McCloud Judgment and Remedy FAQs - Tapered Enrolment and Protection

What is the 'tapered group' and how are they affected by 2015 Remedy?

Active scheme members, who, on 1 April 2012, were between 10 years and 13.5 years of their Normal Scheme Pension Age. These members opted to remain in Classic, Classic Plus, Premium on 1 April 2015 and continued to accrue pension in the PCSPS(NI). These members transitioned to alpha at a later date between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 and then began to accrue pension in alpha. Their transition date depended on an individual’s age and the time remaining until they reach their Normal Pension Age in their PCSPS(NI) section.

It is not possible to give this group the option of retaining mixed benefits as these are based on discriminatory terms that have been found to be unlawful. This group will be offered a choice of whether to receive legacy or alpha benefits in relation to any continuous service during the remedy period.

Will members who had ‘tapered protection’ also be asked to choose between legacy and reformed scheme benefits?

In the case of civil service pension scheme members the legacy schemes are Classic, Classic plus, Premium and Nuvos and the reformed scheme is alpha.

Members who received tapered protection in 2015, or would have received such protection but for the provision that unlawfully excluded younger members from transitional protection, will be offered a choice of whether to receive legacy or reformed scheme benefits in relation to any continuous service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022.

This will remove the discrimination that arose between older members who were subject to transitional protection and younger members who were not.

I am due to move into alpha under tapered enrolment, will I still move into alpha?

Yes. Until the changes to the pension schemes are agreed, members who have a future alpha enrolment date will continue to be enrolled into alpha.

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