Members
On April 1 2008 the NHS Pension Scheme was updated with some significant changes.
Key features of the Scheme have been retained for those in membership on and immediately before 1 April 2008, including a normal retirement age of 60 and a pension based on final salary. This scheme will continue to be called the NHS Pension Scheme but for ease of identification is referred to as the NHS Pension Scheme (Amended April 2008).
At the same time a brand new scheme was launched for new members joining for the first time on or after April 1 2008. The New NHS Pension Scheme will have a normal retirement age of 65, and greater flexibility around how and when members take their pension.
Members joining for the first time on or after April 1 2008 will only be able to join the New NHS Pension Scheme. This situation is slightly more complicated for people rejoining with previous membership of the NHS Pension Scheme. Further information is available in the factsheet for deferred members available in the members’ library.
Further information on the NHS and New NHS Pension Schemes is set out on these pages. In many respects the two Schemes are similar and where there are differences, these are highlighted in the text. Scheme guides and other literature, some of which is specific to either scheme, may be downloaded from the members library.
Further information on specific changes affecting members of the NHS Pension Scheme (Amended April 2008) around contributions, ‘added years’, changes to survivor pensions and so on, can be accessed by using the ‘Scheme changes’ link in the left hand menu, and a range of factsheets and other information can be downloaded from the Scheme changes section of the members library.