Retirement on Ill health Grounds

ashpan

Ive been off work since May with a combination of issues, im still in paid and don't think im going to recover much in the next few months, sufficient to return to work
 im due to have a phone meeting with Occupational Health soon and then a conversation with my manager 
and she has mentioned 'capability' and also retirement on ill health grounds
I have no idea what all this means, i don't want to be dismissed due to being incapable
Ive been on full pay for 6. months and due to reduce to half pay soon and can manage on this but if possible id rather take my pension early if i can
Anyone know whats involved?

eamon

There are many types of workplace pension schemes all with different aspects. What information do you currently have?  OH can make suggestions etc but they can't help with your pension needs.

Are you in a union? They would best placed to assist you. There are things that you can do yourself. Read up on your pension scheme specifically in relation to early retirement due to ill health. Its not unheard of for an employer to make up their contributions (to your official retirement age). I've attached what my scheme says they do. Yours may be similar but you must check and will probably need to actively fight/argue your case hard.

https://www.wypf.org.uk/active/all-about-your-pension/ill-health/

Please don't feel the need to explain why you are currently on sick leave. Its none of our business. However your employer pays you to be at work and sooner or later they will push you on that. Whatever your needs/issues are some time in the future you will be pushed to make a decision, return to work, resign or accept dismissal due to incapacity. So you need to be armed will all the information. Lastly if your health condition improves is being redeployed to a different role an  option?

AskAsk

sounds like she wants you to take early retirement due to ill health.  how old are you?  are you in an occupational defined benefit scheme?

ashpan

AskAsk said:

sounds like she wants you to take early retirement due to ill health.  how old are you?  are you in an occupational defined benefit scheme?

im 63 next year, im in the local government pension scheme, ill have to find out what the terms of ill health retirement are
i think this would be the ideal situation, im also worried about COVID and the impact it may have on my condition if i return to work
If i retire on ill health grounds, i think i will get my pension early

ashpan

eamon said:

There are many types of workplace pension schemes all with different aspects. What information do you currently have?  OH can make suggestions etc but they can't help with your pension needs.

Are you in a union? They would best placed to assist you. There are things that you can do yourself. Read up on your pension scheme specifically in relation to early retirement due to ill health. Its not unheard of for an employer to make up their contributions (to your official retirement age). I've attached what my scheme says they do. Yours may be similar but you must check and will probably need to actively fight/argue your case hard.

https://www.wypf.org.uk/active/all-about-your-pension/ill-health/

Please don't feel the need to explain why you are currently on sick leave. Its none of our business. However your employer pays you to be at work and sooner or later they will push you on that. Whatever your needs/issues are some time in the future you will be pushed to make a decision, return to work, resign or accept dismissal due to incapacity. So you need to be armed will all the information. Lastly if your health condition improves is being redeployed to a different role an  option?

thank you so much for all the info, really helpful
theres little chance of being deployed as my role is unique
I've just looked at my pension scheme and they have several tiers, one of which will pay my pension for 3 years if im incapable of work.  Ive emailed my union to request their support, making decisions is sometimes hard as im often groggy due to sleep deprivation.

AskAsk

ashpan said:

AskAsk said:

sounds like she wants you to take early retirement due to ill health.  how old are you?  are you in an occupational defined benefit scheme?

im 63 next year, im in the local government pension scheme, ill have to find out what the terms of ill health retirement are
i think this would be the ideal situation, im also worried about COVID and the impact it may have on my condition if i return to work
If i retire on ill health grounds, i think i will get my pension early

that will be defined benefit i think so if you retire due to ill health, you would get your pension paid without reduction for early payment.  you may also get the years of pension accrual from your leaving date to your normal retirement date, but this will be information available from the pension scheme or your scheme booklet.

oh_really

This type of pension may require that you are unfit for any role not simply your current post.

Try and speak with a steward who is a pension geek.

Manxman_in_exile

oh_really said:

This type of pension may require that you are unfit for any role not simply your current post.

Try and speak with a steward who is a pension geek.

That's probably correct.  I worked in the NHS and ill-health retirement there was basically only available to employees who were so ill that they could not work at all and there was no real prospect of recovering.  It's a very high barrier to get over.  Depending on the health problem might be a bit easier at age 63.

Yes - OP needs to get union support and also speak to the people who administer their particular LGPS.  (my wife works for a LA and when she was looking at flexible retirement a couple of years ago she got a really good explanation of all the implications from the admin people of her scheme)

Dox

OP - if you post this on the pensions board (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/pensions-annuities-retirement-planning), with luck an expert on the LGPS, Silvertabby, will be along with the correct answers quite quickly.

In the meantime, here's a link to a summary of the requirements for each of the 3 tiers: https://www.lgpsmember.org/tol/thinking-leaving-illhealth.php