training

An introduction to the UK Pensions system

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A free seminar from the Pensions Policy Institute, kindly sponsored by Phoenix Group.

Time: 12:00 – 13:00
Date: Tuesday 13 May 2025
Location: Central Hall Westminster, Dinsdale Young Room, Storey’s Gate, London, SW1H 9NH

Pensions are important, but can be very confusing.

We can help with this

The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) would like to invite you to join us for an introduction to the UK Pensions System. This seminar, which is free to attend and kindly sponsored by Phoenix Group, is open exclusively to all staff working within Parliament who have an interest in pension policy.

There is no getting away from it, the current UK Pensions system can be confusing. This seminar, delivered by the PPI’s Senior Leadership Team, will provide a high-level overview of the current system, and the issues faced by industry, policymakers, and those saving for and in receipt of income in retirement.

Specific topics which will be covered include:

  • The State Pension – historical background and where we are today
  • Automatic enrolment – historical background and where we are today
  • Adequacy
  • Retirement income – comparisons with the rest of the world
  • Private pensions – what is available, where we are today with CDC, industry challenges and the changing landscape
  • The Gender Pensions Gap – differences and explanations
  • Investment – Mansion House, Illiquids, ESG
  • New developments – Dashboards, Small Pots, and Lost Pensions

Why choose this seminar? Our Independence sets us apart: The PPI focuses on the facts. The Knowledge Sharing Seminars will be delivered from the PPI’s independent perspective and will provide you with the facts on the UK Pensions System.

We hope you can join us, and we look forward to unravelling the world of pensions for you!

Please feel free to forward this invite to colleagues within Parliament who may be interested in attending this free seminar.

Click here to book your place

The Pensions Policy Institute: is an educational research institute. Our aim is to improve information and understanding about pensions policy and retirement income provision through research and analysis, discussion, and publication.

Phoenix Group: You may be aware of Phoenix’s customer brand, Standard Life, who together with their other brands make Phoenix one of the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business.

Casework Discussion Forum: Local transport Q&A

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Time: 14:30 – 15:30
Date: 8 May 2025
Location: Online via MS Teams

The Casework Discussion Forum takes place each month via MS Teams.

The topic for May’s forum meeting will be a Local transport Q&A (UK wide). We’ll be joined by Roger Tyers and Mike Benson from the Library’s Business and Transport team, and Iona Stewart from the Library’s Social and General Statistics team.

Book your place on Act.

The forum is complemented by a dedicated Teams chat which enables you to share ideas and best practice, with support being on hand from the Library should specialist knowledge be required.

You do not have to be a caseworker to attend these sessions – they are open to any Members’ staff who handle casework.

Becoming British: how migrants qualify for permanent residence and citizenship

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House of Commons Library Talk

Session outline

People who move to the UK can often make it their permanent home after a while by applying for indefinite leave to remain and then British citizenship. We’ll discuss how this works, how long it normally takes and recent announcements in this area from both the Labour government and Conservative opposition.

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 8 May 2025
Location: Online
Registration: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?f=3477

Bank of England Briefing Session in Glasgow for Scottish MPs’ Staff

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The Bank of England would like to invite the staff of MPs based in Scotland to attend a briefing session on the work of the Bank on Tuesday 27 May from 11.00-13.00 at a venue in the centre of Glasgow.

Senior Bank staff will deliver a briefing on how the work of the Bank of England affects constituents, with an introduction to our work in Scotland from our Scottish Agency. With an interest rate decision on 8 May, this will be an ideal opportunity to learn more about the work of the Bank and ask your constituents’ questions.

If you would like to attend, please email [email protected] to book a place in person.

We would be grateful if you could share this with any colleagues based in constituency offices in Glasgow and the surrounding area who may be interested in attending.

Please note this session is for staffers only. However, we hold regular briefing sessions for MPs to keep them up to date on the Bank’s policymaking. The next session for MPs will be held in the Bank of England’s London office on 24 April and Members are welcome to get in touch to learn more.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Bank of England. You can learn more about our Agent for Scotland here.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 in Parliament

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Parliament is proud to support Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), running from 12 – 18 May 2025. MHAW is an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health and share ways to support good mental health for all.  This year, the theme for MHAW set by the Mental Health Foundation is Community.

There is something for everyone this Mental Health Awareness Week, with events and resources open to Members and Members’ staff taking place throughout the week. Join us to celebrate the power and importance of community in supporting mental health this MHAW.

What’s On

  • Attend a special programme of talks, training workshops and networking sessions
  • Visit the MHAW stall in Portcullis House on 13 May
  • Networking events for Members’ staff in-person (13 May) and online (15 May)
  • Explore a collection of on-demand resources including pre-recorded webinars, interactive notice boards, and information about health and wellbeing services available to you.

The programme of events and training courses taking place throughout Mental Health Awareness Week is available to book here on ACT. 

Find out more and stay up to date on Parlinet: ParliNet | Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Access to cash and banking hubs

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House of Commons Library Talk

Session outline

Cash access, use and acceptance are declining. Recent legislation has tried to address the issues this causes for people reliant on cash. This talk will outline the law in this area and how caseworkers can help constituents with cash access requests.

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 24 April 2025
Location: Online
Registration: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=7498

Practical recommendations for supporting staff in a political office

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By Jennifer Lees-Marshment
Professor of Political Management and Marketing at The University of Dundee

Wednesday April 2nd at 2pm

This workshop will present practical recommendations for supporting staff in political offices. These were created by interviewing political advisors who worked for Prime Ministers, Ministers and MPs in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand about what they had found worked best within the realities of politics and government.

Participants will also get the opportunity to reflect on which recommendations they might consider implementing, and to share any additional practices they have found useful.

This will be of interest to existing and prospective staffers and special advisers, and those already support and manage colleagues, teams or offices or aspire to in the future.

Brief author intro
Jennifer Lees-Marshment is Professor of Political Marketing and Management at The University of Dundee and interviewed over 65 advisors who worked for Prime Ministers, Ministers and MPs in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada to identify over 50 best practice recommendations for improving the support and management of political staffers.

To receive the Teams link to this session, please email [email protected]

Casework Discussion Forum: Home Office MP account management team

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Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 8 April 2025
Location: Online via MS Teams

The Casework Discussion Forum takes place each month via MS Teams.

For the April 2025 forum we will be joined by staff from the Home Office MP account management team. The session will provide an overview of the Home Office MPAM team and a chance for the team to hear feedback from caseworkers.

Book your place on Act.

Accredited CPD courses 

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The Members and Members’ Staff Services Team are thrilled to announce the launch of accredited Continuing Professional Development(CPD) courses. CPD refers to any activity that encourages participants to learn new skills, knowledge or expertise that will help them progress in their chosen career. 

Further information is available on ParliNet.

Invitation for MPs: Bank of England Briefing

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The Bank of England wishes to invite Members of Parliament to a briefing in Portcullis House on Thursday 27th March from 9.30-11.00:

How the Work of the Bank of England Affects Your Constituents

The Bank’s wide-ranging work – on interest rates, the safety of the financial system, managing the UK’s high-value payment system, and supplying genuine, difficult-to-counterfeit banknotes, among other areas – directly affects people and businesses up and down the country.

With an interest rate decision on 20th March, this will be an ideal opportunity to ask your questions and learn more about the work of the Bank of England.

Please book a place via the Member Training Learning Portal here or by emailing [email protected]