Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Commutation: serious ill-health

143.—(1) In circumstances where a pension credit member is suffering from serious ill-health at any time prior to the date when he first becomes entitled to receive a pension under this Part, the whole of that pension may be commuted for a lump sum and the total of –

(a) that lump sum; and

(b) the lump sum grant (if applicable)

(“the commutation payment”) paid to the pension credit member.

(2) The lump sum referred to in paragraph (1)(a) shall be equal to five times the annual rate of the pension to which the pension credit member would have been entitled if on the date of commutation he had reached the normal benefit age.

(3) If applicable, the lump sum grant shall be equal to three times that annual rate.

(4) In this regulation, “serious ill-health” means ill-health which is such as to give rise to a life expectancy of less than one year from the date on which commutation of the pension is to take effect.

(5) Before making any decision as to whether a pension credit member may be entitled under paragraph (1), the Committee must obtain from an independent registered medical practitioner which it has appointed a certificate as to whether in his opinion the pension credit member is suffering from serious ill-health.

(6) Payment of the commutation payment discharges the Committee’s liability to the pension credit member in respect of his pension credit benefits.

(7) The Committee must deduct from the commutation payment any tax to which it may become chargeable under section 599 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.