The information in this fact sheet does not apply if you have retired on grounds of ill health. If you are in receipt of ill-health retirement benefits, see fact sheet Ill-health retirement benefits and re-employment.

Can I draw my teacher’s pension and work as a teacher?

• Yes, you will remain entitled to your pension. If you have taken phased retirement or actuarially reduced benefits your pension will not be affected. If however, you retired on age or premature grounds your pension may be abated.

Can my teaching employment count towards further retirement benefits from the TPS?

• Yes. From 1 January 2007 all employment that falls within the TPS will be automatically pensionable, unless you opt out. The exception will be if your employment started before 1 January 2007 and you did not elect for it to be pensionable under the ‘elected further employment’ arrangements.
• If you have taken all of your accrued benefits from the TPS, you will need to complete a further one year qualifying period.>
• If the one year qualifying period is not completed you can apply for a refund of contributions. This will extinguish the service and you could not return the contributions if you subsequently took up further pensionable employment.

How does abatement work?

• Your pension will be stopped if, in any tax year, your annual pensions plus earnings exceeds the highest salary in your average salary period (‘salary of reference’) plus pensions increase. Your pension will stop during that tax year from the point where earnings plus pension equal ‘salary of reference’, but it will recommence at the start of the following tax year.

What should I do if I return to teaching?

• You must notify TP. TP will then decide if your benefits need to be reviewed.

I was awarded premature retirement benefits. Do I need to inform my previous employer that I have obtained further employment?

• Yes, but only if you take up employment as a teacher.