LGPS ill Health Retirement

dibble34 · 24 March 2017 at 1:43PM

Thanks both
I have been through all the adjustments really. I have done everything I can to stay full time both at work and by trying various medication. I am now expecting to be supported in cutting my hours by medical professionals and the more I talk to people the more it feels like I should try for medical retirement now. I have been referred to OH several times and a reasonable adjustment now would be to reduce my hours under the equality act. it just so happens this also has opened up the option of medical retirement.

Silvertabby · 24 March 2017 at 1:51PM

johndough- yes, but there can be a huge difference between payment of ill health benefits from deferred or actve.

We know that OP is 40, so the difference in his case (for Tier 1) would be considerable.

Payment of Tier 1 from active:

Pensionable service is enhanced to normal retirement age (67/68), giving OP a further 27/28 years on top of his actual service.

Ill health (no Tiers) from deferred:

Pension is paid without any actuarial reductions for early payment, but with NO service enhancement

Compassionate Grounds:

Only payable from age 55. May or may not be reduced for early payment - subject to circumstances and employer's discretion. If the employer states that reduction is not to be applied, then the employer may have to pay the difference into the pension fund.

faddy · 8 April 2017 at 10:30PM

One thing I've picked up as my wife is going through an LGPS medical retirement is that both conditions have to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities. The IRMP doesn't have to be certain that you'll never be capable of gainful employment again, but only that it's more likely than not.

Silvertabby · 9 April 2017 at 9:51AM

One thing I've picked up as my wife is going through an LGPS medical retirement is that both conditions have to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities. The IRMP doesn't have to be certain that you'll never be capable of gainful employment again, but only that it's more likely than not. Posted by faddy.

You're right. None of us have crystal balls, Drs included.

dibble34 · 27 April 2017 at 9:50AM

Hi all, thought I would update this thread. Spoke to my rheumatologist who has confirmed my fear that they are doing all the can and not worth trying anymore meds. He said he also has plenty of evidence if required. My GP is fully supportive as well. I spoke to OH at work and they have agreed I have tried all I can to stay working and will submit me for ill health retirement. He said they will write to my go, the information then goes to an internal assessor and if still happy to proceed goes to an external assessor. Will take three months and already feel sick with stress! Hoping OH would not put me forward unless I had a reasonable chance, but who knows.

Silvertabby · 27 April 2017 at 12:05PM

Hi all, thought I would update this thread. Spoke to my rheumatologist who has confirmed my fear that they are doing all the can and not worth trying anymore meds. He said he also has plenty of evidence if required. My GP is fully supportive as well. I spoke to OH at work and they have agreed I have tried all I can to stay working and will submit me for ill health retirement. He said they will write to my go, the information then goes to an internal assessor and if still happy to proceed goes to an external assessor. Will take three months and already feel sick with stress! Hoping OH would not put me forward unless I had a reasonable chance, but who knows.

Thank you for the update, and my very best wishes to you.

Thehud · 20 August 2017 at 10:07AM

Hi Dibble34

I am currently going through the process. So far it has been a right mess, errors goodness knows what else including the OH Dr not having any significant info to base a decision on but just a brief summary from my GP. No job des or anything. Its taken 18 months so far and my health has suffered because it has been so impossibly stressful, lots of big gaps with no communication, missing documents, wrong pension administrator, you name it, it has gone wrong. I am now waiting, another delay because someone went of sick again, to hear anything.

How are you getting on with your application I would love to hear if you have an efficient, competent, pension scheme manager/s

Best wishes, autoimmune disease is just horrendous and random.

Silvertabby · 20 August 2017 at 12:31PM

Thehud - sorry you are going through this.

I'm a retired LGPS administrator and can assure you that ill health claims are dealt with as efficiently as possible by the pensions people - but I've dealt with many cases where my hands had been tied due to waiting for the OH report.

One thing I feel I should point out - you say that your OH Dr only has a brief summary from your GP to work on. Normally OH require a hospital specialist/consultant report rather than just a GP's letter. Is this what is causing the hold up?

elaneh · 14 November 2017 at 2:15PM

hi all, The Hud, I really hope that you have got your pension sorted out now.
I am going through the process after a whole bunch of mess ups in making reasonable adjustments with dragoon voice activated software.
I have some confusion about the process. can anyone explain is it actually my employer who makes the decision based on the medical certificate or is there someone at the pension fund authority who also has a say?
thanks

Silvertabby · 14 November 2017 at 5:14PM

I have some confusion about the process. can anyone explain is it actually my employer who makes the decision based on the medical certificate or is there someone at the pension fund authority who also has a say?
thanks

The decision is really made by the Occ Health Dr, who either says 'no' or 'yes - Tier 1, 2 or 3' . The certificate then goes to your employer, and then on to the pensions department.

LGPS ill Health Retirement

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free