News Article
16 September 2009
NHS Pensions receives numerous generic requests each month from IFAs asking for detailed information regarding a member’s service history and what benefits they would be entitled to receive in different circumstances.
These commonly include requests for all of the following:
• An Estimate of Age Retirement Benefits at the Normal Retirement Age;
• An Estimate of Retirements Benefits at Different Retirement Ages;
• An Estimate of Ill Health Benefits;
• An Estimate of Death in Service Benefits;
• An Estimate of Survivors Benefits when in Retirement;
• An Estimate of Redundancy Benefits;
• Details of the Member’s Service History;
• Details of any Additional Voluntary Contributions to date, and up to the normal retirement age; and
• How much Additional Pension can still be purchased.
These generic requests create an enormous amount of work for NHS Pensions to fulfil and has an impact on the service we are able to provide to members who are making specific enquiries in relation to their personal circumstances.
Therefore as of 1st October 2009 in direct response to these requests and to enable us to provide other members with a more effective and efficient service we will only be providing the following information in response to these generic requests:
• Estimate of Age Retirement Benefits at Normal Retirement Age;
• Estimate of Death in Service Benefits;
• Details of Survivors Benefits; and
• Basic details of Pensionable Service.
This is consistent with NHS Pensions’ obligations under the terms of the overarching legislation governing the Pension Scheme and is done in genuine good faith.
We will of course provide estimates for Ill Health and Redundancy to members where they are genuinely applicable and a specific request to do so is received.