Royal Mail Pension

symesd

I left Royal Mail in 2005 after 12 years and paid into their pension
I am about to turn 55 so thinking about retirement 
I am also disabled- need double hip replacement, have mobility difficulties due to Ostioarthritus: i am type 2 diabetic; have hypertension and long term depression.  Can I apply for early medical retirement.

I am currently working for another company for last 18 years and work from home due to my disability. Would I need to retire from this job to be entitled to medical retirement or could I continue as I am able to carry on this job even with my disabilities due to work adjustments to accommodate my disabilities 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

symesd said:

I left Royal Mail in 2005 after 12 years and paid into their pension
I am about to turn 55 so thinking about retirement 
I am also disabled- need double hip replacement, have mobility difficulties due to Ostioarthritus: i am type 2 diabetic; have hypertension and long term depression.  Can I apply for early medical retirement.

I am currently working for another company for last 18 years and work from home due to my disability. Would I need to retire from this job to be entitled to medical retirement or could I continue as I am able to carry on this job even with my disabilities due to work adjustments to accommodate my disabilities 

Does your current job have any connection to Royal Mail?

Miiade

You can apply to have your RM pension paid early on medical grounds without reduction, however as you are working I do not believe this would be successful.

You are probably in section c of the plan which has a normal retirement date of 60, but you can take it from 55. It’s normally around 5% reduction for each year from age 60 downwards.  Look at your last statement and take off 25% will give you an idea of the figures

For exact figures I would advise going onto their pension website and requesting your actual figures for taking at 55. It normally takes them about 2 weeks to get this info to you.

Hope it work out for you.

dasherman

As you were first employed by RM between 1987 and 2008 you will indeed be in section C, and as you left before 2012, all of your benefits will be via the RM Statutory Pension Scheme which is administered by Capita.

Their 'guide to benefits' specifically states the following:

'What if I need to retire early due to ill health?

If you are too ill to work at any time you may be able to take your benefits early (without any reduction) on ill health grounds.

You will need to provide medical evidence to take your benefits in this way. You cannot be engaged in any employment at the time you apply for, or receive, these benefits. The RMSPS Scheme Manager will consider your claim. If you have benefits in the RMPP and the RMSPS, the RMPP Trustees (RMPTL) will decide if you qualify for an ill health early retirement pension.

In order to establish whether you qualify for immediate payment of your benefits on ill health grounds, you will need to apply to us using the contact details on page 21 of this booklet.'

https://www.royalmailsps.co.uk/

Marcon

symesd said:

I left Royal Mail in 2005 after 12 years and paid into their pension
I am about to turn 55 so thinking about retirement 
I am also disabled- need double hip replacement, have mobility difficulties due to Ostioarthritus: i am type 2 diabetic; have hypertension and long term depression.  Can I apply for early medical retirement.

I am currently working for another company for last 18 years and work from home due to my disability. Would I need to retire from this job to be entitled to medical retirement or could I continue as I am able to carry on this job even with my disabilities due to work adjustments to accommodate my disabilities 

I'm not sure that simply 'retiring' from your current job would be enough - you're still well enough to work and do the job. As others have already said, you need to contact the scheme and check: https://www.royalmailpensionplan.co.uk/section-c/life-events/leaving-the-plan/deferred-benefits/#:~:text=Taking%20your%20benefits%20early%20due%20to%20ill%20health&text=You%20wouldn't%20have%20to,along%20with%20your%20lump%20sums.

Brie

Sounds from the others that an ill health retirement is not going to be an option but just to explain there are 2 different types of which I'm aware.  One is that if you are too ill to be working at anything - that sounds like what the RM would be looking at. 

The other is if you are too ill to work at what your job was.  So if for instance you were a postie doing deliveries but lost your legs you would not be able to continue in that job but could do various other things.  This sort of condition for an ill health retirement is incredibly rare.

Either way you would likely be subject to intermittent reviews to see if you had got any better than when the pension was granted.  

Marcon

Brie said:

Sounds from the others that an ill health retirement is not going to be an option but just to explain there are 2 different types of which I'm aware.  One is that if you are too ill to be working at anything - that sounds like what the RM would be looking at. 

The other is if you are too ill to work at what your job was.  So if for instance you were a postie doing deliveries but lost your legs you would not be able to continue in that job but could do various other things.  This sort of condition for an ill health retirement is incredibly rare.

You need to look at the rules of the scheme - ill health retirement has any number of different definitions, especially for deferred as opposed to active members. What you are saying is 'incredibly rare' is actually not uncommon. Sweeping generalisations don't really help much, and can mislead.

Brie said:

Either way you would likely be subject to intermittent reviews to see if you had got any better than when the pension was granted.  

Quite unusual, especially if medical evidence has confirmed someone won't be well enough to work again until (at least) the scheme's retirement age.