If you return to NHS work after ill health retirement, you may be able to rejoin the NHS Pension Scheme.
1995 Section
You can rejoin the Scheme if:
- you've not exchanged your pension for a one-off lump sum payment due to terminal illness
- you retired before 1 April 2008, are under age 50 and rejoining for the first time
- you retired on or after 1 April 2008 with a Tier 1 ill health pension, are under age 50 and rejoining for the first time
If you retired on or after 1 April 2008 with a Tier 2 ill health pension, you can rejoin the Scheme 12 months after you start further employment in the NHS if you’re under age 50. If you rejoin, you’ll be paid a Tier 1 pension in place of the Tier 2 pension.
Special Class status (SCS) or mental health officer (MHO) status
If you had SCS or MHO status and rejoined before age 50, you can keep this status if your break in employment was less than 5 years.
2008 Section and 2015 Scheme
You can rejoin the Scheme if:
- you’re aged under 75
- you’ve not exchanged your pension for a one-off lump sum payment due to terminal illness
- you retired from the 2008 Section and have not built up 45 years Scheme membership
You can rejoin the Scheme 12 months after you start further employment. If you rejoin, you’ll be paid a Tier 1 pension in place of a Tier 2 pension.