The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2015 No. 421

Fire And Rescue Services

Pensions

The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

Made

17th December 2015

Coming into operation

18th January 2016

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by article 10(1), (3), (4) and (5) of the Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984(1) and now vested in it(2) and with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel(3), in accordance with article 10(1) of that Order, makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and effect

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

(2) This Order comes into operation on 18th January 2016 and has effect from 1st April 2015.

Amendment of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007

2.—(1) The Annex to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007(4) is amended as follows.

(2) In article 28 (surviving spouse’s or civil partner’s requisite benefit and temporary pension), in paragraph (5)(b) for “Government Actuary” substitute “Scheme Actuary”.

(3) In article 43A (bereavement pension: children)(5), in paragraph (2)(b) for “died, and” substitute “died.”.

(4) In Schedule 4 (awards on death-children), in Part II (child’s accrued allowance)—

(a) in paragraph 3(1)(b) for “article 72 (servicemen)” substitute “article 72 (pensionable service)”;

(b) in paragraph 4—

(i) in sub-paragraph (a) for “(restriction on payment)” substitute “(deferred pension)”;

(ii) in sub-paragraph (b) for “Part VI or VI of Schedule 2” substitute “Part VI or VII of Schedule 2”.

(5) In Schedule 7 for the Table in paragraph 3 of Part A1 (pension contributions) substitute the following Table—

“Pensionable Pay	Contribution rate from 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016 (percentage of pensionable pay)
Up to and including £15,150	11.0%
More than £15,150 and up to and including £21,210	12.2%
More than £21,210 and up to and including £30,300	14.2%
More than £30,300 and up to and including £40,400	14.7%
More than £40,400 and up to and including £50,500	15.2%
More than £50,500 and up to and including £60,600	15.5%
More than £60,600 and up to and including £101,000	16.0%
More than £101,000 and up to and including £121,200	16.5%
More than £121,200	17.0%

Pensionable Pay	Contribution rate from 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017 (percentage of pensionable pay)
Up to and including £15,301	11.0%
More than £15,301 and up to and including £21,422	12.2%
More than £21,422 and up to and including £30,603	14.2%
More than £30,603 and up to and including £40,804	14.7%
More than £40,804 and up to and including £51,005	15.2%
More than £51,005 and up to and including £61,206	15.5%
More than £61,206 and up to and including £102,010	16.0%
More than £102,010 and up to and including £122,412	16.5%
More than £122,412	17.0%

Pensionable Pay	Contribution rate from 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018 (percentage of pensionable pay)
Up to and including £15,454	11.0%
More than £15,454 and up to and including £21,636	12.2%
More than £21,636 and up to and including £30,909	14.2%
More than £30,909 and up to and including £41,212	14.7%
More than £41,212 and up to and including £51,515	15.2%
More than £51,515 and up to and including £61,818	15.5%
More than £61,818 and up to and including £103,030	16.0%
More than £103,030 and up to and including £123,636	16.5%
More than £123,636	17.0%

Pensionable Pay	Contribution rate from 1st April 2018 (percentage of pensionable pay)
Up to and including £15,609	11.0%
More than £15,609 and up to and including £21,852	12.2%
More than £21,852 and up to and including £31,218	14.2%
More than £31,218 and up to and including £41,624	14.7%
More than £41,624 and up to and including £52,030	15.2%
More than £52,030 and up to and including £62,436	15.5%
More than £62,436 and up to and including £104,060	16.0%
More than £104,060 and up to and including £124,872	16.5%
More than £124,872	17.0%”

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on 17th December 2015.

Julie Thompson

A senior officer of the

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

The Department of Finance and Personnel approves this Order.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on 17th December 2015.

Emer Morelli

A senior officer of the

Department of Finance and Personnel

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

This Order amends the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007. Part A1 of Schedule 7 to the Scheme sets out the contribution rates payable by members which are determined by reference to the applicable pensionable pay band. This Order substitutes the table in Part A1 to provide an annual one per cent uplift in the pay bands until 2018.

Article 2(2) to (4) corrects minor drafting errors.

This Order has retrospective effect from 1st April 2015. The power to provide for an order to have effect from a date that is earlier than that on which it is made is conferred by article 10(4) of the Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, as continued by article 60 of the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

S.I. 1984/1821 (N.I. 11) Article 10(5) was amended by S.I. 1998/1549 (N.I. 11) Article 4. Article 10 was continued by S.I. 2006/1254 (N.I. 9) Article 60(1) and (2)

(2)

See S.R. 1999 No. 481 Article 6 (c) and Schedule 4, Part III

(3)

Formerly the Department of Finance. See S.I. 1982/338 (N.I. 6) Article 3

(4)

S.R. 2007 No.144 amended by S.R. 2008 No. 382, S.R. 2012 No. 161, S.R. 2013 No. 85, S.R. 2014 Nos. 56 & 169 and S.R. 2015 Nos. 8 & 11.

(5)

Article 43A was inserted by S.R. 2014 No. 169.