Legislation – The National Health Service Pension Schemes (Remediable Service) (Scotland) Regulations 2023

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Introduction

PART 1
General provisions

1 Citation, commencement and extent

2 Interpretation

PART 2
Remediable service

3 Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: immediate choice pensioner and deceased members

4 Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: active and deferred members (immediate correction)

5 Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: deferred choice active and deferred members

6 Remediable service statements

PART 3
Elections

7 Eligibility to make an election: designated persons

8 Election for retrospective provision to apply to opted-out service

9 Immediate choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: pensioner and deceased members

10 Pension benefits and lump sum benefits: immediate choice election: pensioner and deceased members

11 Continuation of pensions: immediate or deferred choice election: dependent and eligible children of a remedy member

12 Deferred choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: active, deferred and deceased members

13 Pension benefits and lump sum benefits: deferred choice election: pensioner and deceased members

PART 4
Voluntary contributions

14 Interpretation of Part 4

15 Elections to pay contributions for additional pension: where they must be treated as if paid under a corresponding option exercised under the 2011 Regulations or the 2013 Regulations

16 Treatment of contributions paid after 31 March 2022 under a corresponding option exercised in accordance with regulation 15(2)(b)

17 Treatment of a corresponding option exercised in accordance with regulation 15 on the making of a deferred choice election for 2015 scheme benefits under regulation 12

18 Treatment of buy-out contributions made under 2015 regulation 47: active and deferred members of the 2015 scheme

19 Treatment of additional contributions: active and deferred members (in respect of remediable service) of the legacy scheme

20 Treatment of additional contributions: pensioners and deceased members of the legacy scheme

21 Voluntary contributions: members of the 2015 scheme

22 Treatment of buy-out contributions made under 2015 regulation 47: pensioner and deceased members of the 2015 scheme

23 Remedial arrangements to pay voluntary contributions to secure legacy scheme additional pension

24 Revocation of cancellation of arrangement or option to secure legacy scheme additional service or additional pension

PART 5
Divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership

25 Interpretation of Part 5

26 Pension debits: valuation of pension benefits before 1 October 2023: active and deferred members (immediate alternative debit of appropriate amount)

27 Pension debits: valuation of pension benefits before 1 October 2023: immediate choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: pensioner and deceased members

28 Pension debits: no immediate choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: pensioner and deceased members

29 Pension debits: deferred choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: active and deferred members

30 Valuation of pension benefits on or after 1 October 2023

31 Pension debits: valuation of pension benefits on or after 1 October 2023: immediate choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: pensioner members

32 Pension debits: valuation of pension benefits on or after 1st October 2023: no immediate choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: pensioner members

33 Pension credits: valuation of pension benefits before 1st October 2023: pension credit adjustment: remediable service shareable rights in the legacy scheme only or the 2015 scheme only

34 Pension credits: valuation of pension benefits before 1 October 2023: pension credit adjustment: remediable service shareable rights in the legacy scheme and the 2015 scheme

35 Pension credits: pensioner and deceased relevant pension credit members

36 Pension credits: valuation of pension benefits on or after 1 October 2023: creation of a pension credit

PART 6
Transfers

37 Interpretation of Part 6

38 Treatment of transfer and transfer value payments made to the 1995 Section or the 2008 Section that are not made under public sector transfer arrangements

39 Transfer value payments made to the 2015 scheme that are not made under public sector transfer arrangements: treatment as transfer payments under the 1995 Section or transfer value payments under the 2008 Section active and deferred members

40 Transfer value payments treated in accordance with regulation 39: variation of the member’s rights on the making of a deferred choice election

41 Transfer value payments made to the 2015 scheme that are not made under public sector transfer arrangements: treated as if accepted under the legacy scheme: pensioner and deceased members

42 Treatment of transfer and transfer value payments and statements accepted from other and corresponding health service schemes

43 Transferred out remediable service statements

44 Remediable transfer value payments made before 1 October 2023

45 Remediable transfer value payments on or after 1 October 2023 that are not made under the public sector transfer arrangements

46 Transfers of remediable rights in the legacy scheme to the 2015 scheme before 1 October 2023

47 Transfers of remediable rights in the legacy scheme to the 2015 scheme on or after 1 October 2023

48 Remediable transfer values payments accepted from other public service schemes but not accepted under the public sector transfer arrangements

49 Remediable club transfer value payments made before 1 October 2023

50 Remediable club transfer value payments made on or after 1 October 2023

51 Remediable club transfer value payments accepted before 1 October 2023

52 Remediable club transfer value payments accepted on or after 1 October 2023

53 Application and interpretation of regulations 54 to 56

54 Transferred in remediable rights treated as being the legacy scheme

55 Varying the value of benefits secured by virtue of transferred in remediable rights

56 Benefits already paid in relation to transferred in remediable rights

PART 7
Taxation

57 Interpretation of Part 7

58 Scheme administrator to be liable where private sector scheme administrator’s liability is discharged

59 Scheme pays

PART 8
Compensation

60 Applications for compensation or indirect compensation

61 Indirect compensation

PART 9
Interest and the payment, reduction or waiver of liabilities

62 Application and interpretation of Part 9

63 Interest and process

64 Interest not payable under the 2011 Regulations or the 2013 Regulations

65 Netting off of liabilities

66 Payments of amounts owed to the scheme

67 Payment of amounts owed to a person

68 Power to reduce or waive amounts owed by a person to the legacy scheme

PART 10
Revocation of election to convert pensionable service in the legacy scheme

69 Option to revoke election to convert pensionable service in the legacy scheme

PART 11
Retirement pensions

70 Premature retirement in the interests of efficiency

71 Premature retirement on grounds of redundancy

72 Partial retirement: pensioner remedy members

73 Partial retirement: deferred and active remedy members

74 Determining whether a member meets the ill-health criteria in each scheme

75 Ill-health pension: acceptance of retrospective applications

PART 12
Consequential amendments

76 Consequential amendment of the 2011 Regulations, the 2013 Regulations and the 2015 Transitional Regulations

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE Amendment of the 2011 Regulations, the 2013 Regulations and the 2015 Transitional Regulations

Signature

Explanatory note

PART 2Remediable service

Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: immediate choice pensioner and deceased members
3.

(1)

This regulation applies in relation to a relevant member (“M”) who has remediable service in the legacy scheme that is pensionable service under that scheme whether or not by virtue of section 2(1) of PSPJOA 2022 (remediable service treated as pensionable under chapter 1 legacy schemes) (“M’s remediable service”) in the circumstances described in paragraph (2).

(2)

The circumstances are that, at the operative time—

(a)

the paid contributions amount in relation to M exceeds the adjusted contributions amount in relation to M, or

(b)

the paid contributions amount in relation to M is less than the adjusted contributions amount in relation to M.

(3)

In the circumstances described in paragraph (2)(a), the scheme manager must pay an amount of compensation equal to the difference to the appropriate person in accordance with paragraph (4).

(4)

The amount of compensation paid to the appropriate person must be reduced by tax relief amounts calculated in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (8) and, if relevant, (11) and (12) of direction 4 of the 2022 Directions (powers to reduce or waive liabilities) .

(5)

In the circumstances described in paragraph (2)(b), the appropriate person must pay contributions equal to the difference to the scheme in accordance with paragraph (6).

(6)

The contributions owed to the scheme by the appropriate person must be reduced by tax relief amounts calculated in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (8) and, if relevant (11) and (12) of direction 4 of the 2022 Directions.

(7)

In this regulation—

adjusted contribution amount” means—

(a)

if a person has made an election under regulation 12 in relation to M’s remediable service, the aggregate of the contributions M would have paid in respect of M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years if M had been required to pay 2015 scheme contributions in respect of that service,

(b)

otherwise, the aggregate of M’s legacy scheme contributions in respect of M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years;

appropriate person” means—

(a)

M, or

(b)

if M is deceased, M’s personal representative;

operative time” means—

(a)

if an election under regulation 12 is made in relation to M’s remediable service, the time the election is made,

(b)

otherwise—

  1. (i)

    the end of the immediate choice election period in relation to M, or

  2. (ii)

    if M is an immediate detriment remedy member, 1 October 2023;

paid contributions amount” means the aggregate of—

(a)

the legacy scheme contributions, or

(b)

the 2015 scheme contributions,

paid by M in relation to M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years.

relevant member” means a member who is—

(a)

a pensioner member, or

(b)

a member who died on or before 30 September 2023 and

paid or would have paid contributions in respect of any scheme year falling within the period of M’s remediable service in respect of M’s certified or final pensionable earnings uprated in accordance with—

  1. (i)

    paragraph 14 of schedule 1 of the 2011 Regulations;

  2. (ii)

    regulation 3.C.2 of the 2014 Regulations; or

  3. (iii)

    regulation 37(3)(a) of the 2015 Regulations.

(8)

Where this regulation applies, section 15 of PSPJOA 2022 (pension contributions: pensioner and deceased members) does not apply and the references to that section in section 18(2) and (5) of that Act (powers to reduce or waive liabilities) are to be read as references to this regulation.

Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: active and deferred members (immediate correction)
4.

(1)

This regulation applies in relation to a relevant member (“M”) who has remediable service in the legacy scheme that is pensionable service under that scheme by virtue of section 2(1) of PSPJOA 2022 (“M’s remediable service”) in the circumstances described in paragraph (2).

(2)

The circumstances are that the paid contributions amount in relation to M exceeds the adjusted contributions amount in relation to M.

(3)

In the circumstances described in paragraph (2) the scheme manager must pay an amount of compensation equal to the difference to the appropriate person in accordance with paragraph (4).

(4)

The amount of compensation paid to the appropriate person must be reduced by tax relief amounts calculated in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (8) and if relevant, (11) and (12) of direction 4 of the 2022 Directions (powers to reduce or waive liabilities).

(5)

M may waive M’s right to the compensation payment otherwise due under this regulation in accordance with the 2022 Directions, but, if M or the designated person does not make an election under regulation 12 (deferred choice election for 2015 scheme benefits: active, deferred and deceased members) before the end of the deferred choice election period—

(a)

that waiver is void, and

(b)

on the payment of M’s 1995 Section or 2008 Section benefits in respect of M’s remediable service, compensation again becomes payable under this regulation.

(6)

For the purpose of paragraph (5), a waiver must be given to the scheme manager by notice in writing in such form as the scheme manager determines.

(7)

The scheme manager must send a notice in writing to the member of the member’s right to claim an amount of compensation under this regulation or to waive M’s right to compensation in accordance with paragraph (5).

(8)

The notice must be sent to the member before 1 October 2024 or such later time as the scheme manager considers reasonable in all the circumstances of the case.

(9)

In this regulation—

adjusted contributions amount” means the aggregate of the contributions M would have paid in respect of M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years if M had been required to pay contributions in accordance with (whichever is relevant)—

(a)

paragraph 4 of schedule 1 of the 2011 Regulations (medical and dental practitioners: contributions to this Section of the scheme), or

(b)

regulation 3.C.2 of the 2011 Regulations (Members’ contribution rate);

appropriate person” means—

(a)

M, or

(b)

if M is deceased, M’s personal representative;

paid contributions amount” means the aggregate of the 2015 scheme contributions paid by M in the relevant scheme years in respect of M’s remediable service;

relevant member” means a member who—

(a)

is an active or deferred remedy member, and

(b)

paid contributions in respect of M’s certified or final pensionable earnings uprated according to the formula in regulation 37 of the 2015 Regulations in respect of any scheme year falling within the period of M’s remediable service.

(10)

Where this regulation applies, section 16 of PSPJOA 2022 (pension contributions: active and deferred members (immediate correction)) does not apply and the references to that section in section 18(2) and (5) of that Act (powers to reduce or waive liabilities) are to be read as references to this regulation.

Pension contributions of medical practitioners and non-GP providers: deferred choice active and deferred members
5.

(1)

This regulation applies in relation to a relevant member (“M”) who has remediable service in the legacy scheme that is pensionable service under that scheme by virtue of section 2(1) of PSPJOA 2022 (“M’s remediable service”) in the circumstances described in paragraph (2).

(2)

The circumstances are that the paid contributions amount in relation to M is less than the adjusted contributions amount in relation to M.

(3)

In the circumstances described in paragraph (2), the appropriate person must pay an amount equal to the difference to the scheme in accordance with paragraph (5).

(4)

Paragraph (3) does not apply where M has waived M’s right to the compensation payment otherwise due under regulation 3 (see regulation 3(4)) unless that waiver is void.

(5)

The contributions owed to the scheme by the appropriate person must be reduced by tax relief amounts calculated in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (8) and if relevant, (11) and (12) of direction 4 of the 2022 Directions (powers to reduce or waive liabilities).

(6)

In this regulation—

adjusted contributions amount” means—

(a)

if a person has made an election under regulation 12 in relation to M’s remediable service, the aggregate of the contributions M would have paid in respect of M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years if M had been required to pay 2015 scheme contributions in respect of that service;

(b)

otherwise, the aggregate of M’s legacy scheme contributions in respect of M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years;

appropriate person” means—

(a)

M, or

(b)

if M is deceased, M’s personal representatives;

operative time” means—

(a)

if an election under regulation 12 is made in relation to M’s remediable service, the time the election is made;

(b)

otherwise, the end of the deferred choice election period in relation to M;

paid contributions amount” means—

(a)

the aggregate of the legacy scheme contributions, or

(b)

the aggregate of the 2015 scheme contributions,

paid by M in relation to M’s remediable service in the relevant scheme years;

relevant member” means a member who—

(a)

is an active or deferred remedy member, and

(b)

paid or would have paid contribution in respect of any scheme year falling within the period of M’s remediable service in respect of M’s certified or final pensionable earnings in accordance with—

  1. (i)

    paragraph 14 of schedule 1 of the 2011 regulations;

  2. (ii)

    regulation 3.C.2 of the 2013 Regulations; or

  3. (iii)

    regulation 37(3)(a) of the 2015 regulations.

(7)

Where this regulation applies, section 17 of PSPJOA 2022 (pension contributions: active and deferred members (deferred correction)) does not apply and the references to that section in section 18(2) and (5) of that Act (powers to reduce or waive liabilities) are to be read as references to this regulation.

Remediable service statements
6.

(1)

The scheme manager must provide a remediable service statement in accordance with section 29 of PSPJOA 202215, direction 20 of the 2022 Directions and this regulation to each remedy member or (as the case may be) designated person (see regulation 7) who has not made an election in respect of that service pursuant to—

(a)

regulation 9, or

(b)

regulation 12.

(2)

The scheme manager must provide the statement to each such remedy member or designated person on or before the relevant date16.

(3)

The scheme manager must provide a further remediable service statement—

(a)

where the remedy member has remediable service in an employment or office in relation to which the member is for the time being an active member, at least once in each year ending with the anniversary of the relevant date;

(b)

where the remedy member has remediable service in an employment or office in relation to which the member is for the time being a deferred member, on request and within three months beginning with the day of that request.

15

For the meaning of “remediable service” mentioned in section 29(4) and (8)(a) and (b), see section 1 of that Act.

16

For the meaning of “the relevant date”, see section 29(10) of PSPJOA 2022.