Information and resources to help you prepare for and complete a scheme return for a public service pension scheme.
See scheme return for further information about completing the scheme return, including help with the most common queries.
Important
Scheme return 2025
- We will send scheme return notices from October 2025.
- You must complete the scheme return within six weeks of receiving your scheme return notice.
- If you're unable to complete the scheme return by the due date, contact us.
Key points
- Managers of public service pension schemes must ensure their annual scheme return is completed accurately and on time.
- They must also let us know of any changes to their scheme’s ‘registrable information’ and provide the up-to-date information as soon as possible.
- Public service pension schemes that are registered with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and have more than one member must be registered with us.
Updates this year
Scheme member data quality (previously called record-keeping)
As a pension trustee or someone running a public service scheme you are responsible for making sure the scheme has good records. This is still the case if you use a third-party administrator.
To manage a scheme properly you need to make sure it has accurate, complete and up-to-date records. You should have controls and processes in place to maintain these standards.
This year, we have renamed the record-keeping section scheme member data quality. There have been some changes to this section to bring it more in line with our expectations and the general code.
We will ask you to confirm if you have measured your scheme's common or scheme specific data in the last year. This is a change in approach from previous scheme returns, where we asked if you had measured this data in the past three years.
Read the questions about scheme member data quality:
- Have you measured the scheme’s common data in the last 12 months?
- Have you assessed the need for a data review exercise on the scheme's common data within the last 12 months?
- How frequently do you review the scheme’s common data?
- When did you last measure the scheme’s common data?
- What is the scheme’s common data score?
- Have you measured the scheme specific data in the last 12 months?
- Have you assessed the need for a data review exercise on the scheme specific data within the last 12 months?
- How frequently do you review the scheme specific data?
- When did you last measure the scheme specific data?
- What is the scheme specific data score?
Previous years' questions
- Is there an AVC provider for the scheme?
- Select AVC provider
- (For each AVC provider) How many scheme members have AVC benefits with this AVC provider? (You can provide an estimate rounded to the nearest 100)
Scheme returns
Public service pension schemes are legally required to provide ‘registrable information’ to us. This includes completing a scheme return each year. We also ask for some additional information to help us build up as accurate a picture of public service pension schemes as possible. Failure to complete the scheme return by the required date could lead to us fining the scheme manager or taking other action.
Read a quick guide to the scheme return for public service pension schemes (PDF, 167kb, 4 pages).
When you receive your scheme return notice you should complete it using our online service Exchange.
We use the information from the scheme return for a number of purposes. This includes maintaining our register of pension schemes and calculating schemes’ annual levy charges.
Information you’ll need to confirm in your scheme return:
- Scheme details – including name, Pension Scheme Registry (PSR) number, address, scheme type, HMRC reference number and current status.
- Number of members – active, deferred and pensioner.
- Scheme manager – name, address and contact details.
- Pension board members – name, address and contact details.
- Employer details.
- Service provider details – such as third-party or in-house administrator, auditor and insurer.
- Scheme contact – name, address and contact details.
- Pension Tracing Service contact details – name, address, telephone number and email address.
- Whether you consent to electronic service – we'd like to deliver documents by email wherever possible.
Prepare for your scheme return
Before taking any other action, please log into Exchange and make sure your scheme contact details are up to date. This is so we can make sure the scheme return is sent to the right person along with any further communications.
Make sure you can get the information you need
Take some time to familiarise yourself with your previous scheme return and gather the information you might need. If this is your first scheme return, you can familiarise yourself with the scheme return information requirements and any related guidance.
Getting started with Exchange
If you've used Exchange before, log on using your registered email address and password. Choose the scheme from the 'My schemes' page and select the 'Scheme maintenance' option.
If you haven't used Exchange before you'll need to register.
If you need to give someone else access to the scheme details in Exchange, log in to the scheme and select 'Manage who can access this scheme online' from the 'Scheme options' menu.
Consent to electronic service
We'd like to deliver documents by email wherever possible, we are therefore asking you to consent to this.
How to update your details and consent preferences
Please note, you will need to update your details and consent to electronic service for each scheme that you manage.
Follow the step-by-step guide below to update the contact details and consent preferences:
1. Log into Exchange
2. Click the ‘My Schemes’ tab at the top of the screen
3. Select the relevant scheme from the list in your view
4. Select 'Update Scheme Details'
5. Select 'Contact Details'
6. Select ‘Scheme Return Contact’ to check contact details are correct
7. Click ‘amend’ if you need to update details
8. Click 'confirm’ or 'cancel’ depending on whether a change has been made
9. Select 'Consent to electronic service’ and provide consent by ticking the box. If you do not wish to consent, leave the ‘Consent to electronic service’ box unticked
10. Click the ‘Save’ button to finish
By completing this process we can make sure you receive emails containing important information required for your Scheme Return Notice, and other important documents or notifications relating to scheme(s) you manage.
Keep scheme information up to date
It is a legal requirement for managers of a scheme to tell us about changes to their scheme’s registrable information as soon as reasonably practicable. This includes keeping up to date the person you have identified as the scheme contact. Managers of schemes can be fined if they don't tell us about changes to registrable information.
You can view and update your scheme’s information at anytime using Exchange.
Register a scheme
Managers of public service pension schemes that are ‘registrable schemes’ must register their scheme with us. A ‘registrable scheme’ is an occupational or personal pension scheme that is registered with HMRC and has more than one member.
Public service schemes are those principally for:
- the armed forces
- civil servants
- firefighters
- health service workers
- the judiciary
- local government workers
- the police
- teachers
In due course they may also include some public body schemes.
Managers of public service pension schemes that need to register with us must do so within three months of registering with HMRC and having more than one member. Managers could face a fine if they don't register on time.
If you need to register a scheme, contact us.