We are delighted to announce that the Society has received the Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) for demonstrating its commitment and support to Defence and the wider Armed Forces community.
About
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The scheme encompasses bronze, silver and gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Society has extended the work done to achieve its Bronze Award and today the MoD announced that the Silver Award application had been successful.
How did we achieve Silver Status?
- 13 of our 18 employees are ex-regular veterans and 1 is an Active Reservist. Of the 13 ex-regular veterans, 9 have or have had ongoing recall/reserve liabilities in the event of mobilization. Employees of the Society include an Honorary Colonel, three trustees of service charities and the Chair of a Military Museum.
- Four of our staff are or have been military spouses/partners. When new members join the Society they can enroll their spouse or partner as a joint member for free. On the death of a veteran member we guide spouses / partners through the process of claiming a widow’s or widower’s pension.
- Active Reservists are allowed additional and pensionable leave to cover their annual training camp, and if their reserve pay is less than their FPS pay the Society makes good the difference.
- The Society references the value of previous military services in its recruitment using platforms such as Career Transition Partnership (CTP), the Forces Employment Charity (FEC) and The List.
- The Society supports the CTP transition process by delivering around 30 presentations a year on the Financial Aspects of Resettlement, and by taking stands at the CTP Employment Fairs. We also have a full programme of roadshows that presents to around 12,500 serving Defence personnel every year informing them of the nature and value of their pension benefits.
- The Society routinely liaises with the Chief of Defence Personnel, MOD Armed Forces Remuneration staff, the Scheme Administrator , and the 3 x 2* single service personnel leads to ensure the schemes are working correctly. We are members of the MOD’s Pension Board and a member of the Haythornthwaite Incentivisation and Reward Challenge Group, ensuring this review of benefits is fully informed about the nature and purpose of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.
- Historically we have campaigned successfully for changes in the administration of pensions so that widows and widowers don’t have to sacrifice their pensions on remarriage, or on entering a new civil partnership. We are currently establishing how many Armed Forces Pensions are unclaimed in order to help marry up veterans with their benefits.
- We have successfully lobbied for pension nominations in the event of death to colleagues to be voided when a service person gets married or enters a civil partnership, so that the spouse/partner becomes the default recipient.
- We present to the charity Scotty’s Little Solders on pension benefits to widows and bereaved children, and on academic scholarships for bereaved children and are about to present to Fighting with Pride, an LGBTQI+ community whose members may have been disadvantaged between 1967-2000.
- In our roadshows, newsletters and members’ webinars we explain to partners /spouses who may have been unable to work how to claim additional years of National Insurance Contributions towards their state pension.
- We have introduced a very competitive travel insurance provider (Trinity/PJ Hayman) to our members, who are both serving and veterans, as well as a wider set of affinity partners some with military backgrounds.
The Society’s Chief Executive, Neil Marshall said:
“The Forces Pension Society is delighted that its work for its members and the wider military community has been recognised in this Silver Scheme Award. We are fully committed to being an advocate for the Armed Forces Pension Schemes, to providing guidance to our members, and to increasing awareness of military pensions through education. This recognition celebrates the work the Society does and the positive relationships it enjoys across Defence.“
The Society joins 38 other organisations in winning the Silver Award across the Greater London region, congratulations to all!
Work is already underway to achieve Gold!
