Tier 1
A Tier 1 ill health pension is payable if:
- you’ve left NHS employment due to ill health
- you have at least 2 years membership
- it’s been determined that you’re permanently incapable of efficiently discharging the duties of your NHS employment due to physical or mental infirmity.
A Tier 1 ill health pension is paid without any actuarial reduction for early payment and without any enhancements.
Tier 2
A Tier 2 ill health pension is payable if:
- you’re currently paying into the NHS Pension Scheme
- you have at least 2 years membership
- you’ve become permanently incapable of work because of ill health.
This includes if you’re incapable of doing your current NHS job and permanently incapable of regular employment.
Tier 2 is entitlement to the retirement benefits you’ve earned to date, enhanced by half of your prospective membership up to reaching your Normal Pension Age (NPA).
For Special Class (SC) and Mental Health Officer (MHO) members, the enhancement will be calculated based on retirement at age 60. The enhanced membership will not attract doubling.
Enhancements to your benefits will only be applicable if you’re currently employed within the NHS and you’ve not already received an NHS pension due to ill health for which you received enhanced membership.
If you’re not employed within the NHS or have already received an NHS Pension on ill health grounds that included enhanced membership, only Tier 1 retirement benefits are applicable.
Moved to the 2015 Scheme on or after 1 April 2015
Your Tier 2 pension will be made up of a:
- Tier 1 pension for your 1995 or 2008 Section membership
- Tier 1 plus Tier 2 addition for your 2015 Scheme pension.