nhs pension buying back years

carrolli

I left the nhs to work for a g.p.practice from 1989 - 2001 at the time nurses were unable to pay into the nhs pension scheme even though we still worked under the whitely council rules.
In 1997 it was then allowed that nurses working for g.p.'s could pay into the nhs pension scheme. At the time I did not buy back the years, I started paying again in 1997 but between 1989 and 1997 this was classed as a break. I therefore cannot claim status to retire at 55 as a special class because I had a 5 year break prior to 1995. Is it too late to buy back these years or is it really not worth it.

grateful for any advice. I am in the 1995 nhs pension.
thanks

ianski_2

i don't think you can buy back years any longer - that option closed a few years ago, and would have been very costly, potentially for you. i managed to buy back years before it closed but its costing me over 200 a month to do so - for the rest of my career and i've got 30 years left! i'm waiting for the changes to retirement age to be sorted out this autumn before deciding to cancel the extra 5 years that i was trying to buy back - no need to do so if they prolong our working lives.

snowcat53

Phone the NHS Pension agency- they are very helpful. You are at least fortumnate to be in the 1995 scheme so can retire at 60. Did you not contribute to another pension in those missing years?