NHS Pension scheme draft regulations 2015: part 2

The Department of Health is consulting on draft regulations relating to the introduction of the 2015 National Health Service Pension Scheme for England and Wales.

The draft regulations:

• ensure that transferring members, and new members of the 2015 scheme, remain in contracted-out employment until contracting-out ends in April 2016
• prevent members of the current scheme from gaining rights as “early leavers” under that scheme when they transfer to the new scheme. Transferring members will be treated as if they remained active members of the old scheme until they leave pensionable service
• change the tax regime in respect of ill-health benefits to prevent the same benefits from being assessed against tax twice, and ensure that members do not experience any unexpected tax consequences

Regulations that implement pension scheme changes are subject to final agreement by health ministers and HM Treasury.