Online LGPS tools

The LGPS Data Checker provides an online, secure area for carrying out valuation data checks at the whole LGPS fund and individual employer level. 

It allows you to upload member data in Universal Data Capture format to obtain a report on the valuation checks carried out, to identify any issues with your data. 

The LGPS Data Checker is a versatile tool which can be used to:

• Prepare membership data at the whole fund level ahead of submission for triennial valuation and as a health check in other years. 
• Provide a regular report, in real-time, on data quality on an employer-by-employer basis.
• Prepare membership data at the individual employer level before submission for individual employer work.

How can LGPS Data Checker benefit you?

• You can run the checks whenever you like, as often as you need to. You can pick up the checking of your data when you have the resources to do so. Time is saved at triennial valuation as checks will have been carried out in other years, which will reduce the number of queries to work through, avoiding a peak of work.
• You can concentrate on the most important data issues for valuation, saving you time; the failures are ranked by importance into levels 1, 2 and 3.
• You can identify who your 'problem' employers are; it provides clear output that shows where employers are concerning other employers in the fund.
• There is no need to remind us that odd-looking data is correct. You can let us know, via the system, where particular failures are nothing to worry about. We call this feature Tell Us Once. We understand this feature is unique to the LGPS, saving you time and reducing resources needed.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch.

Illuminate ME is our online LGPS employer valuation results tool. Basic access provides a website to share employer contribution results, data summaries and funding positions with each LGPS administering authority during the busy triennial valuation period. This enables you to access live employer results as we release them. 

This tool has already played a critical part in the work done by clients in engaging with their participating employers about their contribution plans.

For funds which sign-up for advanced Illuminate ME functionality, there are several other features which can be added to your account to enhance your employer engagement capabilities.

How can Illuminate ME benefit you?

• Download individual employer valuation reports in PDF format which can be sent directly to employers to demonstrate good governance.
• Model results, by having access to the parameters that are used to set each employer’s rates. For example, you may wish to try out different recovery periods to find affordable contributions or amend the timing of deficit payments. These can be used in meetings with employers to explore various options in real time.
• View a reconciliation of the employer’s balance sheets and primary rates which tell the story of how their position has moved from the last valuation to this valuation. This can be added to the valuation schedule if the fund has the reporting functionality enabled.
• We can also provide employers’ current cessation positions and display these on the website (and report, if required), which puts a value on the risk to the fund of an employer exit. 

If you are interested in how Illuminate ME can help you communicate more effectively with your employers at the triennial valuation, please get in touch.

LGPS Manage is our new secure data management system, purpose built for our LGPS clients. Users have a one-stop shop to view the data we hold about the fund and its employers. You will be able to access: 

• Employer details such as a summary from the last valuation, information held on bonds, risk-sharing arrangements and guarantees and contract details. Clients can view and download this database at their leisure or tailor the database to hold the information they want to store about their employers. 
• Employer cashflows into and out of the fund in respect of the fund and each employer. 
• Employer events such as member transfers, new employers, academy conversions and employer cessations. 

The benefits to you are:

• You will be able to regularly review and update the data used for our actuarial work. This will save you time and resources come the triennial valuation. 
• You will have one place to view all regular actuarial data. This will make it simple for you to see what data we hold, any data we have estimated or calculated, and therefore a clear audit trail in what has been used in our work. 

To help LGPS funds and their employers monitor LGPS positions at the employer level, we have developed our innovative online tracking tool, LGPS Monitor. 

LGPS Monitor places our standard approach of tracking employer’s assets and liabilities in the hands of administering authorities and employers.  

Keeping track of your employers

LGPS assets and liabilities increasingly need to be accurately monitored at the individual employer level. 

• There is anticipated to be a significant long-term impact of Covid-19 on employers’ ability to pay ongoing contributions and deficits on exit.
• Employers and their advisors now demand accurate and up-to-date fund information (for example, for year-end accounts).
• Exit credit legislation means any employer surpluses need to be managed proactively.  

How can LGPS Monitor benefit you?

• You have instant access to key valuation information and live funding updates for each of your fund’s employers, saving you time and money.
• You can demonstrate good governance by delivering professional PDF reports for your committees and employers easily.
• You can maintain accurate information by setting up a process for us to receive regular investment and cashflow information.
• You can help employers manage their LGPS pension position; for example, by providing them with indicative cessation reports to help them plan their exit from the Fund.
• As an employer, you can monitor your position; we can provide secure access to your section, following agreement with the administering authority.

If you would like a demonstration of this innovative new tool, please get in touch.