How to get involved
Step one: The application form
Once your pension scheme has decided to join the Combined Pension Forecasting (CPF) service, the first step is to complete an application form
If you have any queries regarding the application form please contact a Customer Account Manager
Please note: Combined Pension Forecasting is a voluntary service and the information contained in the application form is not binding.
Step two: The registration agreement
Once we have received your application form we will send you a registration agreement telling you what to do next.
Please note: This agreement is not binding and you can change the dates on the form by discussing them with the Combined Pension Forecasting team at any time.
Step three: The data test
When we have completed the registration agreement for your review we will ask you to send us a small sample of mock data in the appropriate format. This test run will help to ensure that we are able to read your file and convert the data.
Our request file generator will help you create the data file in the appropriate format.
Please note: The mock data should mirror the live file (National Insurance number, surname, date of birth etc) but should not contain genuine staff details.
Find out more about the data test in the 'Combined Pension Forecasts – technical guide'
Step four: Getting your employees’ consent
Employers need to let their employees know that they intend to take part in the Combined Pension Forecasting (CPF) service and give them the chance to opt-out or opt-in.
The Combined Pension Forecasting team will provide the consent letter wording to go out to employees. These letters can be issued either directly, with pay statements or with other official correspondence.
You only need to undergo this consent process once for existing recipients: after that only new scheme members will need to go through the process.
Please note: You need to keep a record of who has chosen to opt-out or opt-in and ensure that the details of employees who have decided not to participate are not passed on.
Step five: Exchanging the data and issuing Combined Pension Forecasts
The next step is to send in the personal details of individuals who are happy to receive a Combined Pension Forecast. We will then work out each individual’s State Pension estimate, based on their National Insurance (NI) payment record and a projected figure assuming similar NI contribution rates up to State Retirement age, and send this information back to you.
Employers can opt for forecasts to be presented as weekly, four-weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly amounts, to fit in with their own pension statements. They then issue their statements as normal but also include the State Pension information provided by the CPF, which can be merged into their statement format as a separate section or included as a separate sheet. In certain circumstances it can also be added to online statements.
Our reply file generator instructions will help you to convert files into Microsoft Excel and our mail merge instructions will help you merge the State Pension data into the statements.
You can also download a sample of a Combined Pension Forecast – [PDF file size 31kb]