Fact sheet - Deferred Members at 31/12/2006

A deferred member is a member of the TPS who left service before 1 January 2007 and has not yet retired.

• If a member subsequently returns to service on or after 1 January 2007, they may come under transitional arrangements that preserve a Normal Pension Age (NPA) of 60.
• If a member returns to service before 1 January 2008, they will retain a NPA of 60 regardless of the length of the break in service.
• If a member returns on or after 1 January 2008, with more than a five year break in service, then future service will have a NPA of 65 but previous service will retain a NPA of 60.
• If a member returns after 1 January 2008 with a break of five years or less, then there will be a minimum period of scheme membership that must be undertaken after a break in pensionable service. This is to enable teachers who have a subsequent break in service to return at a later date and retain a NPA of 60 in respect of their future service.
• Minimum period is 30 days reckonable service or 60 days pensionable employment.
• If a deferred member does not return to teaching before retirement:
  • They will not be able to nominate a partner to receive a dependant’s pension.
  • They will not be entitled to contribute to an additional pension.
  • They will continue to be eligible to apply for ill-health retirement benefits if they develop a medical condition that permanently prevents them from undertaking further gainful employment.
  • They will receive a pension based upon 1/80th and a lump sum of 3/80th.
  • Their benefits will be calculated on the best year’s salary in their final three years of service.

Where there is any difference between the legislation governing the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and the information in this fact sheet the legislation will apply.

Further information about the effect of a break in pensionable employment for members in service before 1 January 2007