Summary
The Department of Health is undertaking a consultation to seek views on draft proposed changes to the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes on the policy proposals to enact amendments to Survivor Benefits and to provide remedy for an error relating to the Public Service Pensions Revaluation Orders (NI) for 2021 and 2022.
Documents
- Consultation Response Report - Survivors Benefits and Correction of the Public Service Pensions Revaluation Orders (NI) for 2021 and 2022
- Consultation Document - Firefighters’ Pension Schemes - Survivor Benefits and Revaluation Orders Correction
- The Firefighters’ Pension Schemes and Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
- Equality Screening, Disability Duties and Human Rights Assessment
Consultation description
The Department is consulting on amendments to the NI Firefighters’ Pension Schemes in relation to Survivors’ Benefits following Supreme Court Rulings. The main changes relate to the retention of survivor benefits upon remarriage or entering into a new civil partnership, the removal of the requirement for members to complete a nomination form in respect of their co-habiting partner for survivor benefits to be paid and the removal of limitations to ensure that civil partners are treated in the same way as widowers of opposite sex marriages. The Department is also continuing its work of ensuring that all of the firefighter pension schemes work as intended.
The consultation also includes amendments required to correct the Public Service Revaluation Orders (NI) 2021 and 2022 where an incorrect revaluation figure adversely affected some members. There is no power in legislation to retrospectively amend a revaluation order, or to provide changes to revaluations for past years, therefore it is necessary to retrospectively make the amendments through scheme regulations under the Public Service Pensions Act (NI) 2014 (PSPA (NI) 2014).
Ways to respond
Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.