The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 1995

[F1 Pension credit benefit [F2 on attaining normal benefit age] E+W+S

3.— (1) A pension credit member shall be entitled under the scheme to pension credit benefit which shall consist of—

(a) a pension; and

(b) where the member, from whose rights the pension credit member’s pension credit rights are derived, has not received a lump sum on or before the day on which the pension sharing order or provision takes effect, a lump sum.

(2) Subject to [F3 paragraphs 3A to 4], a pension credit member shall be entitled to the payment of the pension credit benefit when he reaches normal benefit age.

(3) Payment of the pension credit benefit to which a pension credit member is entitled shall not be deferred beyond normal benefit age.

(4) A pension payable in accordance with this paragraph shall be payable to the pension credit member for life.

(5) [F4 Subject to paragraph (7), the value] of the pension referred to in this paragraph shall be equal to the value of the pension credit rights which have accrued to or in respect of the pension credit member.

(6) The lump sum referred to in this paragraph shall be equal to 3 times the annual rate of the pension.

[F5 (7) A pension credit member who is entitled to a lump sum in accordance with sub-paragraph (1)(b) may opt to exchange part of a pension to which the pension credit member would otherwise be entitled for a lump sum, which must be an evenly divisible multiple of £12.

(8) If a pension credit member so opts, for every £1 by which the pension credit member’s annual pension is reduced, the pension credit member is to be paid a lump sum of £12.

(9) An option under paragraph (7) must relate to an annual amount of pension that is a whole number of pounds (and accordingly the lump sum will be exactly divisible by 12).

(10) In paragraph (9) “annual amount” in relation to a pension means the amount of the annual pension to which the pension credit member would be entitled under these regulations apart from the option, together with any increases payable under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, calculated as at the time the payment would be first due.

(11) A pension credit member may not exchange pension for lump sum under this paragraph to the extent that it would result in a scheme chargeable payment for the purposes of Part 4 of the 2004 Act.

(12) The option under sub paragraph (7) may only be exercised by giving notice in writing to the scheme administrator in the form required by the Secretary of State—

(a) at the time of claiming the pension; or

(b) before a later time specified in writing by the scheme administrator.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2A inserted (1.5.2001) by The National Health Service (Pension Scheme and Additional Voluntary Contributions) (Pension Sharing) Amendment Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/1428), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 3

F2 Words in Sch. 2A para. 3 heading inserted (with effect from 6.4.2009) by The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/381), regs. 1(2)(3)(a), 14(3)(a) (with reg. 89)

F3 Words in Sch. 2A para. 3(2) substituted (with effect from 6.4.2009) by The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/381), regs. 1(2)(3)(a), 14(3)(b) (with reg. 89)

F4 Words in Sch. 2A para. 3(5) substituted (with effect from 6.4.2009) by The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/381), regs. 1(2)(3)(a), 14(3)(c) (with reg. 89)

F5 Sch. 2A para. 3(7)-(12) added (with effect from 6.4.2009) by The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/381), regs. 1(2)(3)(a), 14(3)(d) (with reg. 89)