NHS pension scheme, increased contributions and eligibility

[Twentyfour7]

Good Evening Piston Heads

I am writing for assistance from anyone who knows about the NHS pension scheme, the increased employer contribution from 2019 and the legal ruling mentioned at the end of this article please https://www.which.co.uk/money/pensions-and-retirem...

I managed to return to work after a long period of ill health retirement but was told I could not rejoin the NHS pension scheme despite working alongside colleagues who are members of the scheme. My pension instead is with NEST

I understand from this link
https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pension-cont...
that the amount employers are now paying into the NHS scheme has gone up from 2019 and that 6.3% of the 20.68% employer contribution will be funded "centrally".

I am not receiving this top up and I wondered if there is anything I might be able to do about it .

Thank you for your thoughts

24/7

[sawman]

If you have retired (ill health or not) and taken benefit from the nhs pension, and then return to nhs employment you will be enrolled into the nest scheme, this is not the nhs pension scheme, the contribution levels for the nest are different for both employee and employer.

[Countdown]

Twentyfour7 said:

Good Evening Piston Heads

I am writing for assistance from anyone who knows about the NHS pension scheme, the increased employer contribution from 2019 and the legal ruling mentioned at the end of this article please https://www.which.co.uk/money/pensions-and-retirem...

I managed to return to work after a long period of ill health retirement but was told I could not rejoin the NHS pension scheme despite working alongside colleagues who are members of the scheme. My pension instead is with NEST

I understand from this link
https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pension-cont...
that the amount employers are now paying into the NHS scheme has gone up from 2019 and that 6.3% of the 20.68% employer contribution will be funded "centrally".

I am not receiving this top up and I wondered if there is anything I might be able to do about it .

Thank you for your thoughts

24/7

Are you already in receipt of an NHS pension? I’m not sure why you weren’t allowed to join a DB scheme rather than being forced into the DC scheme?

From memory (and apologies as this was a long time ago) LGPS schemes changed the rules so somebody who had taken IH ER was not allowed to rejoin the scheme because when they took retirement they usually received an enhanced pension (ie awarded added years). If you let them rejoin the scheme they were effectively accruing additional service which they had already been given for free. there was also the risk that they might take IHER again which would mean effectively getting double pension.

TL:DR if you’re in receipt of an NHS pension (or you’ve transferred the CETV out) I can see why they wont let you rejoin.

[ulakye]

I'm guessing that you're in the 1995 scheme? As far as I can remember if you take any form of retirement under the 1995 scheme you can't rejoin it so the NEST scheme is your only option. Those in the 2008 or 2012 schemes could rejoin the NHS Pension Scheme. Under the NEST scheme there is no obligation for the employer to pay more than the basic minimum (currently 5%). Hence I don't think you have a case for getting anything more although I can't comment on the legal ruling as you haven't really explained how that is relevant to your circumstances. The increased employer contributions had nothing to do with what you got paid out because it's a defined benefit scheme.

[Twentyfour7]

Thank you all for your responses

Yes I believe I was in the 1995 scheme. I couldn't return to any NHS pension scheme because I was over 50 when I commenced doing work which is contracted for the NHS. https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA...

For years I understood I could'nt go back to working for the NHS and receive an NHS pension so was gutted when I found out I could have.

Re the ruling , I think I may have misinterpreted it in relation to age . It is just i feel it is discriminatory I can't rejoin an NHS pension scheme because of my age and especially because I had to retire because of an injury doing NHS work

[Twentyfour7]

Hi All

Not sure if you are able to help any further please?

I retired from the 1995 NHS pension Scheme due to injury on 13 Oct 1993 . I then rejoined the scheme from Aug 2003 to Feb 2004 but have not received the pension benefits for this period yet (apparently). I didn’t realise I had done this when I worked for a short period at an ambulance trust . Apparently I was accepted as I was under 50

Now NHSBSA are saying I am an ill health retiree over age 50 and so I am not allowed to rejoin either the 1995/2008 sections or the 2015 scheme .

But why can’t I join the current scheme or a different scheme that is running for new members of staff who have newly joined for the NHS ? I appreciate it may not be as good as I would have had in the 1995 scheme but I think it may still be better that what I currently receive
I feel very frustrated as I did not know I could rejoin before 50