A guide to your employment benefits 

Welcome to Choices – Police Mutual Group’s colleague benefits scheme, which offers you:

• A great range of products and benefits

• Exclusive deals, offering new ways to boost the benefits you receive

• A convenient online portal, so you can see everything in one place, making it easier to make your selections

• Even more flexibility about how and when you can select your benefits when your lifestyle changes

• The chance to save money, by paying for benefits directly from your payslip, before tax and National Insurance (NI) is taken**Tax and NI benefits are subject to change.

Flex your benefits to suit your lifestyle

This brochure gives more information about the benefits on offer and how the scheme operates. Full details on each benefit can be found in the Choices online portal.

If you want to find out more about the benefits on offer, or if you need any extra help, you can contact the Choices helpdesk by emailing pmas@orbitbenefits.com or calling 0345 120 3033.

Visit the Choices portal: pmas.orbitbenefits.com to choose your benefits

Many benefits can now be chosen any time - look out for this icon

InsideFlex your benefits to suit your lifestyle Your benefits at a glance Health and Wellbeing Finance Lifestyle FAQ

3. 4. 6. 12. 18. 27.

365 days

3

Benefit What does it provide?

When can I select this?

Page

Hea

lth

and

Wel

lbei

ng

Private Healthcare High quality discretionary healthcare for you and your loved ones ✓ ✓ ✓ 6

Health Cash Plan A cost-effective way of managing your everyday healthcare costs ✓ ✓ ✓ 7

Critical Illness(self and partner)

A lump sum payment if you or your partner is diagnosed with a qualifying illness ✓ ✓ 8

Dental insurance A cost-effective way of managing your everyday dental care needs ✓ ✓ 9

LifeWorks wellbeing platform

An online resource to support your mental, financial and physical wellbeing ✓ 10

Lifeworks confidential helpline

Gives you access to specialist call handlers and counsellors in your time of need ✓ 11

Fin

ance

Life Assurance A lump sum in the event of your death while you are employed with Police Mutual Group ✓ ✓ 12

Pension A tax-efficient way of saving for retirement ✓ ✓* 13

Personal loans Personal loans at competitive rates ✓ ✓ 16

Car benefit scheme A tax-effective way to enjoy the benefits of leasing a new, fully serviced and maintained car ✓ ✓ 17

*on request

Benefit What does it provide?

When can I select this?

Page

Life

styl

e

Give to charity A tax-efficient way to make your donations to charity go even further ✓ ✓ 18

Holiday Buy and Sell Tailor your holiday allowance to suit your lifestyle – buy or sell up to five days ✓ 19

Childcare vouchers* Save on your childcare expenses in a convenient and tax-efficient way ✓ ✓ 20

Cycle to work Save on the cost of a new bike and accessories ✓ ✓ 21

Gym membership Gym memberships at discounted rates. Join before 19th of each month. ✓ ✓ 22

Discounts & Cashback

Enjoy discounts on restaurants and cinema tickets as well as on everyday purchases ✓ 23

Home technology Choose from the latest mobiles, tablets, computers and other devices, and pay over 12 months ✓ ✓ 24

*you have access to this benefit if you were a member of the scheme on or before 06/04/2018

Your benefits at a glance

365 days

365 days

365 days

Select in the annual election window

Select this benefit during any window

Select or change at a qualifying lifestyle event

4 5

365 days

Select in the annual election window

Select this benefitduring any window

Select or change at a qualifying lifestyle event

The Police Mutual Healthcare scheme offers you high quality discretionary healthcare for you and your loved ones. You can rest assured that if you’re ill or injured, you’ll have care and support.

Thanks to our partnership with our network of hospitals, you will receive care from a choice of top hospitals across the country.

Key information

• Provided by Police Mutual Healthcare

• You’ll automatically receive membership based on your benefit band

• Extend cover to your partner and dependants, or opt out entirely

• Flex your cover up or down at any time within the core entitlement of your benefit band.

If you have flexed up outside of your core entitlement you can’t make a change unless during an annual election window or due to a lifestyle event.

Health and Wellbeing

Private Healthcare Health Cash Plan

Provided by PMHC Ltd, the Health Cash Plan offers you a discretionary cash plan which provides a contribution towards the cost of a range of everyday healthcare needs. The plan includes: dental care, optical goods and services, complementary therapies (such as physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, chiropody and homeopathy), specialist consultancy fees, health screening and a 24/7 GP consultation service.

Key information

• Provided by PMHC Ltd

• Choose from three levels of subscription to suit your budget and needs

• Your dependants are included automatically up to the age of 18

• Choose membership at any time

• You can make changes to who is covered on your plan if you experience a lifestyle event

6 7

Save NI Save NI

Critical Illness cover can help to take away some of the financial strain by paying you a one-off, tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with any one of a number of specified illnesses. You can also extend this cover to your partner for extra peace of mind.

As with any insurance product, all payments are subject to the insurer’s acceptance of any claim. Please note pre-existing conditions are not covered, and you will need to meet the specified survival period.

Key information

• Provided by Canada Life

• Purchase cover up to £500,000 for yourself and £150,000 for your partner in steps of £25,000

• Your dependants may be covered automatically at no additional cost

• You can join or extend your cover during two windows during the benefit year (see the online portal for more details)

• If you experience a lifestyle event, you may join or change your cover

Critical Illness Dental insurance

Dental insurance is a cost-efficient way to manage your routine dental care needs or help with the high costs of unexpected treatment.

Dental insurance works on a reimbursement basis and provides a contribution (subject to the Policy Document and Scheme Rules) to be put towards the cost of NHS or private dental treatment.

Key information

• Provided by Denplan

• Choose from six levels of cover: key, elementary, essential, essential plus, extensive and extensive plus

• You may be able to extend cover to include a partner or dependants

• Join at any time during the benefit year

98

Save NI Save NI

Our platform, provided by LifeWorks, gives you access to experts, information and tools to support your mental, financial and physical wellbeing.

You can access articles, resources and toolkits under the ‘Life’ section covering all aspects of wellbeing including work, life, health, family and everything in between.

Register with LifeWorks when you receive your invitation email then visit login.lifeworks.com via Choices or download the mobile app.

Whatever your concern, we want to make sure that you receive the support and guidance you need, when you need it.

LifeWorks gives you access to a free confidential helpline. LifeWorks also provides best in class counselling and you can turn to them for information and support on a wide range of issues.

You can call the helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on: 0800 169 1920.

LifeWorks wellbeing platform

LifeWorks confidential helpline

10 11

Finance

If anything were to happen to you, Life Assurance could help you to look after your family. Life Assurance can pay a lump sum to your nominated beneficiaries upon your death while you are employed by us.

The benefit is paid tax-free and does not form part of your estate.

Key information

• Cover is provided by Canada Life

• We’ll provide you with cover of four times your salary as a core benefit

• Increase your cover up to 10 times depending on your circumstances

Life Assurance Pension

Planning for your future financial security is important and, whatever your age, it’s never too soon to start. Thinking about what you can afford to live on in retirement will help you to make choices now.

A pension helps you to save towards your retirement in a tax-efficient way and the contributions you pay will be matched by the company, up to 10% depending on your benefit band.

1312

Save tax and NISave NI

If you already have an existing Scottish Widows plan, you can continue with your plan and use the portal to maintain or change your contributions.

You can access information about your plan online. You can register at: https://personal.secure.scottishwidows.co.uk/register/

You will need your plan number.

Once registered, login at: https://personal.secure.scottishwidows.co.uk/login/

Please see the portal for more information.

You can choose to join the Police Mutual Group Personal Pension scheme, which aims to build up a lump sum which you may choose to convert into a retirement income when you retire. For more information see the online portal.

Key information

• Build up a lump sum in a tax-efficient way

• Contributions from as little as 4% of salary and matched by the company up to 10% depending on your benefit band

• Join during the annual election window, or at any point during the year on request

Police Mutual Group Personal Pension

14 15

Scottish Widows Pension

Provided by Neyber, you can apply for a personal loan at competitive rates. You’ll benefit from an easy online application process, fixed monthly repayments taken automatically from your salary, and no arrangement or early repayment fees. Full details on this product and eligibility are available on the online portal.

Key information

• Provided by Neyber

• Specific eligibility criteria apply

• Choose this benefit any time

• You can apply for a loan as soon as you start working for Police Mutual Group

We’ve teamed up with Tusker to offer you the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of leasing a new, fully serviced and maintained car.

You can sacrifice a portion of your gross salary in return for a car of your choice. You get a fully inclusive motoring package for a fixed monthly cost and, as you are sacrificing gross salary, you will save on National Insurance. Depending on what car you choose, you could save some tax too.

Key information

• Provided by Tusker

• Apply to lease a car at any time

• Choose a car to suit your needs and a contract length of between 2 and 4 years

• Costs such as fully comprehensive motor insurance (including all business travel for you), servicing, tyres, maintenance, road fund licence and roadside assistance are included

• Some protection against penalty charges incurred as a result of exiting the scheme early due to you leaving your employer as a result of resignation, redundancy, loss of life and loss of licence on medical grounds

Personal loans Car benefit scheme

1716

Save NI

• Choose a low emissions car to maximise your tax savings

• See the Choices portal for more information

Lifestyle

Charitable donations are a completely tax-free, simple way for you to support your favourite charity on a regular basis.

You can give to any UK-registered charity or organisation recognised by HMRC. This can include places of worship, schools, scout groups and many other organisations.

Key information

• Provided by Charities Aid Foundation

• Make tax-efficient donations direct from your salary

• Give anything upwards of £1 a month

Give to charity Holiday Buy and Sell

Tailor your holiday allowance to suit your lifestyle. You can choose to buy or sell up to five days of your annual holiday entitlement each year (pro rata for part-time colleagues).

If you buy, it will result in a salary sacrifice arrangement for the value of holiday bought. If you sell, it will release the cash value to spend on other benefits or you can take it as cash through payroll.

This is a salary sacrifice arrangement and the cost of buying and selling holiday is calculated as:

Hourly rate x hours (to buy/to sell) requested/12 monthly deductions.

Key information

• Buy and sell up to five days (pro rata for part-time colleagues)

• The cost is spread over the benefit year

• You must have your line manager’s authorisation

• The annual leave year is 1 April to 31 March

• New starters can flex their holiday for the remainder of that year on a pro rata basis

18 19

Save tax

Childcare vouchers allow you to save on your childcare expenses in a convenient and tax-efficient way.

You can select any amount to a maximum of £243 per month (depending on your tax status). This amount will be paid into your own online account and you can use it to pay for a range of registered or approved child carers, including registered nurseries, childminders, play schemes, after school clubs and crèches.

Key information

• Provided by Busy Bees

• Select up to £243 per month (depending on your tax status)

• Select or change this benefit at any time

• Depending on your income tax rate and personal circumstances, other forms of supported childcare arrangements may be more beneficial. Please see the UK Government’s latest guidance at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Childcare vouchers* Cycle to work

Cycle to work aims to get more commuters out of their car and on a bike. Cycling can be a great way to travel to and from work. It’s quick, easy, convenient, great for the environment and great for you!

Most bike types, including mountain and leisure bikes, are available, meaning you can take advantage of these savings in your leisure time as well.

Key information

• Provided by Halfords

• Choose a bike and accessories worth up to £1,000

• Spread the cost over 12 equal instalments

• Choose this benefit any time

2120

Save tax and NISave tax and NI

* available if you were a member of the scheme on or before 6 April 2018.

Get fit and save money on your gym membership. Choose from over 2,000 participating health clubs, gyms and leisure centres, including many of the largest UK chains such as David Lloyd, VirginActive, Fitness First, LA Fitness, Nuffield Health, LivingWell, GymBox, Soho Gyms, Better Gyms (GLL), Everyone Active, BMF, Kinetika, OneLeisure and many more.

Key information

• Provided by Gymflex

• Save up to 40% on standard membership prices

• Choose from four membership options: single or joint membership, peak and off peak

• Payments will be taken in 12 monthly instalments

• Join in the annual election window or any time during the benefit year, by the 19th of the month

• All memberships are for a year, and are non-cancellable and non-transferable

Gym membership Discounts & cashback

Discounts gives you access to a huge range of exclusive savings at over 6000 high street and online stores, 20% off your bill at over 7000 restaurants UK wide (using the inclusive Hi-life card) and up to 55% off cinema tickets. Available as an app and via a website, you can benefit from these savings all year.

Key information

• Provided by LifeWorks

• Instant discounts on digital gift cards

• Handy discount codes to use in store

• Build up cashback

• Access the online portal 24/7 from your PC, tablet or smartphone by downloading the app

22 23

Save NI

24 25

Choose from a range of products and spread the cost over 12 months. You can choose from desktops, laptops, tablets, iPhones, watches and iPods and a wide range of accessories.

Key information

• Provided by Stormfront

• Choose any one (or any combination) of the products up to a maximum cost of £2,000

• Spread the cost over 12 months

• Choose this benefit any time

• Once you have signed up, this will be a 1-year commitment

• Please note that you can only submit your selection(s) for this benefit once each year. Once submitted, you cannot add to your selection(s) at a later date

Home technology Save NI

Don’t forget to make your selections at pmas.orbitbenefits.com

27

FAQWhen does the benefit year run?

From 1 April until 31 March the following year.

What happens if I don’t make my choices during the annual election window?

If you don’t make your choices during the annual election window and have previously ‘flexed up’, ‘flexed down’, or bought additional products, your selections will roll over into the new benefit year.

If this is your first time making a selection, you will receive the core benefits for your role and benefit band as standard. You can then access Choices to choose from more of the benefits on offer. See the portal for more information. Please note: for ‘Private Healthcare’, if you’re entitled to partner cover and would like your partner to benefit you need to supply their details in the “Dependants’ details” section. If you don’t, you’ll default to single cover.

How does Choices help me save money?

Thanks to current HMRC rules, some of the benefits on offer allow you to make tax and National Insurance (NI) savings by paying through salary sacrifice. The money you pay for these benefits is taken directly from your payslip before tax is deducted.

You can access the Choices portal 24/7, 365 days a year.* *Subject to downtime and scheduled maintenance

Can I change my benefit selections outside of the annual election window?

Choices – the Police Mutual Group Benefits Scheme – offers you more flexibility about how and when you can choose your benefits to suit your lifestyle.

You’re invited to select your benefits during the annual election window. However, many of the benefits can be chosen ‘any time’ throughout the benefit year (see the table overview in this booklet).

You may also be able to make changes to your selections if you experience a ‘lifestyle event’, to better suit your new circumstances.

What is a lifestyle event?

Lifestyle events are life-changing situations that may require you to review elements of your benefits package. These include births, adoptions, deaths, marriage and divorce.

To find out more, please contact the helpdesk on pmas@orbitbenefits.com or by calling 0345 120 3033.

365 days

Choices provides you with the opportunity to select the benefits you want, to make the most of the savings available

Where can I get more help or information?

Visit: pmas.orbitbenefits.com Call: 0345 120 3033 Email: pmas@orbitbenefits.com

2928

No information in this brochure should be taken as a personal

recommendation or advice on the part of PM Central Services

(PMCS) or any of its suppliers or partners. Whilst every effort

is made to maintain the accuracy of this brochure, it is only

intended to act as a guide to the scheme. In the event that

there is inconsistency between the brochure and the provider’s

terms and conditions, the provider’s terms and conditions

will prevail. Once accepted into Choices you will be subject

to the rules of the scheme and the provider’s conditions and

requirements for provision of each benefit.

You are advised to seek independent financial advice if you

need further guidance about the suitability of these products

and services in relation to your personal circumstances. PMCS

reserves the right to substitute, change, remove or add to the

products or services listed within Choices or to change the

provider of any benefit. PMCS reserves the right to withdraw

any benefit. An individual may be excluded from a benefit

if the provider refuses to provide the product or services. If

an individual risk profile is assessed by a provider as being

exceptionally high, any additional cost of the benefit may

be passed on to the individual. While PMCS has secured

agreement of the companies listed within this benefit

brochure to provide a range of goods and/or services for your

benefit it does not accept any liability for any goods and/or

services received. PMCS is committed to using providers of a

high quality.

PMHC Limited is registered in England & Wales No. 3018474.

Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield,

Staffordshire, WS13 6QS.

Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited is an incorporated

friendly society authorised by the Prudential Regulation

Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

and Prudential Regulation Authority. The registered office

of PMAS is Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield,

Staffordshire,

WS13 6QS.

Capita Employee Benefits is a trading name of Capita

Employee Benefits Limited and Capita Employee Benefits

(Consulting) Limited. Part of Capita plc. www.capita.co.uk.

Capita Employee Benefits Limited and Capita Employee

Benefits (Consulting) Limited are registered in England &

Wales No: 02260524 and 01860772 respectively. Registered

Office: 17 Rochester Row, Westminster, London, SW1P 1QT.

Separately authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct

Authority.

Canada Life Limited is registered in England & Wales No.

973271. Registered office: Canada Life Place, Potters Bar,

Hertfordshire, EN6 5BA

Denplan Limited is registered in England & Wales No. 1981238.

Registered office: Denplan Court, Victoria Wood, Winchester,

Hampshire, SO23 7RG

Legal disclosuresWhat are ‘core benefits’? Can I opt out of them?

There are some benefits that we want you to have as a minimum and they are funded entirely by us – they’re called ‘core benefits’.

Some core benefits attract a Benefit in Kind tax liability eg Private Healthcare. Benefit in Kind tax is processed through payroll on a monthly basis.

Some core benefits also include an element of choice and you will be able to increase or decrease the level of cover, or opt out entirely in the case of ‘Private Healthcare’.

Why are some of the options greyed out or not letting me select them?

If you’re unable to choose a benefit, it could be for the following reasons:• If you’ve informed us of a

lifestyle event and we haven’t yet updated your portal options

• There are specific eligibility criteria you haven’t met

What is salary sacrifice?

Salary sacrifice happens when you choose to give up part of your cash pay, under your contract of employment, in return for the employer’s agreement to provide you with a non-cash benefit of the equivalent value. This is how you

pay for the benefits you choose through Choices.

I’ve chosen my benefits in the portal, but how do I know it’s worked?

You’ll receive a confirmation email once you’ve submitted your selections. You can also log into the Choices platform and click on the ‘Choose benefits’ tile for a summary.

Am I guaranteed a benefit once I’ve applied for it?

We’ll review your application and make sure that you’re eligible for all of the benefits you want. If you’re not, we’ll contact you to let you know and explain why.

Scottish Widows PLC is registered in England & Wales No. 199549.

Registered office: 69 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8YF

PMGI Limited, trading as Police Mutual (PMAS), is authorised

and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered

in England & Wales No. 1073408. Registered office: Alexandra

House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6QS. PMGI

Limited, trading as Police Mutual is acting as credit broker.

Neyber Limited is acting as lender for the purposes of entering

into a consumer credit agreement. All applications are subject

to acceptance by Neyber. Terms and conditions apply. Neyber

Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct

Authority. Interim permission: 663054. Registered address: First

Floor (East), Tabernacle Court, 16-28 Tabernacle Street, London,

EC2A 4DD, United Kingdom, Company registered number:

08806631 Data Protection Registration Number: ZA039009.

Tuskerdirect Limited is an appointed representative of Howden

UK Group Limited (FRN 309639) for insurance mediation

activities and Product Partnerships Limited (FRN 626349) for

consumer credit activities, which companies are authorised

and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered

in England & Wales No. 03864648. Registered office: Building

4, Hatters Lane, Croxley Green Business Park, Watford,

Hertfordshire, WD18 8YF

Charities Aid Foundation is a registered charity No. 268369.

Registered office: 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West

Malling, Kent, ME19 4TA

Busy Bees Benefits Limited is registered in England & Wales

No. 6758298. Registered office: Shaftsbury Drive, Burntwood,

Staffordshire, WS7 9QP.

Visit: pmas.orbitbenefits.com

3130

Halfords Limited is registered in England & Wales No. 103161.

Registered office: Icknield Street Drive, Washford West,

Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 0DE

Incorpore Limited is registered in England & Wales No.

3997432. Registered office: 40 Folders Lane, Burgess Hill,

West Sussex, RH15 0DR

LifeWorks is delivered by Work Angel Technology (t/a

LifeWorks). Work Angel Technology is registered in England

& Wales No: 08223675. Registered office: 4th Floor, The

Glassmill, 1 Battersea Bridge Road, London, SW11 3BZ

Stormfront Retail Ltd is registered in England & Wales No.

5935581. Registered office: Unit 1B Newton Centre, Thorverton

Road, Matford Business Park, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8GN

Products may be changed or withdrawn without notice.

PROM00357 0318