Flexible Retirement

Members of the NHS Pension Scheme have several options open to them as they approach pensionable age. This flexibility allows employees to find the best set of circumstances to meet the needs of both themselves and the the organisation they work for.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is making changes to the NHS Pension Scheme rules to enable NHS staff to work more flexibly up to and beyond retirement age. If you are a member with 1995 Section benefits from 1 April 2023 you will be able to return to NHS employment after retirement if you wish and build up further pension benefits in the 2015 Scheme.

From 1 October 2023, members of the 1995 Section will also be able to take partial retirement, meaning you can take some or all of your pension without having to leave your job. These options are already available to members of the 2008 Section and 2015 Scheme.

All active members of the NHS Pension Scheme should have received a letter with details of the changes. A copy of the letter can be found here.

For more information, visit the re-employment page on the Pensioner hub and partial retirement page in the Member hub on NHS Pensions to find out more.

If you are a member of the 2015 Pension Scheme and are interested in an Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out (ERRBO), please see the ERRBO page.If you are unsure of which Pension Scheme(s) you have service in, you can view this in your Total Reward Statement.

Step Down

Staff may be able to 'step down' to a different role, giving a chance to reduce their responsibility while remaining in NHS employment. This supports the organisation to retain the individuals skills and experience while supporting the staff member to approach retirement.

Wind Down

Staff can 'wind down' to retirement by remaining in their current post, but reducing the number of hours or days they work.

Retire and Return to NHS Employment

You can leave your employment, take your NHS pension benefits and return to NHS employment.

If you are considering retiring and returning to work, please familiarise yourself with the Flexible Retirement Policy and the Flexible Retirement Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You will then need to raise a query with HR Direct, HR Direct will be able to talk you through the options available to you on your return.

Additional information can be found on NHS Pension Members Hub - Applying for your pension.

Partial Retirement (Draw Down)

Members can take part of their pension benefits and continue in NHS employment. This means that staff can continue working while benefiting from being able to partially draw down their pension benefits and supplement their income. From 1st October 2023, partial retirement has changed.  Further information regarding these changes can be found here.  An NHS Pensions partial retirement member fact sheet is also available.  

Late Retirement Enhancement

If a member chooses to retire later than their normal pension age, their pension benefits will be increased by the application of late retirement factors.