Total Membership

As at 31 March 2020, the total membership of the Scheme was 6.16million, compared with 5.89million as at 31 March 2019. The greatest increase in absolute and relative terms was to pensioner membership, which increased by 5.7% over the year to 2020.

  Total Membership bar chart image

(000s)

Actives

Deferreds

Pensioners

Total

2012

1,705

1,529

1,366

4,600

2013

1,728

1,621

1,408

4,758

2014

1,819

1,723

1,459

5,001

2015

1,870

1,798

1,487

5,156

2016

1,899

1,859

1,530

5,289

2017

1,964

2,078

1,642

5,684

2018

2,010

2,159

1,691

5,861

2019

1,957

2,214

1,728

5,899

2020 

2,019

2,307

1,833

6,160

Increase (decrease) 2013

0.5%

2.0%

0.9%

3.4%

Increase (decrease) 2014

1.9%

2.1%

1.1%

5.1%

Increase (decrease) 2015

1.0%

1.5%

0.6%

3.1%

Increase (decrease) 2016

0.6%

1.2%

0.8%

2.6%

Increase (decrease) 2017

1.2%

4.1%

2.1%

7.5%

Increase (decrease) 2018

0.8%

1.4%

0.9%

3.1%

Increase (decrease) 2019

-0.9%

0.9%

0.6%

0.6%

Increase (decrease) 2020

1.1%

1.6%

1.8%

4.4%

Change in membership over year ended 31 March 2020

 

Actives

Deferreds

Pensioners

Total

2012

37.1%

33.2%

29.7%

100%

2013

36.3%

34.1%

29.6%

100%

2014

36.4%

34.4%

29.2%

100%

2015

36.3%

34.9%

28.8%

100%

2016

35.9%

35.2%

28.9%

100%

2017

34.5%

36.6%

28.9%

100%

2018

34.3%

36.8%

28.9%

100%

2019

33.2%

37.5%

29.3%

100%

2020

32.8%

37.5%

29.8%

100%

Employers

The total number of employers listed in the Fund annual report and accounts 2019 was 16,307, compared with 15,702 for 2019. These totals includes active and ceased employers as well as scheduled and admitted bodies, including outsourcing companies, academies etc.

These figures may differ from employers listed in actuarial valuation reports and SF3 figures, as inactive employers with no active or deferred pensioner members may or may not be included.

CIPFA annual report guidance was updated for 2014 to included provision of an employer table with the aim of providing a more accurate figure for active versus ceased employers. Tables were provided in 15% of annual reports in 2014; this rate had improved to 57% in 2015 (including where equivalent information was disclosed) and was higher still at 62% for 2016 and 66% for 2017. It is hoped that more administrating authorities will provide this information in future. Taking the ceased employer total from the grand total for 2020 gives a figure of 14,253 not including ceased employers.

Average number of employers per fund by type of administering authority

Fund administering authority type

Count of funds

Average number of employers per fund

Metropolitan Districts 7 424
County Councils/Unitaries 38 288
Other 3 59
Wales 8 69
London Boroughs 32 52
Average number of employers bar chart image

 

The chart shows how the average number of employers differs between the types of administering authority. County council administered funds typically have more participating employers compared with London boroughs. The 'Other' category comprises the London Pension Fund Authority and the Environment Agency funds (for the purpose of administration, City of London is included in London Boroughs).