PART 11Retirement pensions

Determining whether a member meets the ill-health criteria in each scheme I174

1

This regulation applies to a remedy member (“M”)—

a

who ceased to be employed in HSC employment during the period of M’s remediable service; and

b

whose application for an ill-health pension in relation to that service (“M’s application”) has been determined by the scheme manager.

2

Where this regulation applies, the scheme manager must reconsider M’s application together with any supporting medical evidence (where relevant) to determine whether M would have met the ill-health retirement criteria in M’s alternative scheme or section when the application was initially determined.

3

Where M or a designated person on M’s behalf has the right to make an immediate choice election under regulation 9—

a

the scheme manager must send a notice in writing to M or the designated person of the outcome of the scheme manager’s determination under paragraph (2) before the immediate choice election period commences in respect of M; and

b

if M or the designated person on M’s behalf elects to take an ill-health pension as a result of the scheme manager’s determination under paragraph (2), any rights for M to make that election must be deemed to have been fulfilled.

4

Where M or a designated person on M’s behalf has the right to make a deferred choice election under regulation 12—

a

the scheme manager must send a notice in writing to M or the designated person of the outcome of the scheme manager’s determination under paragraph (2) as soon as reasonably practicable after 1st October 2023; and

b

if M or the designated person on M’s behalf elects to take an ill-health pension as a result of the scheme manager’s determination under paragraph (2), any rights for M to make that election must be deemed to have been fulfilled.

5

The provisions of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of PSPJOA 2022 and Part 3 of these Regulations about the timing and effect of an immediate choice election by virtue of section 6, and of a deferred choice election by virtue of section 10, of that Act apply subject to this regulation.

6

In this regulation—

  • ill-health pension” means a pension under—

    1. a

      regulation 13A of the 1995 Regulations71 (Ill health pension on early retirement);

    2. b

      regulation 49(3) of the 1995 Regulations72 (Preserved pension: entitlement to pension and retirement lump sum before age 60);

    3. c

      regulation 52 or regulation 182 of the 2008 Regulations73 (Early retirement on ill-health: active members and non-contributing members);

    4. d

      regulation 54 or regulation 184 of the 2008 Regulations74 (Early retirement on ill-health (deferred members);

    5. e

      regulation 89 of the 2015 Regulations (Entitlement to ill-health pension); or

    6. f

      regulation 93 of the 2015 Regulations (Early retirement on ill-health (deferred members));

  • M’s alternative scheme or section” means—

    1. a

      where M’s eligibility for an ill-health pension was assessed under the 1995 Section or the 2008 Section, the 2015 scheme;

    2. b

      where M’s eligibility for an ill-health pension was assessed under the 2015 scheme, the 1995 Section or the 2008 Section (whichever is relevant);

  • HSC employment” has the meaning given in Schedule 13 to the 2015 Regulations.