From 1st October 2023 the option to draw down part or all of your 1995 Section pension was introduced as flexible retirement (also known as partial retirement), this matches the facility already in place to do the same with the 2008 Section & 2015 Scheme.

This enables you to drawdown your pension without the need to retire or leave your existing post.

The rules are as follows:

• You have to draw your NHS Pensions in the order of those that you have; i.e. The 1995, then the 2008, then the 2015
• There has to be at least a 10% reduction in your Pensionable Pay for the following 12 Months.
  • GPs, non-GP providers and dental practitioners need to reduce their NHS commitments by 10%
• You must have reached Your Minimum Pension Age for the Section/Scheme you are claiming
  • The 1995 Section is 50, if you joined before 01/04/2006 or 55 after.
  • 2008 and 2015 is 55
• You can drawdown between 20% and 100% of the benefits available
• You can continue to build pension in the 2015 scheme after claiming any of the NHS pensions.

The McCloud judgement may impact the pension you receive, this may be a retrospective calculation and could lead to a balancing payment or repayment of pension.

Drawing your pension through partial retirement requires you to go through the application process in which you gain the agreement of your manager. This has to go through your HR/Workforce approval process.

There are, as always forms to fill in:

• The Partial Retirement Supplementary Form
• The AW8 form

These forms will be provided by your Payroll Team as part of your Partial (Flexible) Retirement process.

The forms should be completed as directed in the links below: