5
day presenting to employees)
COMMENTS
I attended the presentation in London. It was a great introduction to the pension
scheme. I was given a huge wad of paperwork when I joined BAT, both about the
Company and the pension arrangement and I didn’t have time to go through all the
pension details. The presentation was really helpful – it pointed me in the right direction
of contributing myself to get the highest possible matching contribution from the Company.
Denise Dillworth (DC member)
I also went to the presentation. The presenters were really knowledgeable and talked
through the options available and the joining process, making it all very easy. The
Company offers generous contribution rates, but the examples of the amounts needed
to buy a pension annuity really brought home to me the importance of joining the
pension scheme as soon as possible. The information about transferring in pensions from previous
employers was also very helpful.
Judith Henry, Transfer Pricing Data Manager, Finance (DC member)
Jo: I’m pleased it worked for you both. The info in the presentations isn’t any different from the
detail in the paperwork you’ve been given, but hopefully it all makes more sense now you’ve
heard more and had the opportunity to ask any questions.
I’ve been with the Company for several years and I could really do with a refresher. Is
it possible for me to attend a presentation?
Fiona Charge, Research Scientist (DB member)
Jo: We hold annual ‘Managing your Pension’ Seminars in Quarter 1 each year, which are aimed
at giving existing members a refresher as well as highlighting anything that’s new. Watch out for
your invitation.
I went to one of the ‘Managing your Pension Seminars’ earlier this year. I thought I
knew a bit about pensions beforehand, but when I went I realised the legislation had
changed, and keeps changing! You don’t know what you don’t know, so it’s really
important to take the opportunity to go to this kind of session regularly. It helped me
to understand what the changes meant for me and how I might have to approach things
differently. Even if you don’t take any action as a result of the seminar it is good to understand
the opportunities and why you may or may not wish to take action, such as pay AVCs, or review
investment options, in future.
Sandra Reid, Innovations & Development Sourcing Manager, Marketing (DB member)
I’ll be 58 next year and I’d like to plan my retirement. Could I attend
a presentation?
Jo: Yes. In fact, there is a special pre-retirement seminar aimed at employees who have already
decided to retire within the next two years. The seminar covers a wide range of topics as well as
the Pension Fund, to help employees think about the change in lifestyle and additional time on their
hands. It’s also designed to increase understanding of State benefits and improve general financial
awareness. Speak to your HR Business Partner and they will arrange for you to be invited to the next
seminar. In the meantime, have a look at the ‘Plan it’ modeller and the Pension Planner on the BAT
Pension Fund website
I attended the pre-retirement seminar before retiring from BAT and it gave me a real
insight into what I needed to do and be aware of. Amazing experience and would
thoroughly recommend it to anybody. What I didn’t do was take my wife (partners are
also invited) and I really should have done. I’d advise anyone else to do so. Some of
the information covered health and issues for when you get older. It didn’t seem important at 55,
but now I’m 65 I’m starting to think those sort of questions and the information that was
discussed on the course is really valuable to me.
Brian Atmore (Pensioner)
