The Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Insertion of new regulation 87A

61.  After regulation 87 insert—

“Benefits on death in superannuable employment after pension under regulation 13A becomes payable

87A.— (1) This regulation applies to a member in respect of whom a pension is payable under regulation 13A who—

(a) returns to superannuable employment after that pension becomes payable; and

(b) dies in superannuable employment.

(2) For the purposes of this regulation, the member’s “previous service” means the superannuable service in respect of which the member became entitled to receive a pension under regulation 13A (Ill health pension on early retirement) and the member’s “later service” means any superannuable service which accrues after becoming so entitled.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the member’s benefits in respect of later service shall be calculated without regard to the member’s previous service.

(4) For the purposes of regulation 4 (Meaning of superannuable service) and regulation 10(3) and (4) (Contributions by members), the member’s previous service and later service shall be aggregated.

(5) If this regulation applies, a lump sum payable on the member’s death shall be payable in addition to any lump sum payable under regulation 19 (Member dies after pension becomes payable).

(6) The additional lump sum referred to in paragraph (5) shall be equal to 5 times the amount of the pension that would have been payable to the member had he left HSC employment and been entitled to a tier 2 pension based on the member’s later service under regulation 13A on the date of the member’s death.

(7) If a member to whom this regulation applies leaves a surviving spouse, civil partner or nominated partner, the amount of pension payable to the surviving spouse, civil partner or nominated partner shall be the aggregate of the amounts referred to in paragraphs (8) and (10).

(8) Subject to paragraph (12), the amount payable in respect of the member’s previous service shall be equal to the amount of the member’s pension (if any) that was payable when the member died.

(9) The amount referred to in paragraph (8) shall be paid for—

(a) the 3 months immediately following the member’s death; or

(b) the 6 months immediately following the member’s death if the member leaves a dependent child who is dependent on the surviving spouse, civil partner or nominated partner.

(10) The amount payable in respect of the member’s later service shall be equal to the member’s rate of superannuable pay when the member died.

(11) The amount referred to in paragraph (10) shall be paid for the 6 months immediately following the member’s death.

(12) Paragraph (8) shall not apply if the aggregate of the spouse's, civil partner’s or nominated partner’s pension and any child allowance which would otherwise be payable under these Regulations in respect of the member’s previous service is greater.

(13) Upon expiry of the 3 month or, as the case may be, 6 month period referred to in paragraph (9), the amount of the surviving spouse's, civil partner’s or nominated partner’s pension in respect of the member’s previous service shall be the amount determined in accordance with regulation 25 (Member dies after pension becomes payable).

(14) Upon expiry of the 6 month period referred to in paragraph (11), the amount of the surviving spouse's, civil partner’s or nominated partner’s pension in respect of the member’s later service shall be equal to one-half of the rate of pension that would have been payable to the member had the member become entitled to the pension mentioned in paragraph (6).

(15) If a member to whom this regulation applies leaves a dependent child but does not leave a surviving spouse, civil partner, or nominated partner, the child allowance, for the 6 months immediately following the member’s death, shall be equal to the aggregate of—

(a) the member’s rate of superannuable pay when the member died; and

(b) the amount of the member’s pension (if any) that the member was receiving at that time.

(16) Subject to paragraph (17), except where a child allowance is payable at the rate mentioned in paragraph (15), the child allowance in respect of the member’s later service shall—

(a) be paid as a proportion of the rate of pension that would have been payable to the member had he become entitled to the pension mentioned in paragraph (6); and

(b) such proportion shall be determined in accordance with the circumstances as described in regulation 34 (Member dies in superannuable employment).

(17) If a member to whom this regulation applies leaves a child who was a dependent child both at the time the member’s previous service was terminated and when the member died, any child allowance payable under these Regulations shall be calculated according to—

(a) regulation 35 (Member dies after pension becomes payable) in respect of the pension already in payment; and

(b) regulation 34 in respect of later superannuable employment.

(18) If the aggregate of the superannuable service used in the calculation referred to in paragraph (17)(a) and that used in the calculation referred to in paragraph (17)(b) (“the member’s aggregated service”) is less than 10 years, additional service will be allocated to the later period of superannuable employment for the purpose of the calculation under regulation 34.

(19) The amount of additional service referred to in paragraph (18) is the difference between 10 years superannuable service and the member’s aggregated service.”.