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  • Key Remedy Dates and Jargon Buster

    Topics:
    • Working in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, 
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI), 
    • Key sections and resources for NICS Pension Schemes Members

    Below are some of the key dates currently set for implementation of the Remedy process for those affected and clarification of some of the jargon used under the Remedy topic.

    Key Remedy Dates

    31 March 2022

    The legacy pension scheme PCSPS(NI) closed to future service accrual.

    1 April 2022

    All members who previously remained in a legacy scheme were moved into the alpha scheme. From this date, alpha became the only defined benefit pension scheme available to civil service employees.

    1 October 2023

    Legislation was enshrined in law that enabled us to start the implementation of the Remedy choice process for those in receipt of pension benefits and for those who continue to work for whom retirement is still at a point in the future.

    1 October 2023 onwards

    All affected members applying for retirement will be given a choice of pension benefits for the Remedy period. The choice will be between legacy scheme benefits and alpha benefits. Also starting from October 2023 and over a period of up to 18 months, members who retired before October 2023, including those who have only before partially retired, will be given a choice of pension benefits for service within the Remedy period.

    31 August 2024

    To help you make your choice in the future, we are aiming for all Annual Benefit Statements to be enhanced to show what your pension benefits under both the legacy scheme and the alpha scheme would look like for service during the Remedy period.

    By 31 March 2025

    We are aiming to issue Remediable Service Statements (RSS) to retired members providing them with their Immediate Choice options for both Legacy (Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos) and Reformed scheme (alpha). You will receive your choice documents and additional supporting information to help you decide on the benefits you wish to receive for your service within the Remedy Period. You have 12 months to make your choice (from the date of letter) and return your choice form by email, however, if you are unable to do this you can submit your choice form by post.

    Members who partially retired from 1 April 2015 to 30 September 2023 and took benefits in relation to service in the Remedy Period, will also receive their RSS and will have an Immediate Choice to make.

    Jargon Buster

    The Remedy Period

    Those affected by the 2015 Remedy will be offered a choice on how they would like their benefits to be calculated for their years of service during the ‘Remedy Period’. The Remedy period is between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. The choice will be between their legacy scheme benefits or the alpha scheme benefits for this period of time.

    The Legacy Scheme

    When we refer to the ‘legacy scheme’ we are referring to the last pension scheme arrangement a civil servant was a member of before reform was introduced. Legacy schemes include Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos and these are our ‘pre-2015’ pension scheme arrangements.

    Rollback

    The term used to describe the process by which in-scope members are placed back into a relevant legacy pension scheme(s). The legacy pension schemes for the NICS are Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos.

    Deferred Choice Underpin (DCU)

    The provision for members to remain in, or be returned to, the legacy PCSPS(NI) schemes for service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. At the point of retirement (or when benefits become payable) or as soon as practicable (for members who have already had a pension award), members would then be able instead to chose to receive reformed alpha scheme benefits for that period.

    Immediate Choice

    Under section 6 of the PSPJOA 2022, members who already have benefits in payment or who have died by the time the remedy is implemented (entitlement to the payment of benefits in relation to remediable service will have occurred) will be provided with an immediate choice.

    Tapered Group

    Active scheme members, who, on 1 April 2012, were between 10 years and 13.5 years of their Normal Scheme Pension Age. These members opted to remain in Classic, Classic Plus, Premium on 1 April 2015 and continued to accrue pension in the PCSPS(NI). These members transitioned to alpha at a later date between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 and then began to accrue pension in alpha. Their transition date depended on an individual’s age and the time remaining until they reach their Normal Pension Age in their PCSPS(NI) section.

     

    Related content

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    • alpha Regulations
    • An introduction to alpha
    • Annual Benefit Statements - FAQs
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    • Background Information - 2015 Remedy (McCloud)
    • Civil Service Pension (NI) Complaints and appeals procedures
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 1 - February 2023
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 2 - May 2023
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 3 - September 2023
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 4 - February 2024
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 5 - March 2025
    • Civil Service Pensions (NI) Privacy Policy Overview
    • Death Benefit Nomination
    • Distribution of Immediate Choice Remediable Service Statements (RSS)
    • Employee Pension Notices
    • Employer Pension Notices
    • EPA (Effective Pension Age)
    • Ill-Health Retirement
    • Ill-Health Retirement - Members affected by Remedy
    • Immediate Choice Remediable Service Statement (RSS) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • McCloud Judgment and 2015 Remedy
    • McCloud Judgment and Remedy FAQs - Timings and Next Steps
    • Members like me
    • Moving to the alpha pension scheme in April 2022
    • NICS Pension Schemes - Member Calculators
    • NICS Pension Schemes Members - Publications
    • NICS Pension Schemes – Member forms
    • Northern Ireland Civil Service Pension Board (NICSPB)
    • Northern Ireland Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuations
    • Northern Ireland Civil Service Scheme Advisory Board (NICSSAB)
    • Partial Retirement
    • Partnership pension account
    • PCSPS(NI) Rules
    • Quick Start Guides
    • Remedy Scheme Pays
    • Retirement Quotes after September 2023
    • Second Phase of 2015 Remedy (McCloud) – Immediate Choice Remediable Service Statements
    • Suspension of Cash Equivalent Transfer Values (CETV) calculations
    • Transfers
    • What to expect
    • What to expect if you are considering appealing a 2015 Remedy Ill-Health Retirement Re-assessment
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