The Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Fire Pension Scheme Board met on Thursday 10 September 2026 to discuss performance data, current issues, and updates on various pension scheme matters. The board agreed to pause the submission of the breach assessment template due to a reduction in reported cases and to continue monitoring risks related to skilled resources.

Performance Data Update

The board received an update on performance data from the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF). While generally satisfactory, concerns were raised about pension estimates, with a KPI of a 10-day turnaround not being met, although an agreement with the oversight board allows for a 12-week turnaround. There were approximately 12 estimates outstanding across all clients that were older than 12 weeks, primarily due to data issues and members not returning forms promptly.

Deferred benefits into payment were also discussed, with a backlog of 41 cases older than the two-month target, many of which were complex and required member input. WYPF staff were assigned to clear these by the end of the month. Annual benefit statements (ABS) for active members were largely issued, with 99% completion across all clients. For Lincolnshire specifically, 519 out of 524 statements had been produced, with five outstanding due to genuine reasons such as outstanding work on transfers or data queries. The board was informed that a technical issue with the software for out-of-scope deferred benefit statements was being resolved, with all expected to be issued within weeks. For in-scope deferred benefit statements (RSS), the target for completion was the end of December 2026, with a potential breach if this deadline was missed.

The board also noted recruitment efforts, with six new pensions officers starting that month and further recruitment for senior pensions officers underway.

Current Issues

Vicki Sharpe, HR Advisor to the Board, provided an update on current issues. One Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP) case had been received from a current pensioner concerning a tax issue arising from West Yorkshire's processing of payments. Liaising with West Yorkshire was ongoing to gather further information. No additional breaches were reported beyond those already discussed.

Tracy Chamberlain, Pensions Administration Manager, gave an update on the Matthews exercise, noting that out of 780 in-scope members, 432 had responded positively, 28 negatively, and 246 had not replied. 330 statements had been issued, with 99 outstanding, some awaiting responses from the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) or requiring complex local investigation. The deadline for members to make decisions for the Matthews exercise is 31 March 2027.

The board also discussed the pay award implemented in July, which affected 57 firefighters, all of whom were contacted before the change. Updates were provided on the future governance of the firefighters' scheme, with two models being considered: enhancing the existing framework with central support, or introducing a single scheme manager. These proposals were to be considered by the National Fire Chiefs Council. HMRC reporting for revised pension savings statements had been completed.

Regarding member self-service, 381 active members had signed up to the online portal, with 176 yet to sign up. An action was agreed to link with the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) communications team to encourage further sign-ups.

Update from LGA Fire Pensions Oversight Board

Tony Kavanagh, Scheme Manager, reported that a letter had been sent to scheme managers from MHCLG and the Pensions Regulator reaffirming the Matthews Remedy statutory deadline of 1 April 2027. He noted that the Oversight Board had a positive impact on the relationship with West Yorkshire Pension Fund and that key areas of focus included resources, performance monitoring, systems, technology, and collaboration.

Fire Pension Board Plan

The board reviewed its plan, training record, and risk register. The year-end return to the Home Office for April 2026 was confirmed as complete. The risk register was discussed, with particular attention to the risk of a lack of skilled resources. It was acknowledged that recruitment efforts at West Yorkshire Pension Fund and the addition of a person to Tracy Chamberlain's team were proactive steps to address this risk. However, it was deemed too early to adjust the residual risk rating.

Fire Pensions Scheme Bulletins

Vicki Sharpe summarised recent scheme bulletins. These included information on regulations allowing certain 1992 members to reinstate pensionable service, updates on escape discount rates and commutation factors, and modifications to tax regulations for the Sargeant/McCloud remedy. Warnings were also issued regarding the risks associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pension advice and updates on the Pensions Dashboard programme.

Update from Scheme Advisory Board

Matt Mott provided an update on the Scheme Advisory Board (SAB), highlighting discussions around the member self-service (MSS) modeler. He explained that the initial modeler provided by Civica was not fit for purpose as it only handled single schemes. WYPF was developing its own modeler, which was expected to be ready by the end of October for active firefighters. Concerns were raised about potential misinterpretations of the modeler, and it was agreed that demos would be conducted with the oversight board and Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) before rollout. The SAB statement on Member Self Service emphasized its importance as a fundamental component of modern pension administration, enabling members to access information and model retirement outcomes.

Fire Pension Officers' Group

Tracy Chamberlain reported that the Fire Pension Officers' Group had not met since the last board meeting, and she was awaiting confirmation on access to the Midlands Group.

The next meeting of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Fire Pension Scheme Board was scheduled for 3 December 2026.