Amendments to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme: retained firefighters

This consultation focuses on the government’s commitment to provide additional remedy and flexibility to those members who were employed as retained firefighters between 7 April 2000 and 5 April 2006 inclusive by providing access to the modified section of Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2006 (referred to as ‘the modified scheme’).

We are seeking views on proposals to amend to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (England) Order 2006 to allow:

• the payment of a missed pension lump sum / survivor’s missed pension payment in respect of a deceased individual who would have been entitled to a pension (or a higher pension) under Matthews remedy

• the extension of the eligibility criteria for an ‘additional death grant’ payment, so that it is also payable in respect of those individuals who did not join (or did not get an opportunity to join) the modified scheme during the 2014 Options exercise

• individuals who joined the modified scheme as special deferred members the option to convert relevant standard service in the 2006 Scheme to special service in the modified scheme

• for a minor clarification to be made to an existing reference to ‘additional death grant’

• eligible individuals with periods of ‘opted out’ service in the standard 2006 Scheme to count this towards their special service

• flexibility to apply new provisions beyond 31 March 2026

• the closure deadline of the 2023 Options exercise to be extended by 12 months to 31 March 2026

• members who join the modified scheme as special pensioner members, and who are in receipt of a ‘member initiated early payment of pension’, the ability to convert their standard service to special service