Scottish Public Pensions: Agency Information, followed by links within this section of the site

Staff Employed in Direction Bodies

As Direction Bodies are not an NHS employer, those who have been in the NHS superannuation scheme before moving to employment with a registered Direction Body are only allowed to continue in the scheme under what we call a “Direction” arrangement. This is an arrangement whereby under the powers of Section 7 of the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1967, the Scottish Ministers have the discretion to make a Direction which extends membership of the NHS Superannuation Scheme to employees of non-NHS bodies engaged in the provision of Health Services. In general, a Direction is made in respect of individual employees who leave employment in the NHS and within twelve months take up employment within the new body. A Direction allows the employee to be treated by the body concerned "as if" they were employed by an NHS employing authority but it does not make the body itself an employing authority for the purposes of the Scheme.

The Direction is limited in that it gives access to a basic pension, retiring allowance, ill-health and death benefits but does not give access to other benefits which would incur employer's financial liability. (e.g. regulation E3 of the superannuation scheme regulations which allows for early retirement pension due to redundancy etc and early retirement pension with employers consent). Another difference for staff is that, under a Direction, if for any reason the employer fails to pay their contribution, it would fall to the individual covered by the Direction to pay both the employee's and the employer's contributions.

As this is not an automatic right for ex NHS employees to remain in the scheme you should apply to SPPA in the first instance with details of any new staff wishing to be covered by the direction via our application form – Form SB115

Guides

Forms

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Calculators

Contacts

Retirement

Divorce

Transferring

Guides

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Forms - Pre 01/04/2008 Post 01/04/2008 Misc Forms

For information, some of the Awards forms have been updated to incorporate the changes following the introduction of the new scheme from 01/04/2008, any members retiring on or after this date should complete the forms post 01/04/2008.

Application Form

SB115 Form(pdf 36kb) - Application for member to join NHS scheme when a member of a Direction Body

Pre 01/04/2008 (return to top)

Post 01/04/2008 (return to top)

Miscellaneous Forms (return to top)

Other Forms

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Circulars

2008 2007 2006

2008 Circulars

Circular 2008/14 (pdf 145kb). Issued on the 20th August 2008. This Circular contains important information regarding changes to the member pension contribution rates applicable from 1st August 2008 following the 2008/09 agenda for changes (AFC) pay award of 2.75%
Circular 2008/13 (pdf 144kb). Issued on 19th August 2008. This Circular advises changes of Provision of Medical Services to the SPPA
Circular 2008/12 (pdf 49kb) issued on 7 August 2008. This circular advises of changes to the handling of Ill Health applications and IDRP arrangements from 1 October 2008.
Circular 2008/11(pdf 546kb) issued on 2 July 2008. Regulations formalising changes to the NHS Scheme in Scotland which were effective from 1 April 2008 have now been published on the on the “Office of Public Information” website at www.opsi.gov.uk these are Scottish Statutory Instruments nos. SSI 2008/224, SSI 2008/225 and SSI 2008/226. The circular gives information on their content and highlights the time limited opportunity to purchase an increased survivor’s pension for membership prior to 6 April 1988 and new rules on Pensionable breaks.
Circular 2008/10 containing Annex A and B (pdf 61kb), with references to tables at Annex C (pdf 24kb) and Annex D (pdf 37k) - issued 3rd April 2008. This circular gives guidance on the following:
- NHS (Superannuation Scheme, Injury Benefits, Additional Voluntary Contributions and Compensation for Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008 SSI 2008/92
- Revised Actuarial Tables for Early Retirement Pensions and Employer Capitalisation Costs.
- The Pensions Increase Review Order
Circular 2008/9 (pdf 107kb) - issued 26 March 2008. This circular gives guidance on administration arrangements for new members from 1/4/08.
Circular 2008/4A(pdf 474kb) - issued 26 March 2008. This circular gives guidance for allocating contribution tiers for officer members.
Circular 2008/8(word 83kb) - issued 14 March 2008. Annual Return Circular for GP Practices 2007/08.
NHS Circular 2008 7 NHS Annual Returns NHS Circular 2008 7 NHS Annual Returns
Circular 2008/6 (pdf 47kb) - Issued 10 March 2008. This circular gives notice about the proposed changes to ill health retirement benefits which are aimed to be intoduced from 1 April 2008.
Circular 2008/4 (pdf 1.4mb) - Issued 6 March 2008. Confirmation of tiered contributions which will come into effect from 01/04/08 for Officer members.
Circular 2008/3 (pdf 247kb) - Issued 6 March 2008. Overview of the Choice options which will be available in early 2009 following the scheme changes which are due to take effect from 01/04/08.
Circular 2008/2 (pdf 151kb) - Issued 28 February 2008. Guidance on Adminstration arrangements for employing authorities to implement scheme changes for existing members.
Circular 2008/1 (pdf 72.6Kb) - issued 16 January 2008. Maternity Leave

2007 Circulars

Circular 2007/9 (pdf 84Kb) - issued on 8 November 2007. Changes to administration system
Circular 2007/8 (pdf 62Kb) - Addendum issued 25 October 2007. This addendum updates the tier thresholds in the table for member contributions which was set out in Circular 2007/8.
Circular 2007/8 (pdf 110kb) updated version- issued 24 October 2007. This circular gives details on changes to the current NHS pension scheme and introduction of a new NHS scheme from 1 April 2008.
Circular 2007/7 (pdf 214Kb) issued 12 October 2007. This circular provides employers with advance notification of Annual Benefits statements being prepared for issue to them, to then distribute to members.
Circular 2007/6 (pdf 78Kb) - issued 8 August 2007. This circular gives details on Agenda for Change. As mentioned in the circular information supplied on formatted disk is as follows: - Guidance Note for Completion (pdf 83Kb) Full and Part Time Calculator (Xls 41Kb) Sheet for completion and return to SPPA (Xls 1.5mb) AFC Example (Xls 18Kb)
Circular 2007/5 (pdf 296Kb) - issued 9 March 2007. This circular gives details on Annual Returns for 2006/07. As mentioned in item 11 of this circular, please follow the attached links to access CETV Calculator for pensions disclosure and CETV Calculator Instructions.
Circular 2007/4 (pdf 90Kb) - issued 2007. This circular gives GP Practices details on completion of annual returns for the 06/07 period.
Circular 2007/2(pdf86KB) - issued January 2007. This circular gives details of changes to Payroll.
Circular 2007/1(pdf907KB) - issued January 2007. This circular gives details of changes to redundancy arrangements.

2006 Circulars

Circular2006/14 rev(pdf226kb) - issued October 2006. This circular updates circular 2006/14 revision of Award forms.
Circular2006/13(pdf78KB) - issued October 2006. This circular gives details of 24 hour break.
Circular 2006/11(pdf233KB) - issued Septemebr 2006. This circular gives details of the Valuation of the NHS Scheme.
Circular 2006/10 (pdf 96KB) - issued July 2006. This circular informs of the issue of new NHS Scheme Guides.
Circular 2006/9 (pdf 77Kb) - issued July 2006. This circular gives details on AVC amendments to Regulations - Career Breaks - Earnings Cap 2006/07 - Pensions Increase - Returning to NHS employment in first month after retirement.
Circular 2006/6 (pdf 53Kb) - issued 4 July 2006. This circular contains information regarding new Scheme Guides.
Circular 2006/5 (pdf 68Kb) - issued 9 May 2006. This circular contains information regarding Standard Life - Proposed Demutualisation.
Circular 2006/4 (pdf 89Kb) - issued April 2006. This circular contains details of changes in the administration of the NHS Superannuation Scheme.
Circular 2006/3 - Addendum (pdf 46Kb) - issued 12 April 2006. This circular contains important amendments to the main circular 2006/3 (above) in respect of return e-mail addresses.
Circular 2006/3 (pdf 140Kb) - issued March 2006. This circular gives details on Annual Returns for 2005/06.
Circular 2006/1 Annual Returns (pdf 110 Kb) - issued 1st March 2006. This circular gives details on completion of Annual Returns for 2005/2006 which should be submitted no later than 31 May 2006.
Circular 2006/1 (pdf 90Kb) - issued 1st March 2006. This circular gives details on Tax Simplification