The Health and Social Care Pension Schemes (Remediable Service) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023

Continuation of pensions: immediate or deferred choice election: dependent and eligible children of a remedy member

11.—(1) This regulation applies in relation to a relevant child of a remedy member where—

(a) a designated person is eligible to make an election on behalf of the member —

(i) under regulation 9(1) (see regulation 9(2)(b)), or

(ii) under regulation 12(1) (see regulation 12(2)(b); and

(b) on the relevant date, that child is not living in the same household as that designated person.

(2) Paragraph (4) applies if the scheme manager determines that as a result of the acceptance of such an election made by the designated person, the pension being paid to or in respect of a relevant child will reduce.

(3) Paragraph (5) applies if the scheme manager determines that as a result of a designated person not making such an election—

(a) before the end of the immediate choice election period, where paragraph (1)(a)(i) applies; or

(b) before the end of the deferred choice election period, where paragraph (1)(a)(ii) applies,

the pension being paid to or in respect of a relevant child will reduce.

(4) Where this paragraph applies (see paragraph (2)), the scheme manager may treat the election as if it applied only to pension benefits in respect of remediable service other than the pension being paid for that service to or in respect of a relevant child.

(5) Where this paragraph applies (see paragraph (3)), the scheme manager may treat the pension being paid for remediable service to or in respect of a relevant child as if the election had been made in respect of that service.

(6) In this regulation—

“relevant child” means a child who on after 30th September 2023 was—

(a)

entitled as a dependent child of a remedy member to pension benefits in relation to that member under regulations 32 to 38 of the 1995 Regulations (dependent child);

(b)

entitled as a dependent child of a remedy member to pension benefits in relation to that member under Chapter 5 of Part 2 or Chapter 5 of Part 3 of the 2008 Regulations (Death benefits); or

(c)

entitled as an eligible child of a remedy member to pension benefits in relation to that member under Chapter 2 of Part 6 of the 2015 Regulations (Survivor benefits: child survivor);

“relevant date” means—

(a)

where paragraph (1)(a)(i) applies—

(i)

the day on which the scheme manager accepts an immediate choice election made in accordance with regulation 9 by the designated person mentioned in regulation 9(2)(b), or

(ii)

if that designated person does not make such an election, the end of the immediate choice election period, or

(b)

where paragraph (1)(a)(ii) applies—

(i)

the day on which the scheme manager accepts a deferred choice election made in accordance with regulation 12 by the designated person mentioned in regulation 12(2)(b), or

(ii)

if that designated person does not make such an election, the end of the deferred choice election period.