Barnes & Sherwood workplace benefits brochure

Workplace Benefits Making the Right Choices with

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd Independent Financial Advisers | Employee Benefit Specialists Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd is registered in England & Wales Company Number. 7446577 and is regulated by the Financial Service Authority, FRN 547997.

Why Barnes & Sherwood?

“Our clients range from large listed companies to small owner-

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Barnes & Sherwood are independent employee benefit consultants providing expert advice and service on all aspects of your benefit programme.

We have a large and growing client base of businesses across industry sectors who rely on our advice to administer their schemes.

Our clients range from large listed companies to small owner-managed businesses, giving us the experience and knowledge to design a benefits package to suit your business - however large or small your salary level.

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We advise on all benefits including pensions, insurance and flexible benefits.

businesses.�

Our expertise enables us to propose solutions that are tax-efficient with specialist advice on modern pension arrangements including the new workplace pension reforms.

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

Why are Employee Benefits Important?

Staff engagement and motivation are strongly linked to productivity and this is a key function of your strategy.

The world of compensation and benefits has changed. It’s no longer simply about recruitment and retention, but an important tool to boost productivity and service levels throughout your organisation.

Did you know that around two-fifths of employers spend between 11% and 20% of payroll on their benefits programme?

Given this amount of money, it is no surprise that the biggest issue shaping most employers’ strategies is to improve the perceived value of the benefits package throughout the organisation.

However, that’s not easy to achieve without help. There is new legislation including taxation and pension reforms to take account of, which half of all businesses say is crucial in shaping an effective strategy.

So the right level and mix of benefits is central to the success of your business.

Barnes & Sherwood can work with you to arrange and administer your benefits as cost-effectively as possible. To get the maximum value for your expenditure, we help your employees understand what you are providing and how it benefits them.

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

“So the right level and mix of benefits is central to the success of your business.”

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Independence and Expert Knowledge

Barnes & Sherwood are totally independent. Our service is bespoke and unbiased and our aim is to help you achieve the maximum impact from your investment in employee benefits.

We have been working in this industry for 14 years, are profitable and financially robust with an exemplary compliance and client service record.

With no bias to any product provider, the recommendations we make are based upon what will be best for your business and employees.

Our access to specialist underwriting schemes also ensures you can buy the most suitable cover at the best price.

The flexible administration and support services we provide can be scaled up or down giving you as much or as little help as you require.

Better Underwriting Terms Barnes & Sherwood have access to all leading insurers and underwriting agencies. This extends the benefits of group underwriting to a wider range of employers, saving you significant amounts on the cost of individual policies and time spent running them.

We also make it easier and faster to obtain cover without the need for a medical or extensive health questions.

What can we help you with?

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Pensions: tax-efficient arrangements with control and flexibility over benefits.

Death-in-service cover: Prices for group life assurance vary considerably and we can find suitable cover at the right price.

Critical illness cover: a lump sum should an employee suffer a serious illness such as heart attack, stroke or cancer.

Income protection: allowing you to continue salary payments if an employee is unable to work due to accident or illness.

Private medical insurance: substantially cheaper than individual policies with fast access to specialists and less time off work.

Flexible benefits: giving choice in benefits greatly increases the value people place on them and can save you money.

Salary Sacrifice: employees can increase the tax breaks available for pension contributions subject to meeting HMRC criteria.

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

Working With You

Choosing an employee benefits package usually involves a number of departments within an organisation each with different concerns.

The finance department is likely to focus on costs while HR might be concerned with delivery. Your staff will want to understand their benefits and managers will want to use them to recruit, retain and increase productivity.

We recognise this and offer a specific service for each part of your business giving key individuals direct access to the appropriate person in Barnes & Sherwood.

The most successful and effective results occur when we work together to achieve your goals.

“The most successful and effective results occur when we work together to achieve your goals.�

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

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Pension Laws Are Changing Find out what this means for your Business

In a recent survey, Employee Benefits magazine noted that 74% of readers say complying with the 2012 pension reforms will increase costs.

75% say it is their HR strategy to offer a high-quality pension for staff.

38% intend to review pay increases to fund compulsory employer contributions.

10% offer an online platform for staff to manage all their workplace savings.

24% are considering the idea.

70% feel responsible for employees’ long-term financial wellbeing.

We can help with these changes. The Pensions Act 2008 introduces new duties on employers to provide a workplace pension scheme and new rights for many workers.

Depending on the size of your organisation, these new duties could start as early as 2012 and you may need to enrol some or all of your workers into a scheme that meets the ‘qualifying scheme’ standards.

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Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

The Next Step – Call Now for a Free Audit of Your Benefits Package

We offer a free, no-obligation initial appointment with a qualified and experienced adviser who can evaluate your benefits programme.

“Barnes &

We look at whether your present arrangements –

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✔ could benefit from reduced administrative charges and commissions, ✔ are delivering value for money, ✔ meet the new requirements for pensions under the reforms, ✔ make the best use of modern technology platforms for employee engagement, and ✔ are tax effective for your staff.

This takes away the guesswork from your benefits programme. It also allows Finance to understand the costs and benefits, with a summary of how things could be improved to save money.

guarantee a comprehensive report on your benefits package.”

Barnes & Sherwood guarantee a comprehensive report on your benefits package with an independent analysis of pensions, death in service benefits, income protection and private medical insurance.

We cover: ✔ Scheme costs and where you could save money, ✔ Appropriateness for staff, ✔ Value for money, ✔ Costs to your business, ✔ Impact on your business, ✔ Administration and service.

This puts you on a sure footing for future decision-making with a comprehensive understanding of services and costs. It means you can have confidence in your benefits package.

We look forward to hearing from you soon...

Adrian Kemp, Managing Director, Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd Phone: 01483 745 082 or Mobile: 07879 616981 Email: akemp@barnsher.co.uk or visit our website www.barnsher.co.uk

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd

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Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd Suite 2, Third Floor, One Crown Square, Church Street East, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6HR Office: 01483 725523 Fax: 01483 725677 Email: akemp@barnsher.co.uk

Independent Financial Advisers | Employee Benefit Specialists The content of this brochure does not constitute advice.

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Ltd is registered in England & Wales Company Number. 7446577 and is regulated by the Financial Service Authority, FRN 547997.