Civil Service Pensions (NI) Digital Newsletter - Issue 2 - May 2023

Consultation on NICS Pension Scheme Retrospective Remedy

The Department of Finance is consulting on proposed changes to the Northern Ireland Civil Service Pension Scheme as part of the 2015 Remedy (McCloud) programme. View the animated video below for further detail and ways to respond.

You can read and respond to the consultation at Consultation on NICS Pension Scheme Retrospective Remedy where you will find all associated screening documentation, regulations and Rural Needs Impact Assessment.

A suite of specific Frequently Asked Questions on the public consultation are available to assist you.

Are you affected by the 2015 Remedy (McCloud)?

Over 40,000 current and former Civil Servants are affected by the 2015 Remedy.

Are you one of them? You can access our interactive 'Am I affected? Tool' to check if you are affected.

After answering a few simple questions, the tool will give you an indication of whether you’re likely to be offered a choice under the 2015 Remedy when you take your pension benefits after October 2023. You won’t be asked to share any personal details or need any specific information to hand – the tool will guide you.

How to respond to the consultation

Our preferred method for responses is online by pressing the green button on the consultation page, Consultation on NICS Pension Scheme Retrospective Remedy

Alternatively, you may use the template provided in the consultation and either email or post your response to the addresses provided.

Key Dates and Jargon Buster during the Remedy Process

We know the world of pensions can be complicated and difficult to understand as we progress through ther Remedy process. For example, what do we mean by 'rollback'?

Rollback - The term used to describe the process by which in-scope members are placed back into a relevant legacy pension scheme(s). The legacy pension schemes for the NICS are Classic, Classic Plus and Premium and Nuvos.

You can find a full glossary of terms used within the consultation document at Annex B.

There are several key dates already in place to help ensure that the Remedy is completed as quickly as possible. These are listed on the Key Remedy Dates and Jargon Buster page on the website and will be updated as progress is made.

Further Information

A full range of resources can be accessed at the McCloud Judgment and 2015 Remedy page on the website.

This webpage has a wealth of information including animated videos, explaining what the McCloud 2015 Remedy is and what to expect. More content, including tools and calculators, are under development so we encourage you to keep checking this webpage for further updates and newsletters.

It is important to note that members do not need to make any remedy choices on their personal circumstances at this stage.

Other News

Is your Death Benefit Nomination up to date?

As always, just a reminder of the importance of ensuring you have an up-to-date Death Benefit Nomination.

The NICS Pension Schemes do not only provide pension benefits for you. In certain circumstances they also provide benefits after your death to the people you care about. You can complete a Death Benefit Nomination form to confirm who you want to be considered to receive any lump sum benefit. This could be a family member, a friend, a charity, a business or any other organisation.

As a member of the alpha scheme, you can name as many nominees as you wish and choose how to split the lump sum between them. More information and forms can be found on the Death Benefit Nomination webpage.

Coming up

Over the coming months, we will be sharing more information and providing guidance to help you understand if you are affected and what this may mean for your pension. We will be publishing the results of the consultation exercise in September.