types of material held in the Pensions archive

The Pensions Archive Trust (PAT) collects material which is as broad-based as possible, to satisfy the requirements of all types of potential users. We hold the following types of material:-

Pension Scheme Documents:

Copies of A P Information Services Ltd's annual directory of the UK's major pension funds, Pension Funds and their Advisers, held in the Pensions Archive's library collections.

Trust Deeds and Rules: formal documents which govern the running of the pension scheme and set out how benefits are calculated and payable. Trust Deeds are used to establish, regulate and amend a pension scheme; Scheme Rules contain the definitive, detailed provisions of the scheme. They are signed and sealed by the pension scheme’s trustees.

Minutes, reports and other policy documents: minutes usually relates to specific committees or Trustees’ meetings within a scheme or organisation. Reports could include actuarial reports which evaluate the ability of a pension scheme to meet its liabilities. Successive actuarial reports give a good history of how a scheme has developed.

Annual reports and accounts: these provide information, such as the audited accounts and a report by the trustees on the progress of the scheme, for scheme members and other interested parties. The range of information provided has changed, and increased, over time in response to legislation. The impact of legislation on pensions administration can therefore be traced through successive reports.

Pension Manager’s Records: these usually contain correspondence from the Pension Manager, as well as other documents.

Member ledgers and Contribution Record Books: these registers give the names of members of schemes and usually include some personal information about these individuals. As most of these ledgers were produced during the 20th century, access by general researchers is restricted by the Data Protection Act.

Explanatory Booklets and other scheme communications material, such as member newsletters: explanatory booklets were produced for members of the pension scheme and outline what members can expect to receive from the scheme, how their contributions are made, and different types of membership they can obtain.

Publicity material: this can take the form of many different media, including leaflets, promotional films, posters and CD-Roms. 

Archives of related professional institutions and individuals:

• Personal collections relating to pensions.

• Records of organisations, such as professional institutes and trade bodies, such as minutes, reports and other documents.

• Conference papers including delegate lists, magazines, programmes of speakers and events, and speakers' manuscripts.

Publications:

• Statutes and Government regulations.
• Guidance notes, codes and standards of practice.
• Books, magazines and trade directories.
• Reports to Governments (e.g. Pickering, Goode and Sandler).
• Research Papers.
• Conference reports.

Statistics:

• Demographic (including Census returns).
• Life expectancy, mortality and morbidity.
• Investment performance and portfolio structure.
• Survey returns (e.g. Schemes, The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) etc.).