These Regulations amend the Local Government Pension Scheme constituted by the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 as amended (“the principal Regulations”).

Article 14 of the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 confers express powers to make regulations retrospective in effect. These Regulations are retrospective, however no one will be adversely affected by this.

The principal Regulations are amended—

to comply with the requirements of the Finance Act 2004 and other legislation regulating registered pension schemes;

to remove the 40 year limit on the total membership that can be awarded in the event of an ill-health retirement;

to increase the maximum period by which an employer may augment the membership of a Scheme member; and

to introduce the maximum a member may elect to pay as additional voluntary contributions of 50 per cent of remuneration.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations, as it has no impact on the costs of businesses, charities or voluntary bodies, nor is there a significant financial impact on any public bodies.