Pensioner member meaning

Original news Mr N (CAS-97668-M6M1) —18 March 2025 Summary The Pensions Ombudsman dismissed a grievance concerning discretionary pension uplifts. Under the Scheme’s provisions, a pre‑1997 pension could be increased by the trustee, but only with the employer’s agreement. The employer declined to consent, pointing to the Scheme’s funding position. Without that approval, the trustee could not grant an increase. As the employer had followed an appropriate procedure when reaching its conclusion, the Pensions Ombudsman would not overturn that outcome. This matter highlights the significance of proper process in any decision‑making. What were the facts? Mr N was a pensioner member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain Staff Pension Scheme (the Scheme)...

Original news Mrs E (CAS-48733-H1L4)—16 July 2025 Summary The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman dismissed a formal grievance alleging that pausing a spouse’s pension in a public sector pension arrangement breached the complainant’s right to a family life and amounted to unlawful age-based discrimination under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The pause came within the carve-out that the measure was “in accordance with the law and… necessary for the economic well-being of the country”. It was not discriminatory because the interference with her rights was not disproportionate. This decision indicates that the reach of the ECHR will sometimes need to be weighed in public sector pension matters. What were the facts? Mrs E was a pensioner member of the 1995 section of the NHS Pension Scheme (the Scheme). She was in receipt of a widow’s pension which, under the Scheme’s provisions, would end or be suspended if she remarried or cohabited...

Original news Ms E (CAS-50008-T7M8)—17 December 2023 Summary The Pensions Ombudsman (PO) upheld a complaint requiring a pension scheme to provide redress after it wrongly advised a member that his partner would receive a survivor’s pension. Relying on that incorrect assurance, the member decided not to marry his partner. The PO found that, had he been accurately informed that survivor’s pensions are not available to unmarried partners, he would have chosen to marry so that she qualified for a survivor’s pension. In upholding the complaint, the PO concluded that the scheme should grant redress for the misleading statement. The determination illustrates that, in some situations, false statements can give rise to legal redress. What were the facts? Ms E’s partner (Mr N) was a pensioner member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (the Scheme). Terminally ill, and shortly before his death, Mr N asked the Scheme whether Ms E would be paid a pension on his death. The Scheme confirmed that she would...

ESPS (ESPS) is a trust-based arrangement created by an Electricity Council resolution on 20 January 1983 as an industry-wide pension for employees of the nationalised electricity sector. It remained a single scheme at privatisation on 31 March 1990, after which it was divided into separate sections or ‘Groups’. The rules are not publicly accessible. For further information on statutory protections for ESPS members following privatisation, see Practice Note: —Protected Persons. Each principal electricity company participating in the ESPS forms its own Group; there are currently 23 Groups. Some Groups have a single participating employer, while others have several. Each Group is actuarially independent, with its assets and liabilities assessed on a standalone basis... Although a common scheme-wide benefit structure applied at the point of privatisation, since then each Group has been able to offer different benefits to its members. The ESPS rules comprise a central set of clauses and provisions governing matters that apply across the scheme, with Group-specific rules appended as Schedules. This Practice Note outlines the...

Statutory framework At present, four principal pension schemes operate in England and Wales for members of the armed forces. These are: Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS 1975) — formerly open only to the regular forces; closed to new members from 6 April 2006 and stopped future accrual from 1 April 2022 Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS 2005) — likewise for the regular forces only; also closed to future accrual from 1 April 2022 Reserve Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (RFPS 2005) — open to full time reservists; again closed to future accrual from 1 April 2022 Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 (AFPS 2015) — open to the regular forces and all reservists; effective from 1 April 2015 There are also several other schemes, run by the same manager, that provide pension or other occupational benefits to armed forces personnel. This Practice Note focuses on AFPS 2015. The AFPS 2015 was established under section...

What is the National Health Service Pension Scheme? The NHSPS is an unfunded public service occupational pension that delivers salary‑related, defined benefit (DB) retirement provision for health service staff. The reformed NHSPS (often termed the ‘2015 Scheme’) began on 1 April 2015 as a career average revalued earnings (CARE) arrangement. New starters since that date have joined this scheme, which is the focus of this Practice Note. The legacy NHSPS (the ‘1995/2008 Scheme’) consists of two separate final salary sections—the 1995 Section and the 2008 Section—both closed to future accrual, while preserving a final salary link within that scheme. For further details, see Practice Note: The legacy National Health Service Pension Scheme. There are distinct schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which are not covered by this Practice Note. When the reformed NHSPS opened, the government acted to close the 1995 and 2008 Sections to future accrual, subject to: ...

To: the [ active AND/OR deferred AND/OR pensioner ] members [ (the “Members”) ] of the [ insert name of pension scheme ] [ (the “Scheme”) ] From: The trustees of the Scheme Date: [ Insert date sent to members ] The Pensions Act 2004 (the “2004 Act”) and the Pensions Regulator’s General Code of Practice (the “General Code of Practice”) require occupational pension schemes to have arrangements ensuring that at least one third of trustees are nominated by members, unless the Scheme is exempt under legislation. Background Consistent with the 2004 Act and the General Code of Practice, the trustee [ s ] of the Scheme (the “Trustees”) invite nominations from those eligible to nominate for [ insert number of member-nominated trustees sought ] new member-nominated trustee roles. The current position The Scheme is currently constituted by [ insert total number of trustees ] trustees, comprising [ insert number of MNTs ] trustees nominated by the Members (the...

To: the [ Active AND/OR Deferred AND/OR Pensioner ] Members (“[ the Members ]”) of the [ insert name pension scheme ] [ “the Scheme” ] From: The Scheme’s Trustees Date: [ Insert date sent to members ] Background In accordance with the Pensions Act 2004 (PeA 2004) and the Pension Regulator’s General Code of Practice (“the General Code of Practice”), occupational pension schemes must have arrangements ensuring that at least one third of trustees are nominated by members, unless the Scheme is exempt under legislation. The General Code of Practice states that the MNT arrangement should include a mechanism for periodic review to confirm whether it remains suitable for the Scheme, with such reviews to occur every three to five years. The General Code of Practice also indicates that the arrangement should be reassessed whenever there is a material change to the Scheme’s circumstances and/or its membership...