The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 1995

Member’s right to transfer accrued rights to benefits to the scheme

N1.—(1) Within 12 months after joining the scheme, a member in pensionable employment may, in writing, request the Secretary of State to accept a transfer payment in respect of the member’s rights under another occupational pension scheme, a personal pension scheme, or a buy–out policy (but not in respect of rights under a scheme that is approved by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue by virtue of section 591(2)(h) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (free–standing AVC schemes)).

(2) The Secretary of State shall not accept the transfer payment unless—

(a)the transferring scheme or insurance company provides all the information about the member’s rights that the Secretary of State reasonably requires; and

(b)the amount of the transfer payment is at least equal to the yearly rate of the guaranteed minimum pension for which the Secretary of State would be liable as a result of accepting the transfer payment, multiplied by the factor appropriate to the member’s age, as set out in the following table.

(3) The Secretary of State shall not accept the transfer payment if—

(a)the member joins the scheme, or requests the Secretary of State to accept the transfer payment, after reaching age 60, or

(b)the request is made following a notice given under regulation B4(5) (opted–out person rejoining the scheme) in circumstances where the member had a previous opportunity to request the Secretary of State to accept a transfer payment in respect of those same rights but did not take that opportunity.

(4) If the Secretary of State accepts the transfer payment, the member will be credited with an additional period of pensionable service as described in whichever of regulations N2 (transfers made under the Public Sector Transfer Arrangements) and N3 (transfers that are not made under the Public Sector Transfer Arrangements) is applicable.

(5) For the purposes of calculating a member’s final year’s pensionable pay, any period of pensionable service with which a member is credited in respect of a transfer payment will be treated as pensionable employment and the pensionable pay by reference to which that service is calculated will be treated as pensionable pay received in respect of that employment.