Freestanding AVCs

A Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions Scheme (FSAVCS) is a retirement benefits scheme established solely to accept contributions from employees to top up benefits provided by their employers' pension schemes.

The right to pay additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) to an FSAVCS is available only to employees while they are accruing benefits under an approved retirement benefits scheme (or such a scheme being considered for approval) or a relevant statutory scheme of their present employer or to which that employer contributes. This requirement will be regarded as met even if the individual is covered only for death in service benefits under his employer's approved retirement benefits or relevant statutory scheme(s). If the member withdraws from all such schemes of the employer while still in service, contributions to the FSAVCS must cease. Contributions may continue, or even commence, after the normal retirement date provided that benefits continue to accrue under the main scheme. No contributions may be paid after the relevant date.

An employee must not contribute to more than one FSAVCS in respect of the same employment in any one tax year. This requirement does not affect the individual's right to pay, at the same time, AVCs to an approved retirement benefits scheme or a relevant statutory scheme of the employer, provided the limit of the member's earnings from the employment for that year is not exceeded.

Controlling directors must be excluded from membership. If a member becomes a controlling director contributions must cease at once. Conversely, if he or she ceases to be a controlling director, contributions may be started or resumed.

Setting up a FSAVCS on BrightPay

To access this utility, click Pensions:
 

1) Click Add New Scheme followed by Free Standing AVC Scheme

2) Enter the name of the policy and the reference number provided by the pension company

3) Default Contribution - this is optional. Complete this section if you would like to apply default contributions to an employee who is added to this pension scheme. They can subsequently be changed for each employee record.

4) Tax Relief - if applicable, tick the box to reduce contributions by the basic tax rate

5) If applicable, set a range of earnings on which to calculate percentage-based deductions for the scheme

6) Within the Contact and Payment section, enter the contact details of the FSAVCS pension provider

7) Select the method of payment for remitting the pension contributions to the pension provider. If the method of payment is credit transfer, enter the pension provider's bank account details accordingly. 

8) Click Save

Applying the Pension Scheme to an Employee:

To apply the FSAVC to an employee, click Payroll:


TO ENTER A PENSION DEDUCTION BY AMOUNT:

1) Under Additions & Deductions click the Add icon

2) Under Deductions, select the FSAVC

3) Select the £ sign from the drop down menu and enter the Employee Contribution

TO ENTER A PERCENTAGE-BASED PENSION:

1) Under Additions & Deductions click the Add icon

2) Under Deduction, select the FSAVC

3) Select the % sign from the drop down menu and enter the Employee Contribution percentage amount