COMMUNICATIONS giant BT is to pump �2billion into its pension fund this month in a further move to tackle a huge shortfall which has already been reduced by more than half in the past three years.

Britain’s largest private sector retirement plan had a �4.1bn black hole at the end of June, but under an agreement with its pension trustees BT will look to eliminate the deficit within 10 years.

It said this month’s �2bn upfront payment, which will be largely funded from �1.5bn of existing cash resources, will be followed by nine annual deficit payments of �325million up to 2021.

The latest valuation of the final salary scheme, which closed to new members in 2001 but still includes many former and current workers at BT’s Adastral Park research site at Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, compares with a deficit of �9bn at the end of 2008.

Under the previous recovery plan, BT’s payments were to increase by 3% a year from �583m in 2012 until they reached �856m in 2025.

But with BT expected to generate �2.4bn of cash in this financial year – more than triple the figure three years ago – it is in a better position to tackle the burden and remove uncertainty over shareholder dividends.

And by pumping money into the scheme this month, BT will also benefit from tax relief at a higher rate before a reduction in Corporation Tax in April.

The valuation of the scheme, which has benefited from better investment returns since 2008, still requires the backing of the pensions regulator.

However, BT shares jumped 4% to 230p in early trading today amid relief at the bolder plan for tackling the deficit, which has plagued the company for many years.