NHS pension for 2001-2007

aroominyork

My wife worked for the NHS from 2001 to 2007. She does not receive any statements or have any recollection of what pension (DB?) she will receive on retirement. Can someone guide us please on how to find out her entitlement and ensure she is registered the correct way?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

At that time she would normally have been a member of the 1995 scheme.

She should be able to get an upto date statement from the scheme administrator.

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

xylophone

Was this the only contracted out scheme of which she was ever a member?


Has she checked her state pension forecast?

aroominyork

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

At that time she would normally have been a member of the 1995 scheme.

She should be able to get an upto date statement from the scheme administrator.

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

Many thanks - she will send an SM27A to get the ball rolling.

xylophone said:

Was this the only contracted out scheme of which she was ever a member?


Has she checked her state pension forecast?

I think it was her only contrated out scheme although, like 99% of the UK population, I don't really understand contracted in/out. Is this point relevant/important?

Yes, she has checked her state pension forecast. Given she moved to the UK from Australia in 2001 at the age of 43 it is more than she expected!

Silvertabby

Note that this pension will be payable before your Wife's State pension age (66).  65 at the latest. 

aroominyork

Silvertabby said:

Note that this pension will be payable before your Wife's State pension age (66).  65 at the latest. 

That's helpful to know, that it will be paid automatically when she reaches 66. Can you confirm that receiving this NHS pension will not limit the amount she can pay into a SIPP, ie it will not count as pension drawdown and limit her to £4000 pa future SIPP contributions?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

If she just has the 1995 Defined Benefit pension with the NHS then no, taking that will not limit her future contributions.

But if her also contributed to a separate AVC (DC) type scheme with the NHS and took 1p of taxable income from that then I think the £4k limit would come into play.

Albermarle

aroominyork said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

At that time she would normally have been a member of the 1995 scheme.

She should be able to get an upto date statement from the scheme administrator.

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

Many thanks - she will send an SM27A to get the ball rolling.

xylophone said:

Was this the only contracted out scheme of which she was ever a member?


Has she checked her state pension forecast?

I think it was her only contrated out scheme although, like 99% of the UK population, I don't really understand contracted in/out. Is this point relevant/important?

Yes, she has checked her state pension forecast. Given she moved to the UK from Australia in 2001 at the age of 43 it is more than she expected!

She should look at making extra NI contributions to bump up her state pension, if possible.
About £850 buys about £250 pa of guaranteed inflation increases as a minimum ( can be more with the double/triple lock )
It's a real bargain.

eskbanker

aroominyork said:

Silvertabby said:

Note that this pension will be payable before your Wife's State pension age (66).  65 at the latest. 

That's helpful to know, that it will be paid automatically when she reaches 66.

That's not what @Silvertabby said!  Payable by 65 (not her SPA of 66) and no mention of automatic....

ggmf

If in the 1995 Scheme then this is payable at age 60. She needs to obtain access to be able to review her TRS statement, and will need to apply for payment when due (if a deferred member then - https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2021-07/AW8P (V20) - 07.2021.pdf)
If in the 2008 Scheme then this is payable at 65 , if in the 2015 scheme then this is payable at state pension age.

aroominyork

eskbanker said:

aroominyork said:

Silvertabby said:

Note that this pension will be payable before your Wife's State pension age (66).  65 at the latest. 

That's helpful to know, that it will be paid automatically when she reaches 66.

That's not what @Silvertabby said!  Payable by 65 (not her SPA of 66) and no mention of automatic....

That's right, esk. I didn't mention that I went to this page which says: "When you leave the Scheme, your pension will be deferred if you have either:

• more than 2 years qualifying membership
• less than 2 years in the Scheme, but have transferred a personal pension into the NHS Pension Scheme

This means the pension you have built up will remain in the Scheme. It will be paid when you reach your normal pension age."

It's the last sentence that is relevant, and since she was born in 1957 her state pension age is 66.

Albermarle said:

aroominyork said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

At that time she would normally have been a member of the 1995 scheme.

She should be able to get an upto date statement from the scheme administrator.

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

Many thanks - she will send an SM27A to get the ball rolling.

xylophone said:

Was this the only contracted out scheme of which she was ever a member?


Has she checked her state pension forecast?

I think it was her only contrated out scheme although, like 99% of the UK population, I don't really understand contracted in/out. Is this point relevant/important?

Yes, she has checked her state pension forecast. Given she moved to the UK from Australia in 2001 at the age of 43 it is more than she expected!

She should look at making extra NI contributions to bump up her state pension, if possible.
About £850 buys about £250 pa of guaranteed inflation increases as a minimum ( can be more with the double/triple lock )
It's a real bargain.

Not possible. She has made full contributions each year since arriving in the UK.