Choice gave all eligible members of the NHS Pension Scheme a one-off option to move their membership from the 1995 Section into the 2008 Section.
To be eligible, you must had been in the Scheme on 1 October 2009.
If you left NHS employment before this date, you lost the right to make your choice unless you returned to pensionable employment within a period of less than 5 years.
A second Choice exercise was announced when the 2015 Scheme launched called ‘Choice 2’.
Choice 2 gave members the opportunity to move their membership into the 2008 Section if they had:
- received a Choice statement and previously chose to remain in the 1995 Section
- tapered or no protection
Both exercises were created to allow members who expect to be working for the NHS until their State Pension age the opportunity to move to a more flexible Scheme.
Choice 2 revocation
If you opted to move your 1995 Section membership to the 2008 Section as part of the Choice 2 exercise, you had an opportunity to change that choice and move your 2008 Section membership back into the 1995 Section.
This was in response to the Court of Appeals decision that some changes to public service schemes in 2015 discriminated against younger members based on age.
Members may not have made the same choice if the 2015 Scheme was not introduced and they did not have the knowledge about the remedy period.
Members were contacted from 20 February 2024 with the offer to change their original Choice 2 decision. They had until 18 June 2024 to let us know if they wanted to change their original choice.
You did not need to do anything if you wanted your service to stay in the 2008 Section.
If we did not receive a response from the letter before 18 June 2024, eligible pension benefits built up to 31 March 2022 stayed in the 2008 Section.
We published further information on our website to help you make your decision. This included:
- a factsheet
- a decision tree
- an illustration to demonstrate the difference in benefits that may be available at retirement ages between age 60 and 68
If you have any queries about revocation, email mccloudchoice2@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. You'll receive a response within 2 weeks.
Members who moved their service as part of the original Choice exercise
Choice 2 revocation was not given to these members.
Their decision was based on lifestyle and retirement choices.
Members could choose to remain in the 1995 Section.