This guidance is addressed to the Cabinet Office as scheme manager of the Civil Servants and Others Pension Scheme ('CSOPS' or alpha scheme).

The purpose is to provide Cabinet Office with guidance on how factors should be applied in calculating the cash equivalent of an alpha member's benefit for pension sharing on divorce.

The guidance only relates to benefits in the alpha scheme. Benefits in the classic, classic plus, premium or nuvos schemes (sections of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS)) should be treated separately, in accordance with the relevant guidance for those schemes - that is, separate cash equivalents will be calculated for the member's alpha benefits and legacy scheme benefits.

This guidance should be used both when a member applies for a quotation of the value of the benefits during the divorce proceedings, and after a pension sharing order has been made.

Any special cases that are not covered by this guidance should be treated on a case by case basis.

Separate instructions cover the conversion of a pension credit to pension for the ex-partner - please see the guidance on pension credits for more information.

The following changes have been made when reviewing this guidance:

• Important information around the expected audience for the guidance, use of the guidance, review of factors, compliance and limitations applies across all sets of guidance. Rather than being repeated in each set of guidance, this can now be found on the scheme home page. It is important to read this information alongside the guidance.
• Calculation methodology: No changes have been made to the calculation methodology.
• Examples: There are no examples in this guidance. Worked examples, using the calculation methodology, can be found in prior versions of the guidance (though please note that these use historic factors).
• Factor tables: The "Factor Tables" tab contains the names of the tables that are referenced in the calculation methodology. The tables of factors themselves can be found in the most recently published "Consolidated Factors Workbook" which is available by clicking the "Download current Consolidated Factors Workbook" button on the scheme's home page.
• Assumptions: The key assumptions underlying the factors in each note are contained in the Consolidated Factors Workbook.
• Regulations: The regulations that require the production of the actuarial factors and/or guidance that is the subject of this note are summarised in the "Regulations" tab.