In line with new HMRC tax rules the minimum pension age at which a pension scheme member can take a pension will increase to age 55 years from 6 April 2010.  Some scheme members will however retain a protected pension age of 50 years if they fulfill certain criteria.

Further information on this subject is available in Circular 2009/15 on the Circulars page.

SPPA NHS have recently changed their Pension Administration System, the new system went live on 24 September 2009.  In order to implement this significant change, all our member records were migrated to our new system.  Due to the high number of members we have in our scheme, there will be a transitional period when we will be unable to process member requests as quickly as previously.

Therefore if you need to contact us or make an enquiry we hope you appreciate that your request may take slightly longer to be dealt with, however a response will be sent to you in due course.

Members of the NHS Scheme will be offered the choice in 2009 to remain in the current arrangements or to transfer to the new scheme.  The new scheme will have a normal pension age of 65 but will have improved benefits.  Further information will be issued later but in the meantime click here to find details of the scheme changes.

Agenda for Change is a partnership approach to pay and service modernisation in the NHS. It will affect many thousands of staff who are members of the NHS Superannuation Scheme Scotland.

Some current scheme members who are being assimilated into lower pay bands, will have to “mark time” on their salary levels prior to AfC until such time as the revised salary level catches up. Those staff affected in this way and who have at least 2 years qualifying service,  will be entitled to have their pensions protected under Regulation R8, at the pre AfC level of pensionable pay with pensions increase factors (cost of living increases) being added on a yearly basis, thereafter.

On retiral, separate calculations and comparisons will be carried out to ensure that member receives the most beneficial award possible.

Normally, members are required to make individual applications for pay protection directly to the SPPA, who would then contact the employer to verify the circumstances leading to a reduction in pay. However, in this instance, we want to ensure that the process is streamlined as far as practicable and the Agency is currently liaising with employers about how best to manage these changes. A circular will be produced shortly which will be issued to employers and also posted on the website informing all stakeholders about the administrative procedures to ensure protection is arranged.

In addition to those mentioned above, many staff will be assimilated to higher pay bands resulting in payment of arrears spanning the financial years from 2007.

Employers will notify the SPPA of any arrears paid on their annual returns to us. The effect of the payment of these arrears may artificially inflate the salary we hold which will reflect on the calculations shown on the members benefit statement. Members are asked to bear this in mind if the salary figures quoted in their statements the following year looks to have reduced.