Waiver application form

Before you fill in this form, please ensure you have read the whole of the form including the notes, the guidance booklet accompanying your levy invoice and the information on the PPF website about levy waivers.

This form is only to be used for applications for a waiver of the pension protection levies.

Please note that the scheme must have been issued with an invoice in order to apply for a waiver, and that a waiver cannot be granted after an invoice has been paid.

If you applied successfully for a waiver in the previous levy year, and the position of your scheme has not changed since that application, you do not need to re-submit the evidence you have supplied previously (step 2).

Please complete all sections of the form. If you make any mistakes or fail to complete this form properly, this may lead to delays in processing your application.

 

 

Notes

1. Please provide contact details in case the Board has any questions about the information provided.

2. An application for a waiver must be made within 28 days of the date on the invoice in question. The Board has NO discretion to extend this timetable. Please note that a waiver cannot be granted unless an invoice has been issued, even if you think your scheme meets all the criteria. If you are submitting your application form outside the 28-day time limit, but raised a relevant waiver query with the Board within 28 days of the invoice, please provide details of this query on the application form.

Please note that the scheme must have been issued with an invoice in order to apply for a waiver. You cannot, therefore, apply for a waiver before your invoice has been issued.

Please note that a waiver cannot be granted after an invoice has been paid. If you have paid your invoice, the Board has NO discretion to grant a waiver. If you are concerned about interest accruing on the unpaid invoice, please refer to the invoicing section of the PPF website for more information.

3. Without the required evidence, a waiver will not be granted. If you have other evidence, other than the types listed on this form, that you consider demonstrates that the relevant criteria have been met, though, you may submit this for consideration provided that you have clearly set out the position in Part 4. Please note the following specific points about evidence in respect of Ground (I) (Scheme benefits are fully covered by insurance companies):

a. The Board normally expects to see evidence that the scheme has commenced winding up, as this would provide evidence that no further contributions will be paid. If the scheme hasn’t commenced winding up but the scheme has other evidence that no further contributions will be paid, this other evidence should be provided and an explanation given.

b. It is critical that evidence is provided that all relevant benefits under the scheme rules will be provided in full. This is a legislative requirement, and it would not suffice if the evidence shows that, for example, only the PPF-level benefits are secured.

c. The Board would also require specific evidence that all members are covered by the policy documentation, for example schedules listing all scheme members. Each member in every membership class (for example, all deferred members and all pensioners) must be accounted for.

d. If the number of members shown on the policy documentation differs from the number of members shown on the Scheme returns as at the relevant dates, an explanation should be provided.

e. If the policy has not yet been set up for the insurer to take on the risk for the members' benefits, the waiver will not be granted.

4. Please complete this section by referring to the specific criteria for the category of waiver sought, and identifying precisely which parts of the documentation show that the criteria are met. It is for schemes to satisfy the Board that the criteria have been met. If insufficient evidence is provided, the waiver will not be granted.