The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 1995

PART JE+W+SAllocation to a spouse [F1, civil partner] or dependant

Allocation of pensionE+W+S

J1.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, a member may elect to allocate part of his pension under [F2this Section of] the scheme so as to provide, following his death, a pension for a spouse [F3, civil partner] or a dependant.

(2) Any pension provided for a spouse [F4or civil partner] under this regulation shall be payable in addition to any other [F5widow's, widower’s or surviving civil partner's] pension payable under these Regulations.

(3) Any pension provided under this regulation will be calculated in accordance with tables prepared by [F6the Scheme Actuary].

(4) A member wishing to allocate part of his pension under this regulation may elect to do so—

[F7(a)on making a claim for payment of his benefits under regulation T1 (claims for benefits), or at any time after making such a claim but before the date on which a pension payable to him under [F2this Section of] the scheme is put into payment [F8other than a pension payable under regulation E5A (partial retirement pension)]; or]

[F9(b)if in pensionable employment—

(i)in the case of a member who is not a special class officer, at any time after completing 45 years pensionable service; or

(ii)in the case of a member who is a special class officer, at any time after reaching age 55 and completing 40 years pensionable service, or]

(c)if in pensionable employment, at any time after reaching age 65 (60 for special class officers).

(5) A member wishing to allocate part of his pension as described in this regulation shall do so by giving notice in writing to the employing authority on the form provided, giving such information as the Secretary of State may require.

(6) The Secretary of State shall not accept an election unless satisfied that the member is in good health.

(7) If a member allocates part of his pension as described in this regulation and then dies after the pension becomes payable, the amount of pension already paid to the member under [F2this Section of] the scheme will be treated, for the purpose of calculating the lump sum on death payable under regulation F2 (member dies after pension becomes payable), as including the amount of the additional pension that would have been paid to the member if the member had not allocated part of his pension.

Textual Amendments

Limits on allocation of pensionE+W+S

J2.—(1) A member may not allocate more than one–third of his pension to provide a pension on his death for a spouse [F10, a civil partner] or a dependant and must keep a pension at least equal to his guaranteed minimum pension.

(2) A member may not allocate so much pension as to provide a bigger dependent’s pension [F11, spouse’s pension or civil partner’s pension] under regulation J1 than the pension he has kept for himself.

(3) The part of a member’s pension that is allocated must be an exact number of pounds and must be sufficient to provide a pension for the dependent [F12, spouse or civil partner] of at least £260 a year or, if greater, of the minimum amount that cannot be treated as trivial for the purposes of regulation T7 (commutation of trivial pensions).

(4) If a member elects to allocate part of his pension in the circumstances described in regulation J1(4)(b) or (c) and then dies before his pension under [F13this Section of] the scheme becomes payable the member will be treated, for the purposes of paragraphs (1) to (3) above, as entitled to the pension he would have received if he had retired immediately before his death.

Date on which allocation has effectE+W+S

J3.—(1) An election to allocate shall have effect, and may not be withdrawn or cancelled, once it has been accepted by the Secretary of State.

(2) The allocation will not take effect if—

(a)the member dies on or before the day on which the Secretary of State accepts the member’s election;

(b)the dependant [F14, spouse or civil partner] dies before the member is told that the Secretary of State has accepted the election; or

(c)the member withdraws his application before it is accepted by the Secretary of State.