UK – Jobs at supermarket chain Safeway’s roughly 20-strong pensions team are going as the company transfers administration to Capita Hartshead.

The move follows Safeway’s acquisition by Wm Morrison Supermarkets in March 2004.

IPE understands that there have been a number of redundancies at the Hayes-based group, although there would still be some staff remaining in the team.

Capita was appointed as administrator for the formerly self-administered £717m (€1bn) Safeway Pension Scheme following a competitive tender. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We look forward to working alongside the in-house pensions team for the continued smooth administration of the Safeway pension scheme," said Mike Addenbrooke, managing Director of Capita Hartshead.

“The seven-year contract will cover administration of the Safeway scheme's defined benefit final salary section and defined benefit career average section (the CARE section), including pension fund accounting and pensioner payroll services,” the outsourcing firm said.

The scheme, which has more than 38,000 members, will now be administered from Capita Hartshead's Sheffield head office.

"We are delighted to have secured this contract which we believe is testament to the effective service we are able to provide to our clients,” Addenbrooke said.

Safeway closed its final salary scheme to new members in May 2002, replacing it with a career average defined benefit plan for new members.

It also emerged that pensions manager and secretary Christopher Hannon has left, though that was believed to be a separate matter.

Earlier this week Capita Life and Pensions appointed John Connor as its new sales and marketing director.

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