You may get a refund if you've:
- left the Scheme before your normal pension age (NPA)
- got less than 2 years qualifying membership in the Scheme - this includes membership in previous sections of the Scheme
- not had a transfer into the NHS Pension Scheme from a personal, money purchase, or stakeholder pension
- no longer been contributing to the Scheme unless there’s been a disqualifying break between your current and previous period of membership
- not claimed any pension benefits
A disqualifying break is a break of 12 months or more in the 1995 and 2008 Section or more than 5 years in the 2015 Scheme.
If you've claimed a refund and rejoined within one month, the refunded membership counts as qualifying membership.
Income tax is deducted before we refund your pension contributions.
If you’ve left employment due to sickness or redundancy, interest is added automatically before we refund your pension contributions.
Employer's pension contributions are not refunded. The balance of the Scheme's funding is dependent on employers' contributions remaining in the Scheme.
Read more information about claiming a refund on our website.
Re-employed pensioner members
If you claim your pension benefits, return to work and rejoin the Scheme, you cannot claim a refund of any contributions made to the new membership. You must opt out in the first month and your employer may refund your first month’s contribution.
Claiming a refund
To claim a refund, complete an RF12 form.
If you’re in active NHS employment, send this to your employer.
You must only submit one form if you have more than one NHS employer. This must go to the most recent employer the refund period relates to.
If you left that employment over 7 years ago or are no longer working in the NHS, send your RF12 form to us.
If your RF12 form is processed through Electronic Staff Record (ESR), it can take up to 12 weeks to receive your refund request.
Receiving a refund
We'll aim to pay your refund within one month of:
- receiving your RF12 form request
- receiving all the information if there's information missing
Once we authorise your refund, we'll aim to make a payment to your bank account within 7 working days.
If you opt to have the refund paid to a nominee, a cheque in their name will be sent to their address.
A letter confirming the payment of your refund will be sent to you.
Incorrectly submitted an RF12 form
Contact your employer.
If you're an employing authority (EA) and you've incorrectly submitted an RF12 on behalf of one of your employees, email a copy of the RF12 to pensionsrefunds@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
Other options instead of claiming a refund
You may have other options other than claiming a refund if you have less than 2 years qualifying membership.
If you're thinking of rejoining within 5 years of leaving, your new membership will be linked to your previous membership. The benefits you previously built up will be revalued each year using the in-scheme revaluation rate.
You may be able to transfer your benefits to another pension scheme if you're not planning on rejoining the NHS Pension Scheme.