Small Employer Process
What is the Small Employer process?
i-Connect is a service that helps to manage the transfer of employee information from payroll administrators to pensions administrators. The small employer process allows information to be entered for each employee to the i-Connect system using a web browser. i-Connect then automatically identifies and sends information about new joiners, opt-outs, and leavers, together with pay and contributions, to the pension fund. You can also submit leaver forms and information via the i-Connect system.
We would encourage employers with 10 or less scheme members to adopt this process.
What do I need to do?
The first step is to complete the ‘Key Data request – Online Return’ form and send to iconnect@leics.gov.uk
The pension section will then carry out data checks to ensure records match information held on the employer system. This will also allow the pension section to onboard the employer to i-Connect.
Once the employer has been onboarded the pension section will be in touch to arrange a handover meeting and go through the i-Connect process.
The pension section offer an ‘Optional i-Connect Online Return pay information’ spreadsheet which can be completed before submitting the data via the i-Connect system. This allows pay information to be collated in advance and assists with balancing figures each month and at Year End. This is an optional form for your own records and should not be sent to the pension section.
How do I gain access to i-Connect?
Access to the i-Connect system will be granted when the handover meeting is arranged. Once you have been set-up with an i-Connect user account an email should arrive to complete the registration; please do this on the same day the email is received to ensure the link is valid.
Should anyone else require a user account now or in the future, let the pension section know. Do not allow anyone to use your account, this is for data protection and accountability reasons.
What do I need for the first i-Connect submission handover meeting?
During the Teams handover meeting the pension section will go through the Online Return process. Please ensure you have the following information and systems to hand:
- Period data for each member: Pensionable pay / CARE pay, EE Conts, ER Conts, EE scheme rate, additional contribution information if applicable. Data will be required for each member and month. The ‘Optional i-Connect Online Return pay information’ form can be used for this.
- Total contributions paid to the fund each month. This will be used for balancing purposes.
- Hours information as at the first month data is submitted e.g. full-time or 18hrs of 37hrs p/w.
- Access to the payroll system or payslip information.
- Access to the i-Connect system
You may want to save this as a bookmark or favourite.
When do I need to submit the data each month?
The pension section require i-Connect submissions to be carried out by the 10th of the following month.
Upload process
Validation Error / Tolerance Failure: Before the data is completed check the validation errors, a validation error occurs when a member is on the i-Connect report but cannot link to an active record and no data will post to a record. If there are a large amount there will be an issue with the report which will need to be investigated. If a validation error relates to an active member please investigate and resolve where possible or raise as an issue. Leavers are ok to error as the record has already been processed.
Should you have a validation error/s or tolerance failure/s please email to confirm the reason for this, we will then allow the submission to proceed. This is to flag any potential issues with the report.
Omitted Member list: Before the data is completed check the omitted members list for leavers and delete where needed. If a leaver will no longer appear on the i-Connect report with arrears, they can be deleted. However if a member is an active causal allow them to remain on the list. If a member appears on the list but you believe they are on the i-Connect report they may have different key details. Let us know if a DOL had not been extracted to the report as we will be unaware a member has left.
Suppressed Events / Error Events: After the data is completed check the suppressed events and error events for active members or flexible retirement members. Let us know of any issues or queries where data is not posting for active records.
How do I report leavers or inactive posts in the scheme?
The date of leaving / opt out date should be provided via the i-Connect submission, however we may require further information to be submitted. Please provide an ePen3 form for leavers over age 55 (normal retirement, flexible retirement or redundancy retirement), ill health retirement at any age or death in service at any age. Please note other leaver documents may be required e.g. ill health, redundancy or flexible retirement documents. We may also need to ask for a Pen3 form for members who have final salary membership (pre-14 service) and this will be requested when needed. See further details: Leaver process
What else do I need to know?
See the i-Connect online return guide for further information. Also please go to the previous i-Connect information page for full details of the Leicestershire processes:
Contact
Should you have any issues or queries regarding i-Connect, please email iconnect@leics.gov.uk
For any payment or adjustment issues / queries, please email the Investments Department LGPSContributions@leics.gov.uk
