A For all employees, we need the following fully completed forms:

1) New Starter Form

2) NHS Pension Questionnaire

3) SS10GP Pension Starter Form

Let the employee know that if they are eligible to join the pension scheme they have to be auto-enrolled on the date that their contract of employment starts (this is a legal requirement and can’t be circumvented).

The three forms mentioned above all still need to be fully completed.

After their start date they can email swhealthcare.pensions@nhs.net for information about how to opt-out.

NB: We have to be careful not to discuss opting-out or providing an opt-out form when someone is onboarding as it can be regarded as inducement to opt-out of the pension scheme (to save us money!) Therefore, we (and you!) need to adhere to the above.

Recent rule changes means yes, employees can re-join. They will automatically re-join the 2015 Section, provided they are otherwise eligible.

Only full time hours per week are pensionable (e.g. 37 or 37.5). Anything over full time hours are non-pensionable hours. The NHS Pension Questionnaire asks for this information so that we can determine how many hours (if any) we can pension.

If an employee is between 16 years and 75 years old and eligible, they can join the NHS Pension Scheme.

No. There is no minimum earnings threshold to join the NHS Pension Scheme.

Yes. That’s why it’s necessary that we have all the pension forms fully completed so that their pension membership joins up with their previous membership.

It depends on their ‘old’ pension scheme, but ask them to email swhealthcare.pensions@nhs.net. There is a time restriction of one year after they start their employment for the transfer to complete... so making any applications need to be made immediately.

Yes. They would need to complete an Opt-Out form (SD502) and email it to swhealthcare.pensions@nhs.net. They can also opt back in at any point.

They can if their total NHS Pension membership has been for less than two years. They would need to contact swhealthcare.pensions@nhs.net for further information how to opt out and apply for a refund.

When someone is made a leaver, we close their pension membership by uploading pension and earnings information provided by Payroll. We then email the leaver an information guide about what then happens to their pension membership. If their total pension membership has been less than 2 years it’s important that the leaver understands the implications of leaving the scheme early.

To help with employee retention, pension rules have relaxed making it easier and more flexible for employees to receive their pension benefits, return to work and re-join the pension scheme. The options available to employees have increased significantly so at the point that an employee first discusses retirement (or early retirement or ill-health retirement), please include us so that we can make sure we're giving the employee the correct information to base their decisions on.

There isn’t anyone within our organisation qualified to give pension advice or do any financial modelling – they must seek advice from a qualified advisor who understands public sector pension schemes.

You can refer them to the Member Hub on the NHS Pension website here or they can email swhealthcare.pensions@nhs.net.