Certificate in Pensions Administration

A total of 8 units must be completed by candidates in order to achieve the qualification.

A number of units in this qualification are work-based and will be completed as part of the day to day work activities carried out matching them to specific criteria listed in the units.

However some units are assessed via examination and the content of this page refers to studying for those examinations.

Early preparation and a planned study schedule for the examinations is essential:

1. As the case studies are based on three fictitious pension schemes - two final salary schemes, one of which is contracted out and a money purchase scheme with the option to contract out, becoming familiar with those schemes is essential.
2. Practise calculations from past papers and check the answers against those given in the appendix to the Examiners’ Report.
3. Read copies of past Examiners’ Reports – these will identify many common problems and guidance about how to avoid them.
4.  A separate PMI online learning inter-active programme is available for each of the examined areas – Transfers, Deaths, Retirement and Leavers. It guides candidates through their preferred learning style enabling them to define how they want to practice for the examinations

The examinations are designed to test the competence of candidates in the calculation and communication of pension benefits for a range of scheme types.  Depending on the examination being tested, there will be either five or six case studies (Calculation Section) and either one or two letters (Letter Section).

The examinations are based on three types of fictitious pension schemes:

The examinations require candidates to provide evidence of their ability to:

• understand and interpret rules for different types of pension scheme
• carry out manual calculations for a range of member events, this range is detailed in the Units.
• understand the impact of supplementary information (e.g. part-time service, enhanced accrual rates, transferred-in benefits, AVCs, etc.) on the core benefits payable
• understand legislative restrictions that apply to the level of benefits payable
• communicate benefit options fully and accurately and request all the information required before the scheme can pay the benefits

Copies of Scheme Booklets and Tables of Factors should be taken into the examinations. It is vital that candidates ensure they have the current versions, which are downloadable from this page by accessing the learning website -

https://www.cpc-learning-materials.com/

March 2021

Part 1 - Determine Retirement Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Retirement Benefits

Part 1 - Determine Death Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Death Benefits

Part 1 - Determine Leavers Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Leavers Benefits

Determine Transfers In and Transfers Out

March 2021 - Examiner's Report

September 2020

Part 1 - Determine Retirement Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Retirement Benefits

Part 1 - Determine Death Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Death Benefits

Part 1 - Determine Leavers Benefits

Part 2 - Determine Leavers Benefits

Determine Transfers In and Transfers Out

Examiners Report (all units)

Resuls for the examinable units are usually released within 3 months of the exam date

Special consideration can be given to an individual who has temporarily experienced illness or injury or some other circumstance outside his or her control (such as problems at the exam centre such as noise or disturbance) that may have impacted on performance or attainment. 

The PMI is committed to providing fair and consistent examination, verification, approval and assessment processes. Visit the Wider information set page to find out more.

On completion of CPA individuals can apply for certificate level of membership of PMI and have the designatory initials CertPMI after their name.

This qualification can be used as part of the Workplace Pensions Trailblazer Apprenticeship. Amongst the many benefits of the apprenticeship is the opportunity to access Government funding to cover the cost of the qualifications and any associated training. 

Employers/training providers wishing to use this qualification as part of the apprenticeship should use the apprenticeship specific registration/entry forms. 

Organisations wishing to offer this qualification must apply to the PMI for Examination Partner, unless they are already a PMI Approved Centre.

It will be necessary to apply to become an approved centre - the process involves three stages:

• A Centre Recognition Form is completed and returned to PMI along with the approval fee.
• An approval visit to the centre is carried out.
  • Once approval is agreed a PMI Examination Partner Certficate is issued and candidates can be registered for the approved qualification(s).

Single Site Centre

This is a centre where all the candidates are at one location.

Multi Site Centre

If candidates are based at more than one location, it is possible to become a multi site centre where it will consist of one Examination Partner and minimum one satellite centre. In this setup there must be a Examination Partner contact who will be responsible for dealing with the administration of the qualification across all locations. All correspondence and examination material will be sent to the main centre contact who will be responsible for distributing it to the different locations. Each location must have a designated local contact. The alternative is to register each location as a single site centre.

Annual Examination Partner /Approved Centre fee 

Once approved, an Examination Partner/Approved Centre fee is payable. This commences in the year the of the approval and is paid in April.

It is broken down as follows:

Application for centre approval £900

Application for Examination Partner approval £700

Multi-Site Examination Partners £700 + £400 per satellite centre

Multi-Site Centre approval £900 + 250 per satellite centre

As soon as an Organisation has been approved as an Examination Partner for CPE then candidate registration can commence. All candidate registrations must be completed by the Examination Partner contact.

New to PMI?

The Examination Partner contact must register any new candidates.