Old tiny NHS pension - will it still exist?

seashore22

I worked for the NHS for about 4 years between 2003 and 2007 in a part time capacity until we moved away and I had to leave. I paid what must be a tiny amount into the pension scheme and I've been wondering if I should contact anyone about it's existence at some point. Would the amount have just sat there doing nothing or even reduced to nothing with admin costs? Do I contact my NHS trust or is there some central body who deals with pensions? It's the only time I worked for the NHS and don't know much about how their pensions work.

Thank you.

Robin9

Contact the Trust you were with in 2007 - it is possible you were given the option to take the contributions when you left and there is no pension.

seashore22

I know didn't take the contributions at the time and that I thought I would find out at some point in the future. Now seems like a good time.

Dazed_and_confused

You may be pleasant surprised at the current value.

Obviously it depends on your grade and how part time you were but I think you were probably in 1/80ths scheme with a lump sum payable as well as the pension. Alternative would be 1/60ths with no automatic lump sum.

Would the amount have just sat there doing nothing or even reduced to nothing with admin costs?

You don't have an actual pot of money so there is nothing to reduce it and whatever pension you accrued will have almost certainly increased with some sort of inflation element.

seashore22

Thanks for the replies. I will check who I need to contact and go from there.

seashore22

It was 20 hours a week. Anything will be a bonus, even enough for a meal out would be nice since I'd pretty much written it off.

xylophone

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/member-hub/membership-nhs-pension-scheme

Silvertabby

As you had more than 2 years calendar service (post 1988 leaver) then you will have a deferred pension with the NHS. It won't have just stagnated - it will have been increased each year in line with inflation and, I'm willing to bet, will be worth far more than just a nice meal out!

It's worth touching base with NHS pensions to see when you can draw this without any early payment deductions.

hyubh

seashore22 wrote: »

I worked for the NHS for about 4 years between 2003 and 2007 in a part time capacity until we moved away and I had to leave. I paid what must be a tiny amount into the pension scheme

Amount contributed will be irrelevant given the scheme is DB not DC. As Silvertaby says, whether you left with a pension or not was dependent on calendar length of membership, which being over two years meant you earned a preserved pension under covering pensions legislation (and couldn't have had a contribution refund).

Would the amount have just sat there doing nothing or even reduced to nothing with admin costs?

Again as Silvertaby says, as a public sector scheme, these will then have been indexed with inflation since you left (RPI up to 2011, then CPI thereafter). And as Dazed and confused says, there are no admin charges (they pertain to DC pensions, not DB ones).

Do I contact my NHS trust or is there some central body who deals with pensions?

As a deferred member, I'd suggest the scheme administrator:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/member-hub/members-contact-us

It's the only time I worked for the NHS and don't know much about how their pensions work.

'Defined benefit' (DB), specifically 'final salary' given when you were a member, which means the pension benefits earned are relative to your full-time equivalent salary on leaving.

atush

Silvertabby wrote: »

As you had more than 2 years calendar service (post 1988 leaver) then you will have a deferred pension with the NHS. It won't have just stagnated - it will have been increased each year in line with inflation and, I'm willing to bet, will be worth far more than just a nice meal out!

It's worth touching base with NHS pensions to see when you can draw this without any early payment deductions.

at 20 hours a week, i imagine it will be enough for a nice meal out at least once a month lol. It was been going up with inflation since 2007.

Let us know once you find out. If you call them and give your new address, they will send a statement.