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Eligibility for redundancy

To be eligible for redundancy, you need to be an active member of the NHS Pension Scheme. This means you’re currently employed by an NHS Pension provider and paying into your pension.

Who is eligible

You must have either:

  • at least 2 years’ qualifying membership within the Scheme
  • transferred your benefits from a non-occupational pension scheme into your NHS Pension

You must have also reached your minimum pension age but not your normal pension age. This is usually between 55 and State Pension age, but it depends on which Schemes you have membership in.

We also need your employer to confirm if you:

  • are leaving your employment because of redundancy
  • have 2 years’ continuous service
  • have not refused to accept or look for other suitable employment
  • have bought any additional pension
  • are eligible for redundancy 

Who is not eligible

You’re not eligible for redundancy if you’re:

  • a GP
  • a non-GP provider
  • GP surgery staff

You’re also not eligible if you’re under your minimum pension age or over your normal pension age. 

Interests of Efficiency cases

If your employment ends in the Interest of Efficiency, you’re not eligible for redundancy. 

You can still retire with pension benefits that we have not reduced because you claimed them early.

If you’re over your normal pension age

You’re not eligible for redundancy if you’re over your normal pension age. 

If you leave your employment, you can claim your NHS Pension benefits through normal retirement.

You can read more about this on our Applying for your pension page.

How your Scheme membership affects eligibility

To be eligible for redundancy, you must have reached your minimum pension age but not your normal pension age. These ages are different depending on which Scheme you have membership in.

2015 Scheme

For members in the 2015 Scheme, your minimum pension age is 55. 

Your normal pension age is the later of:

2008 Scheme

For the 2008 Scheme, your minimum pension age is 55. 

Your normal pension age is 65.

1995 Scheme

For the 1995 Scheme, your minimum pension age is:

  • 50 years old, if you started before 6 April 2006
  • 55 years old, if you started on or after 6 April 2006

 Your normal pension age is 60, or 55 if you have Special Class status

If you’re made redundant between 50 and 55

If you’re made redundant, you may be eligible to claim some of your pension at 50 if you:

  • have membership in the 1995 Scheme
  • started before 6 April 2006

This is because you’ve reached the minimum pension age for your 1995 membership, but not for your 2015 membership.

You’ll need to defer your 2015 benefits. You can then claim these from 55, but they’ll be reduced for early payment if you claim them before the 2015 Scheme normal pension age. 

Claiming your pension between 50 and 55 can affect the benefits you receive. You can read more about this on our Capitalisation costs page.