The Judicial Pensions Regulations 2015

Made: 9th February 2015

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2) to (4)

A draft of this instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament in accordance with section 24(1)(c) of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

PART 1 — Preliminary

Citation and commencement

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Judicial Pensions Regulations 2015.

• (2) Part 1, Part 3, regulations 20, 128 and 166, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

• (3) Paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 comes into force on the same day as paragraph 38 of Schedule 13 to the Pensions Act 2014[^f00005] comes into force, and on that day paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 ceases to have effect.

• (4) The remaining provisions come into force on 1stApril 2015.

Interpretation

2

In these Regulations—

• “2023 Regulations” means the Judicial Pensions (Remediable Service etc.) Regulations 2023;

• “Act” means the Public Service Pensions Act 2013;

• “FA 2004” means the Finance Act 2004[^f00006];

• “PIA 1971” means the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971[^f00007];

• “PSA 1993” means the Pension Schemes Act 1993[^f00008];

• “PA 1995” means the Pensions Act 1995[^f00009];

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

• “WRPA1999” means the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act1999[^f00010];

• “accrued added pension” means—accrued added (self only) pension (if any); andaccrued added (all beneficiaries) pension (if any);

• “accrued earned pension” means—in relation to this scheme—accrued standard earned pension (if any); andaccrued earned pension attributable to an effective pension age option (if any);in relation to another pension scheme, accrued rights to benefits under that scheme which are the equivalent of accrued earned pension under this scheme;

• “accrued pension” means—accrued earned pension; andaccrued added pension (if any);

• “accrued rights”, in relation to benefits under this scheme, does not include a right to benefits attributable (directly or indirectly) to a pension credit;

• “accrued standard earned pension”—for the purpose of calculating the amount of a description of full retirement pension or the provisional amount of any description of deferred pension, has the meaning given in regulation32(2);for the purpose of calculating the amount of a description of partial retirement pension, has the meaning given in regulation 33(2);

• ”active member”, in relation to this scheme, means a person who is in pensionable service under this scheme;

• “active member’s account” has the meaning given in regulation 37(2);

• “actuarial guidance” means guidance given by the scheme manager after consultation with the scheme actuary;

• “actuarial reduction” in relation to reduction of pension payable to a member who has not reached normal pension age, means a reduction determined by the scheme manager after consultation with the scheme actuary or taking into account tables prepared by the scheme actuary;

• “actuarial tables” means tables prepared by the scheme manager after consultation with the scheme actuary;

• “added pension” means—added (self only) pension under paragraph 18 of Schedule 1 (if any); andadded (all beneficiaries) pension under paragraph 19 of Schedule 1 (if any);

• “added pension payments” means periodical payments or a lump sum payment for added pension made to this scheme;

• “additional paternity leave” has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) (interpretation) of the Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010[^f00011];

• “adoption leave” has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) (interpretation) of the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations2002[^f00012];

• “age addition” has the meaning given in regulation 30(4);

• “allocation amount” means the amount of pension allocated as a result of making an allocation election;

• “allocation election” means an election under regulation 78(2);

• “amount of added pension”, in relation to a scheme year, means an amount calculated in accordance with regulation 39(5);

• “amount of credited pension” means the sum of the pension credit calculated in accordance with regulations made under paragraph 5(b) of Schedule 5 (pension credits: mode of discharge) to WRPA 1999 and any remediable pension credit or remediable pension reduction, where—“remediable pension credit”, in the circumstances mentioned in—regulation 48 of the 2023 Regulations, has the meaning given in regulation 49(6) of those Regulations;regulation 51 of the 2023 Regulations, has the meaning given in regulation 52(4) of those Regulations;regulation 55 of the 2023 Regulations, has the meaning given in regulation 56(12) of those Regulations;“remediable pension reduction” has the meaning given in regulation 56(12) of the 2023 Regulations;

• “amount of earned pension”, in relation to a scheme year, means an amount calculated in accordance with regulation 39(3);

• “annual allowance” has the meaning given in section 228 (annual allowance) of FA 2004[^f00013];

• “annual allowance charge” has the meaning given in section 227 (annual allowance charge) of FA 2004[^f00014];

• “annual rate”—for each description of pension, has the meaning given in Part 5 (retirement benefits); andin relation to pensionable earnings, means the amount of pensionable earnings payable for a scheme year;

• “appropriate Minister” means—in relation to any qualifying judicial office whose jurisdiction is exercised exclusively in relation to Scotland, the Secretary of State; orsubject to paragraph (a) above, the Lord Chancellor;

• “assumed age addition” has the meaning given in regulation 31(3);

• “assumed pay” has the meaning given in regulation 24(2);

• “the beginning date”, in relation to a pension not attributable (directly or indirectly) to a pension credit, means the date on which the pension is deemed to begin for the purpose of section 8(2) (meaning of “pension” and other supplementary provisions) of PIA1971[^f00015];

• “beneficiary”, in relation to a deceased member, means the surviving adult or eligible child of the member;

• “closing date” in relation to a transition member, has the meaning given in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2;

• “the commutation amount” means the amount of pension exchanged for a lump sum as a result of the exercise of the commutation option;

• “commutation option” means the option to exchange part of a pension for a lump sum—exercisable under regulation 76 in relation to a retirement pension; orexercisable under regulation 89 in relation to a pension credit member’s pension;

• “connected scheme” means another statutory pension scheme that is connected, within the meaning of section 4(6) (scheme manager) of the Act, with this scheme;

• “continuity of service”, in relation to a transition member, has the meaning given in paragraph 2 of Schedule2;

• “continuous period of pensionable service”, in relation to this scheme, means a period of pensionable service under this scheme disregarding any gap in pensionable service not exceeding 5 years, unless otherwise provided;

• “continuous period of service”, in relation to qualifying judicial office, means a period of service in that office disregarding any gap in service not exceeding 5 years;

• “death benefits” means benefits payable under Part 8;

• “deferred member” has the meaning given in regulation 25;

• “deferred member’s account” has the meaning given in regulation43(3);

• “description of accrued added pension” means either of the following—accrued added (self only) pension; oraccrued added (all beneficiaries) pension;

• “description of accrued pension” means accrued pension of a description mentioned in Chapter 1 of Part 5;

• “description of added pension” means either of the following—added (self only) pension; andadded (all beneficiaries) pension;

• “description of deferred pension” means any of the following—deferred standard earned pension;deferred earned pension attributable to an effective pension age option;deferred added (all beneficiaries) pension;deferred added (self only) pension;

• “description of full retirement pension” means a full retirement pension of a description mentioned in Chapter 1 of Part 5;

• “description of partial retirement pension” means a partial retirement pension of a description mentioned in Chapter 1 of Part 5;

• “description of pension” means any of the following—standard earned pension;transferred pension;earned pension attributable to an effective pension age option;added (all beneficiaries) pension;added (self only) pension;

• “dual capacity member” has the meaning given in regulation 146;

• “early payment reduction” means the actuarial reduction that is applied when calculating the annual rate of pension payable to a member of this scheme who has not reached normal pension age under this scheme or, if applicable, effective pension age;

• “effective pension age”, in relation to a member who has exercised an effective pension age option, means the age at which the member is entitled to payment, without actuarial reduction, of a full retirement earned pension or partial retirement earned pension attributable to that option;

• “effective pension age payments” means periodical payments for an effective pension age made to this scheme;

• “effective pension age option” means the option to make effective pension age payments;

• “eligible child” has the meaning given in regulation 103;

• “eligible child’s pension” has the meaning given in regulation 102;

• “employer” means the person responsible for the remuneration of a qualifying judicial officeholder;

• “the Fee-Paid Judges Scheme” means the scheme established by Parts 1 to 11 of the FPJR 2017;

• “fee-paid office” means an office where service is remunerated by payment of fees, as opposed to the payment of salary;

• “FPJR 2017” means the Judicial Pensions (Fee-Paid Judges) Regulations 2017;

• “full retirement account” has the meaning given in regulation 47(4);

• “full retirement added pension” means—full retirement added (self only) pension (if any); andfull retirement added (all beneficiaries) pension (if any);

• “full retirement earned pension” means—full retirement standard earned pension (if any); andfull retirement earned pension attributable to an effective pension age option (if any);

• “full retirement pension” means—full retirement earned pension; andfull retirement added pension (if any);

• “guaranteed minimum” includes the guaranteed minimum as defined in sections 14[^f00016] (earner’s guaranteed minimum) and 17[^f00017] (minimum pensions for earners, widows and widowers) of PSA 1993—as increased in accordance with the requirements of section 109^f00018 of that Act; andif a reduction has been made under section 15A[^f00019] (reduction of guaranteed minimum in consequence of pension debit) of that Act, as reduced in accordance with that section;

• “head of jurisdiction” means—in England and Wales, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales,in Scotland, the Lord President of the Court of Session, andin Northern Ireland, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland;

• “ill-health pension” has the meaning given by regulation 68;

• “index adjustment” means, in relation to the opening balance of a description of pension for any scheme year, the change in prices in the previous scheme year[^f00020];

• “in-service revaluation index”, in relation to a pension scheme, means the percentage increase or decrease by which the pensionable earnings of a person, or a proportion of those earnings accrued as a pension, are revalued whilst the person is in pensionable service in that pension scheme;

• “last active scheme year” means the scheme year in which an active member of this scheme ceases to be in pensionable service under this scheme;

• “last day of pensionable service” means the last day of a continuous period of pensionable service under this scheme;

• “late payment supplement”, in relation to the provisional amount of any description of deferred pension, means an additional amount of pension determined by the scheme manager after consulting the scheme actuary to be appropriate if a deferred member of this scheme is over normal pension age or, if applicable, effective pension age, under this scheme before becoming entitled to the immediate payment of a full retirement pension;

• “the leaving year” means the scheme year in which the relevant last day falls;

• “lump sum death benefit” means a lump sum paid under Part 8 on the death of a member;

• “maternity leave” includes ordinary maternity leave or additional maternity leave as defined in regulation 2(1) (interpretation) of the Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999[^f00021];

• “medical certificate” is a certificate prepared by a registered medical practitioner at the request of the scheme manager;

• “member”, in relation to this scheme, means an active member, deferred member, pensioner member or pension credit member of this scheme;

• “member contributions” has the meaning given in Part 9;

• “normal minimum pension age” has the same meaning as in section 279(1) (other definitions) of FA 2004[^f00022];

• “normal pension age”, in relation to this scheme, is determined in accordance with section 10 of the Act;

• “occupational pension scheme” has the meaning given in section 1 (categories of pension schemes) of PSA 1993;

• “opening balance”, in relation to a description of pension for a scheme year, has the meaning given in regulation 40(3);

• “option proportion”, in relation to a description of accrued pension, means the proportion specified in a notice under regulation 62;

• “ordinary maternity leave” has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) (interpretation) of the Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999;

• “parental leave” means leave under regulation 13(1)[^f00023] (entitlement to parental leave) of the Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations1999;

• “partial retirement account” has the meaning given in regulation 50(2);

• “partial retirement added pension” means—partial retirement added (self only) pension (if any); andpartial retirement added (all beneficiaries) pension (if any);

• “partial retirement earned pension” means—partial retirement standard earned pension (if any); andpartial retirement earned pension attributable to an effective pension age option (if any);

• “partial retirement option” means the option exercisable under regulation 60(2);

• “partial retirement pension” means—partial retirement earned pension; andpartial retirement added pension (if any);

• “partially retired”, in relation to a member of this scheme, means a member who has exercised the partial retirement option;

• “partnership pension account”, in relation to a person in service in a qualifying judicial office, means a stakeholder pension scheme or personal pension scheme to which the person’s employer is paying contributions;

• “paternity leave” includes leave under regulation 4 or 8 of the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002[^f00024];

• “pay period” means the period in respect of which a payment of pensionable earnings is made;

• “pension credit” has the meaning given in section 124(1) (interpretation of Part 1) of PA 1995[^f00025];

• “pension credit member”, in relation to this scheme, means a person who has rights under this scheme which are attributable (directly or indirectly) to a pension credit under a pension sharing order following divorce or nullity of marriage;

• “pension credit member’s account” has the meaning given in regulation 52;

• “pension credit member’s pension” means a pension payable under regulation 83;

• “pension debit” means a debit under section 29(1)(a) (creation of pension credits and debits) of WRPA1999;

• “pension debit member”, in relation to this scheme, means a person who is a member of this scheme whose benefits or future benefits under this scheme have been reduced under section31 (reduction under pension sharing order following divorce or nullity of marriage) of WRPA1999;

• “pensionable earnings” has the meaning given in regulation 23;

• “pensionable public service” means pensionable service under an existing scheme;

• “pensioner member”, in relation to this scheme, means a person who is entitled to the immediate payment of a retirement pension under this scheme;

• “pension sharing order” means any provision or order specified in section 28 (activation of pension sharing) of WRPA1999[^f00026];

• “period of assumed pay” has the meaning given in regulation 24(1);

• “personal pension scheme” means a personal pension scheme as defined in section 1 (categories of pension schemes) of PSA1993 that is a registered pension scheme;

• “prospective normal pension age”, in relation to a member’s prospective entitlement to benefits under this scheme, means the normal pension age that the scheme manager, by reference to Treasury directions made under section 11(2) (valuations) of the Act, determines would apply in relation to those benefits;

• “provisional amount”, in relation to any description of deferred pension, has the meaning given in regulation44(2);

• “qualifying judicial office” has the meaning given in regulation 13;

• “qualifying judicial service” has the meaning given in regulation 6 of the FPJR 2017;

• “qualifying service” has the meaning given in regulation 55;

• “registered”, in relation to a pension scheme, means registered under Chapter 2 of Part4 (registration of pension schemes) of FA2004;

• “relevant fee-paid judge” has the meaning given in section 103 of PSPJOA 2022;