and the rights in question, and have not since withdrawn their approval.

(5) The amount—

(a) of an accrued rights premium shall be the cost (as certified by the Secretary of State) of providing guaranteed minimum pensions for the earner and his widow in accordance with his accrued rights under the scheme; and

(b) of a pensioner's rights premium shall be the cost (as so certified) of providing or continuing to provide any guaranteed minimum pension thereunder, whether for the earner (or former earner) or for his widow.

(6) The costs referred to in subsection (5)(a) and (b) above shall, unless the person liable for the premium otherwise elects in the prescribed manner, be calculated on the basis that (disregarding any orders made under section 21 of this Act) the relevant earnings factors have been increased by 12 per cent, per annum in each of the five complete tax years before that in which the scheme ceases to be contracted-out.

(7) In calculating those costs, the Secretary of State shall apply whichever of the prescribed actuarial tables (as in force at the time when the scheme ceases to be contracted-out) is applicable in accordance with the regulations prescribing the tables.

(8) In certifying any amount under subsection (5) above, the Secretary of State may make such adjustments as he thinks necessary for avoiding fractional amounts.

(9) Payment of an accrued rights premium shall extinguish the earner's accrued rights to guaranteed minimum pensions under the scheme ¢ and payment of a pensioner's rights premium shall extinguish any right to receive guaranteed minimum pensions thereunder, whether for the earner (or former earner) or for his widow.