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Pension scheme consultation

on 28 August 2020 Maternity Services Pensions Government

The Government last week launched a consultation document that runs until October. They want to know what scheme members feel about when this choice is to be offered – either immediately after 1 April 2022 or when they retire.


In December 2019, the Court of Appeal identified that transitional protection arrangements for the reformed Public Sector Pension schemes were discriminatory on the grounds of age. You may have seen the press articles on the Firefighters and Judges challenge often reported as the McCloud judgement. The UK government agreed that this ruling applied to the NHS Pension scheme, and will remove the discrimination by allowing those who were in the scheme on or before the 1 April 2012 and on or after 1 April 2015 to choose between their legacy arrangements (either the 1995 or 2008 sections of the scheme) or the reformed arrangements (the 2015 scheme). The remedy period runs from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022.


The consultation document sets out the Government’s intention to move all Pension scheme members into the 2015 reformed scheme as of the 1 April 2022. This means that even if you do decide to remain in your legacy scheme (1995 or 2008), you will be moved into the 2015 scheme at this point.


The RCM is a member of the pension Scheme Advisory Board (SAB) which covers England and Wales and can influence the scheme as a whole on behalf of our members. SAB membership also includes other NHS trade unions, employer representatives, the Department of Health and advisors including actuaries, lawyers and auditors. The SAB aims to work in partnership to provide advice on proposed changes to the scheme and also respond to policy issues or to proposed changes to the regulations governing the scheme. I have a seat on the SAB representing the RCM and its members. The SAB will be responding as part of their work. The RCM will also be responding on behalf of its members.


If you are interested, you can view and respond to the consultation here. 

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