HALF OF TEACHERS FACE PENSION FUNDING SHORTFALL

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  • Nearly half (48%) of teachers expect not to have enough money to fund their retirement
  • Three quarters (75%) of teachers plan on leaving the profession before retirement age
  • 37% of teachers will need to keep working in some form to fund retirement after they start drawing their pension benefits

As teachers are heading back to the classrooms this term, almost half (48%) say they will not have enough money to fund their retirement – highlighting a potential retirement ‘funding gap’ within the profession according to new research from Wesleyan, the specialist financial services mutual for teachers. 

 

Three out of four (75%) UK teachers say they are looking to leave the profession before the normal retirement age for their pension savings, even though many haven’t saved enough to fund their retirement. 

 

The research also showed a trend in ‘flexi-retirement’ – teachers continuing to work after they have ‘retired’. Nearly two fifths (37%) of respondents to Wesleyan’s survey said they will need to keep working in some form after they start drawing their pension benefits.

 

The main reasons for doing so were to generate income for luxuries (27%) and one in six (14%) said they would need to work to ensure they could meet their basic needs.

 

The results found that many teachers are confused by the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). Just a third (34%) of teachers said they fully understand the TPS rules around ‘phased retirement’.

 

Phased retirement options give teachers the choice to access up to 75% of their pension benefits while still working and contributing to the scheme – but what they are finding confusing are the rules and regulations around working patterns and salary to access this option. Many teachers do not realise this is an option for them.

 

Additional research with members of the teachers’ union the NASUWT found that 22% teachers planned to take early retirement because of stress/workload pressures. A further 21% stated that they were retiring early to have a better work/life balance (21%)*.

 

Glen Roberts, Area Manager at Wesleyan, said: “September is a natural time to reflect on career ambitions and the new school year ahead, and it’s traditionally a month when we get a surge in enquiries about retirement planning. It is concerning to see that so many teachers are worried or confused about their retirement.

 

“The traditional concept of retirement as a time when people fully leave the world of work behind is becoming more and more outdated. As our findings show, teachers are increasingly choosing to work in retirement. For a small but nonetheless significant proportion, it will be a necessity so they can meet basic needs – a worrying finding.

 

“A financial adviser really can help make the planning process easier to manage – including helping to determine whether teachers have enough to afford the retirement they want, and how to make early or flexi-retirement possible.”

 

The Retirement Living Standards guideline is that an individual will need £33,600pa in retirement to live comfortably**. This means they will be able to cover everyday cost plus pay for some luxuries such as holidays and beauty treatments. However, the average pension for a male teacher is £16,034pa and £11,581pa for a female teacher.*** This would mean a shortfall in income of up to £22,019 in retirement. This shortfall will reduce to approx. £12,392 if the full flat rate state pension is paid from state pension age.***

 

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION INTRODUCES LIVE LESSONS TO ITS NEW REMEMBRANCE RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS

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The RBL’s latest teaching materials include two brand new live lessons – a poetry project with spoken word poet Tomos Roberts and a special Live Remembrance Assembly for schools

The charity has also added to its existing range of Remembrance lesson plans, assemblies and bitesize activities

The Royal British Legion, together with the National Literacy Trust, has launched a new range of free teaching resources to help children in Key Stages 1-5 understand the importance of Remembrance and its relevance today.

The charity is encouraging teachers to register their interest in two exciting new live learning opportunities – the Alive with Poppies poetry project taking place from 3rd – 6th October, and the Live Remembrance Assembly on the 11th November. Using his specially commissioned poem for the Festival of Remembrance last year as inspiration, renowned poet Tomos Roberts will be delivering four virtual lessons helping children plan, create and perform their own Remembrance poetry. The Live Remembrance Assembly on Armistice Day, co-produced by the National Literacy Trust, will be an interactive live stream for Key Stage 2 classes, exploring why we remember through poetry and music and bringing children across the country together for the Two Minute Silence.

This year the resources will explore the theme of ‘service,’ highlighting the role of the civilian emergency services, the work of the intelligence services, and the service provided by our Armed Forces. During times of conflict or national emergency, service can also include a wider group of people, for example, the thousands of volunteers that supported the NHS during the Covid pandemic. The teaching resources will help explore what service means, the backgrounds of those who serve, and the impact it has on them and their families.

The Royal British Legion’s Remembrance Lead, Philippa Rawlinson, says:

“The live lessons for schools are an innovative addition to RBL’s new range of materials to help teachers show the next generation why it is important to remember those who serve. Understanding our shared heritage of Remembrance helps bring communities together and ensures we recognise the service and sacrifice of past and present generations. These new resources will help us ensure Remembrance is understood by and available to all children in every community in the UK.”

Fay Lant, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust, says:

“We are so proud to be partnering with the Royal British Legion for Remembrance. The new live lessons will provide a creative, interactive way for children to learn about the importance of Remembrance whilst also improving their literacy skills. Combined with the updated resources, activities and lesson plans, schools across the country will be able to get involved with Remembrance and explore the theme of service. We look forward to working closely with the Legion to produce these events and activities and help children understand the relevance of Remembrance in the modern day.”

The RBL is committed to passing the torch of Remembrance to the next generation, ensuring that children have a comprehensive understanding of what Remembrance is and why it is relevant to their lives today. As time passes since the Second World War, when a generation experienced conflict first-hand, the RBL aims to teach children to appreciate how today’s Armed and civilian services continue to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life. Designed to engage children through poetry, music and art, these resources will help pupils discover how Remembrance traditions have evolved and how they might grow and change in the future.

The Royal British Legion’s free Teaching Remembrance resources can be downloaded on the RBL’s website:  www.rbl.org.uk/teachingremembrance.

To register interest in the Alive with Poppies Poetry Workshops or the Schools Festival of Remembrance, email remembrance@britishlegion.org.uk  

The latest Teaching Remembrance Resources include:

  • Alive With Poppies Poetry Workshops, 3rd – 6th October

Four virtual lessons, supported by digital resources, and delivered with poet Tomos Roberts. Children will use the original poem ‘Alive with Poppies’ as inspiration for their own Remembrance poetry.

  • Live Remembrance Assembly Friday 11th November 10.30-11.05am co-produced with the NLT

The interactive live streamed Remembrance Assembly will explore the meaning of Remembrance through poetry and music and bring KS2 school children across the country together for the Two Minute Silence.

  • School Assemblies (KS1-5)

The new versions of our extremely popular annual assemblies, which focus this year on how we can remember by exploring service – who serves, how they serve and why they serve. Case studies, photography and film provide examples of the different types of service that keep us safe.

  • Cadet Unit Meeting Assemblies (Navy, Army, RAF, Police, Fire & Ambulance)

Using the KS1-5 School Assembly format we create tailored resources for each of the Cadet sections, pitched to a KS3 age range. Using case studies and images from their own Cadet Sections, children explore Service and Remembrance.

  • KS2-3 Service Class Lessons – These are school-style class lessons which provide children with an understanding of Service and Remembrance.
  • KS2-3 Bitesize Activities – These are quick and engaging short activities helping children to understand different aspects of Remembrance and their links to Service in ‘bitesize’ sessions.

 

For further information please contact:

 

Emily Prestidge, PR Officer, The Royal British Legion: 07458 021735 /

eprestidge@britishlegion.org.uk

Adveco ARDENT Electric Boilers For More Sustainable Hot Water

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ARDENT is a new range commercial electric boilers from hot water specialist Adveco. ARDENT can be combined with heat pump systems to provide a high-temperature energy source during the coldest months, or, as part of an indirect hot water system, can help eliminate damaging scale build-up commonly seen on direct electrical immersion heaters in hard water areas.

“Designed to serve an indirect water heater or heating system, multiple electric heating elements immersed into ARDENT’s integrated water storage tank provide a rapid and reliable source of thermal energy for estate managers seeking to avoid a reliance on gas energy supplies,” said Bill Sinclair, technical director, Adveco.

Encompassing wall-hung and floor-standing variants with heat outputs from 9 to 100 kW, ARDENT provides an easy to integrate, high capacity, reliable, and compact response for electric hot water and central heating demands in schools and tertiary education buildings.

ARDENT commercial electric hot water boilers, use electricity to more efficiently to provide rapid heating with consistent water temperatures. With stepped power control ARDENT reduces start-up current and provides optimum heating output by economically adjusting the output when approaching the set point temperature. Range rating allows the maximum output to be limited to reduce wear on the heating elements and operate within the power availability on site. ARDENT includes integrated overheat protection as standard to ensure safe operation.

With no requirements for flueing, ARDENT will typically benefit from lower installation costs and can be an easier to install option for smaller plant rooms or awkward spaces. With silent operation and no combustion by-products ARDENT electric boilers offer a safer more sustainable option for water heating.

The ARDENT Standard 24 kW and 36 kW model features three heating elements with thermostat input and output control to an external pump.

The ARDENT Plus 9kW, 12 kW and 24 kW models feature two or three heating elements with six or nine circuits controlled by the front-mounted controller with LCD display.  Models include an integrated expansion vessel, relief valve, and circulation pump. Additional controls for a 3-port valve and fault output are available.

For larger-scale applications, ARDENT is also available as a floor-standing appliance with 60 kW, 80 kW and 100 kW heat outputs. Stepped element control is included, as well as an automatic air relief valve, safety valve, and temperature and pressure sensors. The integral controller boasts an LCD display and fault output.   

www.adveco.co