Advice on teachers pensions

mikewhalley

I retired on ill health after 30 years teaching in 2016. I am in receipt of an accrued benefits ill health pension. In 2019 I started doing some part-time work in a school, coaching rugby and cricket on a casual hourly paid basis (approximately 8-10 hours per week). I left in July 2021. I did not opt into the TPS. The TPS have recently contacted me to say that they are investigating whether to halt my pension because the school has submitted information saying that i was a salaried, pensionable employee of the school. This information, visible on my TPS log in site is completely wrong. TPS say that because I was employed in a school setting, my pension might be at risk. I have all my pay slips which clearly state that i was an hourly paid casual worker and did not pay a pension. It is also quite clear from the pay slips that I was not paid a salary. TPS have attempted to contact the school for clarity, but they have not responded. They have also not returned my calls. TPS says I must speak to the school to confirm the original terms of my appointment. I fear they will not contact me. I even have the original letter offering me the post, with details of the post, but TPS are not interested in seeing this, or the pay slips as they are taking the school information as read. Advice please , I do not want my pension to be stopped!

zagubov

If you collect a full pension then return to work in a workplace where the TP is available (even if you don't pay into it) the TPS may be able to abate your pension.
They won't want your  total earnings to be above your "salary of reference".
That's the way it works for people on full pensions who are re-engaged on a salary.
Not absolutely sure how your ill-health pension works for these purposes.
Have you asked the TPS via your pension account on their site?
You can leave messages and questions but you need some patiience when waiting for a reply.

newretiree

https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/-/media/documents/member/factsheets/applying-for-retirement/ill-health-feb-2018.ashx?rev=0795865db8a84a0b9aa3cdabfeecacf7&hash=E9F0E288702C2FC27CD20A0624C589F4

Page 24 seems to give relevant information about what happens if you return to work. 

xylophone

I did not opt into the TPS. The TPS have recently contacted me to say that they are investigating whether to halt my pension because the school has submitted information saying that i was a salaried, pensionable employee of the school.

The information is inaccurate in so far as you were neither salaried nor pensionable - however, you were an employee of the school, albeit casual.

You had therefore returned to work?

The link supplied by newretiree says

What happens if you return to work? 

Firstly, employers must be satisfied that you’re medically fit to return to teaching and it’s your responsibility to tell them that you’re in receipt of Ill-health benefits. 

If you start work again in any form of teaching, lecturing or tutoring you must inform Teachers’ Pensions. Your pension will stop immediately. If you fail to inform Teachers’ Pensions that you have returned to work, you’ll have to pay back any pension paid to you since returning to work. 

If you receive a ‘Total incapacity enhancement’ and you undertake ANY work, you must contact Teachers’ Pensions immediately. If you undertake any employment as a teacher, lecturer, tutor or other teaching post, whether paid or unpaid, your enhanced pension will stop and you’ll have to pay back any enhanced pension you have received since starting work. Details of any other employment must be notified to Teachers’ Pensions so that this can be assessed accordingly 

Kim1965

If you retire on ill health, presumably the pension was not subject to reduction for early payment, or it could have been enhanced. 
 Its paid on the premise you cant work, casual, permanent. 

tebbins

Sports coaching on a part-time casual basis is clearly not teaching and there is manifestly a material difference to a full-time permanent teaching contract. If I hadn't escaped teaching before I qualified I would have certainly had to leave because of the stress. Casual work is akin to volunteering. The contract with the school should be more than enough and TPS are behaving appallingly. What you do in your retirement is none of their concern. Based on your post they have produced no evidence to counter or bring into doubt the reasons they chose to accept your application for ill health retirement in the first place. Obviously you should still do everything they're asking you to but from your post they are behaving absolutely appallingly and you are more than within your rights to respond in however strong language you see fit, they are trying to steal something that primae facie, just based on the information you have provided, you are entitled to.

xylophone

Casual work is akin to volunteering. 

How do you make that out? Surely the most that a volunteer could receive would be eg a contribution to travel costs or a free meal perhaps?

A volunteer is not paid for services rendered?

The OP appears to have had a contract of employment and received a wage.

I have all my pay slips which clearly state that i was an hourly paid casual worker 

And coaching is teaching?

Kim1965

tebbins said:

Sports coaching on a part-time casual basis is clearly not teaching and there is manifestly a material difference to a full-time permanent teaching contract. If I hadn't escaped teaching before I qualified I would have certainly had to leave because of the stress. Casual work is akin to volunteering. The contract with the school should be more than enough and TPS are behaving appallingly. What you do in your retirement is none of their concern. Based on your post they have produced no evidence to counter or bring into doubt the reasons they chose to accept your application for ill health retirement in the first place. Obviously you should still do everything they're asking you to but from your post they are behaving absolutely appallingly and you are more than within your rights to respond in however strong language you see fit, they are trying to steal something that primae facie, just based on the information you have provided, you are entitled to.

You are very wrong. If a person is paid ill health retirement tier 1 one they are deemed unfit to work and they recuves their pension with no early reduction penalty. 
If they get tier 2 they are deemed not fit to do ANY work and they are compensated fir years thy cannot accrue (enhanced).
 The tps are very fair and generous, the Tps, on the face of it, are well within their rights. Read the terms and conditions. I do agree teaching is stressful. 
My partner is currently asking fir ill health (terminal cancer, cant get out of bed) ill. The op, obviously can and has worked in contradiction to the terms.