Ill health retirement: NHS pension scheme Advice guides Royal College of Nursing

Starting work after any period of unemployment (whether voluntary or not) can be daunting. The Ombudsman can only investigate and give a decision on any complaints or disputes relating to interpretation of the law or maladministration. It is possible to appeal twice through the dispute resolution procedure.

Sick leave and sick pay

Find out more about pensions abatement in our general pensions guide. If you are in receipt of Tier 2 IHR benefits and you take further employment and you are then earning more than the Lower Earnings Limit, your benefits will be reduced to Tier 1. The Pensions Ombudsman will usually expect you to have gone through the two appeal stages outlined above before they will look into a case.

How to Use the Ill health-AW33E

If this is granted you will not receive any enhancement and will only be paid a pension based on the contributions that you have made. Payment of an occupational pension does not impact on any Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit you receive from the DWP. If you are terminally ill and do not expect to live longer than a year, you can apply to exchange all of your ill-health benefits for a one-off (usually tax-free) lump sum payment. Increasingly, NHS employers are trying to avoid termination of contract on grounds of ill-health capability and are encouraging staff to resign once they have been accepted for IHR. It is only when your employer terminates your contract that you may be able to receive full pay during your notice period. You will receive a letter explaining how your pension has been calculated, including any enhancement payable, which you should check against any estimate you have previously received.

In addition, at any time during your বাংলাবেট appeal process you can ask Money and Pensions Service (MaPs) for assistance. If you live in England, there is no time limit to submit a first stage appeal. (Please see the Country-specific links section below for links to the relevant forms for each country.)

• The initial application form is entitled ‘Application for consideration of ill-health retirement benefits’ (AW33).
• If this is granted you will not receive any enhancement and will only be paid a pension based on the contributions that you have made.
• You may also want to consult your Total Reward/Annual Benefit Statement to check your pension value.
• Your GP will need to complete the medical section of your application form.
• It is possible to appeal twice through the dispute resolution procedure.
• It cannot be paid until your contract has been terminated, and will be backdated to your termination date or date of application (whichever is later).

Support services for members

Getting the timings right in your application can feel difficult. Your pension will be paid into your bank account monthly on a regular date specified by the Paymaster (in England and Wales). An initial decision can be made in four weeks but may take longer. If any doubt is expressed, the application will be refused or deferred. Contact us if your employer intends to terminate your contract. Ideally, the possibility of an IHR application should be discussed in absence management meetings.

Please contact us  if your employer intends to terminate your contract. You may also want to consult your Total Reward/Annual Benefit Statement to check your pension value. We recommend that you obtain an estimate of your pension based on IHR from your pension provider or your employer.

As such, there may be the need to request an extension of time in order to offer the appeal the best chance of success. However, if you are in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must complete form DRP1 within 1 month of the original decision. As the ‘burden of proof’ rests on the appellant it is your responsibility to gather all the evidence you consider (or are advised) is necessary to mount an appeal.