The Hertfordshire Fire Pension Board met on Friday 24 April 2026 to review the Firefighters' Pension Fund Risk Register, discuss performance reports from the Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA), and receive updates on age discrimination remedies and the retained firefighters' options exercise. Key decisions included noting the contents of these reports and accepting the Firefighters' Pension Fund accounts for 2024/25.

Pension Fund Risk Register

The Board reviewed the Hertfordshire Fire Pension Scheme Risk Register for the period 1 October to 31 December 2025. Three risks were identified as being above the tolerated threshold: ineffective management of the fund, skills or knowledge gaps within the administering authority, and poor administration, including delays in implementing regulatory changes. The retirement of the Head of Pensions was cited as a contributing factor to the first two risks, with recruitment underway. Delays with the McCloud Immediate Choice – Retrospective Service Statement payments were the cause for the third risk. The Board accepted the report, noting that the risk of ineffective management was over tolerance due to the upcoming departure of the Head of Pensions, and that recruitment for this role was commencing.

LPPA Performance Report (Q3 2025/26)

The Board received an update on the performance of the Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) for the third quarter of 2025/26. Overall operational casework performance was reported at 97.2% against Service Level Agreements (SLAs). While most McCloud remedy payments were made on time, some delays were attributed to information receipt from other authorities. The contact centre's average wait time was 3 minutes and 10 seconds, below the target of 4 minutes. Customer satisfaction scores for contact centre agents were high at 90%, though overall satisfaction with LPPA was lower at 70%. Retirement satisfaction scores were volatile due to low survey response rates, with 50% satisfaction for active retirements and 0% for deferred retirements among those who responded. The report also detailed progress on the McCloud remedy, the Pensions Dashboard project, and the Efficiency and Service Improvement Programme. The Board noted and commented on the report.

Age Discrimination and Remedy

Rachel Wilson, Senior HR Officer, Pay & Reward, provided an update on the council's progress with the age discrimination (Sargent/McCloud) remedy. Active retirements affected by the remedy were proceeding smoothly, with 32 out of 36 cases paid and four pending. Contingent decision claims were also being processed, with three approved and one awaiting a decision. Contribution adjustments had ceased, with seven requests for 1992 scheme adjustments and two refund requests for 2006 scheme adjustments processed. Of the 19 Immediate Choice Remedial Service Statements (IC-RSS) remaining, 12 were for Matthews Modified members awaiting system functionality, and six had validation errors requiring case-by-case resolution. All unprotected and tapered members with an election deadline of 31 March 2026 had responded. Payments to pensioners were largely up to date, with only a few outstanding due to the need for additional information. The Board noted the content of the report.

Second Options Exercise for Retained Firefighters

Rachel Wilson also presented an update on the second options exercise for retained firefighters. The regulations for this exercise came into force on 1 October 2023, allowing individuals with retained service between 7 April 2000 and 30 June 2000 to backdate their membership. To date, 169 expression of interest forms had been received, with 147 quotes issued and 114 election forms returned. LPPA had paid 60 pensioner members, with eight remaining to be paid, and was working on setting up active and deferred member pension accounts. The government had published its response to the consultation on amendments to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme for retained firefighters, with the implementation expected on 1 April 2026, though the new GAD calculator would not be available until June 2026. The HR Pay & Reward team was preparing cases for processing once the regulations take effect. The Board noted the content of the report.

Compensation Scheme Consultation

Rachel Wilson provided an update on the Local Government Association's (LGA) informal consultation on the Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (FCS). This was the first substantive review of the scheme since 2006, with many regulations dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. The review identified key themes for reform, including outdated definitions, inequities in award calculations for different firefighter types, outdated survivor benefit provisions, governance gaps, and concerns about the financial sustainability of locally funded injury awards. The informal consultation aims to gather sector views before formal recommendations are made to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Board noted the content of the report.

Firefighters Pension Fund Accounts 2024/25

Robert Winterton, Finance Manager, presented the Firefighters Pension Fund Accounts for the financial year 2024/25. The accounts showed a deficit of £7.3 million, which was met by a central government top-up grant, bringing the account to a nil balance. Employer contributions totalled £7.8 million, an increase of £2.2 million from the previous year, while employee contributions rose by £0.5 million to £3 million. Benefits paid increased by £1.6 million to £18.2 million. The net asset statement indicated no assets held by the Fire Pensions Board, with all assets and liabilities being the responsibility of the government. The Board noted and commented on the report.

Future Meeting Dates

The Board was invited to note the dates of future meetings, with the next scheduled for 20 July 2026 at 10:00 AM.