HSC Pension Service Waterside House 75 Duke Street

HSC Pension Service Waterside House 75 Duke Street Londonderry BT 47 6 FP 02871 319111 www. hscpensions. hscni. net hscpensions@hscni. net the

Background to Pension Reform l Government commissioned Lord Hutton to review ALL Public Service Pensions l A Proposed Final Agreement (PFA) was published in 2012 covering high level proposals l Public Service Pension Act (NI) 2014

HSC Pension Service : The Facts l l l The new pension scheme was introduced on 1 st April 2015 All pension rights earned in the HSC Pension Scheme up to 31/03/2015 will be calculated as at present when you retire. Full Protection and Tapered Protection rules apply Retirement age is linked to SPA Career Average Re-valued Earning Scheme 1/54 th accrual rate

What is Protection? l Full Protection means you are not affected by the reform therefore the current scheme remains open to you until age 75 (you are within 10 years of normal retirement age at 1/4/12) l Tapered Protection means the current scheme is open to you for a period beyond 31 st March 2015 (you are within 10 years and 13 years 5 months of normal retirement age at 1/4/12)

Check if you have tapered protection You can check the calculator on the website to see if you fall under tapered protection rules and what date membership of the current scheme will be closed to you

A new way of working out your pension – it would be worked out in two parts: l Ø Part 1 – what you have earned before any changes Worked out in the same way (using final salary for most) Part 2 – what you earn after the changes Worked out from your future average earnings

Part 1 – Worked out in the same way (using final salary for most) Your final salary Your service Your pension rate (When you retire or leave the Scheme) (the date you joined until the date of the changes) (e. g. 1/60 th or 1/80 th) Your Pension at retirement This is the same way your pension has always been worked out. There would be no change, and you can still take a tax free cash lump sum.

Part 2 – Worked out from your future average earnings For example, Tom earns £ 20, 000 so his pension in year 1 is worked out as: £ 20, 000 x 1/54 th = £ 370. 37

Part 2– Maintaining your pension’s value Revalued by CPI +1. 5% each year This is then revalued until you retire to maintain its value Year 1 The £ 370 that Tom earns in year 1 is revalued at the end of the next year. So at the end of year 2, this part of Tom’s pension is worth: £ 370. 37 x 3. 5% = £ 383. 31 (if CPI is 2%) The pot continues to be revalued until you retire Year 1 retirement pot Tom’s pot for year 1 is worth £ 845. 68 after 25 years (CPI @2%)

Part 2 – Your pension at retirement Adding your other years’ pots You receive a new ‘pot’ for each year you are a member Add up the pension You earned each year (after it has been revalued) to find your total pension Annual pension at retirement If Tom has a 1% salary rise each year, by adding all of the other years’ pension pots together, he could expect a pension of £ 16, 000 a year after 25 years’ service

Changes to Current Arrangements l l A service break of less than 5 years is treated as continuous service No Special Class Status or Mental Health Officer Status in the new scheme (currently only limited availability to certain members of the 1995 section) No limit on pension accrual Late Retirement: 2015 benefits will receive an increase if the member retires after SPA

Changes to Current Arrangements l Normal Pension Age (NPA) for members will be their State Pension Age (SPA) www. gov. uk/calculate-state-pension l Ill Health Retirement (Tier 2) will include 50% enhancement on prospective service to SPA (currently 2/3 rds)

Changes to Current Arrangements Actuarial Reduction Buy-out : l Allows a member to pay additional contributions to buy out any potential actuarial reduction of retiring before NPA l Maximum buy-out = 3 years of actuarial reduction l Member with NPA of 68 retiring at 65 will have no reduction applied

Option to forgo Protection (2008 members only) l l Members of the 2008 section of the scheme with tapered or full protection will have a one off opportunity to forgo all protection of future accrual in the 2008 section of the scheme and move to the new 2015 scheme. The option will be made available in late 2016 and members will have 3 months to choose

Choice 2 Exercise l l l Members of the 1995 section of the current scheme, who do not have full protection, will have a second chance to move their accrued service into the 2008 section This exercise will take place in Spring 2016 Members will have until noon 31 st August to make HSCPS aware of their decision

Added Years Contracts l l Members can continue to pay for added years contracts following a move to the 2015 scheme Members of the 1995 section of the scheme (moving to the 2015 scheme) can access the added years benefits separately and before their main 1995 benefits are due to be paid. This will permit members to have future accrual in the 2015 scheme. Once 1995 section benefits are accessed further accrual in the 2015 scheme is not permitted

Salary Sacrifice Scheme l l The value of the noncash benefit is not pensionable in the scheme Scheme contributions are based on the reduced salary Only the reduced salary will be used toward the pension pot Also affects death in service benefits

Upcoming Issues for HSC Pensions/Members l l l Communication Choice 2 Opt out of Protection Actuarial Reduction Buy Out De-coupling of Added Years Benefits

Feature or Benefit HSC Staff Practice and Approved Employer Staff Practitioners (HSC Medical and Ophthalmic Practitioners) All HSC workers and Approved Employer Staff Scheme 1995 2008 1995 2015 Member Contributions Tiered Contribution Rates Type of Scheme Final salary based on the best of the last 3 years pensionable pay Final salary based on the average of the best three consecutive years within the last 10 years Earnings Accrual. The final value of pensionable earnings after adding all years’ earnings and applying revaluation factors Pension A pension worth 1/80 th of A pension worth 1/60 th of pensionable pay per year reckonable pay per year and pro rata for any part year of of membership Retirement Lump Sum 3 x pension. Option to exchange part of pension for more cash up to 25% of capital value Option to exchange pension for a lump sum, up to 25% of 3 x pension. Option to exchange capital value. Certain part of pension for more cash up members may have a to 25% of capital value compulsory amount of lump sum Option to exchange pension for a lump sum, up to 25% of capital Option to exchange part of pension for value. Certain members may a lump sum up to 25% of capital value have a compulsory amount of lump sum Normal Pension Age 60 (55 for Special Class/MHO) 65 60 65 Equal to an individuals’ State Pension age Maximum Age 75 75 75 Maximum Membership Non Special Class/MHO 45 years in total. Special Class/MHO 40 45 years at age 55 & 45 years overall 45 years No limit 2008 Earnings Accrual. The final Career Average Re-valued Earnings value of pensionable earnings based on a proportion of pensionable after adding all years’ earnings in each year of membership and applying revaluation factors A pension based on 1. 4% of total A pension based on 1. 87% of up-rated earnings total up-rated earnings A pension worth 1/54 th of each years’ pensionable earnings, re- valued at the beginning of each following scheme year in line with the Consumer Price Index plus 1. 5 % whilst in active membership

Feature or Benefit HSC Staff Practice and Approved Employer Staff Practitioners (HSC Medical and Ophthalmic Practitioners) All HSC workers and Approved Employer Staff Scheme 1995 2008 1995 2015 Minimum Pension Age 50 if joined pre 06/04/2006 and not had a break of 5 years or more Otherwise Age 55 Age 50 if joined pre 06/04/2006 and not had a break Age 55 of 5 years or more Otherwise Age 55 Yes Yes Actuarially Reduced Yes Early Retirement 2008 Yes Late retirement factors applied to all to pension earned before Age No late retirement factors applied to pension earned before Age 65 pension earned until retirement 65 Late Retirement No late retirement factors applied Pensionable Re-employment following payment of pension Only available to eligible members who retire from active membership Yes if eligible following ill health retirement who re-join prior to age 50 Only available to eligible members who retire from active membership following ill health retirement who re-join prior to age 50 Yes if eligible Partial Retirement No Yes Yes Ill Health Tier 1 Accrued benefits paid without reduction Accrued pension paid without reduction Ill Health Tier 2 Tier 1 plus an enhancement of of 2/3 rds of prospective membership to NPA Tier 1 plus an enhancement of 2/3 rds of prospective membership to NPA Tier 1 plus an enhancement of 1/2 of prospective pension to NPA Increasing your Pension Purchase of Additional Pension in units of £ 250 Purchase of Additional Pension in units of £ 250