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The Coronavirus Act and the end of temporary suspensions for retire and return employees of the NHS pension scheme

November 26, 2021

From Wednesday 25 March the UK government’s emergency legislation had temporarily suspended some of the regulations governing the administration of NHS pensions, which allowed employees who had retired and returned to increase their working hours without having their pension benefits suspended or reduced.

This included the temporary suspension of:

  • The 16-hour rule for retire and returnees
  • Abatement for special class status holders in the 1995 Section
  • Draw down abatement in the 2008 Section and 2015 Scheme

You can read more about the temporary suspensions on the NHS Pensions website: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensioner-hub/covid-19-guidance-support-retired-members

These temporary suspensions will end on Thursday 24 March 2022.

The Department of Health and Social Care has informed NHS Pensions to ensure employers and employees are prepared for an end to the temporary suspensions and a return to normal arrangements from Friday 25 March 2022.

This is when the 16-hour rule in the 1995 Section, abatement for special class status holders in the 1995 Section and draw down abatement in the 2008 Section and 2015 Scheme will come back into force.