This section provides answers to some of the questions that you might have if you decide to return to NHS Employment after retiring and claiming you pension benefits.
Q. I am considering returning to NHS employment after retirement. Can I rejoin the scheme?
A. If you retire before 1 April 2008 and return to work in the NHS your employment will not be pensionable unless you retired on ill health grounds and return to work before age 50.
If you leave NHS pensionable employment after 1 April 2008 and retire before the 'choice' exercise you will be eligible for pensionable re-employment in the New Pension Scheme but you must wait two years after retirement before you can join that Scheme.
If you retire after 1 July 2009 then your position is determined by which scheme you retired from. If you had taken the option to transfer to the New NHS Pension Scheme then any future employments will be pensionable.
Q. If I retire after 1 April 2008 do I still have to take a 24 hour break before returning back to employment and work less than 16 hours per week in the first calendar month to avoid my pension being suspended?
A. Yes the same rules apply as the previous NHS Pension Scheme. If you opt to transfer to the New NHS Pension Scheme at the time of the Choice exercise, the 24-hour break will still apply but your pension will not be suspended if you work more than 16 hours per week in the first calendar month.
Q. If I return to NHS employment after retirement will my benefits be affected?
A. In the NHS Pension Scheme (Amended April 2008) if you are age 60 or over, or have claimed your benefits early and they have been reduced to pay for early retirement, then your pension will not be affected if you return to work in the NHS.
Your benefits will also not be affected if you are in receipt of benefits under the 'new style' redundancy arrangements. The rationale behind this exception is that;
1) there are no increases to pensionable service through the new style redundancy arrangements and,
2) the member will have funded the unreduced element of their pension using some or all of their redundancy compensation lump sum.
In all other types of retirement you pension may be affected. More information and worked examples can be found in the booklet 'Notes for Pensioners and their dependents' - Booklet R.