Plumbing Pensions - Plumbing Employers Action Group

December 18, 2017

Plumbing Pensions {UK} Ltd was established in the mid seventies, employers on the scheme were and still are, many years ahead of much of the rest of UK industry offering a very generous pension scheme to their employees. Plumbing employers have and still are contributing vast sums of money into our employees pension fund.

Plumbing Employers who have never been in the scheme and have never likely contributed or offered a pension to their employees are not caught up in this issue. In other words it’s the generous good employers that are being penalised.

This onerous change to the legislation was withheld from the supporting employers at best or deliberately concealed at worst by the scheme management for ELEVEN years with Plumbing Pensions {UK} Ltd only informing employers in April 2016.

Plumbing Pensions {UK} Ltd sent out varying “traffic light” emails to employers early 2016 stating that homes, assets and savings could be at risk due to S75 legislation.

By this time many of the employers had inadvertently “triggered” S75 Employer “Debt” by simply changing their legal status i.e. going from a sole trader to a partnership or partnership to a limited company. Most of these changes were done with the full knowledge of both Snipef and PP UK Ltd and yet they chose not to advise of the risks of S75. Plumbing Pensions piggy bank

There has been many “easements” to exit the scheme or avoid triggering S75 since as far back as 2007 and yet these have only came to light recently.

Some employers have been told their S75 estimated “debt” will run into several million pounds. Again its important to remember that these employers are the generous employers who ensured their employees would have a secure retirement and were many years ahead of other industries. 

Many employers are sole traders and partnerships with many being family managed. They do not have any limited liability protection.

Over the past twenty months many employers have faced a very bleak future and the pressure of S75 has taken its toll on not only their businesses but also their own health. 

The government have acknowledged that there are issues with S75 but have given very little in the way of hope to the plumbing employers. There has been many changes to the ministerial pensions department over the past twenty months and the other UK, European and global political issues have meant pension legislation change has been far from the minds of politicians.

Without urgent political change many businesses will be forced to close and many good employers will be faced with bankruptcy.

Employers have formed a group called PEAG {Plumbing Employers Action Group} to take independent advice and investigate many aspects of S75 legislation and why it has remained concealed from the participating Employers since its implementation in 2005.

This is an inclusive group of plumbing employers only, open to any plumbing employer currently & previously contributing to Plumbing Pensions (UK) Ltd. This is one avenue of help and you are welcome to join.

If you would like further information on our group, PEAG (Plumbing Employers Action Group) please contact via email info@s75group.co.uk or phone Bill Dorward on 07736793722 to discuss this matter further.

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