Welcome to our step by step guide to joining the Baptist Pension Scheme. You can download all the documentation you need. However if you require a hard copy of any of the forms or documentation, please contact Broadstone Consultants & Actuaries Ltd (the Scheme administrators) as follows:
Broadstone Consultants & Actuaries Ltd,
Canard Court,
23-25 St George’s Road,
Bristol BS1 5UU
Email: baptistpensions@broadstone.co.uk
Phone: 0117 937 8700
1) Ask your employer if they agree to you joining the scheme
You will need to ask your employer if you are able to join the scheme. Your employer has the final say over whether they want their staff members or ministers to join the scheme or an alternative pension arrangement.
2) Decide which Section you wish to join and agree this with your employer
Decide whether to join the Ministers' Section, the Staff Section or the Basic Section. You can find details of the three sections in the explanatory booklets in the Document Store.
Income Protection Insurance: Members of the Ministers' Section and Staff Section only may also benefit from Income Protection Insurance Cover as part of their membership. Full details can be found on the Income Protection Insurance page at http://www.baptistpensions.org.uk/-members-/new/income-protection-insurance/.
3) Understand the investment options under the Scheme
You can choose where the contributions to your pension account are invested, from a range of funds provided by Legal & General (L&G).
Some people actively select the funds in which they invest. However, if you do not want to actively choose your own investments, then your contributions are invested in a ‘default’ fund that is designed to suit as broad a range of people as possible.
On joining the DC Plan your contributions and those of your employer are initially invested in the Baptist Pension Scheme Ethical Default Lifestyle Fund, which is a Lifestyle strategy.
The Ethical Default Lifestyle approach is split into three stages:
- Growth phase - invests in the Ethical Growth Fund from the time you join the DC plan until you reach 15 years before your target retirement age.
- Consolidation phase - gradually switches from the Ethical Growth Fund to the Ethical Diversified Fund from 15 to 5 years before your target retirement age.
- Defensive phase - gradually switches from the Ethical Diversified Fund to the At Retirement Fund in the 5 years up until your target retirement age.
The intention is to provide you with a higher risk allocation when you are younger in order to grow your pot size as much as possible and then, as you approach retirement, the risk is reduced, lowering the chances of market movements impacting the value of your savings.
You can switch your investment out of the Ethical Default Lifestyle Fund at any time after receiving your welcome pack from the DC plan administrators, Broadstone. This welcome pack provides full details of all the investment options available and instructions on how you can securely manage and change your options.
If you are uncertain about the right course of action for you, then we recommend you take independent financial advice
4) Complete the application and Expression of Wish forms and return them to Broadstone
You and your employer should jointly complete the application form below (which also includes a Direct Debit mandate for payment of contributions) via the Scheme administrators portal www.4mystaff.co.uk.
Please note that if your employer is enrolling you in the Baptist Pension Scheme to comply with auto enrolment legislation, the regulations require the employer to complete a slightly modified application form on your behalf and you do not have to complete the form. This auto enrolment form can be accessed via Broadstone Engage Member.
The Expression of Wish form nominates the person(s) who you would like to receive from the Scheme any lump sum payable on your death. The person does not have to be related to you. You can update the nomination(s) at any time if your wishes or circumstances change. The choice of beneficiary/ies is at the Trustee’s sole discretion but your wishes will be taken into account. The Expression of Wish form can be completed or updated via Broadstone Engage Member.
Please note if you have any problems accessing or completing any of the above mentioned forms you should contact the Scheme administrators, Broadstone Consultants and Actuaries directly on baptistpensions@broadstone.co.uk.