Retirement Benefits

If you wish to retire, please contact your Pensions Officer giving at least 4 months notice this can be done either via work email or by letter. They will then send you a form AW8 to complete which is an application to claim benefits. Completed forms should then be returned to your Pensions Officer who will process the application. A number of certificates including birth and marriage (if appropriate) are required to support this application- copies will be accepted.

The ‘normal’ pension age is the age at which you can retire from NHS employment and have your pension paid without reduction or enhancement. Different benefits apply to the 1995 section and the 2008 section of the NHS Pension Scheme. These can be found in the Members Guide - SD Guide 

Pensions are usually paid monthly in arrears into a UK bank account for the rest of the member’s life. For those living abroad NHS Pensions can usually arrange to pay your benefits into a bank account there, providing it can accept secure electronic payments.

NHS pensions are fully index-linked to protect them against inflation. This means that your pension will be increased each year in line with the cost of living, for as long as it is paid. The increases are paid from April. In the first year of your retirement the amount of increase you get will depend on the date you retire.