Northern Foods Pension Scheme FAQs

It is important you let Capita (the Scheme administrator) know if a member of your family dies and has benefits in the Scheme. You can do this by phone, letter or email. Contact details can be found on the contact us page.

When contacting Capita, you will need to provide the following details about the member:

• Full name and address
• national insurance number
• date of birth
• date of death
• the next of kin’s correspondence address

Capita will then need to see the original death certificate, and original marriage and birth certificated if the spouse/dependants’ benefits are being claimed.

Capita (the Scheme administrator) will write to you around six months before your normal retirement age (if you want to retire at a different age from your NRA of 65, you will need to let Capita know).

You’ll have the choice of how to take your benefits and you will recive a letter detailing all the relevant benefit figures you need.

Before benefits can be paid, you may need to supply any outstanding documents such as your birth or marriage certificates.

You can check your SPA at www.gov.uk/state-pension-age

Filling in your nomination form is important as this will influence who receives your benefits should you die. The Trustees will have the ultimate decision on this matter, but the wishes expressed in the form will be taken into account. If you’d like a say in who gets access to your benefits when you die, then keeping your nomination form up-to-date is essential.

You can fill in or update your nomination form by contacting your Scheme administrator, Capita.

If you have deferred benefits and you die before retirement, a pension will be paid to your spouse. This will be half of your deferred pension as increased to the date of death. In addition, a refund of the contributions you made as a member will be made to your estate. Your dependants may also be entitled to State death benefits.

Yes, you have a statutory right to transfer your AVCs to another registered pension arrangement. You should take financial advice, however, before doing so as under the Rules of the Scheme all of your AVCs can be used as part of your tax-free cash entitlement. Please contact Capita for further information.

Group Transfer Plan benefits were secured by transfers into the Scheme and as such they form part of your defined benefit entitlement. They do not therefore carry a statutory right to be transferred separately from your main Scheme benefits.

The Trustee may, however, with the consent of the Company allow you to transfer your GTP benefits to another registered pension arrangement as long as any contracted out entitlement that was transferred into the Scheme is transferred out as protected rights. Please contact Capita for further information.