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The Firefighters’ Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023

Type Ni-Statutory-Rule

Publication 2023-09-07

State In force

Jurisdiction Northern Ireland

Department Government Printer for Northern Ireland

Source legislation.gov.uk

Reform history JSON API PDF

Made: 7th September 2023

Coming into operation: 1st October 2023

In accordance with section 3(5) of the 2014 Act, the Department of Finance[^f00004] has consented to the making of these Regulations.

PART 1 — Introductory provisions

Citation and commencement

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Firefighters’ Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 and come into operation on 1st October 2023.

Interpretation

2

(1) In these Regulations—

“PSPJOA 2022” means the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022;

“WRP(NI)O 1999” means the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999[^f00005];

“the FPS” means the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007[^f00006];

“the NFPS” means the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2007[^f00007];

“the 2015 Regulations” means the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015[^f00008];

“the PSP(NI) Directions 2023” means the Public Service Pensions (Exercise of Powers, Compensation and Information) Directions (Northern Ireland) 2023[^f00009];

“deferred choice decision” has the meaning given in regulation 11(1);

“deferred choice decision-maker” means the person who may make a deferred choice decision under regulation 11(2);

“deferred choice member” means a member with remediable service as a firefighter who is not an immediate choice member;

“deferred choice pension” means a pension the rate of which— is not determined (by any extent) by reference to the member’s remediable service, as a firefighter, and is not affected by the coming into force of section 2(1) of PSPJOA 2022;

“eligible child” has, in relation to— the FPS, the meaning given in articles 33 to 35 of that Order; the NFPS, the meaning given in article 28 of Part 4 of that Order; the 2015 Regulations, the meaning given in regulation 93 of those Regulations;

“end of the section 10 election period”, in relation to a deferred choice member, means the time determined in accordance with— where the member is the deferred choice decision-maker, regulation 13(3)(b); where a person other than the member is the deferred choice decision-maker, regulation 14(2)(b);

“firefighters’ pension scheme” means the FPS, the NFPS or the reformed scheme;

“immediate choice decision” has the meaning given in regulation 8(1);

“immediate choice decision-maker” means the person who may make an immediate choice decision under regulation 8(2);

“immediate choice member” means a member with remedial service as a firefighter who, immediately before 1st October 2023, was deceased or entitled to the present payment of a pension, other than a deferred choice pension, under a firefighters pension scheme;

“legacy scheme”, in relation to a member, means whichever of the FPS or the NFPS is the relevant Chapter 1 legacy scheme[^f00010] for the member, and “legacy scheme benefits” means benefits calculated in accordance with that scheme;

“member” means an active, deferred, deceased or pensioner member of a firefighters’ pension scheme;

“opted out service election” has the meaning given in regulation 6(1);

“reformed scheme” means the pension scheme established by the 2015 Regulations, and “reformed scheme benefits” means the new scheme[^f00011] benefits under the reformed scheme;

“remediable service as a firefighter” means, in relation to a member, the member’s remediable service[^f00012] in an employment or office that is pensionable service[^f00013] under a firefighters’ pension scheme;

“remedy member” means a deferred choice member or an immediate choice member;

“section 6 election” has the meaning given in regulation 8(1)(a);

“section 10 election” has the meaning given in regulation 12(1)(a)

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations, a reference in PSPJOA 2022 to section 2(1) of that Act coming into force is to be understood as a reference to that section coming into force in relation to members of a firefighters’ pension scheme.

(3) A term used in these Regulations which—

(a) is defined in, or for the purposes of, a provision in Chapter 1 of Part 1 of PSPJOA 2022, and

(b) is not defined differently in these Regulations,

has the meaning given in, or for the purposes of, that provision.

(4) A term used in these Regulations which—

(a) is defined in the FPS, the NFPS or the 2015 Regulations (“the relevant Regulations”), and

(b) is not defined differently—

(i) in these Regulations, or

(ii) in, or for the purposes of, a provision in Chapter 1 of Part 1 to PSPJOA 2022,

has, in relation to the scheme established by the relevant Regulations, the meaning given in those Regulations.

(5) In these Regulations, a reference to a provision of the PSP(NI) Directions 2023 is a reference to that provision as amended from time to time.

(6) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 applies to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

Delegation

3

The scheme manager may delegate any functions of the scheme manager under these Regulations, including this power to delegate.

PART 2 — Remediable service statements

Requirements relating to remediable service statements

4

(1) The scheme manager must provide a remediable service statement in respect of a remedy member (“M”) in accordance with—

(a) section 29 of PSPJOA 2022,

(b) any Department of Finance directions made under section 29(6) of that Act, and

(2) The scheme manager must provide a remediable service statement in respect of M—

(a) on or before the relevant date[^f00014],

(b) where M is, in relation to their remediable service as a firefighter, for the time being—

(i) an active member, at least once in each year ending with the anniversary of the relevant date;

(ii) a deferred member, within three months of receipt of a written request by the member[^f00015], and

(i) under regulation 13(2) that M intends to claim benefits in relation to M’s remediable service as a firefighter, or

(ii) that M has died.

(3) The remediable service statement must be provided—

(a) to M, or

(b) where—

(i) M is deceased, and

(ii) the eligible decision-maker is a person other than the scheme manager,

to the person who is for the time being the eligible decision-maker, under the Schedule, in relation to M’s remediable service as a firefighter.

(4) The remediable service statement must include—

(a) where the scheme manager has determined that any information to be provided in connection with M’s remediable service as a firefighter must be communicated in a particular form and manner, information about that form and manner;

(b) where M is an immediate choice member, information about the irrevocability of an immediate choice decision;

(c) where M is a deferred choice member, information about the circumstances in which a deferred choice decision is revocable, and the circumstances in which it is irrevocable.

(5) For further provision about—

(a) what a remediable service statement must include, see—

(i) section 29(5) of the PSPJOA 2022;

(ii) direction 20(1) of the PSP(NI) Directions 2023;

(b) when a remediable service statement must be combined with a benefit information statement provided under section 14 of the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, see direction 20(2) of the PSP(NI) Directions 2023.

PART 3 — Decisions about the treatment of remediable service as a firefighter

CHAPTER 1 — Opted-out service elections

Application and interpretation of Chapter 1

5

(1) This Chapter applies to and in respect of a member (“M”) with opted-out service in an employment or office in relation to M’s legacy scheme[^f00016].

(2) In this Chapter—

“opted-out service decision-maker” means the person who may make an opted-out service election in accordance with regulation 6(2);

“relevant opted-out service” means the service referred to in paragraph (1).

Election in relation to opted-out service

6

(1) An election (an “opted-out service election”) may be made in relation to M’s relevant opted-out service in accordance with this Chapter and section 5 of PSPJOA 2022.

(2) An opted-out service election may be made—

(a) by M, or

(b) where M is deceased, by the eligible decision-maker determined in accordance with the Schedule.

(3) Where a person (P) other than the scheme manager is the opted-out service decision-maker, an opted-out service election may only be made after the scheme manager determines an application which is—

(a) made by or on behalf of M,

(b) in a form and manner determined by the scheme manager,

(c) received by the scheme manager during the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which a remediable service statement is provided in relation to M under regulation 4(2)(a), and

(d) accompanied by such information—

(i) which is information within P’s possession, or

(ii) which P may reasonably be expected to obtain,

that the scheme manager may by written notice require the person to provide in relation to the decision which caused the service in question to become opted-out service.

(4) As soon as is reasonably practicable after receipt of an application, the scheme manager must—

(a) determine whether an opted-out service election may be made in relation to M, and

(b) notify the person who made the application whether such an opted-out service election may be made.

(5) Except where M meets the third condition in section 1(5) of PSOJOA 2022 by virtue of falling within section 1(5)(b), the scheme manager must refuse an application unless both of the following conditions are met—

(a) the decision by virtue of which M’s service became opted-out service was communicated to the scheme manager on or after 12th March 2012, and

(b) the decision by virtue of which M’s service became opted-out service was made pursuant to a relevant breach of a non-discrimination rule[^f00017].

(6) But the scheme manager must not refuse an application where the decision by virtue of which M’s service became opted-out service was communicated to the scheme manager during the period—

(a) beginning on the day six months before M would have (but for the opt-out decision) become a member of the reformed scheme, and

(b) ending at the end of 28th February 2022.

(7) Where the scheme manager is the opted-out service decision-maker, the scheme manager must, as soon as is reasonably practicable after determining that they are the opted-out service decision-maker, determine whether to make an opted-out service election in relation to M.

(8) An opted-out service election to be made by—

(a) a person other than the scheme manager is made when the person confirms that an opted-out service election is to be made following receipt of the notification mentioned in paragraph (4)(b);

(b) the scheme manager is made at the time determined by the scheme manager.

(9) See section 5(2) to (4) of the PSPJOA 2022 about the effect, timing and irrevocability of an opted-out service election.

CHAPTER 2 — Immediate choice decision for reformed scheme or legacy scheme benefits

Application and interpretation of Chapter 2

7

(1) This Chapter applies in respect of the remediable service as a firefighter of an immediate choice member (“M”).

(2) Where M has remediable service as a firefighter in multiple employments or offices, this Chapter applies separately in relation to the remediable service as a firefighter in each employment or office.

Immediate choice decision for reformed scheme or legacy scheme benefits: general

8

(1) A decision (“an immediate choice decision”) may be made in accordance with this Chapter—

(a) to make an election (“a section 6 election”) by virtue of section 6 of PSPJOA 2022 in relation to M’s remediable service as a firefighter, or

(b) that no section 6 election is to be made in relation to that service.

(2) An immediate choice decision may be made—

(a) by M, or

(b) where M is deceased, by the eligible decision-maker specified in the Schedule.

(3) An immediate choice decision made by—

(a) a person other than the scheme manager is made when it is received by the scheme manager in a form and manner determined by the scheme manager;

(b) the scheme manager is made at the time determined by the scheme manager.

(4) An immediate choice decision may only be made before the end of the section 6 election period[^f00018].

(5) An immediate choice decision is irrevocable.

(6) An immediate choice decision to make a section 6 election takes effect as a section 6 election (see sections 6(5) and (7), 7(1)(b) and 9 of PSPJOA 2022 about the effect of a section 6 election).

(7) Paragraph (8) applies where—

(a) immediately before 1st October 2023, M has remediable service as a firefighter in the reformed scheme (“reformed scheme service”) and

(b) an immediate choice decision is made that no section 6 election is to be made in relation to M’s remediable service as a firefighter.

(8) Where this paragraph applies, section 6(4) of PSPJOA 2022 does not apply in relation to M’s reformed scheme service (and, accordingly, section 2(1) of PSPJOA 2022 has effect in relation to M’s reformed scheme service for the purposes mentioned in section 2(3)(b) of that Act from the time the immediate choice decision mentioned in paragraph (7)(b) is made).

(9) The following provisions of PSPJOA 2022 have effect in relation to an immediate choice decision that no section 6 election is to be made as they have effect in relation to a section 6 election—

(a) section 6(7) (section 6 election has effect in respect of all remediable service in the employment or office);

(b) section 7(1)(b) (provision about when a section 6 election is to be treated as having taken effect);

Immediate choice decision: additional requirements

9

(1) This regulation applies where the immediate choice decision-maker (“D”) is a person other than the scheme manager.

(2) An immediate choice decision may not be made unless a remediable service statement has been provided in accordance with regulation 4(2)(a).

(3) An immediate choice decision is to be treated as having been made only if D provides any information specified in a written request from the scheme manager that is—

(a) information in D’s possession, or

(b) information which D can reasonably be expected to obtain.

Immediate choice decision: deemed election

10

(1) Where—

(a) the end of the section 6 election period in relation to M has passed,

(b) no immediate choice decision has been communicated to the scheme manager, and

(c) it appears to the scheme manager, having consulted the scheme actuary, that the value of reformed scheme benefits payable if a section 6 election is made is greater than the value of legacy scheme benefits payable if a section 6 election is not made,

a section 6 election is treated as having been made immediately before the end of the section 6 election period.

CHAPTER 3 — Deferred choice decision for reformed scheme or legacy scheme benefits

Application and interpretation of Chapter 3

11

(1) This Chapter applies in respect of the remediable service as a firefighter of a deferred choice member (“M”).

(2) Where M has remediable service as a firefighter in multiple employments or offices, this Chapter applies separately in relation to the remediable service as a firefighter in each employment or office.

Deferred choice decision for reformed scheme or legacy scheme benefits: general

12

(1) A decision (a “deferred choice decision”) may be made—

(a) to make an election (“a section 10 election”) by virtue of section 10 of PSPJOA 2022 in relation to M’s remediable service as a firefighter, or

(b) that no section 10 election is to be made in relation to that service.

(2) A deferred choice decision may be made—

(a) by M, or

(b) where M is deceased, by the eligible decision-maker determined in accordance with the Schedule.

(3) A deferred choice decision made by—

(a) a person other than the scheme manager is made when it is received by the scheme manager in a form and manner determined by the scheme manager;

(b) the scheme manager is made at a time determined by the scheme manager.

(4) A deferred choice decision may only be made before the end of the section 10 election period.

(5) A deferred choice decision to make a section 10 election takes effect as a section 10 election (see sections 10(4) and (5), 11(3)(b), (4) and (7) and 13 of PSPJOA 2022 about the effect of a section 10 election).

(6) Where the deferred choice decision is that no section 10 election is to be made, the benefits payable to or in respect of M, so far as they are determined by reference to M’s remediable service as a firefighter, are legacy scheme benefits.

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