Rule 72: Payment of short service refunds
299.Under rule 72(1), a refund is available to former scheme members with fewer than three calendar months reckonable service who apply for a refund at any time prior to becoming a scheme pensioner. A refund cannot be made in respect of office-holder or MSP service only. Under rule 72(2), the refund payable is the amount of contributions paid by the individual, less any amount paid to HMRC under section 55(2) of the 1993 Act for the contributions equivalent premium (CEP) for that individual. The CEP is the amount required to buy back service in the second state pension scheme for the refund period, as the scheme is contracted-out of the second state pension scheme.