NHS Pension

[sandbag]

Hello all,

 

I'm hoping that there is a pensions expert in here tonight.

 

I began working for the NHS in 1988 and joined the pension scheme at that point. I paid into te scheme for approx 18 months to 2 years. Following some really really bad advice i left the scheme and rejoined in April 1995. I did have Mental Health Officer Status in 1988 and I am aware that this stopped in March 1995.

 

I was informed around 10 years ago that I did not have MHO status and at that point I challenged this and was informed that I did have MHO status.

 

I recently received a pension forecast and it states that I do not have MHO status!

 

I am waiting to speak with the pensions manager at work and I have asked Unison to look into this matter but I am really worried that having thought I had MHO status I have in fact not!

 

Does anyone have any information on this matter?

 

Sorry for the long post.

 

Regards

Sandbag.

[honeybee13]

Hi there. Have you posted anything about this on the NHS forum? Not a duplicate, obviously.

 

I understand some pensions matters, but this MHO thing doesn't happen in other schemes. Please could you explain why it's important to your pension forecast and what difference it would make?

 

As this is so specialised, I don't know if it's even a pensions or employment matter yet. Does your contract of employment say anything informative about your status and the pension scheme? I imagine you're in the final salary one?

 

My best, HB

Edited May 15, 2010 by honeybee13
typo.

[sandbag]

Hi Honybee thanks for your reply.

 

The MHO status is important as it allows me to count each year of MHO membership over 20 years as 2 years for benefit purposes. I would be able to retire at 55 years with full pension, after 30 years service.

 

Regarding my employment contract - that would probably tell me what my status is so I will have to get hold of it and check.

 

Thanks again,

Sandbag.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

When you rejoined the NHS scheme in April 1995, [so just after MHO status stopped?], did they put in writing to you? And do you have the letter.

 

Did you ever complain about the outfit that advised you to leave a very generous scheme? Seriously bad advice, as you say? Because if you were reinstated by the adviser, you were normally entitled to be put back in the position you would have been in, had you not been misadvised. Meaning MHO status.

 

I hope that makes sense, it's always hard to explain pension stuff. I'll have another go if you need more, but I'm off out for a while now.

 

And please post anything in writing that you think could be relevant.

 

You may find that this is a misunderstanding that the NHS can change, but otherwise these are the questions you will need to address.

 

HB

[sandbag]

Hi Honeybee,

 

I cannot remember who advised me - it was a group of salesmen that came to the nurses home and at 20 years old i was not thinking about my pension - big mistake!

 

'If a member has had a break in membership of any one period of 5 years or more and rejoined the NHS Pension Scheme on or after 6 March 1995, MHO status cannot be granted.' This is whats worrying me as I did have a break in membership lasting 5 years, but -

'These special rights ony apply to scheme member who were in any of these jobs before 6 March 1995, and who:

• Have not had a break of 5 years or more in any pensionable employment, and
  
• Satisfy the special class or MHO conditions outlined above.
  

Special class status will not apply to anyone who started working in one of these jobs for the first time on or after 6 March 1995.' - I was in post in 1990 after qualifying and had paid into the scheme from 1988 to 1989.

I have not had a break in pensionable employment.

 

 

So what I'm saying is that MHO status was granted to me in 1988 and I have not had a break in employment since, so I feel that I should still have MHO status.

 

 

It's not looking good though is it!

 

 

Cheers Sandbag.

[sandbag]

Hello all ,

 

I have spoken to the pensions manager who has confirmed that I do not have MHO status. As I had a break in contributions for 5 years I lost my MHO status. She has advised me to write to the NHS Pensions organisation.

 

So it looks like I missed out by one month!

 

So now I need advice on how I can better the pension I have got now.

 

Regards,

Sandbag.

[honeybee13]

Well, advice on how to better your pension is highly regulated, so none of us here should probably be telling you that. I hope it's generic advice to say that you should look at buying 'added years' from the NHS scheme if they still offer them, or some other outside additional pension that can run alongside the NHS one.

 

But did you answer my question above about whether the idiots who took you out of the scheme compensated you or put you back in the position you'd have been in if you hadn't taken the bad advice? That's what the pension misselling debacle was all about. But did you keep anything in writing about MHO status when you were told you'd kept it?

 

HB

Edited May 17, 2010 by honeybee13
typos.