any expert on NHS ill health pension?

Katykat

I've been granted tier 1 ill health retirement- age 57. I was a nurse. Following major surgery ( with some success, but still have problems) and also now have R arthritis in one hand I was dismissed on incabaility grounds and awarded Tier 1 - permanently incapable of doing current NHS job. - It has recently been completed and i am now awaiting my first payment. However, I have been studying the criteria in greater detail. Tier 2 requirements state - permanently incapable of doing current NHS job AND PERMANENTLY INCAPABLE OF REGULAR EMPLOYMENT OF LIKE DURATION TO NHS JOB, irrespective of whether or not such employment is actually available. It takes into account - mental capacity, physical capacity, previous training and previous practical, professional and vocational experience.
I'm struggling to understand this. I would not be able to to my old job as apart from possibly needing more surgery, I could not use my right hand for writing,giving injections, assisting with procedures etc ( to name a few), so in my mind, i could not do any job of similar requirements. I am not trained to do anything else as I've only ever been a nurse ( 41 yrs). So, could this mean I should maybe have qualified for Tier 2? I did not have a medical, Tier 1 was awarded on recommendation of my Occupational Health dr.
There is provision in the criteria to apply to be upgraded to Tier 2 should my condition deteriorate with 3 yrs, but I'm wondering if I should apply now.
"

Katykat

........Bump.............................................................................................................................................................................

princessposh

Hi
Just wondering if you had got any further with your query on NHS pensions?
Have sent you a private message

Hemichromis

A friend of mine is applying for the same thing at the moment, he is worried that he won't get it but his job is portering and he can hardly walk so its a sure thing.

as far upgrading to tier two it certainly sounds like you would qualify if you can't right or type well.

this is an NHS policy so you must talk to them. i suggest starting with your manager if you have good relationship.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Hi

If you have only been awarded tier one did they suggest what other NHS jobs you could reasonably do?

Do you still have a contract of employment or are you already being paid teir one

I would use the pension website it's quite good, also approach union for advice.

Good luck hhX

Katykat

I havn't done anything yet as i am currently awaiting an appeal for ESA. Unfortunately, I have been refused even that, but my support worker at Pathways to work has assurred me that ATOS are turning almost everyone down & most cases are going to appeal. She is confident that i will win the appeal, at which stage I think I will apply for tier 2 pension. During my dismissal process I was put on the redeployment register for 3 months. This meant that if any jobs came up in the NHS that I ( or my employers) felt I could do, then I would have been given priority consideration. However, after 3 months nothing had materialised, so they dismissed me. I am now jobless. I would really have liked to just dispense with any kind of benefits but unfortunately my pension doesn't amount to much, certainly not enough to live on, so that is why I am keen to get onto tier 2.

tubsmacker

Katykat wrote: »

ATOS are turning almost everyone down & most cases are going to appeal. .

Sounds a Bit Like Continuing Healthcare eligibility!

Have you ever thought about offering your services as an independent Nurse Assessor ? Helping people who need to challenge DST nonsense and as an Expert Witness?

I currently need an expert Witness to assess needs and check/add to care plan etc. In the North of England. I understand that the NHS have a policy of sacking people who tread on their toes or blow the whistle on them but as you are retired that would hopefully put you in a better position?

newleaf

Just wanted to say that it is a disgrace that, after 41 years of nursing, and retiring in ill health, you find you cannot live on your NHS pension.
Hope all those who bleat on about supposedly 'Gold Plated Public Sector Pensions' are taking note.
I wish you well with your appeal.

mjm3346

Q. What is a Tier 1 pension?
A. If you are assessed as being permanently incapable of carrying out the duties of your own job you will be entitled to the early payment of the retirement benefits you have earned to date paid without any actuarial reduction for the early payment. In other words, these benefits will not be reduced to cover the extra cost of being paid before the Scheme’s normal benefit age.
Q. What is a Tier 2 pension
A. If you are assessed as being permanently incapable of engaging in regular employment of like duration you will be entitled to the retirement benefits you have earned to date enhanced by 2/3rds of your prospective membership up to the Scheme’s normal retirement age.

Depends if you are a 1995 section or 2008 (assuming 1995)

If you were due to retire at 60 and are only just 57 then Tier 2 would be better than nothing but will add less than £400 a year to the pension for each £10k of salary you were on.

If you have "Special Class status" then tier 1 is giving you nothing as you could already get the pension without reduction anyway.

Nurses, midwives, health visitors, physiotherapists and mental health [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]officers in post before 6 March 1995 (collectively described as ‘Special Class Status’) have the right to retire from a normal retirement age of 55 without a reduction to [/FONT][/FONT]their pension, subject to certain criteria being met. If you have special class status your normal retirement age is 55.

Katykat

1st- Tubsmacker, I think we have crossed paths on the CC forum. You are correct, but I'm not sure that independant Nurse assessors arre actually paid. As with you, I am also bang in the middle of fighting the NHS for funding the care of my mother who has dementia. Interestingly, the same PCT who were my employers. So that would have gone down like a ton of bricks if I was still employed wouldn't it? Because of this I could not get involved with any other cases, in fact I have enlisted the help of a fellow "victim" who has actually won her case to help me. Good point though.
2nd - Newleaf. Thanks for your good wishes. My hubby is also a Civil servant and he is employed in an office with about 100 others and not one of them will get a "Golden handshake". This is all hype by the newspapers. I'm not saying NOBODY will get a good pension, but these people are mainly high ranking bosses. Incidentally, the NHS is supposed to be a good scheme, but rememebr, we have worked for low pay for yrs and the money that has gone into my pension has come out of my salary, topped up by the NHS. To believe the media, you'd think that employed people were actually paying me my pension every week. When in fact my pension is made up of MY own money and the top up of what should have been a decent salary. Incidentally, I had not accrued a huge pension pot as I worked part time so it was converted to the equivilant full time yrs. In my pre family yrs when I worked full time I contributed to the pension scheme, but in those days you were allowed to draw it out if you left to have a baby. At the time, I needed the money, so I bought a pram and a cot with it. It was reckless looking back, but whats the use of regrets?

3rd-MJM. I was in the 1995 scheme but unfortunately joined it 6 weeks after the special class status was changed, so could not retire until I was 60. When I applied for retirement i was given the choice of changing to 2008 scheme. I did this as it meant i would get £300 yr more. Not much I know, but its better in my pocket. Also, it means that if I go on to qualify for tier 2, then I would get a bit more as it would be enhanced as if I were retireing at 65. All paltry sume I know, but again, better in my pocket

Le73Uq86Uv

I think the 2008 = Retirement age of 65.

So if you took pension now you would get less than if you had stayed on the 1995 scheme. (a lot less)

Rough guess 24% reduction.

Not sure what happens if you get the ill health from ATOS as I am out of touch with the newer systems. (do they extend the cover to past age 60)

Old scheme up to 6 2/3 years added to age of 60, does new scheme add to 65?

It's a shame you had to leave/get fired as it would have been better to have still been employed at least untill you had sorted out the penision. I find it very hard to belive they could have sacked you with the dissabilty discrimination acts we now have.

If I was you I would seek legal advice.

Was there any job you could have done? answering phones?

As your employeer stated you could do other work why did they not offer you another job?

I know the answer it would have been expensive as you would stay on the same salary.