The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 2015

Forfeiture of rights to benefits E+W

12.—(1) The Secretary of State may direct that all or part of any rights to benefits or other amounts payable to or in respect of a member under these Regulations be forfeited if—

(a) the member is convicted of any of the offences specified in sub-paragraph (2); and

(b) the offence was committed before the benefit or other amount becomes payable.

(2) The offences are—

(a) an offence in connection with employment that qualifies the member to belong to this scheme, in respect of which the Secretary of State has issued a forfeiture certificate;

(b) one or more offences under the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989 for which the member has been sentenced on the same occasion to—

(i) a term of imprisonment of at least 10 years; or

(ii) two or more consecutive terms amounting in the aggregate to at least 10 years.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2)(a), “forfeiture certificate” means a certificate stating that the Secretary of State is satisfied that the offence—

(a) has been gravely injurious to the State; or

(b) is liable to lead to serious loss of confidence in the public service.

(4) The Secretary of State may direct that all or part of any rights to benefits or other amounts payable in respect of a member under these Regulations be forfeited where the benefits or amounts are payable to a person to whom sub-paragraph (5) applies who has been convicted of the murder or manslaughter of that member or of any other offence of which unlawful killing of that member is an element.

(5) This sub-paragraph applies to a person who is—

(a) the member's widow, widower, nominated partner or surviving civil partner;

(b) a dependant of the member;

(c) a person not falling within paragraph (a) or (b) who is specified in a notice given under paragraph 9(3) of Schedule 14; or

(d) a person to whom such benefits or amounts are payable under the member's will or on the member's intestacy.

(6) A guaranteed minimum pension may be forfeited only if sub-paragraph (1) applies in the case of an offence within sub-paragraph (2)(b) [F1 or if paragraph (4) applies].

This is subject to sub-paragraph (7).

(7) This sub-paragraph is without prejudice to section 2 of the Forfeiture Act 1870 M1 (under which forfeiture is required in cases of treason, subject to whole or partial restoration under section 70(2) of the Criminal Justice Act 1948 M2 ).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 3 para. 12(6) inserted (6.4.2016) by The National Health Service Pension Scheme, Injury Benefits and Additional Voluntary Contributions (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/245), regs. 1(3), 84(3) (with reg. 105)

Marginal Citations

M1 1870 c.23.

M2 1948 c.58.