The Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington Pension Board Committee meeting was scheduled to cover a range of pension-related matters, including updates on scheme membership, administration, and ongoing legal and regulatory changes. Key discussions were expected to focus on the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (FPS) and the administration of remedies for age discrimination.

Pensions Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a comprehensive update on the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (FPS). This included detailed information on scheme membership, with figures provided for active, pensioner, and deferred members across various schemes, including the 1992, 2006, and 2015 schemes. The report outlined movements in membership, such as new starters and leavers, and presented Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) for November 2025. Notably, the Pension Estimate KPI did not meet its target due to high volumes, with some estimates taking 8-10 weeks to process.

The update also covered the Age Discrimination Remedy, specifically the delayed production of Deferred Benefit Statements (DBS-RSS) for 2025, which led to a breach reported to The Pensions Regulator (TPR). WYPF expected to issue these statements before March 2026. Discussions were also scheduled regarding the Matthews remedy, including updates on the GAD calculator and project implementation data. A new Re-engagement, Re-employment, and Abatement Policy was also noted as being in the process of introduction.

Furthermore, the meeting was set to address consultation responses concerning amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (England) Regulations. This included changes to the member contribution structure, which will see an increase from four to five tiers and contributions determined by actual pay, effective from April 2026. Changes to the scheme for Retained Firefighters were also to be discussed, with regulations expected to come into force by April 2026. Information on Local Pension Board (LPB) training sessions for 2026 and 2027 was also scheduled to be provided.

Administrator Update

An update from the administrator, West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF), was scheduled to cover various aspects of pension administration. This included information on the progress of Matthews payments, with a note that December payments would be fewer due to payroll cut-off dates. Staffing updates were also anticipated, with recruitment for Pensions Officer positions at the DBS check stage. A client meeting specifically for Matthews was planned for January 2026. The report also mentioned the publication of the consultation response regarding amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme for Retained Firefighters and highlighted updates on Matthews Remedy manual cases, advising FRAs to manage messaging to avoid direct contact with GAD. The submission of the Scheme Return 2025 to TPR was confirmed, and an update on RSS reporting was expected, noting that this information would be available in the new year due to a platform migration.

Risk Register

The meeting agenda included a review of the Pension Board Risk Register. Several risks were scheduled for discussion, including the risk of loss or damage to information relating to active, deferred, and pensioner members, with mitigating actions involving electronic record-keeping and regular backups. The risk of breaches of GDPR regulations due to incomplete or inaccurate member data was also on the agenda, with reconciliation processes and monthly payroll reports cited as mitigating actions. Failures in pension administration leading to poor service provision and financial risks were also to be reviewed, with strategies such as Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and regular meetings with administrators in place. Other risks included the potential for inappropriate allocation of pension fund assets due to fraud, and the risk of costs being incurred due to failure to apply scheme or tax rules correctly. The Sergeant and Matthews remedies were also listed as risks, with ongoing monitoring and liaison with the LGA and WYPF planned. Finally, the risk associated with the Pensions Dashboards project, due to delays in central data collection, was also scheduled for discussion.

Correspondence

The meeting was also scheduled to review the Correspondence Log and Correspondence Action Log, which would provide details of communications received and actions taken.

Ill Health Retirements/Injury Awards and Internal Disputes

Updates were also scheduled on Ill Health Retirements/Injury Awards and Internal Disputes, which would likely cover any cases progressed since the previous meeting.