Rule 47: Serious ill-health pension
194.Rule 47 provides six conditions which must be met before the Fund trustees can be satisfied that an individual becomes entitled to a serious ill-health pension from the scheme. The amount of pension payable is set out in rule 50 (paragraphs 209-218).
195.Condition 1 is met where the individual has resigned or has otherwise stopped being an MSP or the holder of a pensionable office. The reason for the resignation or otherwise stopping work must be as a direct result of a health condition. In most instances, the health condition will lead directly to resignation but the condition may also be met where an individual does not stand for re-election or is not re-appointed to a pensionable office as a direct result of the health condition.
196.Condition 2 requires that the individual must be a scheme member and thus be entitled to a scheme pension but for not having reached age 65. Condition 3 requires that an application for a serious ill-health pension must be made.
197.Conditions 4 and 5 relate to the health condition. That condition must be expected to be permanent and to prevent the individual from doing any gainful work now and in the future. “Work” is defined in rule 109(1) of Schedule 1 and includes work under a contract of employment, service or apprenticeship, as the holder of an office or as a self-employed person. “Gainful” takes its normal meaning and so unpaid work would not, for example, be gainful work.
198.Condition 6 requires that the application be accompanied by evidence from a doctor that the doctor is satisfied that conditions 4 and 5 are met (“doctor” is defined in rule 109(1)).