MEMBERS AREA
Work & Pensions Committee inquiry into Defined Benefit pension schemes
ROPA’s concerns about governance when sole professional trustees replace trustee boards have been aired in this inquiry. Our main concern is the removal of member nominated trustees and the loss of transparency and participation in decision making that follows. ROPA presented written and oral evidence in late 2023 and the committee’s report is expected soon. ROPA members can read more in our newsletter and by logging in to Members Area, top right of the webpage.
ABOUT US
Making A Difference
After health, a pension is one of the most important things in later life. We are dedicated to helping to ensure that your Royal Ordnance pension is properly managed, you know what you are entitled to and you get what you are due.
WHAT WE DO
Proactive
We watch, we listen, we share experiences, we inform our members and, if they ask us to, we help. Pension management is complicated, involves a number of organisations and sometimes, even in well run operations, something goes wrong. So if you, or your spouse/partner, are a member of one of the Royal Ordnance schemes, either as a pensioner, a deferred member (having left before retirement) or are approaching retirement, it makes sense to be a member of ROPA.
WHO WE ARE
Knowledgeable
As long-time members of the Royal Ordnance Pension Scheme, we have an in-depth understanding of it’s particular complexities. We have a combined experience of more than 100 years in pensions and several of us are still active as member nominated trustees or pensioner representatives in the Scheme.
We are independent, non-profit making and funded only by our members subscriptions
CASE STUDIES
“A member’s widow wrote to ROPA to cancel her late husband’s membership. She disclosed that he had died a year earlier and she had provided the relevant certificates to the pension administrators. She was surprised not to receive a letter of condolence - we were surprised she had not received a widow’s pension! We put her in touch with a senior administrator and the omission was quickly resolved”
“ A member’s widow was advised by the administrators that she would receive a pension of one half that of her husband. Her husband had told her that it would be roughly two thirds of his and, on checking the section of the scheme he was in, we were able to assure her that he was right. We provided an appropriate contact number and the correct position was confirmed. Further training was also put in place in the administrator’s call centre”
JOIN ROPA
Any member of the Royal Ordnance Pension Scheme is eligible to apply for membership. You do not have to be a pensioner.
Joint membership is available if you wish to include someone living at the same address.
BENEFITS INCLUDE
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Help with understanding your specific pension issues
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Informing you about scheme, pension & taxation developments:
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Two ROPA Newsletters a year, to keep you in touch
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An Annual General Meeting, where any issues can be aired
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Access to the website's Member Area, where you can find relevant information
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Personal support with accessing entitlements
Annual membership subscription is only £8.00. Joint membership is £10.00. Subscriptions are due on the 1st January. Payment may be made by Standing Order, bank transfer or cheque.
CONTACT ROPA
Get in touch with your pension or ROPA membership queries