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AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Royal Mail pension news and discussion.Please note the advise given in this forum is unofficial, please use the links we have for a more detailed response or see an independent financial adviser.
YMM
Posts: 5
Joined: 10 Apr 2022, 14:51
Gender: Male

AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by YMM »

The recent increase in National Minimum Wage means that my current AVC level leaves my salary below NMW. Payroll are helpful but can't offer any 'advice'. Anyone got a clever spreadsheet?
RobertT
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 6645
Joined: 09 Sep 2007, 14:26
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by RobertT »

No spreadsheet but an easy formula is:

Basic hourly rate - minimum wage x basic hours = max AVC contribution

Also factor in any other PSE payments like P&M shares, etc.
Links to all RM pension related websites are here
Schiff
Posts: 544
Joined: 01 Nov 2016, 22:02
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by Schiff »

Remember that, from July, the National Insurance threshold is being raised to £12,570 so for some part-timers this may limit any benefit from using PSE for any purpose if it takes their remaing salary below that level as they won't be gaining the relief from NI.
YMM
Posts: 5
Joined: 10 Apr 2022, 14:51
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by YMM »

Thanks!
heapsy
Posts: 2949
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 23:40
Gender: Male
Location: Drinking with Gangsters

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by heapsy »

I'm currently paying £120.88 total. Full time and stayed withing PSE if that helps.
StokieD
Posts: 19
Joined: 30 Jun 2018, 17:37
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by StokieD »

I’m on 30 hours and I pay £85 AVC and it’s still within PSE (just).
But can anyone explain why in week 1 my £85 AVC and my 6% RMDCP appear in the left column as a - and a +, and then appear in the deductions column? It’s happened every year I’ve been paying AVCs and meant for week 1 that I overpaid NIC by nearly £15! Payroll just say it’s “a glitch in the system” and that I just have to put with it! Hardly a satisfactory explanation… It’s only £15 but I’ll never get that back, unlike if you overpay tax one week. My assessable pay shows as it should do (and the tax amount deducted is correct) but it just means I don’t benefit from PSE for that first week. Week 2 pay is all correct. Bizarre!
Jaggs
Posts: 134
Joined: 18 Jan 2011, 11:18
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by Jaggs »

heapsy wrote:
13 Apr 2022, 23:42
I'm currently paying £120.88 total. Full time and stayed withing PSE if that helps.
Which scheme are you in? I'm in the rmdcp and figured the highest I could pay was £106.54 so adjusted my contribution to that. I might have to increase it a little and see if I get taken out of PSE
YMM
Posts: 5
Joined: 10 Apr 2022, 14:51
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by YMM »

StokieD wrote:
14 Apr 2022, 09:51
I’m on 30 hours and I pay £85 AVC and it’s still within PSE (just).
But can anyone explain why in week 1 my £85 AVC and my 6% RMDCP appear in the left column as a - and a +, and then appear in the deductions column? It’s happened every year I’ve been paying AVCs and meant for week 1 that I overpaid NIC by nearly £15! Payroll just say it’s “a glitch in the system” and that I just have to put with it! Hardly a satisfactory explanation… It’s only £15 but I’ll never get that back, unlike if you overpay tax one week. My assessable pay shows as it should do (and the tax amount deducted is correct) but it just means I don’t benefit from PSE for that first week. Week 2 pay is all correct. Bizarre!
Yup, same thing happened to me as well!
heapsy
Posts: 2949
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 23:40
Gender: Male
Location: Drinking with Gangsters

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by heapsy »

Happens every year. You get double the benefit of PSE the following week if you look at that payslip.
StokieD
Posts: 19
Joined: 30 Jun 2018, 17:37
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by StokieD »

heapsy wrote:
14 Apr 2022, 21:49
Happens every year. You get double the benefit of PSE the following week if you look at that payslip.
My week 2 payslip was exactly as it should have been, nothing extra - don’t understand what you mean by double the benefit in week 2 ??
heapsy
Posts: 2949
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 23:40
Gender: Male
Location: Drinking with Gangsters

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by heapsy »

My mistake. Sorry, I fell out of PSE on week 52 Check that week. Week 1 I came back in to PSE with arrears from the previous week paid back.
paulus103
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 216
Joined: 19 Jan 2018, 01:55
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by paulus103 »

StokieD wrote:
14 Apr 2022, 09:51
I’m on 30 hours and I pay £85 AVC and it’s still within PSE (just).
But can anyone explain why in week 1 my £85 AVC and my 6% RMDCP appear in the left column as a - and a +, and then appear in the deductions column? It’s happened every year I’ve been paying AVCs and meant for week 1 that I overpaid NIC by nearly £15! Payroll just say it’s “a glitch in the system” and that I just have to put with it! Hardly a satisfactory explanation… It’s only £15 but I’ll never get that back, unlike if you overpay tax one week. My assessable pay shows as it should do (and the tax amount deducted is correct) but it just means I don’t benefit from PSE for that first week. Week 2 pay is all correct. Bizarre!
yeah it's annoying I thought it was just me but for me, it's week 2 - the payslip on week 1 has virtually zero stoppages but then in week 2 I get hammered. Then for week 3, it goes to normal.
heapsy
Posts: 2949
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 23:40
Gender: Male
Location: Drinking with Gangsters

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by heapsy »

Jaggs wrote:
14 Apr 2022, 10:14
heapsy wrote:
13 Apr 2022, 23:42
I'm currently paying £120.88 total. Full time and stayed withing PSE if that helps.
Which scheme are you in? I'm in the rmdcp and figured the highest I could pay was £106.54 so adjusted my contribution to that. I might have to increase it a little and see if I get taken out of PSE
Sorry mate I missed this. I'm in the RMPP. Started late 80s, but not in time to be a section B member, missed that by about 19 months. :sad:
Jaggs
Posts: 134
Joined: 18 Jan 2011, 11:18
Gender: Male

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by Jaggs »

heapsy wrote:
18 Apr 2022, 08:21
Jaggs wrote:
14 Apr 2022, 10:14
heapsy wrote:
13 Apr 2022, 23:42
I'm currently paying £120.88 total. Full time and stayed withing PSE if that helps.
Which scheme are you in? I'm in the rmdcp and figured the highest I could pay was £106.54 so adjusted my contribution to that. I might have to increase it a little and see if I get taken out of PSE
Sorry mate I missed this. I'm in the RMPP. Started late 80s, but not in time to be a section B member, missed that by about 19 months. :sad:
Thanks for replying. I'm guessing it's the different rates of pensionable pay between the schemes which means we have different amounts we can pay in while staying within PSE.
heapsy
Posts: 2949
Joined: 02 Jun 2007, 23:40
Gender: Male
Location: Drinking with Gangsters

Re: AVCs and new Minimum Wage increase

Post by heapsy »

The pension I joined was a watered down Final Salary pension, known as section C, formerly POPS. It was an attempt to keep the Final Salary scheme going. Didn't work in the long run and denied the new members a decent pension.