It would be surprising if more than 10% of Occupational Pension Schemes had an independent Pensioners' Association. Pensions are taken for granted or seen as a gift from a benevolent employer and the great majority of pensioners assume that their schemes are being properly administered or that they have no right to challenge the administration.

Clearly, no occupational pensioner can rest with absolute confidence that their scheme will always and under all the varying political and commercial conditions, remain above reproach. A pensioners' association will provide the means of safeguarding the interests of your fellow pensioners by monitoring the operation of the Pension Fund as a check that the Trustees are carrying out their duties. Secondary duties may include the social activities, the provision of an advisory service to members on pension matters and involvement in the overall movement to improve the lot of pensioners through affiliation to one or more national pensioner organisations.

The OPA suggests the following check-list of critical decisions that need to be taken in the formative stages:

• How will the Association be managed? Your first committee will probably be invited by the individual(s) who are prepared to drive the idea forward. Their first job will be to prepare a constitution specifying the number of committee members, the method of proposal and election, will they represent particular groups or locations, what officers are needed and will they be chosen from the committee or from the general membership. Will there be a limitation on the term of office for committee members and/or officers? The OPA can provide specimen constitutions from its member associations.
• How will the Association be financed? To be most effective a pensioners' association needs to be independent and this means that it must not depend on an employer's benevolence for its survival. Its budget will vary according to its activities and ambitions. Pensioners' Associations are usually staffed by volunteers and there are no wage bills but officers and committee members will write letters, using stamps and stationery and communicate making use of telephones calls and e-mails, all involving consumables, also repairs, insurance and replacements. Many associations set their annual subscription fee at £5. Income from fees can be augmented by the surpluses created by social activities.
• How will the Association influence the management of their pension Fund? Legally the Pension Fund is separate from the company and every effort should be made to develop good relationships with both the company's Pensions Department and the Trustees of the fund. Some enlightened companies appreciate the value of good communications and are ready to co-operate with a Pensioners' Association in holding joint consultative meetings on pension fund matters.

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Specific advice, tailored to the individual needs of members of an individual scheme is available from the OPA to groups of occupational pensioners who wish to set up pensioners' associations.